“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
The grace of God is such a beautiful thing. Life-changing and reassuring, this incredible gift is in every child of God. Access is as close as a surrendered will and a faithful walk with the Lord. The option is up to us as to whether we walk in confidence and power, or if we allow our fleshly desires to dominate the direction of our lives and emotions.
To walk in grace is to walk in power.
The well-known and most popular definition of grace is God’s unmerited favor. How can we ever thank our Lord enough for walking on Earth, enduring the mistreatment of man toward its creator, yet never changing His mind about dying on a cross to save us all? We could never do enough to deserve His favor or approval when we cast aside His sacrifice and plan for our lives. When we declined the Master’s call and continued down our own paths of life which led to destruction, Jesus still loved us and wanted us to be forgiven and redeemed. His favor for us, even when we were living in sin and had no grounds for His approval, still offered mercy and redemption to us all.
Thank God for His unmerited favor.
The second definition of grace that can be overlooked is His enabling power. Grace is the Spirit of God’s influence on the human heart.
When we truly want to walk in victory, the Spirit of God is there to influence us and give us the strength and power we need.
Walking in grace is walking in power.
Power to hold our heads high in the confidence of the One who is with us.
Power to resist temptation and live above sin.
Power to overcome negative personality traits rooted in our fleshly desires and taking on the attributes and fruit of the Spirit of God.
It is not the will of God for His children to live their lives with the false idea that sin and weak spiritual living is okay with Him because He loves us no matter what. However, 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us, “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.” Instead of dismissing our flaws, it is God’s will that we remain humble and admit that our own strength is not enough when we struggle to overcome sin, so that His strength-His grace-can intervene and take over. It is God’s will that His grace empowers us to live our lives above sin.
Hebrews 4:16 reinforces this truth: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Draw near to that throne of power! Find that power at God’s throne to help in time of need!
We must always remember that God wants the very best for our lives. He knows what we need and how to help us achieve a life of abundance. Not abundance according to the world, which brags of gorgeous homes, fancy cars, and extravagant vacations, but abundance in the heart, offering us peace, joy, love, and many other things that money cannot buy.
Walking in grace is to walk in power. It is available for the child of God, and God’s desire for blessing His children.
