Reigning by Grace

Sunday 24 June
READ: 1 Kings 1: 5 – 39
MORE LESSON: Romans 5: 15 - 17

It is only through grace that a man can reign in life because by strength shall no man prevail (1 Sam. 2: 9). The opposite of grace is merit. It is either a man merits the throne of life through his works or he receives it through God's unmerited favour. It is only those who have decided to receive the throne through the grace that is in Jesus Christ that will reign in life. If you must qualify through works for everything you get in life, you will never get by in life and eternity. We must put our faith in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and reign through Him.
Even in the Old Testament, the throne was by grace and not by works. This is perfectly portrayed by the story of Solomon. He was born by Bathsheba, the woman about who there was a lot of wrong doing and controversy surrounding her becoming David's wife. There were many other 'more legitimate' sons of David who deserved the throne more than Solomon did. Solomon was young, inexperienced and born through the back door' into the family of David. Absalom, the handsome and charismatic son of David, had rebelled against his father and fought to reign as king but he didn't get it, rather, he lost his life. Adonijah was another of David's sons who tried to set himself as king. He connived with some bigwigs in the kingdom to be made king but he also didn't get it. Solomon didn't deserve the throne but King David set him as king to reign because of a covenant he had made that Solomon would reign after him.
Solomon was not qualified for the throne but he ended up on the throne; what is more, his reign surpassed all reigns before and after him in glory. Grace is the way to the throne. This is the reason Rom. 5: 17 says that those who have received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ. Through the finished work of Christ on the cross, we have access to all that pertain to life and godliness. Salvation is by grace, healing and prosperity are obtained by favour. Dominion and reigning in life are accessed by grace. It is only through the work of grace that we can be sure of making Heaven. According to Heb. 4:16, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to break protocol and place you where your merit cannot.
* Ask the Lord to confound the devices of your enemy and cause you to reign by grace.
* Declare that by the grace of Jesus, you have access to all that pertain to life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Good news angels, visit me this sixth month as you visited Elizabeth and Mary in the sixth month and end every delay and shame in my life as You did for them, in Jesus’ name.