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Growing In Grace

Posted on 05 Oct 2014, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

10/05/2014

Text: Titus 2:11-15

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Introduction

Review of the work of the grace
- Salvation
- Deny ungodliness
- Deny worldly lust
- Live soberly
- Live righteously
- Live godly
It is also possible to grow in grace, so that the work/fruit of the grace can increase
- 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
- 2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
In fact, we do not have a choice if we are serious about our walk with the Lord
You must grow in grace in order to finish your Christian race
Today, we will discuss how to grow in grace
We’ll look at examples of those that grew in grace and those that failed to grow in grace

Main Topic

How to grow in grace

1. Be born again – a pre-requisite

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit – a pre-requisite

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost
Apostle Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost
Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost

3. Get your head and spirit into the Word

2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Grace is multiplied when you study the Word because you get closer to Jesus
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The more of the Word you know, mixed with the Holy Spirit, the more you grow in grace with the Lord
There are mysteries in the Word that only the Holy Spirit can reveal them to you
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1Pe 2:2-3 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
If you spend 30 mins/day reading the Bible, you could read the entire Bible in 1 year.

4. Prayer is crucial

I hope you are still fulfilling the challenge from 2 weeks ago – to pray at least 20-30 mins per day
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Prayer moves the hand that moves everything else
Get in with the folks that know how to pray
Pick up books by known Christian authors on how to pray
The Word and Prayer goes hand in hand – the more of the Word you know, the more powerful your prayers become.

5. Never neglect the assembly of fellow believer

We are not created to be loners – we are created for fellowship and relationship
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Pro 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

6. Create time for God

This is by far our biggest issue in America – we do not have time for God
Too many activities have crept into our lives to take up the time
However, for your relationship with God to grow, you must spend time with God
If we do not spend time with God, our relationship with Him will not grow – in fact it will decline
In studying the Word, you must create time
In prayer, you must create time

7. Create time for the things of God

How do you demonstrate your love for God?
By creating time for the things of God
By your service to God – which will cost you your time and your resources
We create time for our loved ones – to demonstrate our love for them – we must do the same for our God

Growing in grace is a personal decision that you must make and be committed to

It requires determination – that no matter what, I will grow in the Lord

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

YOU MUST GROW IN GRACE

Those that grew in grace

Jesus – Luk 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Apostles – Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Apostle Paul – 2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Those that grew in grace finished their race well.

They also have some things in common – they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spent time with God

Those that failed to grow in grace

Heb 12:14-17

King Saul – he started well, he even prophesied, but he failed in the end
Demas – 2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Esau – Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Ananias and Saphira – Acts 5
- They were among fellow believer, but failed to follow their footsteps.

Those that refused to grow in grace did not finish their race

It is not how you start your race that matters, but how you finish

They all started well, but finished woefully because they failed to grow in grace

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Conclusion