The Exceeding Greatness of His Power Towards Us
Encountering the Superior Pleasures of the Grace of God
I. GRACE: THE POWER THAT SAVES AND THE POWER THAT SUSTAINS
11 For the grace of God (the power of God) that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who
gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special
people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one
despise you. Titus 2:11-15
A. Mercy extends God’s forgiveness and grace imparts God’s enabling power (to our inner man to walk in
righteousness and to function in ministry).
B. It is the mercy of God that forgives us of our sin. The grace of God is that which saves us and sustains us in
righteousness as we access the grace of God through our fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God. Romans 5:2
C. Grace, in the simplest terms, is the power of God for life and godliness that comes through encountering the
knowledge of God. Grace is the life giving presence, the resurrection power, of God.
“… and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead.” Romans 1:4
II. JUSTIFICATION: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE OF THE FREE GIFT OF SALVATION
A. The mercy and the grace of God came to us for justification, sanctification and glorification
1. Justification (acceptance)
2. Sanctification (holiness – mature in love pursuing and growing into the fullness of God))
3. Glorification (entering into our eternal destiny, resurrected bodies)
B. The purpose of our justification is our sanctification unto our glorification at the 2nd Coming of Christ when he
returns to establish His kingdom on the earth forever.
C. If we misunderstand the purpose of justification, God’s acceptance and acquittal of our crimes before the court of
heaven, we then will misunderstand the purpose of His grace. He gives mercy to the repentant heart in Christ that He
might give power for life and godliness.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God. Romans 5:1-2
D. Before we had salvation we didn’t have the strength at all to do right, but now that we have obtained mercy we
can access the strength of God - GRACE
6For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the
sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Romans 2:1-3
III. BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
(grace – spiritual pleasures) in the heavenly places in Christ … Ephesians 1:3
A. The reality of the born again experience has given us the privilege to experience the wealth of heaven – grace. We
are able by the Spirit who raised us and dwells in us to access the full presence of God. That is the spiritual blessing—the
grace of God. We really have the access to every spiritual blessing, the full presence of God and knowledge of Him.
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus ...
Ephesians 2:6
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
B. Encountering the grace of God is encountering the superior pleasures of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are
many Bible verses that call us to experiencing the pleasures of God’s grace.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will
show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:10-11
8They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of
Your pleasures. Psalm 36:8
C. “If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment
of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith.
Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of rewards and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the
Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures,
fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on
making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far
too easily pleased.” (The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis)
D. He chose (justified) us for the purpose of giving access to the grace of God to pursue a blameless and holy life
in love. He chose us that we might become voluntary lovers and give ourselves to the beauty of holiness.
E. Holiness is a call to true happiness, freedom, deep and profound pleasure, peace, emotional wholeness, to be
free without shame, guilt or accusation …
F. The saint (mystics) of old at times had such powerful encounters with the grace of God that they felt beside
themselves in holy ecstasy. Encountering the grace of God leads us to spiritual ecstasy in heavenly places.
IV. CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD FOR VOLUNTARY LOVE
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the
Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6
A. The reality of God choosing us in Christ reveals to us the depth of God’s love for us. While we were in enmity with
God He was rich in mercy and He had deep, fiery, transcendent affections and desires for us. Touching the affections of
God through prayer and the Word will awaken our hearts in love unto giving ourselves to Him in greater abandon.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our
sins. 1 John 4:10
19 We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19
B. Before Genesis 1 it was in the eternal counsel of the Godhead to use His Son for our redemption. This eternal plan
of redemption is the only plan and there is no back up plan.
C. He wants us to become voluntary lovers so we can access the grace of God, which will empower us to attain the
highest God has for us is in the grace of God, leading us into lives of righteousness.
D. The message of the grace of God is not for the strong but for the weak.
6For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the
Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:5-7
9 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
E. One of the purposes of the plan of redemption is to manifest the Lord’s leadership and kindness so that forever
we would magnify to power of His grace.
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His
will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace … Ephesians 1:5-6
F. Ephesians 1:5-15 unfolds the mystery of redemption unto the celebration of the true grace of God throughout
eternity.
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift
of God … Ephesians 2:7-8
V. WISDOM AND REVELATION: SEARCHING OUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS GRACE
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may
know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, Ephesians 1:17-19
A. The prayer of the Apostle Paul for the church of Ephesus (Ephesians 1:17-19) is a powerful prayer for encountering
the knowledge of God. Paul prays this prayer because as we grow in the knowledge of God through study and mediation
of the Word of God we will gain insight into the glorious plan of redemption. The revelation of the personality of God will
give us insight into the knowledge of redemption.
B. We are to be complete in our obedience (2 Corinthians 13:9, 11; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:17;
Hebrews 13:20-21; James 1:4); perfect (Matthew 5:48; 19:21; John 17:23; Galatians 3:3; Ephesians 4:13. Colossians 1:28;
1 Thessalonians 3:10; James 2:22; 3:2; 1 Peter 5:10; Revelation 3:2); mature (Philippians 3:15); blameless (Luke 1:6;
1 Corinthians 1:6-8; Philippians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23; 1 Timothy 3:2, 10; 5:5-7; 6:14; 2 Peter 3:14; without
spot (Ephesians 5:27).
48 You shall be perfect (mature), just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but
that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless (blameless in our
character) before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy… (Jude 24)
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered
a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)
C. There is a four-fold result of encountering the knowledge of God that empowers and energizes the heart enabling
us to respond to deeper levels of righteous unto our obedience becoming complete in Christ.
1. The eyes of our understanding being enlightened – dynamic energizing of the heart through intimacy with
the Lord.
2. The hope of His calling – we get connected with our eternal destiny in God (eschatology), the hope of glory.
3. The riches of the glory His inheritance in the saints — what God wants is us. We are His magnificent obsession.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 what is man that You are mindful (thoughts with thoughts about humans) of him, and the son of man that
You visit him? Psalm 8:3-4
5 Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us
cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be
numbered.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count
them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18
4. The exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe – we come to know fullness of the
power in the grace of God that is available to us.
VI. THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARDS US WHO BELIEVE
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His
mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right
hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
A. The grace of God is the power of the resurrection made available to us. We have available to us not only the
power of Genesis 1 for our wholeness and sanctification. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is towards if
we strive through living lives of communion and cooperation with the indwelling Spirit.
B. The power towards us who believe is according to the power of the Father that worked in Christ, raised Him from
the dead and through which He ascended into heaven. The power of the resurrection is the Spirit of Holiness.
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead. Romans 1:4
C. The power the created the worlds, the power that raised Christ from the dead, is the grace that is available to help
us change our appetites and overcome sin, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the boastful pride of life.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will
also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
D. By grace we were brought to newness of life. We were dead, not being able to respond to God, but being rich in
mercy He forgave those who repented before Him and by grace made us alive in Christ.
E. Grace is power of Genesis 1 and the power of the resurrection!!! By it we’ve been delivered from the kingdom of
darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love. He has established us by His power.
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of
the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak,
and to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and
the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
VII. WITH DIFFICULTY THE RIGHTEOUS ARE SAVED
17For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will
be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is with difficulty that the
righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 1 Peter 4:18 (NASB)
A. The question is that if the power of Genesis 1 and the power of the resurrection are available to us then why is
so difficult for us to find freedom? The answer is in bringing the pockets of resistance and the areas of unperceived
agreement with darkness under the leadership of Jesus Christ. He chose us in Christ that we might become voluntary
lovers in Christ Jesus. We must by the act of our own free will do our part and God will do His. He will not violate our
free will.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
Psalm 51:6
B. We are to strive to live in full obedience and to experience the Spirit’s life. We do not strive to earn forgiveness but
to live in holiness, that is, to receive a breakthrough in the heart experiencing pleasures of grace forevermore (loving
what God loves).
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (experiencing life in the inner
man), and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:14)
C. We strive or exert exceptional care and energy to bring us before the fire of God’s grace so as to receive freely
from His fire at the heart level. This is called spiritual violence or pressing in for the prize: “cutting off our right hand” or
“plucking out our eye” (Matthew 5:29-30). This striving involves our time, energy, money and thinking.
D. As we give ourselves to communing with the Holy Spirit, we then go from strength to strength, glory to glory and
receive grace for grace.
7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:7
18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. John 1:16
E. We access the grace of God by talking the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. We give ourselves to the study and
meditation of the Word and fasting. We don’t earn the grace of God but these intensify our posture of receptivity before
Him.
F. Principle: we walk in the grace of God by talking with the Spirit. The fundamental and introductory way to walk in
the Spirit is by maintaining an active dialogue with the indwelling Spirit. This is key to our transformation and renewal.
Start by talking directly to the Spirit 5-10 times a day for 3-5 minutes at a time. We must renounce all that causes the
Holy Spirit’s work in our heart to be minimized. We can grow in our experience of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
VIII. PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
A. Thank you – we recognize the Spirit’s presence in us simply by thanking Him for it and then by giving ourselves to
Him. We pray, “Thank you Holy Spirit, for Your bright presence in me, I am fully Yours and You are mine, now manifest
Yourself to me.”
3 I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine. (Song 6:3)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me....I will love him and manifest
Myself to him." (John 14:21)
B. Teach me – we ask Him to lead us into truth, praying, “Consuming Fire teach me Your ways.”
26 The Holy Spirit…will teach you all things... (John 14:26)
13 The Spirit of truth…will guide you into all truth; He will tell you things to come. (John 16:13)
17 may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… (Ephesians 1:17)
C. Lead me – We thank the indwelling Spirit for His leadership inside us. We pray, “Holy Spirit lead me; in my speech
(Psalm 141:3), into divine appointments/opportunities (Romans 8:14) and away from Satan’s traps/temptations
(Matthew 6:13). I love Your leadership, I need Your leadership.”
3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
13 Do not lead us into temptation (led me from it), but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)
a. Strengthen me – we thank Him for strength that already is in us by His indwelling Presence (Galatians 5: 22-23).
We pray, “Oh! Living Flame of Love, thank you for the presence of Your indestructible love, peace, patience, and
self-control. Thank you, Your commitment to war against my flesh and to release the fear of God into my heart.” ”
16 …To be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man… (Ephesians 3:16)
17 For the flesh lusts (wars) against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh…22 But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control..
(Galatians 5:17, 22-23)
11 Unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11)