Power of grace -2

Ephesians 2: 8-9 NKJV

"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."

The Bible tells us that where sin abounded, grace abounded even more (Romans 5:20). Sin cannot out do God's love for humanity. This is the importance of reflecting on the power of grace that has been given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul in the book of Romans speaks of the battle that takes place between our spirit and flesh. Also known as a conflict between a life in the spirit and a life in the flesh. To put simply, you partake in what you would ordinarily prefer to not partake in. Romans 7:15 puts it like this "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate."

Grace is evidence of God's integrity. He did not change His heart towards creating mankind in His image after the devil introduced sin through disobedience in the garden of eden. Instead, God loved us even more by sending His only Son to die for us so that we could all as humanity be reconciled to the position of sonship and an heir of God through Christ (Galatians 4:7).

Grace is also evidence that love never fails. I cannot speak of grace and not speak of love. I reiterate, for God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). As believers, after we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour by faith, we receive this grace which makes us the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. This also means that when God sees us, He sees His Son Jesus who is perfect and paid the price for our sin on the cross. This gives us right standing with God as our Heavenly Father does not consider our previous shortcomings, alcohol or drug addictions.

This is the reason the Word reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Since, we are now aware that God the Father looks at us and sees Jesus, we walk in our liberty as new creations. As believers, we also behold the knowledge that Christ lives on the inside of us because this empowers us to live a life in the spirit enabling us to conquer the desires of the flesh thereby partaking only in what we desire to partake in.

Personally, I believe this conflict between a life in the spirit and the flesh is sometimes more complicated when we don't feed our spirit as much as we feed our flesh. Nourish and feed what you would like to see grow in your life.

For instance, if you desire to develop maturely in the spirit, it is important that you also feed your spirit man. A sure way to grow your spirit man is prayer and spending time in the Word of God as it reveals His very nature which undoubetdly unveils His glorious power. I had always known about Jesus thanks to my Mom who was a believer but I was an unbeliever. However, when I tragically lost my childhood best friend (which was after I lost my Mom as well), Iife felt empty. I can testify that the power in the Name of Jesus is real. For the longest time, I did not have the strength to pray but would listen in to sermons or occasionally read the Word and God was faithful. His grace picked my vulnerable life up from barely having strength to leave my bed to gradually healing me from depression and grief to this day.

Grace is evidence that we are empowered as overcomers in every situation that life presents us with and our faith in God shall not put us to shame. 1 John 5:4-5 NKJV reminds us;

"4.For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.

5.Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"