Study Notes

FOUNDATION STATEMENT:  The grace of God you see in your life is not based on God’s ability to give, but on your capacity to receive it

 

I.      You can do things that will increase or decrease the level of God’s grace in your life

A.    2 Timothy 1:1-Be strong in Grace

1.      2-He starts off by using His words and His faith to see grace in the life of Timothy

a.    Will this make a difference in the amount of grace Timothy sees? Yes

2.      5-Timothy walked in sincere, genuine faith

3.      6-Stir up the gift of divine grace & divine faith that is in you

a.    If you get stirred up about faith you’re going to stir up God’s grace

b.    If that grace needs to be stirred up, there’s potential for it to grow dim, grow dark, go out

c.     The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is in every believer, however that grace is dim in some and burning hot in others and it’s largely according to a person’s faith

d.    This is a command to Timothy-You stir it up

4.      7-The Spirit of fear will stop the grace of God in a person’s life; everything you have to do to receive grace fear is diametrically opposed to it

a.    Fear is not faith-Mark 4:40

b.    Fear is not humility-1 Peter 5:7

c.     Fear is not being thankful-Philippians 4:6-7

d.    Fear is not being in your place (He told you to fear not)

5.      8-Don’t be separated from grace by fear to testify of Jesus; endure hardness through power of God; Don’t let fear keep you from doing this if you do you’re separated from grace

6.      9-He saved us and called us according to the place and grace he had for us

a.    Our place & grace was determined before the foundation of the world

b.    Your place and your grace go together

7.      11-His place and His grace is a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles

8.      12-In His place he undergoes some stuff, but He is not separated from grace by fear

a.    I don’t let fear separate me from grace and keep me from doing this

b.    Faith always access grace

c.     He’s persuaded that the God will be gracious to him and guard his life (what he committed to God), his grace, and his place (what God entrusted to Him)

1)       MSG-I couldn't b more sure of my ground—the 1 I've trusted n can take care of what he's trusted me 2 do

2)       NLT-I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him

3)       AMP-I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me

9.      13-Hold fast to sound words

a.    If u start listening to the wrong words, they’ll put u in fear & you’ll have no grace

10.    14-Guard your grace and your place and the Word

a.    We got to guard the grace of God on your life because without it we are nothing

b.    Do nothing that will cost you His grace  

11.    15-18-When Onesiphorous was being kind to him it was the grace of God

12.    2:1-Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (CEV-Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong AMP-SO YOU, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.)

a.    This grace is found in Jesus and to walk in it you have to abide in Him and to do that you have to abide in His Word-1 John 2:5

b.    If grace was an automatic thing that had no bearing on what he did, he wouldn’t have to be told to be strong in it

1)       If you could be strong in grace you could be weak in it

c.     God’s able to make all grace abound to you, but the amount of His grace that you see in your life is determine by you, not Him-2 Corinthians 9:8

13.    2:2-What the Apostle Paul has taught Timothy, He’s instructing Timothy to teach it to others who are faithful and who can then teach it to others

a.    How do you find faithful man? A Faithful man who can find? – Be strong in grace 

b.    How is he going to teach what the Apostle Paul taught him – Be strong in grace

14.    2:3-How is he going to endure hardness as a good soldier? – Be strong in grace

a.    How do you experience affliction, & distress & not be moved – Be strong in grace

b.    You need grace 2 endure, 2 remain, & to not be moved by opposition-Acts 20:24

B.     2 Peter 3:18-We are to grow in grace

1.      We can increase in grace and walk in a greater level of grace or we can decrease

C.    Luke 2:40, 52-Jesus increased in grace

1.      He increased in grace to such a point that no matter what the need was he always had more than enough

II.     Grace is free and you cannot earn it, but for it to function in your life you have to do the things necessary to receive it

A.    Free gifts have to be received; this idea that “if you have to do something to get it, then it’s not grace,” is incorrect and it keeps you from doing the things necessary to receive more grace-Romans 1:5-7-Grace is not earned, but is must be received

1.      Receive-Lambano-To take, to lay hold of, to take what is one’s own, to seize, to take possession of, to receive what is offered, to receive what is given, to claim, to reach after, to strive to obtain

a.    This is an active word, not a passive word; When it comes to grace you have to be active in receiving it, not passive; You don’t sit back and wait for grace, you lay hold upon, seize it, take it, take possession of it, claim it, reach after it, strive for

b.    Receive is an action word & we have to do something to receive grace

1)       You can’t live in passive faith and walk in active grace

c.     EX: The receiver in football has to catch the ball

d.    EX: The delivery man drops the package off at your door

2.      7-We’ve laid hold upon it and now you do the same; Grace to you; take it

a.    John 1:6-And of his fullness we have all received grace for grace

b.    2 Cor 6:1-We, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

c.     1 Corinthians 3:10-According to the grace of God which is given unto me

d.    Hebrews 4:16-You have to come boldly to the throne of grace to find grace to help

B.     Romans 5:17-You can receive grace at different levels

1.      The reason being b/c it’s according to your faith and faith can be at different levels

2.      Grace power is reigning power

a.    The Body of Christ has come short in ruling & reigning in the Earth b/c they’ve come short in grace (and that can be traced back to their falling short in faith)

b.    Reign-To exercise the highest influence

1)       If we want to have influence in the world it’s going to be directly connected to our capacity to receive grace

2)       If we’re going to do it we have to be able to receive abundant grace

3.      Grace will give you influence and control in the world

a.    The more grace you walk in the more influence and control you’ll have

b.    If we’re going to rule and reign and win the world, then we have to talk heavily about receiving an abundance of grace

C.    The level of God’s grace that you see in your life is not sole based on God’s capacity to give it, but on your capacity to receive it

1.      2 Corinthians 9:8-God’s able to make all grace abound towards you

2.      Psalm 84:11-It’s God’s will to give it to you