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Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff
Taken from From the Candlestick To the Throne-Part 10 by Preston EbyDivine Enablement
(titled by web ed.)Of the many truths God has made known to His people none shine more brightly or more frequently from the pages of God’s Word than the truth that our salvation and calling, from start to finish, are totally and fully products of the Grace of God. This word grace is translated from the Greek word charis which not only means "unmerited favor," but really carries the deeper meaning of "an influence that produces a result." Thus, grace is not merely the kindness of God in doing something for us which we have not deserved, but it is the essence, the energy, the power and working wrought within as HE DOES for us, to us, in us, and through us! God’s grace, divine grace, then, is DIVINE ENABLEMENT!
In grace God does something more for us than just showing mercy or unmerited favor — He works by His mighty power within to do in and through us WHAT WE OURSELVES CANNOT DO! What a blessed truth this is, and how wonderfully it reveals the graciousness of God! Ah, yes, weak carnal men need mercy — but do you not see, my beloved, that men need something more than mercy. They need HELP! Mercy covers my weakness — but divine enablement overcomes it! Mercy forgives my sin — divine enablement conquers it and supersedes it with righteousness! Mercy overlooks my faults — divine enablement causes me to rise above them! Mercy means that God will do for me in spite of myself — divine enablement means that what He does changes me and makes me something more than I was!
Can we not see that when Paul said, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (I Cor. 15:9-10), he pointed us to the fact that his apostolic ministry was entirely the result of DIVINE ENABLEMENT! It wasn’t just "unmerited favor" that made Paul a great apostle, it was something more, it was a mighty power working within him, and that power was grace! To ever be anything in God Paul needed more than mercy — he needed enablement, divine enablement! I pray that the truth and force of these things may grip your heart! Have you ever wondered, in the light of your own apparent weakness, whether you could ever really, truly attain to the high calling of sonship? Let me tell you, my brother, my sister, not only has the Father saved you by His kindness, and called you by His own sovereign choosing, He now gives more grace, more and more and more of His DIVINE ENABLEMENT to bring you unto His purpose! As we consider the tremendous challenges, battles, prunings, purgings, processings, victories, glories and spiritual heights of attainment outlined in the book of Revelation, how fitting that John should preface this great revelation with these words: "Grace be unto you!"
From the Candlestick To the Throne-Part 10
(2nd - 3rd - 4th) -
