2 Timothy 2:1, ‘You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.’
Let us take it personally in our heart, as God is speaking to our own hearts. ‘My son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus’. How are we going to be strong? ‘By the grace that is in Jesus Christ’.
When we are going through the trials, situations and discouragements; we can go through them, by His grace, which is the power of God. God wants us to experience His grace, to overcome all the difficult situations and discouragements and trials that we are going through; God is encouraging us to be strong in His grace.
God says to Apostle Paul, ‘My grace is sufficient for you’.
2 Corinthians 12:9, ‘And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.’
When Apostle Paul asked God to remove the thorn in his flesh; he was praying to God three times to remove this thorn in the flesh; God told him, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ God did not remove his thorn but He gave enough grace to overcome it. God is saying to us also, ‘His grace is sufficient for us to overcome all situations in our lives’.
Br. Zac illustration was like this, ‘There is a man of God, he is crossing the river in a boat, there was a rock underneath the boat, he was not able to cross the river as there was a block under his boat. He was hitting the rock again and again and he was praying to God, saying, ‘God remove this rock’. But nothing happened. Finally, he got an answer, ‘I will not remove the rock, but I will do one thing, I will increase the level of water, so that you can overcome this, the boat will float above the rock!’ All the problems are below us, but His grace is above and greater than all. Grace is greater and is above all our problems! God wants us to experience His grace. His grace is sufficient for us! ‘Be strong in the grace, that is in Christ Jesus’.
Hebrews 4:15, ‘For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.’
Jesus was tempted in all things as we are, but He did no sin!
Luke 2:40, ‘The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him’.
The grace of God was upon Jesus.
We need to experience the power of God to overcome all the situations. Let our hearts be strengthened by the power of God.
Hebrews 13:9, ‘Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.’
It is good for us to be strengthened in our hearts by His grace. There may be many different situations that we are going through – many pressures, temptations, many physical trials; God is encouraging us that we should not lose our hearts but be strengthened in your hearts, by the grace of God. Our God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability!
1 Corinthians 10:13, ‘No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.’
The way of escape is the grace of God. This is the promise of God. When we are going through any situations, God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our capacity. Along with our trials, difficulties; God gives us His grace to endure it.
We see an encouraging Church – Churches of Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 8:2, ‘that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.’
This Church was going through great tests and afflictions. But all these brought an abundance of joy! When they were in poverty, they had a large heart to help others! The secret is – the grace of God was given to this Church.
V1, ‘Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,’
They were strengthened by the grace of God and overcame all the trials. Be strong in the grace of God, that is in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:16, ‘Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’
We need to come near to the throne of grace, to receive the grace and experience it and be strengthened by it!
1 Peter 4:10, ‘As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’
Our God is full of grace. We need to receive the grace of God, from the manifold, so that we can fulfill the function in our lives. Like the small pipes are always connected to the manifold Pipe, we need to always be connected to Him, so as to receive His grace and fulfill the purpose of our lives in the body of Christ.
Romans 6:14, ‘For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.’
Sin shall not be a master over us as we are under grace. To have an overcoming life, we need to overcome sin; for this we need His grace.
Colossians 4:6, ‘Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.’
For our words and speech needs to be gracious, we need His grace! His grace is needed to fulfill different functions in the body of Christ. We need to be connected to the manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 5:5, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’
Let us be humble to experience the abundant grace of God. The manifold grace of God is available. Let us be humble ourselves and be strengthened by the grace of God. Let us commit our lives to our God.
2 Timothy 2:1, ‘You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.’
Bible ends with the same Word,
Revelation 22:21, ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen’
Let us be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
