‘Grace’, is the most powerful word in the world after ‘Jesus’. Grace is simply God’s power that teaches us how to win. Salvation grace and empowerment grace is only given through the manifestations of the Spirit of God and this is why He is called the Spirit of grace.
Read: True meaning of the word ‘grace‘
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
Zechariah 12:10
It wasn’t until early 2018 that God started to teach me about grace. All my life I have believed in hard work and in making things happen. Although I have had measures of success, things have never really measured up to my input. I have seen people who did less, excel better than I did; but God had made it that way to teach me about grace for the work he would later call me into. In the year 2020 God opened my eyes to the true definition of grace and He has caused me to understand that all we need is His grace. I also got to understand that this grace is available through the Spirit of grace – The Holy Spirit of God.
In the Passage quoted above- ‘Zechariah 12:10’, Zechariah wrote about God’s plans to pour the Spirit of grace upon the Jews in the last days. A spirit to teach them their God and bring them back to his fold and then Israel will be saved as a nation.
Israel has struggled with God over the years. God has in turn punished them over and over again for their fornication. Howbeit God is saying, that it will take the Spirit of grace them bring them back. This Spirit of grace will teach them their God and they will cry out to Him. The Spirit of grace will teach them how to overcome their wickedness, stony hearts and rebellious spirit (Jeremiah 31:33). Grace will save them and teach them never to offend God forever.
Now brethren, for we know that in those years of the Old Testament and the Law, that the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of grace and supplications was not given to all yet; it was only given to the prophets. The prophets found God and lived for God even in the midst of a wicked generation.
Many years after, and as promised by God in Joel 2:28, we now have the same spirits as the prophets and have become sons of God with prophetic utterances and power.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Joel 2:28
This prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost as the Lord had promised. The out pouring of the Holy Spirit was also the out pouring of the grace to know God. Remember that Jesus said: “When the Holy Spirit comes, you will know that I am in the father and the father in Me”. He also said “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things”.
Brethren, this teaching includes: the knowledge of God, how to live for God, how to serve God, how to work for God and how to run the Christian race. Grace teaches says Apostle Paul (Titus 2:12).
Brethren, this grace that will turn the hearts of Israel to God and save them forever; what if God pours it upon us the gentiles? What if God pours out the Spirit of grace upon his dying church?
Although we have had this grace, but we have abused it. We have been deceived and manipulated by the enemy and the world we live in. This has caused the presence of God to diminish among us, which in turn has caused a drastic reduction in this grace. And now there is no denying that we need another out pouring of the Spirit of grace and supplication to lead us back to our Lord in tears and grief for our failures. For there is no revival without tears.
Another question is this: What if God pours this grace upon the unbelieving gentiles who are also like the now Jews, would they still remain in unbelief? No! Of course not; for grace teaches to know God. Therefore the Spirit of grace is what the unbelievers need to be converted.
I know of a woman, she doesn’t have all that great education but whenever she is given a class in the Sunday School, it does not take time before her class tops in attendance; this grace has followed her all her life.
What if that Pastor struggling to grow his church has the grace this woman of God has, will he continue to struggle? No! Not at all. Therefore the Spirit of grace is what is needed to plant, run and grow a church.
Reinhard Bonnke pulled millions and another only could pull thousands. The message of Bonnke may not be as strong and powerful as that of the other evangelist. Nevertheless Bonnke is converting or has converted much more souls and is having a better ministry. What Bonnke has is simply ‘more soul wining grace’.
And if God would raise us servants and give them the grace he has given Bonnke, would many not be pulled to Christ? Many will be pulled to Christ.
Brethren, we can now conclude that grace is the dire need of the church of our time. It has become evident that we cannot do without the Spirit of grace. Therefore all believers have a task to do and a prayer to make. We should pray for the Spirit of grace to be poured upon the dying church; for this is a prayer that births revival.
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6
Finally brethren, when you pray, never faint in asking God for grace. Grace to know Him, grace to live for Him, grace to find Him, grace to run the race and grace to finish strong. Our strength will always never be enough but sufficient is the amazing grace of God.
Favoured is that man, upon whom God shall pour the Spirit of grace. Great is he whom God shall give grace to know and serve Him. For when others will sleep and fail, this grace will teach him how to win; Amen!