Receive the Grace of God

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

In this season of giving thanks, let us not forget the greatest gift of all: salvation through Jesus Christ. No matter your past, God saves, heals, redeems, and restores to give new identity as saint. Paul reminds us that this victory only comes through Jesus, in whom we can place all of our faith, trust, and hope.

At times this life-changing truth can be difficult to truly accept, and In his recent sermon about Romans 5:12-21, Pastor Mark closed with an incredible prayer that we decided to type out so that you can pray it over yourself and your loved ones to put on your new identity as saint and put to death your sinful nature as God sanctifies you to become more like his Son.

For the whole sermon, you can visit https://legacy.realfaith.com/sermons/romans-11-best-news-ever-find-your-hope/. Here’s the prayer:

Dear shame filled saint, is that you? You’ve got shame, something you did or someone did in your past haunts you, maybe it’s recent, maybe it was last night. Dear shame filled saint who gives grace to others, but will not receive grace for yourself, is that you? The Holy Spirit has grace for you to cover your shame forever in Jesus’ righteousness, receive the grace of God.

Dear religious saint, is that you? You make rules and you like to punish and judge people.  Dear religious saint who keeps making rules and punishing people. The Holy Spirit has grace for you both to transform your relationship with God and each other, receive the grace of God.

Dear theological saint, is that you? You keep making God into a theological concept rather than a person to befriend. The Holy Spirit has grace to pour out the love of Jesus into your heart, receive the grace of God.

Dear burdened saint who is haunted by your past, is that you? The Holy Spirit has grace for you to transfer your burdens to Jesus who carries them for you and with you, receive the grace of God.

Dear abandoned saint, is that you? They left you. They disowned you. They abandoned you. They betrayed you. They lied to you. They took advantage of you. They used you. You’re lonely, you’re alone, you’re sad, you try to hide it, but God knows it.  Dear abandoned saint who keeps getting disappointed in people who ignore and use you when you need them the most. The Holy Spirit has grace for you from Jesus who will never leave you nor forsake you, receive the grace of God.

Dear weary and broken saint, is that you? Just tired, can’t go anymore, you can’t take any more. You can’t hear any more. You can’t do any more. You can’t endure anymore, is that you?  Dear weary and broken saint who is struggling to pull it all together. The Holy Spirit has grace to heal you and strengthen you, and will not stop until you’re with Jesus and you’re like Jesus, receive the grace of God.

Dear failed saint who doesn’t feel they measure up, is that you? You hear all the talk about sin and failure and you’re well aware of it. The accuser has been yelling at you for a long time, is that you? The Holy Spirit has grace to lift you up into the righteousness of Jesus Christ, receive the grace of God.

Dear addicted saint, is that you? Drugs, alcohol, food, shopping, gambling, pornography, sex, spending.  Dear addicted saint who is ensnared by a dark desire, is that you? Have you been hiding it, but you know that God sees it? The Holy Spirit has grace to set you free to change your desires because who the son sets free is free indeed, receive the grace of God.

Dear fearful saint, who is anxious about the future, is that you? The election didn’t go your way. The economy is trending down. You’re struggling to make ends meet. You’re worried about what world your kids will inhabit, is that you?  Dear fearful saint who is anxious about the future, the Holy Spirit has grace waiting for you in the darkness of tomorrow, and it comes from Jesus who rules the future, receive the grace of God.  

Dear controlling saint, is that you? You struggle to trust God’s rule, and so instead you try and rule.  Dear controlling saint who fears that giving people too much grace will permit them to sin. The Holy Spirit has a grace that not only forgives and covers us, but also transforms and empowers us, receive the grace of God.

Holy Spirit we invite you to bring the reign of grace in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  

Holy Spirit we invite you to reign down grace from the kingdom of God, a grace that this world does not know, a grace that this world does not possess, a grace that this world does not share. 

Lord Jesus we thank you so much that you have taken us from the reign of Adam, to the reign of Christ. From the reign of sin, to the reign of grace. From the reign of law, to the reign of love. From the reign of death, to the reign of life.

Holy Spirit, I pray for a supernatural anointing in the name of Jesus Christ on these people. I pray for your grace to flood their hearts, to change their minds, to renew their spirits, to transform their souls and to empower their future.

And God, I pray that you would start by reigning down this grace on men as heads and husbands and fathers. And I pray that then they would turn around and lavish on their wives and children grace upon grace. And that the reign of grace would heal all that is broken, that it would remove all that is fearful and that it would give joy where there is nothing but concern. Because ultimately, we have Christ, in whose name we pray.

Amen.