The Holy Spirit 101

I have taken a line from Matthew 16:23 and called today’s teaching 

GET BEHIND ME SATAN 

I have found on my journey through life that it doesn’t matter if you are a new  Christian or one of many years Satan is going to find a way to make you doubt yourself. 

And the more you trust in what the spirit is telling you the more Satan in going to try and twist it to his advantage. 

Maybe you yourselves have had these thoughts come into your mind, I certainly know I have. 

That you’re not good enough. 

Why would God ever pick someone like me with a past like mine. 

I’m not worthy. 

and there’s to many more to mention. 

I want to encourage you today to live free of these thoughts and travel light, because it’s amazing as we go through life just how much stuff we end up accumulating. 

And so, what I want to talk about is Letting Go of those thoughts, and putting down the stuff that holds us back, the baggage that weighs us down, so that we can live a life that honors God alone.   

My goal for all of us is to learn how to let go of the past and take hold of the future, unpacking all that baggage, closing the door to the negative voices of Satan and the past, and embracing the truth of God in the present. 

The problem is that everything around us, everything in our culture shouts just the opposite. 

We are told that we need to talk about our baggage, we need counseling, we need to rehash it, reminiscing about the failures, the hurts, and the offenses. 

Society in general teaches us to compromise God’s standards, trying to impress, trying to measure up, trying to conform so that we fit in.   

And so many of us have spent all our lives accumulating all this emotional baggage, burdens and addictions, discontent and are depressed, because now we are loaded down with all this stuff that Satan loves to use. 

In fact, some of us may feel like we are stuck, we are trapped under that weight, and so I want to encourage you to let go of the past and take hold of your future; because your calling is too great and your God is too good to waste your time on stuff like that. 

I would like to turn to the Word of God and tell you about an interesting moment in the life of Israel. 

It was just about 3,500 years ago, the people of God were in bondage, enslaved by Egypt, and so they cried out in desperation, because when you’re beaten, when you’re forced to work and you’re not getting paid for your troubles, it’ll make you cry out to God.   

And so, the people of God cried out for deliverance, not because God had promised them a better life, but they cried out because their situation forced them to cry out.   The Bible says in Exodus 2:24 that, “God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” 

You see, when you find yourself in a difficult situation and fighting Satan, it makes you seek God like never before, and he’s going to hear your prayer, and he’s going to draw you out. 

Then Israel suddenly found themselves in a place of wilderness, they’d been in a season of captivity, when suddenly they’re released and now they’re free. 

They’ve gone from slavery to wilderness, slavery to survival, and so now they find themselves in that season of survival. 

Israel learned how to survive in the wilderness, but the problem with the wilderness was that now they’re on God’s welfare program. 

They’d gone from slavery to survival, but now God is feeding them, and they’ve became complacent because they’ve got just enough. 

They’re doing better than they were, they’re better than they used to be, and so now they plateau. 

They’ve become complacent because they no longer have Pharaoh breathing down their neck.   

And so, they’re no longer crying out to God, they’re not fasting and praying like they did in Egypt, because now they don’t even have to work and they’re getting fed. 

Life was okay, they’re making it, they’re surviving, and then the Lord said to them in Deuteronomy chapter 1, “You’ve stayed long enough at this mountain. 

Break camp and advance into the hill country go to all the neighboring peoples, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river. 

See, I have given you this land. 

Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to their descendants after them"  

And so, God told them that it was time to move out, they’d been at this mountain long enough, because God didn’t get them out of Egypt just because life was unbearable; he got them out of Egypt because he swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to Israel, to their descendants after them, he would bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey.   

And so, they’ve been camped around the mountain, they’re eating, they’re singing, they’re worshiping and enjoying God’s presence and provision, but they’ve become complacent. 

They didn’t have a desire to go any further because everything was okay, and so God reminds them of his promise to their fathers, and his promise creates a new hunger within them. 

You see, God’s Word doesn’t make people passive, God’s Word gives us a fervency deep inside, an urgency to move, because God’s Word is liberating, God’s word sets you free and Satan knows that and doesn’t like it.   

And so, they have all these great promises of God, life is okay right now, but they’re letting go, leaving it behind, and pressing forward to the promise.

And his promise is that we would be the head and not the tail. 

That God is for us and not against us, that we will soar with wings like an eagle, and that we are more than just conquerors. 

And I’m telling you this, because of the likeness to the early church.

 I’ve been studying the book of Acts again, where the church has really started to grow, but now it begins to experience growing pains. 

Many had become complacent, because they were just happy to be together, worshiping and praying, but it became very difficult for the apostles to minister to everybody.   

And it was also at this time that opposition came from the Jews. 

One of the disciples, a deacon named Stephen was performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people, and none of these Jews could stand up against the wisdom or by the Spirit by whom Stephen spoke. 

And so, the Bible says at the end of Acts chapter 6, this opposition stirred up the people, they seized Stephen and produced false witnesses who testified against him. 

They dragged him out of the city and stoned him, accusing him of speaking words of blasphemy against God.   

And now in Acts chapter 8, the Bible tells us, “Saul was there, giving approval to Stephan's death. 

And on that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” In the words of God to Israel, “You’ve stayed long enough at this mountain. 

Break camp and advance!” The time had come, it was time for the church to move out, the salt was now leaving Jerusalem, because it was intended to be spread all over Judea and Samaria.   

You see, what persecution does to the church is what wind does to seed; it scatters it and produces an even greater harvest. 

The Bible tells us, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4). Those believers were God’s seed, and it was that persecution that allowed them to be scattered so that they could bear much fruit. 

These were the growing pains, these were difficult times, and the Bible says it was Saul who was there giving approval for the death of Stephen, the first martyr of the church.

It was Saul who would encounter Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and be converted to Christianity. 

Saul, who is now renamed the apostle Paul wrote, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). 

In other words, you may not like it, you may not have asked for it, but even though you can’t change your past, God can change your future. 

And so, the apostle Paul knew firsthand that our past doesn’t always stay in our past, and until you deal with it at the cross of Jesus Christ and close the door on it the past has visitation privileges and Satan uses them. 

There are some of you who woke up today and you hoped things would be different, but the past didn’t stay in your past, and what you thought you had left behind without a forwarding address showed up on your doorstep. 

And if there’s anybody who understands what that’s like, it’s the apostle Paul, he knows what it is like to be haunted by guilt, he knows what it is like to persecute the church, harming good people, and even taking innocent lives.   

And so, for those of you who think that everything in your life has to be perfect before you can serve God, I want you to know from personal experience that God has a way of using ordinary, broken, wounded, hurting people for the sake of the gospel. 

You see, even though we can’t go back to it, our past continues to haunt us, reminding us of what we’ve done. 

That’s why it’s so important to remember the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 11, verse 28. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” And so, we need to accept his invitation, we need to give our baggage to Jesus, letting it go, because if we don’t our spiritual enemy Satan will use it against us. 

Not only will the Satan remind you of what you’ve done and what you haven’t done, but he will tell you that what you’ve done is unforgivable and you’re unlovable. 

He’ll tell you if people really knew what you were struggling with, what you said to your friend or your spouse, if people really knew they wouldn’t love you. 

And so, Satan wants us to believe that God could never use a person like you or I because of what we’ve done, but the Bible tells us to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, “Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). 

And so, we’ve got to bring our baggage to Jesus, letting it go, letting go of the past, so that we’re able to take hold of the future that God has for us. 

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t leave us holding the bag, holding onto our past, but instead he comes to set us free when we need him the most. 

We know that, because that’s what he did with the apostle Paul.

He told Ananias to lay his hands on Saul, praying so that he may receive his sight, and he did but it wasn’t without some resistance.   

And what I mean by some resistance from Ananias is because he replied, "Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 

And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”   

But listen to what the Lord said to Ananias, in Acts 9:13-16. 

"Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name”

In other words, God is far more concerned with your future than your past, he’s far more concerned about what you’re going to do than what you did. 

And so, how do we let go of our baggage when we can’t change the past? 

Well, the first thing we need to do is close the door on the past so that Satan can’t continue to speak lies to us.   

And the most effective way to do that is by confessing our sins, the Bible tells us in (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 

You see, the apostle doesn’t say deal with it, hide it, bear the weight of it, or even you should be ashamed of yourself, but he simply says, “If you confess your sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive you.” 

In other words, God’s grace is bigger than our sins, and so our standing with God is determined by our relationship with Christ and not by the rules that we’ve broken or the things we have done. 

I know I sometimes struggle with the baggage of something that I did five, ten, or fifteen or more years ago, but all of us would do well to give ourselves the same grace that God has extended to us through Jesus Christ.  

You see, the power of your past was broken when Jesus died on the cross, and so you simply need to make the decision to close the door to those lies that we continue to hear from Satan, because we are not what we have done, we are who God says we are. 

And today, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, we are loved, and we are a child of God. 

That’s what the Bible says, in (John 1:12). “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” 

Today there are so many that need to close the door to the lies of Satan, letting go of the past so that they can take hold of their future. 

When we respond to Jesus’ invitation to “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened” When we respond to him in faith, receiving his grace, he saves us from our past so that we can step into the future that he has for us. 

We are not what we have done, but we are who God says we are, we are his children, forgiven, and loved. 

And so, God doesn’t just save us from something, he saves us for something, and that is to be his witness. 

No matter who we are God can use us to show the love of Jesus to people just like you and me. 

To people who live where you live, where you work, where you shop, or where you play. 

Now, up to this point we’ve talked a lot about Paul’s past, Paul’s failures, Paul rejecting Christ, Paul killing Christians, but that’s not the point of this message. It’s not about what Paul has done in the past, it’s not about Paul’s baggage, it’s about what Jesus Christ has done for all of us on the cross.   

And it’s so important that we’re able to see what God is doing, because when we look at our past from the right perspective, we don’t see our failures, but we see God’s faithfulness in our lives. 

You see, the apostle Paul knew that he was a sinner, he struggled with the fact that he persecuted those who believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. In fact, he said this to the Corinthians, “I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9). But the most important thing when he looked at his past wasn’t how he could’ve been so blind, it wasn’t to see how bad he was, but to see how good God is. 

The question I have for you today is what is your testimony going to be about?

 Is it going to be all about you, about your past and what you’ve done, or is it going to be about what Jesus Christ has done for you?   

You see, when you’re in Christ, your identity is not found in what you’ve done, it’s not found in your past as Satan wants you to believe, but when you belong to Christ, you’re called to let go of that baggage, to live free and travel light, because you’ve been forgiven. 

And today I pray that God is speaking to all of us, he’s breaking through all of our excuses, he’s tearing down every monument we have built of “I can’t or “I didn’t” and he’s encouraging us not to settle on a life that’s less than what he created us to be.

The question I want to ask ourselves today is will we trust him with our baggage, letting go of the past and taking hold of the future? 

You see, it’s not a question about whether God will show up, because he’s always shown up, he’s always been faithful, but will you trust God and not Satan with your future? 

Because that’s when the real test begins, when you’re about to step out, and you feel unworthy and unable, but that’s exactly the kind of person that God wants to use. 

And so, I want to remind you that we can’t change the past, but God can change your future. 

And so, let us press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us, forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead for his glory. Amen

Heavenly Father, lead me today in my words and actions.  Let your Holy Spirit guide me in truth and wisdom, so that all I do may glorify You. Amen

  You probably know by now that the Holy Spirit and his gifts have become an very essential part of my life. So it should be of no surprise that is what I am going to be talking about this morning.  

I will be citing number of scriptures this morning but the main ones will be from John and Acts.  

It took me a long time to realize that of course the holy spirit was there at the very beginning, how could he not be.   

In Jenisis1:1-2 (It is first mention of the Holy Spirit  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 

Then we must wait till the book of Joel 2:28–29. God's own Spirit, Joel tells us, is poured out upon all of His people in the last days.   

And of course, we all know the passage from  Matthew 3:13-17 

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”      Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; With him I am well pleased.”  

But the two passages I would like to concentrate on this are from 

John 3:8 and from Acts 2:1-4,   John 3:8.  

This verse occurs during the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night. When Jesus said, “You must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God,” Nicodemus did not understand the concept. So, Jesus explained that flesh produces flesh (speaking of human birth), but only God’s Spirit could give new birth in the realm of the spirit. Then Jesus added these words of explanation “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 

Pay special attention to two words in this verse: “wind” and “Spirit.” Though they are two words in English, in Greek they come from the same word: pneuma. We get the English words pneumatic (an air-powered drill) and pneumonia (a disease of the lungs) from this Greek word. Depending on the context, pneuma can mean breath, wind or spirit. In this case, the same Greek word has two meanings in the same verse. Wind serves as a particularly good symbol of the Holy Spirit. 

As Jesus points out to Nicodemus, wind by its very nature is invisible and unpredictable. The wind that blows today from the north may blow from the south tomorrow or from the east or west or not at all. We feel its effect and hear it whistling through the leaves, but the wind itself is totally free from man’s control. 

Wind exists everywhere on the earth, and is continually in motion, and may be experienced in varying degrees from a slight breeze to a mighty rushing wind to the destructive force of hurricanes.   

n a closed room, the air soon becomes stagnant. But when a window is opened, the incoming wind blows out the stifling air. On a hot summer’s day, a cool breeze refreshes everyone. 

Just as the wind is everywhere in the world, even so the Holy Spirit’s work is universal, not limited to one country, region, religion or race of humanity. 

Like the unpredictability of the wind, no one can say for certain where the Spirit will blow in great power today or tomorrow. 

As the wind is beyond man’s control, in the same way no one can control the work of the Spirit. 

As the wind blows from the heavens, so the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven. 

According to Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper, “The Holy Spirit leaves no footprints.” Like the wind he is invisible, unpredictable and uncontrollable. 

Have you ever tried to catch the wind in a bottle? When I was a child and we were taking train trips, I would hold a cup outside the window, hoping to somehow catch the wind. But it can’t be done.   

The same is true of the Holy Spirit. He is sovereign and will not be taken captive by any person. 

Now they call Chicago “the Windy City,” and with good reason. The wind blows there nearly all year round. Sometimes the wind is a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves. In the winter, the cold north wind roars into town as an “Alberta Clipper.” Which can be accompanied by severe thunderstorms with winds so strong, they can knock down trees and take out the power for several hours or days. 

It’s all the same wind, but we experience it in different ways. So, it is with the Spirit. He comes as he wills, and he manifests himself in different ways. 

And as the story of Nicodemus demonstrates, no one can predict when he will invade a human heart. 

A little while ago I spoke with a person who rejoiced that a friend had responded to the gospel after just one invitation. But there again sometimes you must talk to a person again and again, and even then, they may not respond. Do you know what I mean? We have all been there. 

And yes, I do know because I used to be one of those doubters.   

So why does one person respond immediately while others take much more persuasion? While there are many explanations, one part of the answer is the Holy Spirit. Like the wind, he blows where he wants, and no one can control his movements.

In Acts 2 It describes the descent of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, as the small band of disciples waited and prayed in Jerusalem.

And according to Acts 2:1-4, four things happened in this order: 

A. The sound of a violent, rushing wind filled the house. 

B. Tongues of fire rested on each of them. 

C. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. 

D. They began to speak in other languages. 

Wind … Fire … Holy Spirit … Languages. 

Then in Acts2:38-41 Peter says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. and the Christian church was born. Note the sequence again: Wind … Fire … Holy Spirit … Languages … Preaching … Conversion. 

So why does the wind come first? Because the Holy Spirit begins his work by blowing through each heart, preparing them for further work to come. So, it is with us today. We need the wind of the Spirit to blow through our hearts, 

Replacing fear with faith, 

Replacing anger with forgiveness, 

Replacing doubt with hope, 

Replacing resentment with love, 

Replacing judgment with grace, 

Replacing bitterness with trust, 

Replacing pride with humility, 

Replacing envy with kindness, 

Replacing cowardice with courage, 

Replacing impatience with perseverance, 

Replacing harshness with compassion, 

Replacing selfishness with generosity. 

And we need the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow through our midst today. 

All our work will come to nothing without the Holy Spirit blessing our efforts. 

We may plan and organize and strategize and publicize to our heart’s content. 

We may meet and write papers all night and all day. 

We may discuss and ponder and consider all the alternatives. 

We may use all the wisdom we can muster, but unless we are changed on the inside by the Holy Spirit, nothing will change, and our work will mean nothing for the sake of the Kingdom.

 We need the Holy Spirit to come in a new way because there is always more of God to experience. 

In Ephesians 3:19 Paul prayed that his readers might be “filled with all the fullness of God.” This is the whole goal of the Christian life. Don’t water it down. 

The word “filled” has the idea of being dominated by something. 

If you are filled with rage, then rage will dominate your life.

If you are filled with love, then love dominates your life.

If you are filled with joy, then joy dominates your life.

When you are filled with God, then God himself will dominate your life.

It pictures the total transformation of the human personality by virtue of the presence of God in your life. Isn’t that an amazing thought—to be filled up with all the fullness of God. Don’t shy away from the implications of this truth as I believe many do.   

As believers we have been created to be the containers of God. He desires to pour his life into ours and to fill us until we’re full. But this will never be completely answered in this life. And in eternity we will continue to experience more and more of the “fullness of God,” and we will never (not even in eternity) come to the end of who he is. 

No one will ever come to the end of the Holy Spirit. 

No one will ever come to the end of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

No one will ever come to the end of God the Father. 

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us continually into a deeper, more profound experience of who God is. 

The Holy Spirit brings more of God to us as we bring more of us to him. 

Jesus applied the image of the wind of the Spirit in this sentence “So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 

Nicodemus did not come that night intending to be converted. But that is what happened. The Spirit drew him to Jesus, and he came. The same is true for everyone who comes to Christ.   

In John 6:44 Jesus declares that “no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” The Father draws sinners to the Son by means of the Holy Spirit. 

And in I John 6:37. And all those who are drawn will in fact come to Jesus, and those who come will never be turned away. 

And so, we must change and only God can change us. Because we are sinners, we cannot come to God bearing our own sins. If we come with our own sins, he will turn us away for sinners will gain no admittance to heaven. 

This is the testimony of the entire Bible.

Amen

Over the last few weeks, we have been hearing on the media about freedom this and freedom that. But the holy spirit put on my heart what God has already given us for free. So, for the next four of my teachings, I would like to concentrate on four things that God has already freely given us and that appear in the bible numerous times. they are. Grace, Mercy, Peace and of course the greatest of them all Love.   This morning, I will start with.   The Grace of God   As we navigate our everyday experiences, we see the footprints of God’s grace guiding our path. Whether in our moments of joy or in challenging times, grace is a continuous presence that enriches our lives. It teaches us compassion and patience, encouraging us to extend grace to others as we have received it ourselves. Embracing grace helps us cultivate a heart of gratitude, reminding us to cherish all the little things that God allows us to experience daily. Living in his grace impacts relationships, allowing us to thrive in a community grounded in love.   Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!   Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now receive reconciliation.   Today we turn our attention to one of the most profound and life transforming themes in all of Scripture: the grace of God. Grace is the heartbeat of the gospel, the melody of redemption And the gift that changes everything for every believer. Grace is a word often spoken, sung, and prayed, yet sometimes not fully grasped. It is deeper than kindness, broader than forgiveness, and stronger than mercy. Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward undeserving humanity. It is God giving us what we could never earn, achieving for us what we could never accomplish, and offering us what we could never repay. The apostle Paul exclaims in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Grace is God’s gift, not man’s achievement. In this teaching, we will journey through Scripture to see how God’s grace is revealed, how it operates in our lives, and how it calls us to live differently. We will see grace in the Old Testament shadows, and in the fullness of Christ, and in the daily walk of the believer. The Biblical Foundation of Grace is not a New Testament invention. It is the eternal disposition of God toward His creation. From Genesis to Revelation, grace is woven into the fabric of God’s dealings with humanity. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. The Greek word charis carries the idea of a gift freely given.  Grace is not payment for performance, but love given in spite of failure. Humanity’s story begins with glory in Eden but quickly falls into rebellion. Adam and Eve chose self over God, and sin entered the world.  Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If all have sinned, then all are in need of grace. Romans 6:23 continues, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Grace, then, is not optional, it is essential. Without it, we are hopeless. With it, we are redeemed. Grace flows from who God is. It is not a mood God sometimes feels; it is His nature. Grace is Undeserved. Titus 3:5–7 reminds us that we are saved “not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” We do not deserve grace, yet God delights in giving it. Grace is Abundant - Romans 5:20 says, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” Grace is not fragile or limited. It overflows, overwhelms, and overcomes sin. Grace is Transformative Grace does not simply pardon us it changes us. Titus 2:11–12 declares, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” Grace is both pardon and power. Though the word “grace” may not always appear, the reality of grace saturates the Old Testament. Grace in Noah Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”   God’s Grace preserved Noah and his family in the midst of judgment. Abraham did not earn his calling. God chose him, blessed him, and promised him a nation, not because of Abraham’s merit but because of grace.   Romans 4:16 reminds us, “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace.” Israel often wandered, complained, and rebelled, yet God’s grace preserved them.   Exodus 34:6–7 reveals God’s heart: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Even under the Law, grace was present. The sacrifices pointed to a greater grace to come the grace of Jesus Christ. When we turn the pages to the New Testament, grace shines in its fullness through Christ. Grace is Revealed in Jesus Christ John 1:14 declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.”   Jesus is the embodiment of God’s grace. Every word He spoke, every miracle He performed, every sinner He forgave was an expression of grace. The ultimate display of grace is the cross. Romans 5:8 proclaims, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Grace is not cheap it cost the blood of God’s Son. Grace does not end at the cross; it triumphs in the resurrection. Because He lives, grace assures us of victory over sin and death. Grace is not only the doorway into salvation; it is the pathway of the Christian life. Grace Sustains Us - Paul testifies in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”   Grace does not remove all trials, but it carries us through them. Grace Trains Us. Grace is our teacher. It leads us away from sin and into righteousness. It empowers us to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Grace Calls Us to Humility James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”   Living in grace means acknowledging our dependence on God daily. Grace is not passive—it calls for a response. Grace must be received by faith. Have you accepted God’s free gift, or are you still striving to earn what has already been offered? As recipients of grace, we are called to extend grace to others. Colossians 4:6 urges us, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.” Romans 5:2 declares, “Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.”   Grace is not a one-time event but a daily reality. Grace is the undeserved gift of God, revealed in Christ, sufficient for our every need. It saves us, sustains us, sanctifies us, and one day will glorify us. When John Newton, a former slave trader transformed by Christ, reflected on his life, he penned the words: “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see. 
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come,
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home. That is our testimony too. We were lost, but grace found us. We were blind, but grace opened our eyes. We were dead, but grace gave us life. We were in danger and grace saved us. I would like to recite 4 scriptures verses that really spoke to me while preparing this teaching. Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”   Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. This verse really teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age   Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.   1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” If you have never received the grace of God through Jesus Christ, today is the day. Lay down your striving, your sin, your self-sufficiency, and come to the throne of grace. For there, you will find mercy and help in your time of need. Remember brothers and sisters God’s grace is the heartbeat of the gospel the divine free gift that reaches down into the darkest places of our lives and brings light. It is the unshakable truth that no matter how far we have wandered, God’s love runs deeper still. Grace forgives the sinner, strengthens the weary, and heals the broken. It is the hand of God lifting us up when we cannot rise on our own. Grace is not earned by deeds or measured by worthiness it flows freely because of who God is, not because of what we have done. In His grace, we find freedom from shame, victory over sin, and the courage to walk forward in hope and in the light of God.   Grace teaches us patience, compassion, and humility, reminding us that we, too, are recipients of a love greater than we deserve. When we live in God’s grace, we walk not in fear of condemnation but in the confidence of His unfailing mercy.   Grace does not excuse our faults, but transforms us through the power of His Spirit, shaping us into vessels of His love. It is both shelter and strength, rest for the soul and fire for the journey. Truly, to speak of God’s grace is to speak of His very heart. A love that never let’s go. A gift that never runs out. A promise that never fails. Lord, Your Word declares that Your grace is sufficient for us,
for Your power is made perfect in weakness.
We ask, Lord, that You would cover us with Your mercy,
for by grace we are saved, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Teach us to walk in Your ways,
to stand firm in faith, and to live each day under the shadow of Your abundant favor.

 Therefore, let us then live as people of grace: humble in spirit, bold in faith, generous in love, and steadfast in hope. And let us never forget that from beginning to end, salvation is of the Lord, it is all about grace. Amen.

Gods Mercy 

Beloved in Christ, there are few truths more precious to the human soul than the mercy of God. If you take mercy out of the Christian faith, you strip the gospel of its sweetness, the cross of its meaning, and the believer of his hope. Without mercy, justice would crush us. Without mercy, holiness would consume us. Without mercy, none of us could lift our heads in the presence of Almighty God. But thanks be to God, we serve not only a just God and a holy God, but also a merciful God whose compassions fail not. 

Mercy is the very air the sinner breathes. It is the ground on which the believer stands. It is the song of the redeemed and the hope of the broken.   To meditate on mercy is to look into the beating heart of God Himself. And if there is one thing the world desperately needs today, it is a rediscovery of the mercy of God mercy that heals, mercy that forgives, mercy that restores, mercy that triumphs over judgment.

The psalmist declared in Psalm 103:8–10: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” 

My friends, this is the gospel in seed form: God does not deal with us as our sins deserve, because He is merciful. So let us take a journey together through the Word of God, tracing the golden thread of divine mercy.   We will look first at the nature of God’s mercy, then at mercy revealed in the Old Testament, then at mercy displayed in Jesus Christ, then at mercy in the believer’s life, and finally at the eternal mercy that secures our future. And as we walk through these truths, may our hearts be set ablaze with gratitude and shaped into vessels of mercy for others. 

We must begin where Scripture begins: with the very character of God. Mercy is not merely one of God’s actions; it is part of His eternal nature. In Exodus 34, when Moses pleaded to see God’s glory, the Lord descended in a cloud and proclaimed His own name: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” 

Notice, the very first attribute He declares is merciful. Before He mentions power, before holiness, before sovereignty, God reveals Himself as merciful. Mercy is not God’s reluctant duty; it is His chosen delight. Micah 7:18 asks: “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.” 

Did you catch that? God delights in mercy. He takes joy in compassion. What we struggle to offer grudgingly, He offers gladly. How unlike us this is! Our mercy is limited, our patience wears thin, and our forgiveness often carries strings attached. We forgive once, maybe twice, but beyond that, we hesitate.   Yet Jesus told Peter in (Matthew 18:22) “Not seven times, but seventy times seven”. Why? Because our mercy must reflect God’s mercy, which is boundless and inexhaustible. 

Think of the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The boy had squandered everything, disgraced his family, and rehearsed a pitiful speech begging to be treated as a servant. But the father, seeing him from afar, ran to him, embraced him, kissed him, and called for the robe, the ring, and the feast. That my friends is mercy in action, the father withholding the judgment the son deserved and instead restoring him to full sonship. That is a picture of how God receives us. 

Beloved, if this is who God is, then we must cast off every distorted view of Him as a tyrant waiting to punish or a judge eager to condemn.   He is merciful. When you stumble, run to Him, not away from Him, for His mercy is greater than your sin. 

To understand the depth of God’s mercy, we must first look at His dealings with His people throughout history. The Old Testament is not a book of wrath versus a New Testament of grace. No, mercy saturates every page of God’s Word from Genesis to Malachi. Consider again Adam and Eve in the garden. The Lord had warned them: “In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die.” Yet when they transgressed, though judgment fell, mercy triumphed. Instead of instant death, God clothed them with garments of skin a foreshadowing of the covering to come through Christ.  Mercy was present even at the dawn of human rebellion. 

Think again of Israel in the wilderness. Again and again, they murmured, complained, and rebelled. They worshiped a golden calf at the very foot of Mount Sinai, where God’s glory blazed above them. By all rights, God could have wiped them out. Yet He relented at Moses’ intercession, proclaiming His mercy. Nehemiah 9:17 recounts: “But You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.” What a testimony! 

And what of David? After his grievous sin with Bathsheba and his orchestration of Uriah’s death, judgment could have consumed him. But when David fell on his face and cried out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love” God forgave him. Mercy restored the fallen king. 

Jonah, too, gives us a vivid picture. Sent to Nineveh, a cruel, violent city Jonah ran away, because he knew the Lord was merciful. In Jonah 4:2 he complains: “That is why I made haste to flee; for I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Even Jonah could not stomach just how merciful God truly is! 

And then there is Lamentations 3:22–23: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”   Jeremiah wrote those words as Jerusalem lay in ruins, with the temple destroyed and the people carried into exile. Even in judgment, he saw mercy shining like the dawn. 

Beloved, mercy is not an afterthought in the Old Testament. It is the very backbone of God’s covenant dealings with His people. If He were not merciful, Israel would have perished a thousand times over. But mercy carried them through. And mercy carries us still. This same mercy meets us in our wilderness, forgives us when we stumble, and renews us every morning. 

Do not say, “I have sinned too much for God to forgive me.” Look at Israel. Look at David. Look at Nineveh. God delights in mercy. His mercies are new not just yesterday, not just last year but every morning. If the Old Testament reveals God’s mercy in shadows and promises, the New Testament reveals it in flesh and blood. 

Mercy walked among us in the person of Jesus Christ. The Gospels overflow with stories of mercy. Blind Bartimaeus cried out by the roadside, Mark 10:46–52. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And though the crowd told him to be silent, Jesus stopped, called him, and restored his sight. Mercy heard his cry. A leper fell before Jesus, (Mark 1:40–42).  “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean” Mercy touched the untouchable. A woman caught in adultery was dragged before Jesus, with stones ready in the hands of the Pharisees. “Moses commanded us to stone such women,” they said. “What do You say?” Jesus bent down, wrote on the ground, and then said from Mark 1:40–42. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, they dropped their stones and left. Jesus looked at her and said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” Mercy touched the untouchable. Mercy spared the guilty. 

Above all, the cross of Jesus Christ is the supreme revelation of God’s mercy. Justice demanded death for sin. Holiness demanded punishment. But mercy stepped in. Romans 5:8 declares: “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  The wrath we deserved fell upon Him, so that mercy might flow freely to us. At Calvary, justice and mercy kissed. No wonder Jesus declared in the Beatitudes: (Matthew 5:7) “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” His whole ministry embodied mercy mercy to the sick, mercy to the broken, mercy to sinners, mercy even to His enemies. As He prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If grace is the heartbeat of Jesus’ ministry, then mercy must be the heartbeat of His church. 

We are not called to be Pharisees hurling stones, but followers of Christ extending hands. The measure to which we have received mercy must become the measure by which we extend it. To withhold mercy after receiving it is to deny the very gospel that saved us. Paul writes in Romans 12:1: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Notice what motivates the Christian life: not fear, not legalism, but mercy. Because God has shown us mercy, we surrender ourselves to Him. Every believer is a trophy of mercy. Paul himself testified in 1 Timothy 1:13–16: “Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief … and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me … that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.”

 Paul never got over the mercy of God in his own life, and neither should we. But mercy received must become mercy given.   James 2:13 warns: “Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant: forgiven of a great debt, he refused to forgive his fellow servant of a small one. The master rebuked him, saying, (Matthew 18:33). “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” 

We are called to be channels of mercy in a merciless world. This means forgiving those who wrong us. It means compassion for the poor, the hurting, the marginalized. It means patience with the weak, kindness to the undeserving, love for the unlovely. Mercy is not weakness; it is Christlikeness. Examine your heart. Is there bitterness you have held onto? Is there someone you refuse to forgive? Remember the mountain of sin God has forgiven you and let that mercy overflow to others. As Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give.” Mercy received must always become mercy extended. 

Finally, let us lift our eyes to eternity. Mercy is not only for this life; it is our eternal hope. Jude 21 exhorts us: “Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Did you catch that? Eternal life itself is described as God’s mercy. When we stand before the throne of judgment, what hope will we have but mercy? Not our works, not our righteousness, not our service. Only mercy.   Titus 3:5 reminds us: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” From beginning to end, salvation is mercy. Heaven itself will be the eternal unfolding of God’s mercy. For ages to come, we will marvel at the riches of His grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.   Ephesians 2:4–7 says: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us … raised us up with Him … so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” 

Eternity will be a school of mercy, and God Himself will be the teacher. Therefore, let us live not in fear but in hope. Whatever trials we face, whatever sins we struggle with, whatever burdens we carry, the mercy that saved us will sustain us to the end. Mercy will have the last word. We have walked together through the glorious landscape of God’s mercy its nature in His character, its display in the Old Testament, its embodiment in Jesus Christ, its power in the believer’s life, and its promise in eternity.  From Genesis to Revelation, mercy flows like a river, cleansing, restoring, renewing, saving. 

So, what must we do? First, receive God’s mercy. Do not harden your heart. No sin is too great, no past too dark, no failure too deep. God’s mercy is greater. Run to Him, and you will not be cast out. 

Second, rejoice in God’s mercy. Let gratitude flood your soul. Sing with the psalmist, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” 

And third, reflect God’s mercy. Go and be merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Love as you have been loved. Show compassion as you have received compassion. In a harsh and unforgiving world, let the church shine as a beacon of mercy.

I close with the words of Charles Spurgeon: “God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of its light, or make space too narrow, than diminish the great mercy of God.” 

May we live, breathe, and proclaim this boundless mercy until that day when mercy brings us safely home. Amen.