One of the most difficult words that I have had from the Lord was received a few years ago. I can’t remember the exact circumstances but I was asking for a way out of a situation I had got myself into. His words were “son you have presumed on my grace all your life and I want to change this”.
Those words still have an impact me to this day. This wasn’t even a concept I would have assumed after all He is a God of grace and mercy.
The last couple of weeks I have been asking why does moving forward in the territory for me involve going a step at a time (a bit like eating an elephant)? After all He has all things available and He can just make it happen.
His answer has been to take me through this grace message again and to give me a greater understanding of this.
What I am seeing is an idea that there are two ways Grace is delivered.
The first type is where we put ourselves in a situation and then we look for God to get us out of it. Now it could be through sin we have got into this position or it could be we have just stepped out in our own strength and said God will get me through this. That is not good if we are stepping outside our sphere of influence:
2 Corinthians 10:13
We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us – a sphere which especially includes you.
There is an area you are supposed to walk in. Now where we are receiving grace through these types of circumstances we are presuming on His grace. He is a loving God and He will still give us grace in these cases.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
A key word here is boldly.
I have tended to see this as a weakness coming to the Lord and saying hey I am back again. I have a time of need and I need your grace. He will give us this type of grace because He loves us and we are all sinners so understand we can receive this grace no matter what got us into a situation. After all we are washed in the blood of Jesus.
The second type of Grace I am starting to understand is the grace we receive because we are in His will and we are doing things the way He wants us to do them. We are walking as He would. This is the grace we should seek.
This type of Grace comes from walking in righteousness (faith). It is taking ground in a solid way not a presumptuous way.
Why is the distinction important?
What he is showing me through this is that the circumstances that the grace is being given affects the level of authority you walk in. If you are presuming on His grace then your authority in a situation in the Spirit is limited and the justice that can be applied is restricted by the situation you have put yourself in. It is a situation that is not necessary of Him.
However if you are walking in His will the authority is in Him and He will provide a grace to you which will enable you to take the ground and more importantly Hold the ground. You will walk in an authority in the territory.
This is what He has shown me as to why I am taking ground one step at a time because I am building a brick house whose foundation is Him and it can’t be blown down. I am not presuming on His grace but doing it step by step. This is what He is teaching me and He will blow His grace on this situation.
Romans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace,
So we are expected to walk in faith and through this we will see His grace.
We are expected to do works as this increases faith and His grace as a result
James 2:22
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
And it is in this perfect faith (through works) that grace can apply in abundance.
So he wants us to push on step by step in works importantly knowing we are in Him (faith) and His grace will be there.
This is why we are to work hard and I think we would be amazed how much grace we are getting when we are doing this for Him.
He loves hard work and He has told me this again and again. He has even told us that He blesses non-Christians that work hard as this is a trait He wants.
Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.
When I step in to flesh, man and the law I am stepping out of God’s grace and the blessing from this. I think I can do it and complete things. We are to work but in Him. There is a difference here and it is different for each of us this walk of righteousness.
As we understand God’s grace we understand that every person is as important as the next (Galatians 2:6 …God shows favouritism to no man.). We don’t judge or demeanour the rich versus the poor person in Church. We grow to love every child of God. When I see my son write I appreciate God has made him this way (completely different to me). When I see my future daughter and law lie down in the middle of a park and take a photo of a flower (not what I would do) I see God made her this way. God’s grace is in each of them and all of us. It is beautiful to see and it gives such confidence that we are in great hands.
My son writing a book tells me he was driving and talking to God. He said to God how am I supposed to keep 77 characters in my head and write this book. Gods answer to him “I have 7 billion people who I love and understand”.
Wow he loves every one of us and we are so blessed.
But let’s not presume on His grace!
Some would say what about
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Is this the opposite of what you are saying in James 2:22.
Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Both these verses are regarding salvation. This comes through faith and His grace applies for our salvation.
But when it comes to our walk after salvation then we decide whether to presume or to walk in Him.
1 Peter 5:10 now may the God of all grace, who called us to eternal glory through Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and perfect us.
We have his grace and that is what gets us through this process. We are walking forward in Him and there will be suffering if we are really being sanctified and getting close to Him. If it is our heart to get close to Him then He will pour the grace down on us as He is the “God of all Grace”.
Remember He checks our hearts at night to see what our real position in this walk is. Psalm 17:3
You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and found nothing.
The same chapter and verse in Proverbs 17:3
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts.
He knows the heart condition and He knows our presumption versus being in Him.
Lord don’t let me presume any more on your Grace but let you find me in your will. Transformed.
Brick on Brick Teaching 