What is Grace?
God’s grace means graciousness, favor, kindness, pleasantness, agreeable to or love. It is God’s divine influence and enablement on man. But what does grace truly mean, and to whom is it extended? God extends His grace in His sovereign way and according to His will to whoever He chooses.
The Nature of Being Gracious
What does it mean to be gracious, and what is expected of a recipient of God’s grace?
Being gracious means bending or stooping in kindness to an inferior person. It is extending favor to someone when it’s neither expected nor deserving; the receiver must show appreciation and return all glory to the giver.
Is Grace earned or labored for?
Grace is not earned or worked for; it’s unmerited and imputed but not meant to be wasted at all. God wants you to deserve it.
“Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him“. Isaiah 30:18
“But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one-man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification“. Romans 5:15, 16
When you receive grace, God is lifted and magnified in you. Therefore, God desires that you receive His grace daily, even now. Once you decide to receive His grace, ask for it; He will release His grace upon you by His mercy.
Is God’s grace free and available?
Like I said earlier, God’s grace is free, but you must take the necessary steps to get what rightly belongs to you. Every battle needed to be fought for you to receive God’s grace has already been fought and won by Christ on the cross of Calvary, so it’s free.
“So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened“. Romans 11:5-7
What is the benefit of being born again?
Anybody can receive God’s grace, but if you are born again, it’s a plus because it places you on better ground to ask for more extraordinary grace with boldness. Once you decide to live right, you become spiritually elected into God’s government to obtain more grace. You become God’s remnant by entering and keeping your relationship with God.
What empowers one to live right?
It is not by works or observing any church doctrine but by divine election and imputed grace of God. If you receive grace, it gives you the power and the ability to do certain things effortlessly.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen“. 1 Peter 4:10, 11
You are also likely to use such grace to lift others and help them to please God. Only on this basis can you ask for more grace, and God will give it to you. When you understand that whatever you have is not just for your consumption but to also minister to others, you will always be blessed.
What qualifies one to receive the manifold grace of God?
No matter how little grace you think you have, if you use it wisely as a good steward, you will receive the manifold grace of God. Many people lived and died with potential grace without experiencing the gift of manifold grace. Whenever you speak, minister, or render any service with that seed of grace within you, do it as an oracle of God, knowing that it is not by your power or righteousness but by divine ability given to you by God. Never accord glory to yourself because it belongs to God, who gives you the grace to do everything.
“And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy“. Exodus 33:19
“The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you“. Numbers 6:25
If you have received the ability to make wealth or are gifted to minister healing, do it as an oracle of God, giving all glory to God. If God has blessed you with anything good, pray for humility and divine wisdom to use them rightly to His glory, not for yours. Use it to proclaim the name of the LORD, preach the gospel, enlarge His kingdom, and help others do the same.
The understanding you should have concerning God’s blessings.
Understand that whatever you have today is given to you by God; His mercy causes His face to shine upon you to receive grace. Whether you are blessed financially or empowered with spiritual gifts, it’s all to the glory of God.