The Gospel of Guided Grace:
How We Participate with God’s Grace to Change Our Hearts
What is the nature, pattern and process of change by God’s Grace?
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
Real heart change by God’s Grace is mutually gradual and inevitable
Real heart change by God’s Grace is first internal
1 Cor. 13:1-3 (NLT)
If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. [3] If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
If people’s lives are being changed through you but your life is not being changed, run to Jesus immediately!
How do we change?
2 Peter 1:2-9 (NLT)
May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! [4] And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
[5] So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. [6] Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. [7] Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. [8] The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin.
1. Motivation and strength for change always begins with first, growing in our knowledge and experience of Jesus, as well as His promises and blessings
2. Second, make every effort to receive His grace by inviting God to practically change my heart towards…
Examples:
The disordered areas that I know I need to resolve in my life
My struggles
The way I see the difficult relationships in my life
The way I boldly and confidently come to God
The way I respond to difficult situations
My defeated habits, attitudes and lifestyle
My emotional ups and downs
Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Respond immediately to the promptings of the Holy Spirit rather than letting the promptings fade into the background
John 16:13 (NLT)
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…
1 John 2:27 (NLT)
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you…For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.
Because of the strength of God’s grace present in us, act on the courage to make things right
Col 3:13 (NIV)
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
John 13:34-35 (NLT)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
3. Grace gives us the strength to make every effort to build new habits that structurally protects our long term, growing and deepening life of grace
2 Peter 1:9-10 (NLT)
But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away.
[5] So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. [6] Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. [7] Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. [8] The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moral excellence
Knowing God Better
Self-Control
Patient Endurance
Godliness
Love for Other Christians
Genuine Love for Everyone