God’s grace is sometimes lost within our sin. We can have victory over sin if we see God’s grace for what it truly is. His grace does not empower us to sin, and we do not sin to obtain more grace.
The natural person cannot live the Christian life without God’s grace. It is impossible to live out God’s will and plan for your life without grace.
Matthew 26:41
Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The natural man’s weakness is being subject to sin and sinful behavior. With the acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior, His power and grace through the Holy Spirit allows us to live in a Christlike manner. His grace provides us the equalizer to combat sin in order that sin will have no power over us.
God’s grace is what allows us to say “no” to sin. God helps us to meet any and all of our needs, including the delivery from sin in our lives. He gives us the grace to be faithful to Him and to live in a godly manner before Him.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 This saying is trustworthy:
For if we have died with Him,
we will also live with Him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with Him;
if we deny Him, He will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny Himself.
God is faithful to Himself even when we are not faithful to Him. It does not lower His holy standards and His righteousness. He demands that we are holy as He is holy.
Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.
God’s grace is to empower you to deny sin and live for Him…it helps us to live with self control through the Holy Spirit.
The flesh alone can only follow Satan and commit sinful behavior. Grace is the great equalizer that gives you the choice and the ability to reject sin in such as way that the flesh cannot do. You do not have to succumb to the ways of the world. God has called you to a higher place, and He expects you to step up to it. He wants you to live godly today, and not wait until tomorrow to do it.
The purpose of grace is to live a victorious Christian life.
1. God is always present and sufficient to meet our needs. It doesn’t mean that we will necessarily be comfortable in our way of living, but He wants us to live in that He will be glorified.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
…7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
That thorn was to regulate Paul’s thinking that he was “not all that.” The thorn was not sin, but it was all about giving Paul the realization that he was dependent upon God. He prayed for relief, but he didn’t get it. He was humbled and he realized that God’s “grace was sufficient” for him. Paul realized that he was where he was because of nothing other than God’s grace. Paul was content because of his acceptance of God’s grace.
You must believe that God’s grace is enough for you. If you don’t believe it, then you will wind up looking everywhere for something that only God can satisfy. He is the One who stabilizes you and keeps you in the midst of difficulty.
2. Grace keeps you grounded. It keeps you level-headed and gives you the ability to see Him through your difficult situations and circumstances.
3. The presence of grace does not remove troubles and difficulty. He teaches us to see that we can have victory in spite of the troubles.
4. In our weakness, grace provides us with understanding to overcome our fears. We recognize His power in our life and you can distinguish when God’s hand is on you and when He’s working in your life. This is the distinction between those called by God to be His children and to those who are in the world. God will meet every need.
Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Grace is God’s unmerited favor for us that gives us favor before others. His lovingkindness helps us to see His grace for what it is and to share our love for others.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
6 Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.” 2 For He says:
I heard you in an acceptable time,
and I helped you in the day of salvation.
Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.
God doesn’t force His grace on anyone. He does not make you do anything. You have an inheritance, but you must acknowledge it. He gives each of us the path to fellowship and to recognize grace. Until you make the decision to accept God’s grace, you will not be victorious in Christ. You have to be willing to take the steps, and God’s grace will help you in your desire to fellowship with Him.
Pride is a hindrance to realizing God’s grace. It keeps one from accepting God’s Word as truth, and life in the flesh will eventually break you down and destroy you.
Sinful behavior is never to be accepted by a person and especially within the church.
Hebrews 10:26
For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
2 Thessalonians 2:10
…and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.
1 Timothy 1:18-19
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, 19 having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith.
2 Timothy 3:7
…always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(Also see Leviticus 4:2, 5:15)
The rejection of truth is contrary to everything that God or a believer should stand for. To reject God’s grace is a rejection of living according to God’s way. The true follower of Christ is always seeking Him and His grace in everything that he or she does in order to maintain fellowship with Him. The Holy Spirit provides assistance to your efforts as He is the Spirit of truth. He takes joy in your presence as you cherish His presence in your seeking Him and His wisdom and knowledge of the truth.
Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
15 Say these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Akron Alliance Fellowship 