Beyond Our Strength: Experiencing the Empowerment of God's Grace
1 Corinthians 15:10 , “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
To be empowered means that one is strengthened and given a subordinate amount of favor by a authority greater than themselves. It is a distinct privilege for those of us who are followers of Jesus to say that we have been empowered by God’s grace. Hopefully, after reading the first couple of sentences of this post, you are beginning to connect the two words: Empowerment and Grace. The two go together synonymously. To be empowered, you have grace; vice-versa, if you walk in grace, you are living the empowered life. If you ask me, that is the ultimate kindness of the Lord to give us His unlimited grace. So here is the primary question for the day: “Do you pray as an empowered person who is living in grace?”
God’s Word Demands the Empowered Life
In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul is reflecting on his personal transformation in Christ and the ministry God has led him into. He acknowledges that his identity and achievements are not due to his own efforts but are the result of God’s grace. The exact opposite of the life he once lived as a Pharisee, which was all about works and never about grace. This verse highlights two key aspects in Paul’s life that changed:
His Identity was now found in Grace: “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Paul recognizes that his very being, his identity, who he truly is, has been shaped by God’s grace. It is not his past, his failures, or his achievements that define him, but the grace of God.
He is now Empowerment by Grace: “His grace toward me was not in vain.” Paul emphasizes that God’s grace is the active and powerful ingredient in his new life with Christ. The grace he was walking in enabled him to work harder than others, yet he humbly acknowledges that it was not his own strength but God’s grace working through him. If you took out the part of the verse where he referenced grace, he would be boasting in his own abilities and his own prowess. Grace is the tool by which Paul remains humble. It is how we can operate with so much power and authority, yet walk in total humility.
We Can Apply Grace in Our Prayer Life
Being empowered by grace transforms the way we approach prayer. Here are some ways to apply this specific empowerment in your personal prayer life:
Recognize Your New Identity in Christ: Begin your prayers by acknowledging that you are a child of God, defined by His grace. This shifts your focus from your shortcomings to His sufficiency. He is sufficient for all of your needs. The coolest part about living a life empowered by His grace is that you do not have to have fear when you approach a situation. I remember the fear that would overcome me when someone would ask me to pray for someone’s healing, or a family member dealing with a loss in the family. I experienced doubt, because I neglected to realize that I was empowered by the same grace that rose Jesus from the grave. I had already been anointed with power, already given a new name; I just needed to walk in that truth. Once I repented for my doubt, and claimed the power that had been given to me, I began to approach those same tasks with confidence and boldness that they would be healed, or God would give indescribable peace.
Be Dependent on God’s Grace Alone: Just as Paul did, rely on God’s grace to empower your prayers. When you feel weak or inadequate, remember that His grace is FOR you. You have been given divine grace to replace your fleshly inadequacies. I love that God cares enough to supply us with His strengths, His abilities, His characteristics, so that we can accomplish any task under the umbrella of His authority. You get to operate in every part of your life under this grace (i.e. holiness, kindness, miracles, small decisions, big decisions, peace, love, etc.). Galatians 2:20 begins to make more sense when you understand how being empowered by grace works. “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ within me.” Because our old self has died, we now put on this royal robe called grace, through Jesus, which gives us new understanding, new wants, desires, and gifts.
Have Gratitude for the Grace God Has Given You: Cultivate a heart of gratitude for the grace you have received. Thank God for His unmerited favor and let this gratitude fuel your prayers. This aspect of applying grace in your own life is more simple and straight-forward than the others. The goal for this application is to be sure to thank God daily for the grace that you have received. He empowers you, so you should thank Him. He gave you grace, so you should thank Him. Walking in a posture of thankfulness will keep you from ever believing that you are the one who did any work. It removes the pressure of falling into a place of striving, works-based salvation, and keeping a tally on good/bad things you have done in your life. We should know fully that we are saved by faith, THROUGH grace (Ephesians 2:8-9); therefore, we should forever be thankful that we are COVERED by the Father’s grace.
Practical Prayer Tips for Walking in the Empowerment of the Spirit
Start with Scripture: Use Bible verses as the foundation of your prayers. This aligns your heart with God’s Word and reminds you of His promises. If you would like to read more about praying scripture, read The “Yes” of God: Unlocking His Promises Through Prayer. The scriptures are going to remind you of how God wants you to operate in His freedom, with His power, through His grace. I will never underestimate the power of praying scripture back to God.
Pray with Boldness: Approach God’s throne with confidence, knowing that His grace makes you worthy (Hebrews 4:16). Bold prayers reflect a deep trust in God’s power and love. This is where walking in empowerment looks over-confident to some. When you say “crazy” (I say that loosely) things like “If you want freedom from addiction, you can have it right now” because you are so empowered by God’s grace that you approach every situation knowing that God is greater than anything; that is the epitomy of freedom. Just do not ever forget to give God the glory and remind them who’s power you are operating in.
Invite the Holy Spirit: Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers. He intercedes for us and helps us pray according to God’s will (Romans 8:26-27). By embracing the empowerment of grace, we can experience a deeper, more transformative prayer life. Remember, it is not by our own efforts but by the grace of God that we are who we are and can do what we do. Let His grace be the driving force behind your prayers and your life. Believe it or not, the Holy Spirit does in fact, want to be leaned on in every situation. He is ready to continue the work that Jesus left for us to do after he ascended. He wants us to depend on Him, but He needs our invitation.
The empowered life is a life lived in gratitude, recognizing the unmerited favor we have received. It is a life dedicated to dependence on God's strength, allowing His grace to shape our every word and action. Are you ready to embrace this empowered life? Take a moment to reflect on your own prayer life. Do you pray as one who is empowered by God's grace? If not, let today be the day you begin.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, may I be empowered by your grace and strengthened by your Spirit. May you lead me in power, authority, and humility. Let the words that come from my lips be honoring to you in the way I bless those around me. Help me Holy Spirit to invite you into my day to day, where I can boldly live a life with your perfect help. Oh Jesus, thank you for giving me a new name and thank you for dying for me so I can live eternally with the Father. You are so kind, gracious, strong, and mighty and I need your everlasting endurance so I can run the race of faith well. Define me by your grace and not by my works; may I never fall into the trap that my faith is dependent upon my works, O’ Lord. My hope is built upon your blood, by grace, through faith, so remind me of that today. I love you and am strong in you my King. In Jesus’ name, Amen.