By Steve Horn
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Here we are again. Covid still raging and here comes a hurricane. Is it 2020 or 2021? It’s like Yogi Berra said, “It’s deja-vu all over again.”
Saying something like, “Just trust God,” seems so hollow and void of real compassion and solution. And yet, is there any better answer to all of our problems than the answer that Christ gives? Jesus said to Paul and He says to us, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Though theories abound as to what the “thorn in the flesh” was, we really do not know. However, we do know that Paul prayed for the thorn to be removed. Paul’s prayer was not answered with relief from the thorn, but with one of the greatest promises in all of God’s word, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Why could Jesus make such a statement as that? I want to share with you seven reasons why His grace is sufficient for you!
Seven Reasons that His Grace is Sufficient for You!
The Power of the Cross of Christ
“For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
The greatest need that any of us have is the need for forgiveness. Every other need, though the need could be met, would not matter if we did not receive forgiveness for our sins.
The Power of the Resurrection of Christ
“[My goal] is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Philippians 3:10)
“And what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength. He demonstrated [this power] in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens.” (Ephesians 1:19-20)
In both of these passages, Paul is praying on behalf of someone else. He prays that they may know the power of the resurrection—not just about the resurrection, but the power of the resurrection
The Power of the Intercession of Christ
“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)
“Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:34)
I don’t know if I’m theologically smart enough to understand the full impact of this thought, but I do understand that it is meaningful when others pray for me. If that is so, how much more when I pause to reflect on the idea that Christ is interceding on my behalf.
The Power of the Love of Christ
“Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:35-39)
The greatest theological knowledge that I have, I learned in PreSchool. “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
The Power of the Holy Spirit
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
When Jesus told the disciples that He was about to die, He told them that He would not leave them as orphans, but that He would send another like Him, the Holy Spirit. His grace is sufficient for us because He is walking right on alongside of us.
The Power of the Plans and Purposes of God
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
It’s a go to verse for lots of situations of life. We will likely need it in these days ahead.
The Power of the Promises of God
“For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Him. Therefore the ” Amen” is also through Him for God’s glory through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)
This last reason simply tells us that God will keep His promises. If He said His grace is sufficient, then His grace is sufficient. Sometimes the water might get rough, but He said “my grace is sufficient.”
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus and the disciples boarded a boat and Jesus said, “Let us cross over to the other side.” The Bible says that a great storm rose up and the disciples began to be afraid. Jesus was asleep. The disciples awoke Him with the rebuke, “Master, don’t you care that we are perishing?” Jesus calms the storm that day and then rebukes the disciples for their fear and lack of faith. The story starts with, “Let us cross over to the other side.” I heard Fred Luter preach from this text one time. In the way that only Fred could say it, he said, “When Jesus says you are going to the other side, you are going to the other side.”
I don’t know what is going to happen in the next few days and how that will affect us in the next weeks and months, but I am encouraged in this: “His grace is sufficient!
Steve Horn is the Louisiana Baptist executive director.
