Today we will continue our series entitled “God’s Grace & Our Faith.” We are looking at The Law given under Moses vs. the Grace provided by Jesus. Our primary scriptures are John 1:14 & 17. Let’s look at them again.
(John 1:14 New International Version)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:17 New International Version)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
In this series, we also looked at passages in Galatians 4, 5, and 6. I want to open the aperture now that we are done with that book. As we have been comparing and contrasting The Law that was given by Moses and the grace that came through Jesus, the recurring theme is that The Law required OF us, and grace provides TO us. Under The Law, we had to perform. Under grace, it’s already done. Today we will look at a few scriptures that drive this home. I am pointing out that God’s grace is ALREADY on you to do what He called you to do.
Read these scriptures carefully and prayerfully. I have underlined a few things for emphasis.
(Jer 1:5 NIV) Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
(Ps 139:16 MSG) Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
(Isa 49:1 NLT) Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb, He called me by name.
(Gal 1:15,16 NLT) But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
(Eph 2:10 ERV) God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things.
1. God’s grace (His ability) is ALREADY on you to do what He called you to do.
— God is sovereign, and we are destined. God knows all things. He planned out our lives in accordance with His foreknowledge of our decisions. Our decisions matter. We will reap whatever we sow. It’s just that God does not have to wait until next Monday to know what we are going to do next Monday. So He planned out our lives and our destinies, informed (beforehand) by our decisions.
— It would be unrighteous of a sovereign God to expect you to do something He has not equipped you to do. Our God is righteous. He equips us to do everything He expects us to do. As you get a hold of this concept in your heart, it will bring you great peace and confidence. Every time God tells you to do something, no matter how BIG (beyond your ability) it may seem to you, the first thought that should cross your mind is: “The fact that God has called me to do this is proof that His grace is already ON me and IN me to perform it. God is not going to GIVE me grace. He already did. I already have it. I can already do it. I must now rest in God’s finished work!“
— God called you, set you apart, equipped you (in the spirit) with His grace, and prepared everything you would ever need to complete His divine assignment. He did all of this before the world began. What God is doing now (as you walk with Him and are led by His Spirit) is preparing you for what He prepared for you!
— God’s grace is already on you. But you may lack an understanding of what God has called you to do and when He called you to do it. Further, you must be processed to the point where you can carry the weight of the anointing associated with the assignment. So much of what God does with you daily is about preparing you for what has already been prepared for you.
— God will only require OF you what He has already deposited IN you! Under the New Covenant, we are not performing in order to receive anything from God. Our goal now is to hear from heaven concerning His plans for our lives and to then launch out in faith to bring those things to pass. We do this fully believing that God has already equipped us to do what He called us to do. We are not performing FOR the assignment (that’s Old Covenant). We are performing BECAUSE we have been assigned (that’s New Testament).
— Your job, after you are Born-Again, is to spend time with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will reveal to you the plans God made for you before the world began. Once you know what those plans are, you have to believe that God’s grace is on you to bring them to pass, no matter how big they seem or how far beyond your wildest dreams they are. If God revealed it, it is because He planned it, and His grace is on you to do it! His part is grace. Your part is faith. His part is already done. He is waiting on you now. You must have the faith to believe and attempt what God already planned. Are you ready? It’s time for you to live the life God planned, by His grace and for His glory!
2. Along with the grace to perform, God has already given you the grace to overcome.
Not only did God grace you to PERFORM your divine assignment, but He also graced you to OVERCOME everything you would face along the way. God never said it would be easy. He just promised to never leave you, nor forsake you. He is with you every step of the way!
I will share something Paul said about the grace to overcome challenges. I will share it in two translations.
(1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
(1 Corinthians 10:13 TPT)
We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously.
From this, we learn several things:
— Being tested by challenges is normal. Every human being faces challenges. Further, Paul said this to his son in the faith, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
— God is so faithful to you that He will not allow you to face something you cannot handle. The text says, “He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it.” So, if you are facing it, it is only because God trusts you with it.
— If we all have a breaking point (and I believe we do), and God knows everything (and I believe He does), then we must believe He won’t allow us to get pushed beyond our capacity. We must believe that God’s grace is on us to handle whatever we are facing. In other words, if we are facing a challenge, it is only because God has already equipped us to overcome it. If you did not have the grace for it, you would not be facing it. So if you are, then you can!
— If God allowed it to be in front of you, it is because He has already given you the grace to rise above it! Many times believers ask God for less challenge and what He does is respond with more grace. This helps take the focus off of the external circumstances long enough for you to remind yourself that God is still God, His hand is still on your life, and He has already equipped (graced) you to handle what you are facing! With this reminder in your heart, you can face the challenge head-on, in faith, with full confidence in God. When you get to this point, you can rest in God’s finished work! Because you know that as far as God is concerned, it is already done! This is #TheGraceLife.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing grace. I choose to give my attention to Your finished work.
When I am facing a challenge, meditating on Your grace frees me from the stress, struggle, and strain of this world. There have been times when I asked You for LESS CHALLENGE. But instead of reducing the challenge, you gave me more grace. This is a reminder that Your grace is already on me to do what You sent me to this planet to accomplish.
So, Father, I embrace Your grace. I become a conduit of Your power. I rest in Your ability. I know Your grace is ALREADY on me to perform Your will and to overcome every obstacle I will face along the way.
I face every challenge head-on, in faith, without a doubt, fully relying on Your supernatural power because I know You have already given me the victory! I rest in Your finished work!
In heaven, it’s already done! For me, on earth, it is only a matter of time! This is how I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
