Grace + Faith = Miracles

I’ve heard the idea that God’s grace through Jesus is all we need.  As nice and respectful to Jesus as that sounds, it simply isn’t true.  Some people take this theme to its logical extreme and conclude, “Because it’s all grace and all Jesus, ALL are saved!”  But NOT all are saved, as Jesus made very clear in Matthew 7:13-14.  God provides the grace, but it is by faith that we have access into this grace (Romans 5:2).  Being saved by grace is not the complete picture – we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).  This same combination of grace and faith is how miracles happen.  Paul pointed out through a rhetorical question that God did miracles among the Galatians by the hearing of faith (Galatians 3:5).  A fruitful walk with God depends on a combination of His grace AND our faith exercised in His grace.

I’ve even heard this “It’s all grace” idea applied to money, in which case the preacher teaches that because you’re already blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, you don’t have to tithe and give in the New Covenant to walk in godly prosperity.  This silliness can be blown away with the single Scripture that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly (2 Corinthians 9:6).  Paul did not teach, “He who sows sparingly will reap bountifully because he is already blessed, because it’s all grace and it’s all Jesus!”  (As for me, I have been VERY happy and blessed for decades doing what Jacob did, saying “…of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (Genesis 28:22) and I highly recommend that you do the same.  90% God’s way is so much bigger than 100% your way!)

If it were all grace and all Jesus, EVERYONE would be healed, and prosperous too, for that matter – just as everyone in heaven is healed and prosperous.  Now everyone legally is healed and prosperous because of what Jesus did, just as everyone is legally saved because of what Jesus did, but only those who appropriate faith get to actually walk in any of these blessings in this life.

Of course, if it weren’t for grace, there would be nothing for faith to receive!  So the equation is Grace + Faith = Miracles.  Thank God for His grace, but you need to mix YOUR FAITH with GOD’S GRACE if you want to enjoy His blessings.

When it comes to the PROVIDING end of your miracle, it IS all grace and it IS all Jesus.  But the RECEIVING end of the miracle depends on whether YOU take hold of what grace provided.

Rather than trying to talk God into doing some miracle you need, you need to believe that every need you will ever have has already been laid up for you according to God’s riches in glory because of what Jesus did (Philippians 4:19).  Now what you have to do is believe that you receive it when you pray (Mark 11:24).  Then it will manifest itself in the natural realm.   You believe that God’s grace has already provided it and you receive it by faith.  It’s not complicated, so don’t make it hard!