CLASP THE GRACE

Matt 9:20-21- And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

UNDERSTANDING THE CLASP OF GRACE

Clasps means

To hold somebody or something tightly: to hold somebody or something tightly with the hands or arms tight hold: a firm tight hold with the arms, a hand, or a device for fastening or holding things together.

If by mere touching the helm of Jesus’s cloth the woman with issue of blood got that miracle, how about grabbing Jesus with both hands?

We must not rest without a desperate struggle to clasp the Saviour in the arms of faith, and say, "I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him."

Do not rest, O believer, till thou hast a full assurance of thine interest in Jesus.

Let nothing satisfy thee till, by the infallible witness of the Holy Spirit bearing witness with thy spirit, thou art certified that thou art a child of God- Acts 11:23-24

Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would CLEAVE unto the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. KJV

He was a good man. He fulfilled the scripture – Ps 84:11-12 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Whenever the grace of God is allowed to work in human hearts, there will be evidences that appear.

This can bring joy to those who are outwardly observing this inward work of grace.

Still, it is appropriate to exhort those who have made progress in grace to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 13:43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

When this is your experience, then you fulfil the scripture Matt3:13-14, You will be salt and light to your generation. As salt, you carry divine virtues that will enhance your earthly values and you will add values to whoever comes your way. As light to the world, you will become a pacesetter. You will become a producer and not a consumer. People will come to you to draw wisdom, knowledge and understanding –

Matt 5:13-14 -Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his saviour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Note also the Christ is the embodiment of all the grace.

2 Cor 8:9-12 -For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

If by mere touching the woman with the issue of blood had her 12 years ordeal terminated. How about if she had the revelation of grabbing the Lord Jesus with both hands and not let go?

 Grasping the external propulsion of God’s grace is crucial to our understanding of living a Christian life and manifesting signs and wonders. Isa 8:18

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Definition of the word “Grace”

The word “Grace” means “unmerited favor” – the concept that none of us in the human race deserve to be saved because we are all wretched sinners.

God through His “graciousness” sent His Son to die for all sinners, so those who “make the right choice” and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour will not have to die eternally.

God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land by HIS mighty hand. 

The Israelites had nothing to do with it.  God did it ALL.

THAT is “GRACE” - - - when GOD does it ALL.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF GRACE

2 Cor 9:8-9 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

1. It gives you Salvation –

2. Healing

3. Breakthrough

4. Promotion

5. Deliverance

5. Supernatural supplies

6. Favour

7. Divine direction

8. Enlightenments – the gospel

9. Restoration

10. Miracles- job, husband, wife, children etc.

11. Enlarges your coast.

12. Makes you light and Salt to the world

13. Gives you peace

14. Makes all things possible to glorify his name

15. Renders natural verdict useless because of His name.

                  HOW DO YOU GET THE GRACE

             i.   You  need to give your life to Jesus. You must be born again.

           THE BIBLE HALL OF GRACE

          -           Noah and the flood - building the boat.

        - Joshua and the battle of Jericho:  God was the Plan-maker for the Battle of Jericho - - NOT Joshua.

- The original Passover in Egypt:  God told the Israelites to put the blood on the doorpost.  That was NOT the Israelites idea, nor was it Moses’ idea.

ii. You get the grace by faith. - Eph 2:8-9 -  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

LEASONS TO LEARN FROM THE ISTRAELITE’s JOURNEY

A.   God brought the Israelites out of Egypt by HIS OWN power, NOT their power.  The ten plagues on Egypt were all of God’s doing.

B. The Israelites came out from Egypt with ONLY yard goods, gold and silver.  They had NO weapons.

C. When they reached the Red Sea and were hemmed in by the Sea and surrounding mountains, with the Egyptians fast approaching, they began to whine and complain that they had been brought out there to die. 

God made sure that they had NO weapons.  Moses said to the Israelites, “You keep still and watch GOD fight for you.”

D.   God made sure that the Israelites had NO boats.  God opened the Red Sea and allowed the Israelites to go through on dry land.  The Egyptians had no faith, and the water collapsed on them.

E.    The desert of Sinai is so barren NOTHING will grow there.  God made sure that the Israelites could NOT grow any of their own food.  God fed the Israelites with manna – bread from heaven – representing Jesus Christ the REAL “Bread from heaven.”

F. God made sure that the Israelites were in a desert where they had NO way of getting water for themselves.  God gave the Israelites water to drink – from the Rock – which represented Jesus Christ, the Living Water.

G. God made sure that the Israelites were in an unbearably hot desert, with NO trees for shade and NO air conditioning.  God kept them cool during the day by His cloud cover them.

extremely cold at night.  The Israelites had NO system of heating.  God kept them warm at night by His cover of fire.

I. God gave them civil laws to settle disputes.  God gave them laws for criminal behavior.

J. When they followed God’s commands, none were sick.  When they finally entered into the Promised Land, “not one was sick among them.” day by His cloud cover.

k. The man of Gerdera

The Godman came. He saw and conquered

1     Jesus Turns Water into Wine                      

2     Jesus Heals an Official's Son                 

3     Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit                

4     Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law       

5     Jesus Heals Many Sick at Evening         

6           First Miraculous Catch of Fish

7           Jesus Cleanses a Man With Leprosy 

8           Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant                      

9           Jesus Heals a Paralytic         

10     Jesus Heals a Man's Withered Hand      

11     Jesus Raises a Widow's Son in Nain                   

12     Jesus Calms a Storm 

13     13. Jesus Casts Demons into a Herd of Pigs

14     14   Jesus Heals a Woman in the Crowd

15     Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter to Life

16     Jesus Heals Two Blind Men               

17     Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak                   

18     Jesus Heals an Invalid at Bethesda                  

19     Jesus Feeds 5,000    

20     Jesus Walks on Water

21     Jesus Heals Many Sick in Gennesaret                 

22     Jesus Heals a Gentile Woman's Demon-Possessed Daughter               

23     Jesus Heals a Deaf and Dumb Man               

24     Jesus Feeds 4,000                 

25     Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida   

26     Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind                      

27     Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon           

28     Miraculous Temple Tax in a Fish's Mouth                

29     Jesus Heals a Blind, Mute Demoniac     

30     Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman                     

31     Jesus Heals a Man With Dropsy on the Sabbath

WHATEVER COMES IN CAN GO BACK

HOW YOU CAN LOSE THE GRACE

God proclaimed the Israelites a stiff-necked people. He brought the Israelites into the Promised Land IN SPITE of themselves, NOT because they made the right choices

Who is a stiff-necked person - One that refuses to yield to direction of the gospel , the direction of the spirit of God. He has his own plan.

Gal 5:19-21 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

2. When you stray away. - Prov 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO ONE WHO STRAYS

1. He loses sight of God’s love  (Rev 2:4)

Jesus told the Ephesian Christians, “You have left your protos agape,” or your primary love. What is our protos agape? It is not our love for him; it is a revelation of his love for us: Love comes from God. (1 John 4:7)

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us… (1 John 4:10)

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

2. Things become complicated – our minds become corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor 11:3)

The gospel is simple but lose sight of God’s love and everything becomes murky. I know God loves me but…

Suddenly the good news is not so good. It needs qualifying.

We feel an unholy need to balance his grace needs with our works.

We start thinking there’s more than one side to every scripture, the Bible is full of paradoxes, and God is a mystery.

3. We start striving to keep the rules (Gal 3:3, Col 2:20)

We never call it legalism, for that would alert us to the danger. Instead, we call it “Christian responsibility” or duty or “doing our part.” God has done his part, now it’s up to me to finish what he started. I have to work out my salvation and prove my repentance.

We worry about cheap grace (there’s no such thing) and invest in a little works-insurance (there’s no such thing).

4. The shipwreck of faith (1 Tim 1:18-19)

Paul repeatedly warns about the need to hold “onto faith and a good conscience” (1 Tim 3:9, Acts 24:16).

5. We lose our freedom (Gal 5:1, Col 2:8)

The Galatian Christians famously lost their liberty by enslaving themselves to law.

The Colossian Christians were in danger of enslaving themselves to worldly philosophy.

We repeat their mistakes whenever we take on the yokes of performance-based Christianity and manmade expectations.

6. We fall from grace and cut ourselves off from Christ (Gal 5:2-4)

Christians Must Take Heed. Paul tells us to take heed, lest we fall (1 Cor. 10:12).

We must beware, lest we have an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God (Heb. 3:12).

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:4-8).

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries" (Heb. 10:26-27).

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise" (Heb. 10:35-36).

CHRISTIANS CAN STRAY FROM THE TRUTH AND LOSE THEIR SOULS

James cautions us, saying, "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (Jas. 5:19-20).

There are some important points to notice from James 5:19-20:

•     Christians can stray from the truth. The truth is God's word (Jn. 17:17).

•     A Christian who strays from the truth is a sinner. His soul is lost. If he turns from his sin, he will be saved from death.

Esau is an example of one who came short of God's grace, when he sold his birthright for a single meal (Heb. 12:16). If we come short of God's grace and we're lost in hell for eternity, we cannot repent and be restored to God (Heb. 12:17).

Some People Strayed from the Faith in the First Century

Paul tells us that some people had "gone astray from the faith" in the first century (1 Tim. 6:21).

The expression "gone astray from the faith" means that they were no longer obedient to the faith, and thus lost in their sins (Rom. 1:6; 16:26; cf. Acts 6:7).

Paul also tells us why some people depart from the faith:

•     They give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

•     They love money (1 Tim. 6:9-10).

We are not immune from sin in the twenty-first century. We must be careful not to depart from the faith, turning from God to entertain the passing pleasures of sin.

If you keep in God's Word, which you use to pull down strong holds, Jesus said that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

2. LEGAL RIGHTS ARE INVOLVED

Stage two bondages have a root and that root could be unforgiveness in a person's heart, un-repented sins in that person's life (things they are hiding that they know is wrong), ties which need to be broken (cursed objects, soul ties, etc.) and things which may need to be renounced (vows made with Satan, spirit guides/demons that a person has welcomed into themselves, etc.).

WHEN YOU LOSE THE GRACE YOU EXPERIENCE THE FOLLOWING BONDAGE

Three Stages of Bondage

1. One: Ignorance, strong holds and deception

The first stage of bondage is caused by ignorance, strong holds, and the enemy's greatest weapon in this stage is deception.

Understanding a correct picture of who God is, and who we are in Christ will dissolve a lot of cases involving stage one bondages.

3. Demons must be driven out

when strong enough demons encountered are not leaving automatically and must be driven out.

Even after a demon's legal grounds have been removed, they often do not leave on their own. Some of the lesser demons may, but it's not that common for a stronger demon to pack up and leave on it's own.

This is why Jesus made it clear that there is a need for the deliverance ministry (Mark 16:17).