Grace to Last in Ministry
What’s the only thing that helps disciples succeed in doing the will of God over a long time? The grace of God!
What causes disciples to fail to get rooted, grounded and to last in ministry over a long time? The grace of God!
When God’s grace no longer sustains you, you will fall. The numbers might look great and the finances may look fine. Everything might look and sound “Christian,” but if you aren’t being strong in God’s grace to do God’s work, in God’s way, and in God’s time, then your heart may have already fallen.
This is where Timothy picks up in this passage. It’s written to him in 2 Timothy 1:15 – “This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me…” Then, 4 verses later – in 2 Timothy 2:1 – it’s written, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
It’s as if God is saying…they all fell away, but you stay! How will you stay and not fall away?! By being strong in God’s grace! And, this grace is found “in Christ Jesus.” It’s not found in reliance upon self, nor in any self-help manuals or church growth seminars. Only “in Christ Jesus.” That means you have to patiently, and passively, wait for God to supply your needs! Paul knew this, while he penned this letter in prison. Paul knew this earlier, when in prison, he also wrote, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
In its basic sense… God’s grace to last in ministry is the spiritual help God gives you to do God’s will. This is why it’s so important that you know how to simply discover and do God’s will. Thus, the need for Christian discipleship, like Paul had with Timothy.
God’s grace is sufficient for life and ministry. The Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
You see, somewhere along the way, the Christian who began totally dependent upon God then, may no longer totally depend upon God now. This was common in Paul’s time, and extremely common today. This is what likely had happened to the disciples in the churches of Asia at Paul’s time (Asia Minor; the Turkey region today). (2 Timothy 1:15) They failed and bailed.
This is where the person who once followed Jesus as a disciple, has now gone back to worldly ways and has slowly become self-dependent. They’re no longer a disciple, but once again, self-sufficient. God no longer sustains the person; self and selfish ambition sustains the person. Jesus Christ is no longer Lord; the person has gone back to being self-directed. The person, from outward appearances may look godly, but seems void of God’s power, and bears very little if any fruit of eternal weight and value. Timothy was given a prophecy that “in the last days” (our current time we live in), people will be “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:5)
In short, the grace-void person falls away and doesn’t stick it out to “be strong” in God’s grace, in order to do God’s will. For, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5-11)
Trusting in self is guaranteed failure with God. Trusting in self requires no trusting in God’s strength, or anything else which God may grace you with. Know this, that if your life does not require you to have faith in God, then your life can never be pleasing to God, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Christian, do you find yourself here? If so, confess your sins of self-sufficiency to God. Repent away from self and turn back toward getting on God’s path again! Become totally dependent upon God and God’s Word to define how you must live and serve Him. This will point you to the path of God’s grace. God may have to rebuild your heart and life once again from scratch, but isn’t that far better than your pride fighting against God until you’re exhausted? Don’t waste more years until you figure this out! Repent now and get right with God!
Trust in whatever grace God gives you to sustain you to do His will!
Listen in to learn more.