Phaneroo 122 Sermon

Faith, the Access to Grace

Romans 4:14-16 (KJV) For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the  father of us all.

The scriptures above are telling us that faith is made void and the promise made of none effect if they which are of the law are heirs. If any man who is under the law is going to inherit the promise of God then faith is of no effect. If the man under the law walks under the promise of God, then faith is useless.

When the scriptures say that where there is no law there is no transgression, it means that when you remove the law, people stop sinning and when you put the law people sin more. It is of faith that it might be of grace. Any man who moves into a particular grace does so by faith. Faith is the access to grace. There is grace for financial multiplication; there is grace for a successful marriage; there is grace for being a successful consultant; there is  grace for being  successful in anything.  God says that for you to move in any grace that can make you a success in this world; you can only begin by faith. That means that God cannot accord grace to something that doesn’t begin from a faith perspective. 

Walk Because Of Him

In Genesis 17, God comes to Abraham and tells him,  “…walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Many people misinterpret that scripture and assume that  when he says ‘walk before me and be thou perfect’ then  God meant that  when you do everything in your own power he will bless you. That’s not true. The Hebrew word used therein for ‘before me’ is ‘paniym’ which is translatrd to mean, walk because of me. The rendering therfore is; “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God, walk because of me  and thou will be perfect.” This was the first time God had spoken to Abraham in thirteen years since he through Hangar had had Ishmael for a son; this Ishmael being a result of human effort.

Every time you try to do things in your own power, God will prove to you that you cannot because He doesn’t want you to glory in your own strength. Man was not made to glory in his own strength; he was made to Glory in God. Praise God!

Even when David messed up with Bathsheba and killed Uriah (2^nd Samuel 11), he tried to offer sacrifices for God to forgive him but failed until he came to the ultimate realization  that the sacrifices God requires are a broken spirit and contrite heart. (Psalms 51:17 KJV), God needs your heart not what you can do for him.

Don’t move on the basis of what you think you can do. I hear people say,  “I can’t do this because am like this or like that.’ That is the law because you are looking to your self. Everywhere there is self, there is pride. This is because it’s about you not Him. It is pride is to say” I can’t.” Some people think it’s humility to say “ who am I to be worthy of such and such a thing?” No! it’s not knowing who you are! Stop thinking of your inability and start thinking of His ability in you. Halleluyah!