DARE TO LIVE BY POWER AND GRACE: RECEIVE POWER TO FUNCTION AND GRACE TO BECOME!
“And with GREAT POWER gave the apostles WITNESS of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and GREAT GRACE was upon them all” Acts 4:33.
- WHAT’S GOD’S POWER – The enabling of God to FUNCTION and MANIFEST (REVEAL, EXPRESS, PERFORM) of God in Christ Jesus, in LIFE and GODLINESS.
- WHAT’S GOD’S GRACE – The enabling of God to BECOME what you believe of God by Faith in Christ Jesus, in LIFE and GODLINESS.
I want you to know, full well, that God’s POWER in context is not a magical or curious acts. Neither is it mystical, occultic, nor sorcery and demonic divination, or witchcraft as we see in many places in the name of ‘’signs and wonders and miracles’’ in quotes.
Rather, I am sharing here about the enabling of God that makes and positions one with daring spirit in life, to function by God’s Spirit and might beyond one’s ability – that’s God empowering one’s ability, inability, and weakness in order to fulfil His PURPOSE, in LIFE and GODLINESS [Acts 1:8; Zechariah 4:6/Ephesians 6:10, 19; Romans 8:28-30; 2 Peter 1:3-4].
It’s time to know again that your ABILITIES are IRRELEVANT to God’s ABILITY. And God only needs your AVAILABILITY and not your ABILITY if you must FUNCTION in His stead and BECOME in His Stead.
Thus, indicating that whatever ability that was and is there in one’s life needs to be subjected to God’s ability, along with the inability, to ensure that God’s ability becomes one’s ability in the grace [1 Corinthians 9:27]. For God is not only the God of the impossible [Matthew 19:26! Mark 10:27], He’s also of the possible. That is the exact picture God gave to Apostle Paul for him to genuinely carry His inspiration, revelation, and empowerment to write more than one quarters of the New Testament Epistles.
For Apostle Paul to attain to the excellency of God in Christ Jesus, he then considered/counted his human ABILITY as dung in order to FUNCTION by God’s POWER and BECOME by His GRACE. And he being a learned Lawyer who studied under Sanhedrin – and was circumcised the eighth day – and of the stock of Israel – and of the tribe of Benjamin – and an Hebrew of the Hebrews – and as touching the law, a Pharisee – and concerning zeal, persecuting the church – and touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless, yet he submitted to God’s own enabling POWER and GRACE, as he said of himself in the holy writ.
“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh (ABILITY). If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh (ABILITY), I more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, AND DO COUNT THEM but DUNG, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” Philippians 3:4-8/Emphasis Mine.
To authenticate the essence of God’s POWER and GRACE, each time Apostle Paul tried to use his ABILITY to do God’s Kingdom Business, he was denied over and over again. All he heard from God was – “My GRACE is sufficient to make you BE – BECOME, while My POWER is made perfect in your weakness to make you FUNCTION for me.
“Each time he said, “My GRACE is all you need. My POWER works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the POWER of Christ can work through me” 2 Corinthians 12:9/Emphasis Mine.
“Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My POWER shows up best in WEAK people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s POWER, instead of showing off my own POWER and abilities” 2 Corinthians 12:9/Living Bible.
Therefore, if you want God’s POWER to FUNCTION and GRACE to BECOME, you need to make yourself AVAILABLE – for your ABILITY must be on a zero reading on God’s chart.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh (ABILITY). If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh (ABILITY), I more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, AND DO COUNT THEM but DUNG, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” Philippians 3:4-8/Emphasis Mine.
“Each time he said, “My GRACE is all you need. My POWER works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the POWER of Christ can work through me” 2 Corinthians 12:9/Emphasis Mine.
“And with GREAT POWER gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and GREAT GRACE was upon them all” Acts 4:33.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he POWER to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on his name” John 1:12.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the POWER of his might . . .19 and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel” Ephesians 6:10, 19.
“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24 but their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus” Acts 9:20-30.
SUMMARY:
The message is a call to live by depending on God’s POWER to function and His GRACE to become, instead of relying on human ability. It shows from Scripture that God works best when we surrender our own strength and make ourselves available to Him. Using Apostle Paul as the example, it proves that personal credentials and effort must give way to God’s enabling if we want to live effectively for Him and become like Christ.
Key Points:
- Core Message and Bible Foundation
Based on Acts 4:33, the message shows that the early apostles lived with two things: POWER to function and GRACE to become. The title “Dare to Live by Power and Grace” challenges every believer to choose that same lifestyle.
Clear Definitions
God’s Power: God’s enabling that helps a believer function, live out Christ, and walk in godliness. It is not magic or mysticism, but the Spirit’s strength [Acts 1:8; Zechariah 4:6].
God’s Grace: God’s enabling that changes a believer to become Christlike through faith [2 Peter 1:3-4].
Simple Difference: Power is for doing/functioning. Grace is for being/becoming. - Main Principle: Availability over Ability
Human ability alone cannot do Kingdom work. What God requires is availability. When we submit both our strengths and weaknesses to Him, His ability works through us by grace [1 Corinthians 9:27]. With God, what is impossible becomes possible [Matthew 19:26].
Example from Apostle Paul
Paul had top credentials — trained under Gamaliel, Pharisee, blameless in the law — yet he counted all of it as loss and dung to gain Christ [Philippians 3:4-8]. That decision allowed him to function by God’s power and become by His grace. - How God Works Through Weakness
Whenever Paul tried using his own ability, he was limited. God told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” [2 Corinthians 12:9]. So, Paul learned to boast in weakness because that’s where Christ’s power shows up most.
What It Means for Us Today
To experience God’s power to function and His grace to become, we must stay available and stop relying on self-effort. The message puts it plainly: your ability must read zero on God’s chart so He can work through you. - Scriptures to Ponder
Philippians 3:4-8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Acts 4:33, John 1:12, Ephesians 6:10,19, Acts 9:20-30.
Conclusion:
The message calls every believer to drop self-reliance, embrace availability, and let God’s power and grace produce both results in service and transformation in character.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI