Does the term convincing grace sound strange to you? Most of us don’t think of the word conviction in the same sentence as grace. However, as I found the profound work of grace at work in my life, the sweetness of the convincing power of the Holy Spirit has grown in me in an extraordinary way. As a result of receiving this holy conviction, something amazing has started to happen. What could you ask? Well, to my surprise, a quiet peace and growing joy have found deeper roots than I ever thought possible. Faith also grows and finds its peaceful rest in the magnificence of compelling grace.
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard or read about the term I call convincing grace, so you might ask me to give you a biblical definition of what I have discovered. Simply put, convincing grace to me is “agreeing with God.”
You see, before we want something, we will first have to acknowledge our need. The more we understand how desperately we need something, the greater our motivation to achieve or receive it. That’s where conviction comes in. Conviction has the power to convince me in the depths of my being that I need and must have the grace of our great God. Without the power of conviction reaching the depths of our being, we will not hunger or desire grace.
In fact, until I can say with total abandon: “Yes, my beloved and loving heavenly Father, I am guilty of the accused, I will never know the grace that brings the peace of God. Not only that I was guilty, or could be guilty.” , but I am guilty of so many non-Christian things: thoughts, actions, deeds, not being the witness that I need to be, not being free from pride and envy. These sins are the biological parents of depression, discouragement AND defeat. Yes, I am guilty and gladly, because I have learned that it is grace and grace alone that will bring the power to change my deceitful heart. Ah, grace, grace, grace, how sweet the sound is. Amazing grace, how sweet. The sound that saved a motherfucker like me Salvation, beloved, is more than being born again. It is a constant and daily release of the carnal nature that lives within you and me. The one who, if not kept under control by grace, will rule every part of my being. In other words, I not only need glorious saving grace, but I must have e and we cannot live without liberating grace.
In fact, until I am convinced “convinced” of this truth, I will not know of my need. Oh, the revealing, revealing and compelling sweet grace that calls me to invoke God’s everlasting grace for change.
Convincing grace is a sweet correction that creates both the desire and the faith that I can and will change to be more like Jesus. Convincing grace creates a deep hunger for humility in our lives and, as Andrew Murray says, “Humility is the soil in which all other graces grow.” In fact, the fruit of true grace will be increasing humility. Grace exposes my need with a loving and encouraging hope that empowers us to change. Grace creates a deep desire for the truth, as Jesus said when he said: “Whoever wants to be the greatest among you, be the servant of all.”
Convicting Grace is the opposite of “condemnation.” The condemnation comes from the devil and creates a guilt that leads us to legalism or debauchery. Many teachers of the word need discernment to know if their teaching generates condemnation or conviction. Condemnation calls for an ever-increasing theology of works that creates the hypocrisy of the New Testament Pharisees. Condemnation creates a cloud of guilt and despair like the one Adam and Eve experienced when God drew near. Convincing grace not only exposes our need, but provides a “covering” (in our case, the precious blood of Jesus) so that we can remain in the presence of the Lord, and that He can dwell with us. Condemnation demands that we flee from the presence of God.
The more I study grace, the more I want to be like Jesus and the more I want the Lord to expose what is not like Him. Sweet grace says, “Oh Lord, let me see more of your holiness so that my desire for change will not allow me to stay. where I am”. Oh yeah, let’s preach grace, grace, grace. Let us shout to each mountain as Zacharias did: “Grace, grace, grace!” Who are you, mountain of sin standing in the way of Christlikeness? For the goodness and fidelity of my parents you will not remain in my life. By grace I will hunger every day to be more like Jesus.
Zechariah 4: 6-7 (KJV)
6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by army, nor by force, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
7 Who are you, oh great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will be a plain; and he will take out his tombstone with glee, crying out: Grace, grace to her.
Let us go to the place where, together with the Apostle Paul, we glory in tribulations that reveal our need:
Romans 5: 2-5 (KJV)
2 Through whom we also have access by faith to this grace in which we are, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope does not disappoint; because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Beloved, when we can get to the place where we can literally glory in tribulation because it will produce a humility in us so deep that the Christ nature has full access to our hearts, we will begin to understand the beauty of compelling grace. May our great God grant this truth to be a revelation to each of us, and may we hunger for His compelling grace to be preached from every pulpit until it sweeps the world away with fresh new conviction that leads us to godly repentance.
