This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” and I am led to take a pause today from learning about the Apostle Paul. We will get back to him tomorrow. In the month of September 2012 I started preaching messages on Grace. I had been studying the Grace of God for a while and the Lord led me to start preaching on the topic. After having preached several messages on Grace, the Father made it clear to me that I would be preaching and teaching on Grace for a while. As far as Today’s Word is concerned, at that time I was wrapping up a series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up” and I was praying about whether or not to go back to the series on Proverbs. After much prayer the Lord led me to start a series on Today’s Word on Grace.
On September 15, 2012 I started this series and in the very first message I wrote, “I don’t know how long this series is going to last and I don’t know all the scriptures we will cover (I never know until the Father shows me), but I am genuinely excited about this series. I have learned more about the Grace of God this year than any other year of my walk with Christ. I humbly submit to the Father to be the vessel through which He teaches you about His immeasurable grace and as we go on this journey together, it is my prayer that we both grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Christ.” Almost a year later, we are still in this series and the end is nowhere in sight. I trust you have been growing in Grace.
Yesterday the Lord had me preach a message entitled, “Embrace Grace, for confidence with God.” Instead of the normal Today’s Word, this morning I feel led to share a few snippets from my notes for that message. Enjoy:
———————————————————————————————————————-
The Prodigal Son: An example of condemnation and stripped confidence.
(Luke 15:11-23) And he said, A certain man had two sons:
(v.12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
-
Although the son was doing the wrong thing, notice the confidence he had with his Father.
-
He had confidence to ask for what he considered to be rightly his.
-
He had confidence based on inheritance.
-
He had confidence based on relationship.
-
All the possessions belonged to the Father, but he had the confidence to ask for them, because of his position as a Son.
(v.13) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
(v.14) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
-
The boy messed up!
-
And the Father knew better, and he still let him mess up.
-
The Father gave him the space to make his own mistakes.
(v.15) And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
(v.16) And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
-
It got SO bad, the boy covenanted himself to something he should have never connected with.
-
When you are OUT OF POSITION, you will find yourself DOING THINGS you should NOT be DOING.
-
It was SO bad, PIGS had it better than him.
(v.17) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
(v.18) I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
-
Good decision: “I will arise”
-
You’ve got to get the point where you are TIRED of LIVING BENEATH WHO YOU ARE!
-
He acknowledged the fact that he had sinned.
-
He knew he messed up.
-
He knew he was wrong.
Thoughts birthed from a Condemned Heart:
(v.19) And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
-
He was a SON, not a SERVANT, but condemnation made him feel like…
-
He was no longer worthy to be called a Son.
-
He had to beg to even earn the spot of a Servant.
-
The Difference between a Servant and a Son
(Gal 4:1-7 KJV) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
(v.2) But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
(v.3) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
(v.4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
(v.5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
(v.6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(v.7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
-
You are NOT a SLAVE, you are a SON!
-
You are NOT a SERVANT, you are a SON!
-
“But I messed up!” Yes, but you are Still a SON!
Getting back to Luke 15
(v.19) And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
-
Even with everything he did, he still knew he was a Son.
-
But because of Condemnation, he was asking his father to MAKE HIM a Servant.
-
Where do these thoughts come from?
-
They come from satan.
-
Satan wants you to wallow in condemnation.
-
When your heart condemns you, you have NO CONFIDENCE.
-
***Faith is all about Confidence in God***
Condemnation strips you of your confidence:
(1 Jn 3:20-22 KJV) For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
-
When you feel condemned, you run FROM God.
-
When you get convicted of righteousness, you run TO God.
-
Your heart condemns you, because you are thinking like a man.
***God is Greater than your heart, because He is operating from a position of Love, Grace, Mercy and unyielding faithfulness***
Even when we are Faithless, God is Faithful (Under this New Covenant)
(2 Tim 2:13 AMP) If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.
(Heb 8:12 KJV) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
*** You might feel condemned in your heart, but God is Greater than you heart! ***
Getting back to Luke 15
(v.20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
-
Did the Father ever change?
-
The Son felt condemned, but did the Father change towards the Son?
-
The Son was stinking from being around pigs, but the Father kissed his neck!
(v.21) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
-
The Son spoke from a heart of Condemnation!
-
The Son saw himself as NO MORE WORTHY to be called a Son.
(v.22) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
(v.23) and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
-
The Father did not EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE the boy’s words of Condemnation.
-
The Father spoke from a heart of GRACE!
-
The Father was merciful to his unrighteousness!
-
And our Heavenly Father is the same way with us!
———————————————————————————————————————-
So what does this mean to you today? A few quick things:
1. When you do wrong (and you will do wrong), satan wants you to feel condemned, because when you feel condemned you have no confidence towards God.
2. When you feel condemned you run away from God. When you are convicted of the righteousness Jesus died to give you, you run back to God.
3. Doing wrong may make you feel condemned in your heart, but God is greater than your heart (1 Jn 3:20). God knows all things and He is more focused on who He birthed you to be than what you did.
4. Under the New Covenant God is merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and iniquities He will remember no more (Heb 8:12).
5. Under the New Covenant, even when you are faithless, God remains faithful to you (2 Tim 2:13).
6. Embracing God’s amazing Grace will help you build up your confidence towards Him. The more confidence you have, the more you will be able to live by faith; faith is all about confidence.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your unyielding love and Grace towards me. You loved me before the foundations of the world. You made plans for me before I was even born. You thought of ways to bless me, even when I was of no use to You whatsoever and I refused to acknowledge Your throne. You accepted me as a Son, even when I was filthy and nasty, covered with and in sin. You cleansed me with the Blood of Your Son Jesus and You washed me white as snow. I am now a son, not a servant. I am a now a son, not a slave. I am a son of the Most High God, and as a son I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ Jesus. I did not deserve what You did for me then and I still do not deserve what You do for me now. But I do embrace Your Grace and I receive the position of righteousness You have freely given me. Your Grace helps me come to You with confidence, because my confidence is in You and not in me. If I had to come to You in confidence, based upon my ability and my ability alone, I would barely have any confidence at all. But my confidence is birthed from and based on Your Grace towards me. I freely receive all You want to give me and I remain open to all You want to accomplish in my life. My life is not about me… it is All About You! So whatever You want to do — IN, WITH and THROUGH me — I am open to it, I receive it by Grace and I access it by faith. Not because I am so good, but because You are. And when I mess up (which is more often than I want to acknowledge), I will not allow satan to get me over into guilt, shame and condemnation. I quickly repent and receive the forgiveness You already gave me, I forgive myself, and I keep pressing by faith, through Grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
