Grace, Is it Sufficient?

I don't know about you, but I struggle sometimes. I struggle to get past myself. To shed flesh and flow fully in the spirit. I know others who struggle too. Struggle with hang ups and put downs and weaknesses of the human kind. Their hearts yearn to be great Christians, but their failings tell them they are not. The enemy whispers they are failures, consigned to always failing. He says they are phonies, only pretending. I wonder if Peter felt that way sometimes? Of John, the son of Thunder? I have hope that if the Son of Thunder can be transformed into the Apostle of Love, then surely there is hope for me!

I read what Paul wrote in Romans...how he struggled to do what he knew he should, but then didn't. And vice versa. I wonder, did Paul fly off the handle? Was he sharp tongued, or critical? Or did he always seem to put his foot into his mouth? Or was he viewed as being a bossy know it all?

Yet, for all his struggles, whatever they were, all the assaults of the enemy against him, the weight and care of the Churches upon him, when he went to Jesus, Jesus comforted him saying, "My Grace is sufficient for thee." Really? Grace? That is all? He didn't say, "My Blood, my sacrifice, my armour", but HE said, "My Grace." How powerful Grace must be, and how misunderstood and under utilized!

What is His Grace? Yes, it is unmerited favor to the sinner. But what is it to the saint?
Apostle Bobbie Jean Merck did a word study on this. Here then is her Holy Ghost definition:
"Grace: God's Ability. God's Efficiency. God's Proficiency. God's Power. God's Strength. God's Help In, Upon, With and Through ME!"

God is so good! Another meaning of Grace is Favour, graciousness and liberality. God is saying, My Favour is sufficient. Indeed, His favour surrounds us like a shield. His favour goes before us. His favour changes people's heart's and minds. It causes them to be gracious and liberal when they may have wanted to be stingy! Favour brings about promotion and benefit! Favour causees rules and laws to be changed.

2Cor. 12:9 But His answer was: My grace is all you need; power comes to its full strength in weakness-NEB
More than ever, then, I delight to boast of the weaknesses that humiliate me, so that the strength of Christ may enshrine itself in me. -Knox

Oh, so instead of letting my weaknesses confound and trip me up and cause me to shrink in and flounder, I should cast my care and my weaknesses on Christ who cares for me and gave Himself for me and Who gives Me his Grace to persevere.

So I beg to ask again, "Is Grace sufficient?" When it is His Grace, then the answer must be "Yes! His Grace is sufficient." So then, how do we appropriate this Grace? What does Eph. 2:8 tel us? "Yes, it was grace that saved you, with faith for its instrument." -Knox "It is not by your own action." - Goodspeed

Hebrews tells us this: Heb 4:16 (AMP) Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

J.B. Rotherham translated it thus: "Let us then be approaching with freedom of speech unto the throne of favour..."

We access this Grace and favor by Faith, same as we received Salvation. Mark 11:24 in the MEssage Bible says: "That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything."

Jesus said, "MY Grace is sufficient for thee." Sufficient means to ward off, to avail, to be possessed of unfailing strength, to defend, to ward off. To be satisfied, to be contented.

His Grace avails for us. It defends and wards us. It satisfies us. To be possessed by Christ! Have we allowed Him to possess us? If we have, then His Grace fills us and posseses us and gives us unfailing strength.

Ahh, now we can begin to grasp the scripture in Philippians: "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens me." Paul had made the transistion! We can too. His Grace IS sufficient. Shalom!