Grace for the Race II

Thursday 18 January
READ: Hebrews 12: 1 - 4        
MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

In the race of life, there are times when a man comes to the end of his ability. At such times, what he needs is grace. Grace speaks loudest in the face of helplessness. It is when a man comes to an utter end of himself and all human means have been exhausted that grace is most needed. If failure has ever stared you face to face, where it seems you are bound to fail, you will understand the place of grace. Imagine a man has written an examination and he knows that failure is inevitable based on what he wrote. When grace comes in, God intervenes and suddenly, a Higher Hand converts the imminent failure (F9) to distinction (A1). Grace makes the difference; grace is God in your race.

One way to know how to get something is to understudy the life of someone who got the same thing. In understanding how to access grace, we need to consider the life of Jesus who is full of grace. Jesus was about to face the cross and He realised that He didn't have the ability to do it on His own. After praying for the cup to be taken away from Him, He added, ...nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done: Lk. 22: 42. Submission to the will of God releases grace. When you are faced with a situation that you can't go through by your strength, submit to God and you will access grace by death to self-will. As long as a man insists on having his own way in running his race, his path will be difficult. Another fact in accessing grace is to recognise the need for it. As long as a man thinks he can do it all by himself, he will not access grace. He will keep trying and failing till he recognises the need for grace. By strength shall no man prevail!

Apart from people who think it is possible to do  something in their own might, another category of people who will not access grace is people who think it is not possible to do that thing at all. Some people say an assignment/ project/process/change is beyond their power, so they conclude it is impossible after all and thereby miss out of grace. You only enjoy grace when you believe that you can do it, howbeit, not by your might, but by God at work in you.  Grace is released by a possibility mentality born out of faith in the ability of God at work in you. The way to receive grace for your race is simply to ask for it. Heb 4: 16 says, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Today, ask for grace for your race. 

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to amplify His grace in your weakest moments.
* Ask the Lord to take over every situation that is stronger than you.
* Reject impossibility mindset today.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Heaven and all the earth will rejoice with the doing of the Lord in my life in 2018, in Jesus' mighty name.