Empower the Grace

2 Timothy 2:1 NKJV

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

The Word STRONG in this sentence doesn’t mean what you think it means because this portion of the Bible was written in Greek

Strong = ĕndunamŏō = to Empower or enable

Literally, this verse means - be Empowered & enabled in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus (the anointed one & His anointing)

Some Important Word Definitions:

Grace:

God’s Divine Ability

Unearned Favor - Getting what we didn’t earn or deserve

The Divine Impression on the heart and Its reflection in the life

Save(d):

Rescue, protect, deliver, preserve, do well, make whole

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Grace opens up rescue & protection for us

but how do we get it and how do we activate it?

Through Faith!

Don’t Disable Grace:

Galatians 2:21 NASB95

21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

The Opposite of Being Strong in the Grace is Nullifying the grace

Nullify - make legally null and void; invalidate. make of no use or value; cancel out

Philippians 3:9 NKJV

9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Righteousness is a gift that comes by faith not something we can earn by good deeds.

Righteousness is a position we are given with God

Holiness is a lifestyle

Doing good works doesn’t empower grace - Faith Does!

Mark 7:13 NKJV

13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Religious Tradition ≠ Faith

When many people talk about their “faith,” they are often talking about the particular religious club they have membership at - not their total reliance on God.

How Do I Empower the Grace?:

Be Humble:

James 4:6 NKJV

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility’s definition gives the picture of being under and submitted and low

Pride’s definition gives the picture of being above, lifted up, and high

What does God say about YOU?

You are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14)

You are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5.13)

You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21)

You are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)

You are Chosen by God (Eph. 1:4)

You are victorious (1 John 5:4)

You are forgiven (Col. 1:13-14)

See, download, read, & BECOME the list that our media team just dropped into the comment stream! 59 Biblical statements of who God says you are.

The problem arises when we see and read these 59 Biblical Statements of What GOD says about us (on the “I Am List”, but we we disagree with it (mainly because we don’t FEEL like it’s accurate).

True humility is believing and accepting what God says about you rather than what you think about yourself!

This includes not minimizing the truth of what God says about you.

It may sound strange, but:

False-Humility is actually Real-Pride!

When God says you are the light of the world, but you say,

I might be the light of the world, but I’m the Portagee light…the not so bright one!

This is the very definition of Pride - making our feelings and opinions higher and more valid than God’s declaration of who He made us to be.

Can you imagine the creation telling the creator that He doesn’t know what He made?

That we know better???

God doesn’t see how we see or think how we think.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NKJV

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

God sees the potential and destiny that He has created in you!

We NEED grace to fulfil the God-plan for our life!

So how do I empower grace in my life?

We activate and live in empowered grace when we say Yes to what God says about us & say No to our feelings about ourself!

The simple act of believing God causes grace to LEAP into action and make God’s Word come to pass in our life.

Romans 4:16–22 NKJV

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

It takes crazy faith to act on the Word of God - to go and even attempt to have relations with your wife who is past child-bearing age & your body has been “dead” for a long time…

Think about it

Grace (God’s divine ability) would never have been empowered if Abraham had not believed and to a bold step to obey God

Just One Thing:

Believe what God says about you - even if everything/everyone else says He is wrong. Choose to “let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4)

Discussion Questions:

What’s the most pleasant sounding accent? What do you like about it?

What is the biggest takeaway you had from this sermon? Why do you think that thing stuck with you or resonated with you?

Read Romans 4:16-22 and share what impacts you most about this passage and then share how you can apply that impactful thing more in your own life.

What is currently the hardest thing for you to believe about what God says about you? Are you making a decision to believe Him over yourself? Why or why not?