Sermon series: Accessing the Throne of Grace Finding Grace and Rest from the Promises
Sermon series: Accessing the Throne of Grace
Finding Grace and Rest from the Promises
“Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Finding grace at the throne of grace
1. Salvation grace – Ephesians 2:8-9 activated by faith.
2. Spirit-led grace – Romans 12:3 activated by faith.
Context is Hebrews 3-4.
A warning from a familiar example of unbelief:
“If you would only hear HIS voice this day! Don’t make GOD angry by hardening your hearts like your ancestors did in the days of their rebellion, when they tested ME in the wilderness . . . though they saw MY miracles for forty years they still doubted ME. . . I said, ‘They always wander in their hearts like they do with their feet, they refuse to learn MY ways . . . so I said they will never enter the calming rest of MY SPIRIT!” Heb. 3:7-11 TPT
A warning to us today:
“Be attentive, brothers lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart hiding in you. For it will lead you astray and make you unresponsive to the living GOD.” Heb. 3:12 MEV/TPT
Unbelieving about what?
A promise from GOD.
A promise from GOD is a summons to make an appearance somewhere ahead. It is HIS way of calling you into your inheritance.
Promise land = a place GOD called Israel to go by believing GOD’S promise and partnering with HIM.
You must rightly divide the WORD of GOD by the HOLY SPIRIT, or you could end up shipwrecked in your faith. For example: I have heard many parents of wayward children wrongly quote as a promise.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Ill. Seen many a parent of a wayward child worn down almost put themselves in an early grave by doing everything earthly possible, but that child still chooses wrong path.
You cannot guarantee the way your children will turn out! Someone in church will come along and beat that parent with this verse saying doesn’t the Bible promise this! No, that is a proverb, not a promise!
If you try to take proverbs and turn them into promises you will lose your faith or shipwreck your faith.
A proverb is a proverb.
A parable is a parable.
A prophecy is a prophecy.
A promise is a promise.
Most of the time when GOD gives us a promise there are conditions of our faith in order to activate it. Believe – trust – obey what HE says.
“Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by HIS Divine power. . . as a result of this He has given you magnificent promises so that through the power of these promises you can experience partnership with the Divine Nature.” 2 Peter 1:3-4 TPT
A promise from GOD is a live promise. It has self-fulfilling life with it!
Ill. Just as an acorn is a seed that has everything in it a tree needs. Inside that seed is a root system, bark, branches, sap, leaves and more acorns waiting just to be planted in good soil.
PIC of oak tree with root system showing here.
365 times the Bible tells us to fear not.
But Hebrews 4:1 tells us one thing we should fear!
“Since the promise of entering HIS rest still remains, let us fear lest any of you should come short of it. So we must be careful to embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it. For the gospel was preached to us as well as them. But the Word preached did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it. For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise, and we experience the realm of HIS rest.” Hebrews 4:1-3 TPT/MEV
Ill. Abraham is an example of a man taking a promise of GOD and entering GOD’S rest (surrender) until the promise was manifested.
“In spite of being nearly one hundred years old when the promise of a son was made, Abraham’s faith was so strong that it could not be undermined by the fact that he and Sarah were incapable of conceiving a child.” Romans 4:19 TPT
- In spite of facts what his body said. In spite of facts what the doctor would say. In spite of what the world would say “you’re crazy”.
Facts can change but truth (GOD’S promises) never change!
Ill. How many of you can testify that at one time the fact was you had cancer, or a death sentence pronounced over you? It was a fact, but GOD gave you a promise to hold onto.
In this life you and I are going to have some troubles, burdens, and some big challenges to face just like everyone else in the world. But the difference between person of faith and an unbeliever is to be so stark, so obvious that it would cause unbeliever to want what we have!
Xns may have some of the same issues as unbelievers:
Marriage problems, financial, wayward children, health challenges. But the difference is we are told where to go to get our help.
PIC of HEB. 4:16
“to help” = nautical term called “frapping”. To secure a sail that is getting away from you. To tie it down, secure it.
Ill. Facing a trial and your emotions are getting away from you. GOD will help you bring them back under your control.
“So this rest is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. Let us labor to enter that place of rest, not drop out through some sort of unbelief or disobedience.” Heb. 4:8-11 Message
Concl: Recall a promise is a summons from GOD to appear at a certain place. HE is calling us into this SPIRIT led living like JESUS.
No hurry, no flurry and no worry. HE is calling us all to this place of HIS throne of grace to find grace and enter HIS rest about our issues today. This is for today. Will you access the throne of grace today. Will require humility – honesty – faith. It’s up to you.