Man of God, Man of Grace

Ministry Wednesday: Man of God, Man of Grace

2 Corinthians 4
7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

A veteran in ministry once said, 'Grace is God's contribution to man's success', I didn't need to write it down, it got stuck to my mind and it has helped me to live when the natural outcome should have been to die.

It's good to understand early that the man of God is only a man of grace.

2 Corinthians 3
5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

It is good to know early that a minister is made and not born. It is also good to know that he isn't self made, but made by the power of God. It is good to know how it works in order to be able to key into it early.

If that's not the case, there will be unnecessary chase after vanity that don't count in the long run. Only outcomes of grace will escape the test of fire.

We know it isn't of him who wills or of him who runs but it of him who shows mercy...Romans 9

We also know that Paul can only plant, and Apollos can only water, only God gives the increase...1Corinthians 3

Even at that, the planting and the watering must be by grace, otherwise, the increase that comes won't be of God and would be a waste.

Since we also know from how Apostle Paul put it, that I am what I am by God's grace, and the grace which was bestowed was not in vain, but I laboured abundantly more than all the rest, yet not I but the grace that was with me...1Corinthians 15:10&11

We see grace in our gifts and  potentials, we see grace in our opportunities and platforms, we see grace in people responding to our labours, we see grace in the overall outcome of our ministries in people’s lives.

When grace is lacking, we may be tempted to run our own things for the result we expect. It's a temptation that should be resisted.

The opposite of grace is divine resistance. God resists the proud but gives more grace to the humble. When you sense divine resistance, know that you need to surrender in certain areas.

Humility is discovering that our strength and weaknesses are nothing in our quest for achieving God's demands and requirements, but knowing that He alone can make us who He wants us to be.

It is coming to terms with the fact that without Christ we can do nothing, while we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. John 15 & Philippians 4. We can only perform and produce to any meaningful way in His judgment, if He is the one who strengthened us to do such.

We connect to grace through humility, dependence and obedience. Dependence is faith. Faith in God is the assurance we have in Him in perfecting His strength in our weaknesses 2Cor 12:9. It has to be of faith, that it might be of grace, if the promise must be sure to all of us. Romans 4:16. It takes faith to have an entrance and access to stand in grace...Romans 5:2, Ephesians 2:8. Faith here means total dependence on God...and not on self. It gives access to divine resources of power and wisdom.

Obedience is the final of the trio. Grace works in our obedience. God always prepares resources for whatever He has commanded. To build a tower, He makes sure He makes ready all that will be needed to complete the project before starting at all. The essence of His power is to do His will. His will comes to us by divine guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit. If we obey to do what He ordained, we would walk on water if the need be. This is grace. Whatever He asked for is already provided for, no matter how impossible it may look. If we obey to go, His vehicular convoy will be waiting! If we don't, we'll never know!

Omnipotence is available to the man of grace. The incredible can happen for him who humbles himself before God to know that he does not have what it takes, but who will depend on God's provisions through His word and obey every command to work with diligence within the gifts, the opportunities, and the platforms God has provided without compromise of God's project.

This is how the man of God becomes the man of grace. If He sends, know that He will be the one to also do. Faithful is He who has called us who also will do it 1Thessonians 5:24. If He calls, then we should not be afraid to step on water, His power will always sustain...

Shalom! Hope it makes sense to you. Have a great day!

Photo credit: StockSnap/Pixabay