Hello everyone. So far, we have been able to examine in this series; How to Multiply the Gift of Grace in Us and also, How to Manifest the Gift of Grace in Us. Both previous articles have helped you, I believe, one way or the other in bringing you to a knowledgeable place about the subject of grace and to refresh your mind again on things that pertain to putting the grace of God to work. However, in this concluding part of the series, I want to quickly show us the things that can limit or hinder the grace of God in our lives. When we talk about limitations, they are things that sometimes hinder us from fulfilling God’s will (purpose) for our lives. When it comes to limiting the grace of God in us, they are sometimes manifested as a result of what I am about to discuss with you below:

 

#1. Lack of Faith in God; the giver of grace (gifts)

A man that lacks faith in God; the giver of grace (gifts) is limited because such a man cannot manifest expressly in the gifts upon his/her life. For us to effectively manifest in the gifts deposited in our lives, we must first have knowledge of God (the giver of grace), believe in Him as well as to trust Him all the way. Let’s patiently study the Scriptures below, it will open us up to the knowledge and power (efficacy) of God. In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Here, we can see that pleasing God or manifesting His grace (gifts) outside of faith in Him, is completely impossible.

 

Also, Romans 1:19-20 says “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” To manifest the grace of God effectively in our lives without wavering or doubt, we must have intimacy and fellowship with God because the more (frequent) we spend time in God’s presence, the more we build our faith and trust in Him, as well as to gain strength and build capacity in God to be able to function.

 

#2. Fear of Stepping Out

The fear of stepping out could be as a result of the question many of us ask ourselves “what if I fail”, as well as the feeling of inadequacy. It’s high time we come to the realization that as long as we are in Christ, fear has no power over us. The devil only wants to limit us by planting fear in our hearts; just to make us feel less of a person and less of the grace of God at work in us. Like I said earlier in this article, that no matter the measure of the gift of God in us, as long as we have faith and launch out in the use of the gift, we begin to experience increase, multiplication and abundance. But the fear of stepping out makes the gift dormant, inefficient and ineffective; and such a person cannot bless lives because we can only bless lives with what we engage effectively with.

 

If you study the book of Philippians 4:6a carefully, the Bible says: “Be anxious for nothing…” Paul admonished in that place that we should never get to that point where we are too afraid or anxious of stepping out. Also, the same Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 this way: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” God is indeed a good God, He loves and cares for His Children, God gave us three wonderful gifts in place of fear; these gifts are power, love and sound-mind. We all know that there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. In other words, we must love God so as to walk in love, for God Himself is LOVE. So, if God is love, and we are His children, it means fear has no place in us, we must boldly speak the word of God with power to silence the spirit of fear so as to launch out courageously.

 

#3. Men pleasers rather than pleasing and doing the will of God

Most of us are always concerned about other people’s opinion toward us. We tend to leave God out of the equation and allow the words of men to stand in our lives instead of God’s word. Most of us in a bid to satisfy people; be it families, friends, relations, society etc., we refuse to step into our God-given assignment for the manifestation of the gift of God in our lives. We need to come to the understanding that as long as we are certain that it is God that is leading us, all other opinions about us should not matter or count. When God require us to launch out with the gifts He has deposited in us, we should step out without consulting any man for approval because we can be discouraged in the act of seeking approval from men to ascertain whether we are good or not.

 

The people that should have a say are the people that God Himself plants in our lives to lead, guide and direct us, and their leadings will not be different from that of God, it will definitely align with God’s word for us; their words should be a confirmation to us. Jeremiah 3:15 confirms this “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.” They as well launch us to deeper realms of the supernatural via transference of grace. The Scriptures below elaborate the authenticity in the spoken word of God to us. Psalm 62:11-12 says.

 

¹¹ God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
¹² Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For You render to each one according to his work.

 

Also, in Jeremiah 29:11 the Bible says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  As children of God, we must believe the spoken word of God in our lives, hold onto His word and run with His word for unlimited results.

 

#4. Compromise

Compromise has so much to do with having an option aside from what God has deposited and called us to do. A man that compromises, limits the manifestation of the grace of God in his/her life. Such a man is in a state of confliction on fulfilling the will of God and doing his/her own will. Most times we say we will do God’s will with our lips but our heart is saying something else, we have mapped out our own plans simply because we do not trust in His (God) process and plan for our lives. We tend to be double-minded, and a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, such a man cannot receive anything from the Lord and cannot please God. So, if we must manifest God’s grace in the realm of no limits, we must not compromise, we should hold firm onto God’s word.

 

In 1Kings 18:21, the Bible says: “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.” The reason the people didn’t answer Elijah was simply because many of them have compromised. They thought Baal was the one to follow, not knowing that the Almighty God is bigger and by-far better than Baal. But at that instance, they could not answer the prophet simply because compromise had set in. Also, in Acts 5:29, the Bible says: “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” The best way to avoid and overcome compromise is to stick with God always and all the time. I pray that the Almighty God empower us to be planted, grow, abide and be established in Him for the manifestation of His grace upon us to overcome limitations of life.

 

Benefits of Manifesting in the grace (gifts) of God

 

There are a number of benefits that comes our way when we manifest the grace of God some of them, I have highlighted for us below for our spiritual consumption.

 

#1. The grace of God launches into deeper realms of the supernatural when we engage effectively. The book Daniel 11:32^B says “but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” There is no other way one can dwell in the supernatural other than relying on the grace of God. Daniel showed us that those who do know their God would carry out great exploits, I believe he meant in everything that they set their hands to do; whether in ministry, in academics, in business, you name it. Tapping into the grace of God brings us into that realm where we can operate in the supernatural and carry out great exploits for the kingdom of God.

 

#2. We achieve fruitful and productive results when we manifest the grace of God in our lives. We tend to experience tremendous increase, abundance, multiplication and above all been a blessing to lives for God’s glory. And whether the devil likes or not, this is the life that God has called us into; to manifest the endless possibilities that is residence in God through the grace that He has deposited in us.

 

#3. The grace of God at work in our lives makes us carriers of God’s presence that wherever we go, the glory of God radiates in us. This is simply because we are children of light and wherever we step into the light of God must radiate, illumination takes place and the atmosphere of the place change for the manifestation of God’s glory. For we are the light of the world, a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:13-14).

 

In conclusion, just as the disciples launched out in faith to share the food to the multitudes and in the process, they experience multiplication, this is also applicable to you and I. What is that gift that God has imparted upon us? My challenge to us today is, let us have faith like the disciples and launch out, no matter the measure of that gift, for it to increase, multiply and abound; we must determine to bless lives with it by launching out in faith and to manifest the glory of God in us.

 

Hallelujah!

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!