Let me start this piece by showing us this profound Scripture that I love so much. In 1 Corinthians 12:7, the Bible says: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” The gift of grace is what enables every believer to perform or carryout our God given assignments here on earth, as well as to live a purposeful and triumphant life. What is that gift that the Lord Almighty has deposited in our lives that we should bless generations with; but we considering a lot of circumstances, “buts, ifs”, and so on. We think it is little or we can’t just function because we think we don’t have what it takes to launch out and to deliver maximally.

 

I tell it to us today that it is until we step out in faith that we will realize the power of God at work in us. We must believe and have faith in God because faithful is He that calls, who also will do it. Until we determine to launch out with that little that we think we have; and start blessing lives with it, then we cannot experience multiplication, increase and abundance of the grace of God in our lives. Just like it was for the disciples that it was until they stepped out in faith to start sharing the five loaves and two fish that they began experiencing increase, multiplication and abundance. We can read about this in the first part of this article here: Understanding How to Multiply the Gift of Grace in Us.

 

Why Manifesting the Gift of Grace?

The question then is: why do we manifest the gift of grace? We manifest in the gift of grace because it is given by the Lord, it is not supposed to be dormant but to increase and multiply in the place of use. Ephesians 4:7 says: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Also, the latter part of Romans 5:17 says those who have received abundance of grace shall reign in life through Christ Jesus. So, we manifest grace because it is all we ever require to reign in life through it and nothing else.

 

What We Must Do to Keep Manifesting the Grace (Gifts) of God

#1. We must believe and have faith in God because He Who calls us is faithful, who also will do it. Manifesting grace starts from the place of believing that the said grace has been deposited in us. In the same Ephesians 4 that we read earlier, in verse 7, the Bible made it clear that: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”  There is no child of God that has not been graced to do one thing or the other. But being able to make use of the grace of God starts from the point of believing that one has been given. This is how to start manifesting grace in our lives. For example, you don’t manifest what you don’t think you have. You simply give expression to the things that you believe you have inside of you. The same thing is applicable to grace. For you to be able to adequately manifest it, you must believe that you have been endue with grace.

 

#2. We must be determined to step out in faith. The reason many people don’t give expression to walking in their life’s purpose and destiny is because they lack faith. If we will not step out in faith, it may be really hard for us to manifest grace. As a matter of fact, the foundation of grace is enshrined in faith. Ephesians 2:8 shows us that faith and grace walk together. It says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” A faithless person will never manifest grace. The grace of God works in any one’s life to the degree of one’s faith in God, the giver of all grace. If the disciples of Christ Jesus didn’t step out in faith, the grace of God would never have worked for them. So, the starting point to manifesting grace is simply stepping out in faith.

 

#3. We must be strong and courageous, that is, we must possess the “I can do it attitude.” We must understand that grace does not manifest in an atmosphere of fear or timidity. What gives bold expression to manifesting grace is courageous and bold actions. For example, the grace of God wouldn’t have manifested in the lives of the disciples if they had given in to the threats of the Pharisees, the chief priests and elders that they should never proclaim the name of Christ Jesus. In Acts 4, after they were threatened, the Bible made us to understand that they went back to their own company and they prayed. If you read from verse 23-31, the Bible says:

 

“And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

²⁷ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

 

So, from here, we could see that grace and timidity or fear does not go hand in hand. All those who operated under the mighty grace of God in the Bible were men and women with boldness. Talk about Elisha, Elijah, Deborah, Esther, Joseph, David to mention but a few. At a time when there was no judge in Israel, Deborah rose up as a mother in Israel. The Bible showed us in Judges 5:6-7, it says:

 

“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,
The highways were deserted,
And the travelers walked along the byways.
⁷ Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Arose a mother in Israel.

 

If Deborah was not courageous enough, there wouldn’t have been salvation for Israel at the time it came. So, we give expression to the grace of God when we are courageous and bold. When we go all out, even against all odds, that is when the grace of God shows up and manifest on our behalf.

 

#4. We must believe in the power of God at work in us i.e., believe in the word of God. Manifesting grace starts from the point of us believing that the power of God is at work inside of us. In Ephesians 3:20, the Bible says: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” Did we see that? With the power of God that is at work in us, it means that we can do so much. Just like the popular saying goes: “one with God is a majority.” Believing that the power of God is behind you makes the grace of God active in us. Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ that is at work in me.” But failure to believe this would render the grace of God redundant and ineffective in us. So, believing that the power of God is at work in us is the beginning of manifesting the grace of God.

 

#5. We must believe that we are called to be a blessing to ourselves, families, friends and generations. Every child of God must know that he or she is a blessing to this world. No child of God is a liability anywhere. We have been called to be a blessing to our families, to our friends, in the neighborhoods and communities that we live and to our generation at large. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the world, we are a city that has been set on a hill that cannot be hidden. The grace that God has deposited inside of us is to impact our world with and be a blessing anywhere we go. We are to be solution providers and problem solvers, and not problem creators. In the midst of the darkness that has pervaded the world, we are to shine as light. In Philippians 2:14-15, Paul admonished us: “Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” So, when you manifest the grace of God that is in you, it is simply to one end; that you may be a blessing to everyone around you.

 

I believe you have learnt something so far in this piece. In the subsequent part of this series, I would be bringing our way what could limit the grace of God in the life of a believer. Stay tuned and God bless you.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Bolaji Ajayi!

Feel free to share your thoughts or testimony in the comment box below. I promise to respond to them as soon as possible!