All the Grace You Need to Overcome
God's grace is enough to overcome any trial or affliction, and it will bring us through to a place of greater strength and faithfulness.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that grace is not just unmerited favor but encompasses all that Christ is to us during our suffering, including power, kindness, and love. He shares personal experiences of enduring trials, including his family's health struggles, and how God's grace has been sufficient to carry him through. Despite the ongoing nature of his afflictions, he finds strength and revelation in Christ during his lowest moments. Wilkerson reassures that while we may not understand our pain or unanswered prayers, God's grace is enough for every situation we face. Ultimately, he encourages believers to trust in God's grace as their source of strength and comfort.
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We've often heard grace defined as the unmerited favor and blessing of God. Yet I believe grace is much more than this. In my opinion, grace is everything that Christ is to us in our times of suffering--power, might, kindness, mercy, love--to see us through our afflictions.
As I look back over the years--years of great trials, suffering, temptation and affliction--I can testify that God's grace has been enough. I know what it is to question God as my wife endured cancer over and over, and then both our daughters were also stricken. Today they are all healthy and strong and for that I thank the Lord. I also know what it is to be buffeted by a messenger of Satan. I've been grievously tempted and enticed and I've had enemies stirred up against me on all sides. I've been slandered by rumors, falsely accused, and rejected by friends. In those dark times, I fell on my knees and cried out to God.
His grace has always brought me through. And that's enough for today. Then, someday in glory, my Father will reveal to me the beautiful plan he had all along. He'll show me how I obtained patience through all my trials; how I learned compassion for others; how his strength was made perfect in my weakness; how I learned his utter faithfulness toward me; how I longed to be more like Jesus.
We may still ask why--yet it all remains a mystery. I'm prepared to accept that until Jesus comes for me. I see no end to my trials and afflictions. I've had them for over fifty years of ministry now, and counting.
Yet, through it all, I'm still being given an ever-increasing measure of Christ's strength. In fact, my great revelations of his glory have come during my hardest times. Likewise, in your lowest moments, Jesus will release in you the fullest measure of his strength.
We may never understand our pain, depression and discomfort. We may never know why our prayers for healing haven't been answered. But we don't have to know why. Our God has already answered us: "You've got my grace--and, my beloved child, that is all you need."
Sermon Outline
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I
- Defining Grace
- Beyond Unmerited Favor
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II
- God's Grace in Suffering
- Christ as Our Strength in Affliction
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III
- Personal Testimony of God's Grace
- Trials, Temptations, and Afflictions
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IV
- God's Plan Revealed in Glory
- Patience, Compassion, and Faithfulness
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V
- Trials and Afflictions without End
- Yet, an Ever-Increasing Measure of Christ's Strength
Key Quotes
“You've got my grace--and, my beloved child, that is all you need.” — David Wilkerson
“His grace has always brought me through.” — David Wilkerson
“In fact, my great revelations of his glory have come during my hardest times.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- God's grace is enough to overcome any trial or affliction.
- We don't have to understand our pain or why our prayers haven't been answered.
- Jesus will release in us the fullest measure of his strength in our lowest moments.