God's Strategic Will - Understanding Grace.

Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians provide rich insights into living under God’s grace while also addressing sin’s role and the believer's responsibility in light of grace. Paul wrestles with questions about grace and the ongoing presence of sin, offering a profound foundation for understanding God’s will in a believer's life.

1. Romans: In Romans 6, Paul addresses the exact question, “Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound?” His response, “By no means!” highlights that grace isn't a license to sin but rather a call to holiness. Paul explains that through baptism, believers are united with Christ in both His death and resurrection, freeing them from sin's power. This freedom isn’t about returning to old ways but is a liberation that enables believers to walk in the “Newness of life.” Here, God’s strategic will involves a shift in identity and a new orientation toward righteousness.

2. Ephesians: Ephesians emphasizes our identity in Christ as "new creations" and members of God’s household. In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul calls for putting off the “old self” and putting on the “new self,” created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. This transformation aligns with God’s will for His people to reflect His character. Ephesians reinforces that grace is not merely a gift to be received but an empowering force that equips us to live out our identity as "fully actualized Kingdom saints."

3. Galatians: In Galatians, Paul defends freedom in Christ, yet he warns against using that freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (Galatians 5:13). Instead, he urges believers to walk by the Spirit, which is central to living in alignment with God’s will. Here, Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, showing that a life led by the Spirit naturally fulfills the law of love and reflects God’s character. Galatians, therefore, affirm that grace empowers believers to live victoriously over sin, fostering a life that pleases God.

In these passages, Paul reveals that "God's Strategic Will" is for believers to live in the fullness of grace—receiving His "Guidance, Provision, and Care," not as an excuse to remain in sin but as a pathway to embodying righteousness. Through this empowerment by the Spirit, we move beyond merely resisting sin to actively participating in God’s Kingdom purposes, becoming fully actualized in our identity as His saints.

God uses us despite our struggle with sin. But it seems the enemy would have us believe that being used by God despite our sin is a license to sin.

One of the enemy's most insidious tactics is to distort God’s grace and our struggles with sin. He aims to make us feel unworthy or, conversely, to rationalize ongoing sin as something permissible because God continues to work through us. But God’s perspective on our struggles and His use of us in His Kingdom doesn’t grant a license to sin; rather, it highlights His mercy, grace, and transformative power.

Paul addresses this very deception by emphasizing that while God’s grace covers our shortcomings, it isn’t intended to excuse a lifestyle that embraces sin. As you noted earlier, “Should we continue in sin that grace may abound?” reveals Paul’s awareness that some might misunderstand grace. The enemy twists this powerful truth, suggesting that if God is willing to use us despite our imperfections, then those imperfections don’t matter. But God’s purpose is transformative—He uses us in ways that continually shape us to reflect Christ’s image, even as He uses us to reach others.

The enemy’s goal is to make us complacent by convincing us that we’re too flawed to be used by God or by suggesting that we needn’t strive for holiness. But God’s call is always toward becoming "fully actualized Kingdom saints," not by ignoring sin but by actively overcoming it through His Spirit’s empowerment. The beauty of God’s strategic will is that it’s not just about doing His work; it’s about being transformed as we participate in His work. Each step of obedience, each small victory over sin, brings us closer to the fullness of His guidance, provision, and care.

So, while the enemy wants us to use grace as a license to continue in sin, God offers it as a foundation for growth, empowering us to rise above sin and more fully reflect His Kingdom.

Grace isn’t a free pass to live as we please; it’s an invitation to live in full trust and surrender to God, just as Proverbs 3:5-6 emphasizes: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." This passage aligns perfectly with grace, as grace calls us to trust completely in God’s provision, wisdom, and guidance instead of relying on ourselves.

When we receive God’s grace, it’s not meant to make us complacent but to lead us into deeper dependence and radical trust—especially in areas where our own strength falls short. Grace covers us when we fail, but it also empowers us to walk in alignment with God’s strategic will, drawing on His strength to overcome sin and live righteously. Leaning into this grace isn’t about passivity; it’s about actively acknowledging God in every step and trusting that He is shaping our path as we respond to His Spirit.

In this light, grace is a call to fully surrender to God’s guidance, provision, and care—where each step, led by Him, brings us closer to His heart and purposes. By trusting Him and surrendering to His wisdom, we fulfill the call of Proverbs 3:5-6 and walk the path He lays out, reflecting His Kingdom in every area of our lives.

"Trustworthiness" comes to mind. Proverbs 3:5 mentions, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." It seems I fall short of that. Yet, only He can reveal what parts of my heart I have yet to submit to His accompanying perspective. He calls me to "recognize Him in all my ways." Trust is a two-way street that can only be fulfilled in a personal, ongoing relationship where I practice a lifestyle of repentance.

Repentance is not a static state but an ongoing, dynamic exchange with God. Trustworthiness, on our part, is often the product of surrender, revealing where we may still be holding on to self-reliance or old patterns of thinking. Proverbs 3:5-6 invites us into that intimate relationship, where we continually seek to “trust in the Lord with all our heart” and let Him expose those areas that need deeper submission.

This journey with God involves a continual process of "revealing and healing," of allowing Him to show us where we have yet to fully recognize His presence and power. Recognizing our need for God in “all our ways” is humbling and empowering. Through His Spirit, He brings to light the areas of resistance, fear, or doubt that we might not even recognize ourselves. This, in essence, is what repentance becomes: not merely turning from outward actions but an inward return to trust, a realignment with His heart and His ways.

Remenber, trust is indeed a “two-way street.” While we practice trust, God remains unwaveringly faithful, showing Himself trustworthy every step of the way. He meets our imperfect trust with His perfect faithfulness, which invites us to let go more fully each time. When we falter, He calls us back to Himself, not with condemnation but with grace that encourages us to recommit our hearts. This is where repentance truly becomes a lifestyle—not a one-time action, but an ongoing choice to trust and acknowledge Him afresh, experiencing His guidance in every aspect of our lives.

By living this way, we cultivate a heart of trustworthiness toward God, echoing His trustworthiness back to Him and participating in the fullness of the relationship He desires. This is the heart of being a “fully actualized Kingdom saint”—living out that personal, ever-deepening trust with a surrendered heart.