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| Living the Extraordinary Life |
“My grace is sufficient for you” is the LORD’s response to one
of the Apostle Paul’s prayers for empowerment in his area of weakness, (2 Cr
12:9 NIV). What may appear as a cool response to a passionate plea actually reveals the power we are to live by and its source.
The reality is God plants within every Believer at their moment of salvation the
fullness of Christ’s grace; His might, His wisdom, even His awesome ability to
love. Everything the disciples need to accomplish God’s will in their lives rest
in the declaration of 2 Corinthians 12:9. The LORD tells us why his grace is sufficient; “for my power is made perfect in
weakness,” (2 Cr 12:9 NIV). Thus the abundant life we were created to live is intentionally
yoked to our weakness. But what does God mean by weakness?
Of all the words granted to us for communication and expression,
three dominate our culture, “I am tired”. We hear them every day from family, friends
and co-workers. Some of us utter them regularly. This statement acts like a mantra
of our generation. We state it over and over until we find ourselves under the
spell of fatigue and living life in a state of lethargy. Whether young, old,
working, retired, single or married the burden of weariness weighs us down and presses
from our lips the tragedy of our lives, we are "tired." But is exhaustion what God
meant as weakness?
John Bevere hits the grace
nail on the head in his new book, Extraordinary: The Life You're Meant to
Live. With awesome insight John
speaks to the impotent lives of Believers who strive in their own strength to
persevere through life, when we were never expected to endure by our own strength
but by faith in the One who is able
to do all things. John's message is that faith--which is belief in God and His ability alone--is what
opens the floodgates to the flow of abundant grace in our lives. He emphasizes it is our measure of faith which determines the level of grace
we allow to empower us to live extraordinarily.
Weakness is our human dependency on God.
The all sufficient grace of God is planted in every Believer.
But as John points out, it is our faith in this divine deposit of the Almighty’s
power which is truly anemic. Why? John reasons that “Christians read what they believe
and do not believe what they read,” in the Word of God. Simply our faith tanks are small and running on
low…some on empty…when it comes to accepting we can walk on water, heal the
blind, even raise the dead. In other words the minds focused on and wrestling with doubt and
fear dam the flow of grace, tire the body and oppress the spirit. Yet God’s
Word tells us that through our faith...by believing...we can do extraordinary
things. We can not only live the abundant life, we can display the awesome grace of God according to His will.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” (John 14:12-14).
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” (John 14:12-14).
Beholding this truth and accepting it as the Believer’s
reality, opens up the floodgates of Heaven; releasing the power, wisdom, love
and peace of God. Grace Jesus longs to flow through our lives. Belief begins the flow of abundance. Faith empowers our weakness and we become an awesome force of grace in a lethargic world: A life of power which brings glory to God the Father. Why?
Because it will be marked with extraordinary “greater things than these” of which Jesus did in His earthly
ministry. Is this the kind of life we are living as followers of Christ?
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen,” (Ephesians 3:20-21NIV).
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen,” (Ephesians 3:20-21NIV).
So…are you tired of being tired? Me too! It is time to
confess unbelief, repent of fatigued faith and show the world what it really looks
like to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for the glory of our God!
Amen!
Tracy Frazier
Director/Founder of The FOLD
For further insight and teaching view the inspirational videos below.
Director/Founder of The FOLD
For further insight and teaching view the inspirational videos below.
Video Clip: Crossroads/Full Circle TV: guest John Bevere
Video Message: Lakewood Church: guest speaker John Bevere
Worship Music Video: Chris Tomlin - Your Grace Is Enough For Me
Ladies get in on the conversation by sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteQ. How should the knowledge that Believers have God's almighty power available to do "every good work" impact the Church, community, nation?
Oh my goodness. Another great Inspirational Video from John Bevere. Yes! As believers we are abundantly able to impact the Church, community, nation through the power of grace!! Impact begins when we receive the calling and allow God to reveal Himself to us and through us; recognizing it is by God's powerful grace, and not our own abilities, that we fulfill what He has set for us to do. And oh how that knowledge can free us to find joy in the calling on our lives. If we are able, it is because HE is able. Imagine a community, a nation, of believers tapped into God's power for 'every good work'.
ReplyDeleteDiane -Looks like the makings of a heartfelt song by my songbird friend!
ReplyDelete