This morning we continue our series entitled, “Power of Fellowship.” I told you up front that I would teach this series in two overall parts. The first part of the series has been about our (upward) relationship with God and the second part will be about our (outward) relationship with others. This is the last message from the first part.
For the past 8 weeks we have discussed this topic and I pray it has been a blessing to you. As I close out this portion my final message will be about releasing the pressure to perform.
In Romans 6, when teaching on the difference between God’s grace and our human effort, the Apostle Paul wrote the following: “And since it is by God’s grace, it can’t be a matter of their good works; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a gift of grace, but earned by human effort.” (Romans 11:6 TPT). The point I want to make here is that when you get an understanding of God’s grace several key things can happen in your life. The two I will focus on today are releasing the pressure to perform and being delivered from religion.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God wants you to have a true and intimate relationship with Him. For this to happen to its fullest, you must release the pressure to perform. Religion puts all the emphasis on us and our performance. So much so that good people, all over the world, live their lives every day attempting to perform for God’s approval. They may not realize it, but they are basically working for God’s blessing. The problem with this mindset is that it is not Biblical. Under the New Covenant God blesses us by grace, not because of human effort. When you finally get this down in your heart, you are free to enter into God’s rest and enjoy the relationship He wants to have with you, without living every day under the bondage of human performance. I pray you open your heart to the freedom of God’s grace.
2. You cannot earn God’s blessing. If you earn something, then whatever you received for your performance is payment. If you think God is only going to bless you if you perform, then in a way you are putting in work and you expect to get paid (with a blessing) as a result. This is the mindset that causes many to live religious lives under the pressure to perform. Jesus came to usher us into a dispensation (time period) of grace. Under grace God wants to bless you because He is good. God wants to bless you because there are things He planned to do in your life before the world began. God wants to bless you because He wants to use you for His purpose. He is not blessing you because you are good. He is blessing you because He is good. The day you get this down in your heart will be the day you can start walking with God and allowing Him to walk with you in a way that is free from all unnecessary pressure. This is the type of relationship the Father wants us to have.
3. Paul explained to us that grace is a gift. He told us that if we worked for it, then it would be payment and not a gift. A gift cannot be earned. A gift can only be received. Please embrace the grace of God. Open your heart to His best. Believe what God believes about you. And don’t make your life about a set of rules and religion. Enter into God’s rest so you can enjoy the relationship He wants to have with you. Once you start living this way you will be amazed at how much God can use a person who is free to walk as the man/woman they were born to be.
4. God loves you. His grace was made available to you to save you from sin and death. Now that you are Born-Again, God’s grace is made available to you to become the man/woman you were born to be. Embrace His grace. Open your heart to His best. Release the pressure to perform. Walk away from the entanglement of religion and religious activity. Enter into God’s rest concerning everything in your life. Know that God is with you and that He will see to it that you maximize the purpose and potential He placed in you before the world began. And then simply walk with Him every day. This is the way God wants you to live. This is what having a true relationship looks like. This is why Jesus died for you. He did not die so you could continue to live your life based on human effort or performance. He did not die so you could live entangled under the clutches of religious activity. Jesus died so you could know the Father like He knew the Father. So you could walk with God the way He did. Jesus died so you could live like He lived in this world. Please release the pressure and enjoy the relationship Jesus died to give you!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for Your grace. You saved me by grace, and not my works. Now that I am saved from sin and death, I know I am going to heaven. I know I am the righteousness of God. I am not righteous because of what I do. I am not righteous because of what I fail to do. I am only righteous because of what Jesus did. Further, I know You do not bless me because of my performance. I am not looking to perform to earn Your blessing. I am looking to walk with You and carry out Your will by Your grace. I am free from religion. I am free from the pressure to perform. And I am free to walk with You and to do whatever You tell me to do, however You lead me to do it. I have a relationship with You and I love it. Thank You Father for delivering me from human performance and religious activity. I am free and I am never going back! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
