Energized By Grace

Nothing is more invigorating to the life of a believer than continuously experiencing the grace of God. Religion drains a person. A religious man is a driven man. Grace doesn’t drive us, but directs us in a way that we enjoy serving God from a heart filled with gratitude. One walking in grace becomes increasingly energized as he serves, not spiritually exhausted.

Although he may at times experience the normal fatigue of mind and body which is common to humanity, he discovers that inwardly he is constantly empowered by divine life. His “inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). He finds himself motivated from within to serve Jesus Christ with enthusiasm and consistency.“I don’t have to do anything because I’m under grace,” Becky said. She and her husband had disagreed many times about the responsibility of a Christian walking in grace. “I believe that there are certain things we need to do and grace has nothing to do with it, “ he argued. They had come to me to settle the question for them.

What would you tell them if they asked your opinion on the matter? Does a Christian have a duty to do certain things or is he free to sit down and do nothing for the rest of his life?It’s true that grace delivers the believer from the realm of religious duty. Becky wasn’t wrong in her assertion that Christians don’t have to do anything. However, during the course of my conversation with this couple, I sensed that neither of them clearly understood what it means to walk in grace. He did seek to impose his own religious expectations on her. There was no doubt about that. On the other hand, Becky didn’t appear to be on target in her perspective on the matter either. It sounded as if she had indeed become passive in many ways.

The good news of grace doesn’t stop by causing one to understand that he is free from the law. Genuine grace not only delivers us from something, but also delivers us to Someone. Grace opens our eyes to the union we share with Jesus Christ. It doesn’t give the believer an excuse to become lethargic and lazy. Instead it energizes him with the divine life of Jesus in such a way that he serves God with supernatural power. Grace is the divine enablement for one to powerfully express the life of Jesus Christ through his lifestyle.

Jesus was a man who was full of grace. (See John 1:14.) In three short years, His activity had impacted the whole known world because His actions were impregnated with divine power. This is hardly a description of a passive person. Concerning the lifestyle of those who follow Him, John said that “of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (John 1:16). God has poured the grace of Jesus Christ into us in a manner that causes us to be filled with grace. Our lives are piled high with grace on top of grace!Possessing the power of Jesus Christ, why would any Christian want to become passive?

One who suggests that the message of grace will produce passivity simply doesn’t understand what it means to walk in grace. One who has become passive hasn’t experienced its reality. A grace filled Christian usually won’t meet the expectations of the legalist, but he won’t become lazy in his Christian walk either. His lifestyle is a grace walk. Walking is always progressive, not passive.The Spirit of Jesus dwells within the believer.

An understanding of the implications of that truth will mobilize the believer. If the essence of Mozart suddenly came into you, what would you want to do? If the spirit of Picasso possessed you, would it make sense to never pick up a paint brush? If you were possessed by the life force of Mozart, nothing could keep you away from the piano. You would be thrilled by the awareness of the ability you possessed and would want to express it often. If the spirit of Picasso rested within you, a great desire to paint would continually motivate you toward the canvass. The knowledge of who was within you would be all the motivation you needed.

The good news of grace is that Jesus Christ is in you. What an awesome thought! You are privileged to live in a day that Old Testament saints couldn’t even imagine. They were thrilled when they met God on a mountain, in a burning bush, through a pillar of fire or a cloud of glory. These occasional encounters with Deity were often enough to change a man’s life forever. A fleeting glimpse of His glory and they were transformed.

If the glory of God were deposited in heaven, they were blessed to have pennies pitched their way.On the day that Jesus was crucified, the front door to the bank of heaven swung open wide and all the glory of God came pouring out all over those who received Him. The glory vault of heaven was opened and emptied out on those who believe! This concept was an unknown mystery in the Old Testament, but you belong to a chosen group “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

If Old Testament saints could be motivated by a rare glimpse of God, what impact can the resident glory of God in the New Testament believer have on his life and the lives of those around him? When one knows who he is in Jesus Christ, he will be forever transformed. Once the revelation of the indwelling Christ becomes a reality to him it can never be unknown again. He will never get over the impact of seeing Jesus in him; of knowing that Christ is his very life. He will be forever energized by the glory of Christ within him."

(This article is an excerpt from my book, Grace Rules.)