Experiencing the Freedom of Grace

Grace, the unmerited favour of God, is available to everyone, not just a select group. It is available in abundance to all the children of God. Grace is UNEARNED, meaning we cannot earn it based on our actions or inactions.

Acts 4:32, NKJV | 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJV | 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Great grace is necessary for the church to accomplish its tasks. It is a gift of God, not a result of works. We are created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works, demonstrating that God's grace is available to us as children of the Lord.

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In Judges 11, Japhthah vows to sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering if God grants him victory over Amonities.

Judges 11:21-29, NKJV | 21 And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated[a] them. Thus Israel gained possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 They took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23 ‘And now the Lord God of Israel has [b]dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel; should you then possess it? 24 Will you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the Lordour God takes possession of before us, we will possess. 25 And now, are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel? Did he ever fight against them? 26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities along the banks of the Arnon, for three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? 27 Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord, the Judge, render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.’ ” 28 However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him. 29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.

• Jephthah believed God would have given him the victory, but he did not trust His grace. He believed he had to sacrifice something to gain God's favor, similar to the Pagan gods. He could have broken this foolish vow, as God was against human sacrifices. God would have given Jephthah grace if he had not made such a foolish vow.

• We often approach God with expectations of blessings based on our good deeds, but this is not the true nature of God's grace. Grace is unearned and unmerited, and we cannot earn it. God would have given Jephthah the battle if he had only asked God. We must change our mindset and spirit to understand that we don't need to be good to receive God's grace, but rather we get God and then get good.

• We don't have to manipulate God through prayer, fasting, or any other works. Prayer and fasting are practices that help us align ourselves with the spirit of Almighty God rather than manipulating Him. 

• We can gain encouragement and boldness through prayer and fasting, but we must trust in God's grace and goodness. God says we are saved by faith, not by works of the flesh. It's time to put aside our reliance on our abilities and work, and trust in God. This will set us free and experience the freedom of grace.

• We need to break free from preconceived thoughts and reliance on our own abilities to receive God's grace. God's grace is sufficient for all, regardless of past sins or actions. Lot and Noah in the Bible received God's grace, and if we are open and willing to receive it, we can too.

• We are now living in the age of grace, a time of dispensation of God's grace, not under the law of Moses. This uncommon grace empowers us to walk freely, allowing us to fully grasp and fully utilise it.

John 1:17, NKJV | 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

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John 8:10-12, NKJV | 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [a]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [b]of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go [c]and sin no more.” 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

• Jesus forgives a woman who was caught in adultery, not condemning her sin or condoning it. This forgiveness does not mean her actions were right in God's eyes. Grace is greater in sin-abounding situations, but it does not grant a licence to sin. The grace of God saved her from death, according to the law of Moses.

• Living in the hour of grace allows us to receive God's uncommon grace, even when we still sin and fall short. Recognizing and accepting this grace is crucial for making sense of it, as it allows us to repent and grow in our relationship with God.

• We must be graceful to be able to give grace. Without receiving God's grace, we cannot give it to others. It is a shame to receive great grace from God and then turn around and give the world great condemnation. It is essential to be able to give grace freely.

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Hebrews 12:1, NKJV | 12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

• The Bible encourages us to lay aside all weights and sin, as unforgiveness is the primary obstacle to giving out grace. By laying aside these weights, we can run with grace and give out grace to others.

• The world is filled with anger and hostility, but God has urged us to put off our anger and show grace. Many things are unjust and unfair, but to live effectively in this age of grace and see King Jesus, we must put some things away. Unchecked anger can turn into wrath, making us irritable all the time. God has warned us that we cannot have both grace and wrathfulness. 

• Learning to receive God's grace and share it with those we find difficult to love can lead to spiritual authority and power, especially for those we find difficult to love.

• Jesus desires for believers to embody his character, allowing them to give out grace and deposit it wherever they go. He did this for the woman who committed adultery, urging us to emulate his example and show grace towards one another.

• People who refuse to accept forgiveness for their sins, known as P-R-I-D-E, push God away and hinder the ability to forgive others. Pride prevents us from being able to deposit grace wherever we go.

Prayer

God, you called me to serve you, Lord; you want me to praise and adore you; you love me. Lord, I repent for the things that have hurt you—the anger, the wrath, the malice, and the unforgiveness. Teach me today, Lord, how to be graceful. If I feel that I don’t deserve your grace, set me free, Lord, so that I will be able to freely receive your grace. Help me to understand that I don’t have to earn it. Help me to get rid of the things that need to go and to help me receive your grace today, which you are freely wanting to pour out to me, and to help me to be able to deposit grace wherever I go—to be graceful to others in return. In Jesus name, Amen.