Grow in Grace 

Synopsis teaching referenced from sermon of Pastor Falodin 

at Great Grace Seminar 2019 and Carmen's notes  

March 23, 2019

2 Peter 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 

The Disciple Peter talks a lot about Grace in this book of the Bible.  To grow in Grace means to not stay where you are, but to move forward in advancing yourself into a better understanding of the depths of God's character, his ways and what he wants you to do and be in Him.

Grace is not just to take us to the point of salvation, but to also take us onto that continued growth; so, we are never stuck spiritually anywhere in our walk, but are always available to his need​​s and desires for all our situations, and for those of others.  This goes into partnership and into the bringing forth of things, only God can do.

1.  God wants us to be seekers

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 

 The woman at the well, Jesus tells about how the father seeks those who will go deeper. Bible, John Chapter 4

Story about how in Africa, Pastor Falodin and his people will bow in respect, to and onto, the floor, to those of honorable position like their parents and their leaders. If we can do it for them, we can do it for God.  In our language and in spiritual corners this is called proskuneo.  It is a sign of respect to God and our willingness to hear from him and to lend our mind to his ways and be open to his word being reflected in our minds and our walk.  

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 

You will find him if you seek him with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul. Time spent with the Lord is never wasted time but time spent learning and growing in God, an investment.  

Not merely to spend our time asking for things from God for ourselves but to be seeking what he would ask us to pray for, so we bless him in the asking.  This is the difference between seeking the heart of God and seeking the hand of God.

The more we seek Him the more we know him; and the more we know how to come and ask things of him.  Our intercession and supplication that we dedicate time to be for the Lord in prayer, IS what brings the knowing.  It will always align with His Word.

2. We must be students 

God is a teacher.  Psalm 32:8   I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 

 I will teach you in the way she should go. 

John 3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou does, except God be with him. 

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

 I will send you a comforter who also be a teacher.  This means that we have the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (and are learning never ends because there's always something new to learn with God) all our teacher. 

 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Study to show yourself approved of God. 

It is good to study the word origination, to study the word according to its original meaning; but it is meaningless unless we know the plan and purpose for our lives that applies to us from his word and who it makes us become; for Him, to reflect his glory, and His kingdom coming.

3. To be his servants.

Mark 10: 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 

the son of man did not come to be served but to serve.

Philippians 2:5-8  :5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Let be of the same mind, to come in serving others.  Especially if one becomes a leader in the community; in any normal human way the tendency is to want to be served more, as a matter of respect for their position.  But this is not what Jesus DID, NOR asks for from us. He asked us to come from a place of great grace. So that we can give everything that is given to us in our lives from God to help others. if we're going to enjoy this great grace and to be effective in our calling, we need to submit and be humble, to serving the Lord. To do whatever ever He asks us to do and know it is him.

4.  Being good stewards of the mysteries of God, be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2   For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. 

God's mysteries are committed to our hands, he expects us to be faithful to his timing to release truth that we have gleaned from being in his word and in him with him in prayer in our proskuneo intercession. This is how we discover the mysteries of God in the word and how it applies to us.

To be faithful custodians of these treasures that God gives us.  These gifts are meant to be shared with others, so we must be fully committed guarding and maintaining these truths in our walk, or there is no good use in God's kingdom.

5.  God expects us to be soldiers

2 Timothy 2:3-6,  :3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

2Ti 2:4  No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

2Ti 2:5  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 

2Ti 2:6  The husbandman that labors must be first partaker of the fruits. 

The faithfulness of the sacrifice that Isaac participated with Abraham his father.  Picture of faith - the son putting his life in his father's hands. Putting our life on the line is that commitment and the seriousness of it that we need to make real in our lives. This is not something that's going to go away, But is very, very eternal.

To submit our own personal agenda.

Always seeking our own comfort is NOT really productive to anyone, not even ourselves in the end. Where God comes first, that is not coming from your own hand your own ideas; this protects you and allows GOD to be the one to multiply it in all lives (because we are GIVING our will for His).   THIS IS Growing in Grace.  That growing in your relationship with God and the holy Spirit, allowing you to know the mysteries of God in a more intimate and real way.

We can be refilled and refilled and refilled by the holy Spirit. living spiritually is living in what God is saying and living in the 'new' of what he is doing; not in what man says that was, will and always to be done. He's always growing us individually as we were made to be, as ones to reflect truth in our living and loving (imperfectly even at times - but always submitted and resubmitted ((humility)).

6.  Swords  How we press in and fight with faith: Live for Gods Grace

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.