I believe 2017 will be a year of shift, transformation and significant change. It is the Hebrew year 5777, representing perfect completion by the number “7”, and representing grace by the number “5”. It’s no coincidence that we are also in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, which promoted the glorious truth that we are saved not by works, but by the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ.
As we enter together into this time of breakthrough and new beginnings, I encourage you to consider every aspect of your life through the lens of grace, charisma, the free gift of God. Not only does grace enable us to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, it also empowers us to live a victorious life in Him: to overcome sin and walk in freedom, power, and holiness and fulfill our destinies. Here are three practical steps on how to access the perspective and power of grace in your life:
1. Receive Revelation of Grace
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us” (Eph. 2:4).
In order to understand grace, you must receive greater depths of wisdom and revelation (see Eph. 1:17), a spiritual understanding that will go beyond intellectual head knowledge. It is one thing to know that God is rich in mercy and love with your mind—it is another thing to understand it with your heart.
When I began my studies at the University of Maryland, I was a high school dropout and former drug addict. I had been saved, but it was difficult for me to remember much at all because of the drugs I’d taken. But the Holy Spirit directed me to memorize Scripture, helping to restore my memory and clarity, and by the grace of God, my mind was restored and I was able to graduate college with a 3.5 GPA and eventually graduate from Fuller Seminary with a 4.0 GPA. I want you to understand—this is all by grace. I did nothing to deserve this but approached God to help me in my time of need.
I encourage you today to consider how God has supplied you grace in your own life. He has saved you and given you new life in Jesus Christ, and He has shown His kindness and mercy to you again and again. Remind yourself of specific times where He has been good to you, and you will receive revelation of His grace that goes beyond what you know with your mind.
2. Don’t Do Anything in Your Own Flesh
“‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'” (James 4:6).
Apart from Jesus, we are considered “dead in our trespasses.” We cannot please God, experience true freedom or joy, overcome sin, or do anything good without the free gift of grace. In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul (who speaks of grace more than any other New Testament writer), encourages the church of Galatia to repent of trying to obtain the merit of God through the old, written way of the Law (Gal. 3). Do not strive to obtain with your flesh, or in your own strength, what you have already received freely through Jesus Christ.
When you begin to walk in humility, knowing that apart from Him you can do nothing, you will begin to see victory in every area of your life. Humility is key to walking in grace, because it requires you to depend fully on Him rather than on yourself to do good and live in abundance.
3. Ask for Grace
“Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
Because you have free access to God through the blood of Jesus, you can approach Him at anytime, anywhere and about anything to receive His grace and ask for mercy. If you need breakthrough in any area of your life, whether it be in finances, health, in a relationship or in any other area, I encourage you to ask for what you need from your heavenly Father. Pray to your heavenly Father, and be specific with your requests. He is faithful to answer!
Scripture says that we are to abound in grace (2 Cor. 9:8)—in other words, we can grow in grace. As you come boldly to His throne of grace, knowing that you have this free privilege, you will find you receive more favor and blessings.
Living Victoriously
We cannot live in victory over sin, addiction or any area where we feel stuck in a pattern of brokenness apart from understanding and knowing that we cannot merit God’s acceptance, favor and provision. I encourage you today that if you are living in bondage to feeling stuck in a pattern of brokenness, or in a specific sin or addiction, you can find true freedom when you begin to understand and receive His grace with greater revelation. I believe that grace is not only a perspective—it is the supernatural power of Jesus Christ to save you, transform you, give you favor and empower you to fulfill your destiny. {eoa}
Ché Ahn and his wife, Sue, are the founding pastors of HRock Church in Pasadena, California. Ché serves as the founder and president of Harvest International Ministry (HIM) and the International Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute (WLI). With a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, he has played a key role in many strategic outreaches on local, national and international levels. He has written more than a dozen books and travels extensively throughout the world, bringing apostolic insight with an impartation of renewal, healing and evangelism.
This article originally appeared at hrockchurch.com.
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