What it means to abuse the grace of God
If you still live in sin after receiving God’s gift of grace, then you are abusing the grace of God upon your life. No matter where you are, whether in Rome or where Satan’s seat is, once you obtain God’s grace, you are empowered to overcome sin in that environment.
“Concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.” Romans 1:3-7
Does Grace empower one to live above sin?
No believer has any excuse to live in sin after receiving the gift of God’s grace. The grace that comes from God or His son Jesus Christ is more powerful than the power of sin (Acts 15:11; Romans 1:3-7; 2:2, 15; 16:20, 24; 1 Corinthians 1:3, 4; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1 2; 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; Philemon 3, 25; 2 John 3; Revelation 1:4, 5; Ephesians 4:7, 8-13).
Satan is the author of sin while Christ is the author of righteousness in our lives. His death conquered sin, brought peace, and bruised Satan under our feet. Paul prayed that the grace of our Lord Jesus should be upon the church, including you, if you believe and claim it now.
The regeneration that happens at conversion
When you obtain divine grace, your love for Christ and the believers will increase and you will have communion with the Holy Ghost.
You will put off the old man’s evil nature and put on the new man which seeks after God, created in righteousness and true holiness. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace, and so can give grace
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn“. Zechariah 12:10
“How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29
“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne“. Revelation 1:4
The Grace to supplicate and seek God
You can obtain the grace of God to supplicate through the Holy Ghost, and the same grace will move you to seek God. God’s Spirit can pour the grace of God upon you and make you live in righteousness.
The seven churches in Asia in the time of John received the grace of God from the Spirit of grace. Also, God can use human vessels to administer his grace indirectly (2 Corinthians 8:19; 1 Peter 4:10, 11). Ministers of the gospel can be stewards of His divine grace (Ephesians 3:2-13; Philippians 1: 7; 1 Peter 4:10, 11; Psalms45:1, 2; Ephesians 4:29; 2 Chronicles30:9; Joel 2:12-14; Amos 5:14, 15; Hosea 14:1-5).
The Grace available at repentance
You can have access to divine grace at the point of repentance to a certain measure. The grace available at repentance is God’s unmerited favor that forgives sins, renews the heart, and restores the believer’s relationship with Him. When one genuinely repents, turning away from sin and seeking God’s forgiveness, His grace cleanses them from all unrighteousness and empowers them to live a transformed life. This grace is a gift that leads to spiritual renewal and growth, reflecting God’s love and mercy.
Humble people can also receive God’s grace, but the proud cannot. Your righteousness is not a guarantee for accessing His grace; you must seek it in humility.
“On behalf of this man, I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So, to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me“. 2 Corinthians 12:5-9
God will not waste His grace on people who will use it to glorify themselves. When God’s grace begins to manifest, it’s for the glory of God, not for personal glory. So, the more God releases His grace, the more humble He expects you to be.
Why do ministers experience limitations?
This is why many ministers experience limitations, a sign that they are still under God and must depend on Him alone. Limitations may not necessarily be a sin but infirmity- some satanic attacks and persecution that will make believers return to God (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:5, 6). If your ambition for greatness will cause you to scorn others and make you feel that you are better, you will also be scorned.
Humility opens the door for more grace from God but the proud will lose out rightly. Doors of deliverance are closed against many because of pride and refusal to submit to the Almighty God. Pride will not allow the gifted who is not humble to submit to the elders or others. God’s grace is for the humble and not for the proud.
The Necessity of Faith
The grace of God can come through faith in Christ Jesus. The grace of God is one of the promises of God and can be obtained through faith. When you repent, you are justified by your faith, which gives you access to God’s grace. Through faith in Christ, you can obtain an exceeding abundant blessing in Christ Jesus (Romans 4:16; 5:1, 2; 1 Timothy 1:14). God’s grace can come through prayer and patiently waiting on God.
God will not release His grace just because you prayed. He waits for you to yearn for it in prayers. You can also find grace before men (Genesis 32:5).