How to Exceed Your Potential In Christ
Suppose you knew a struggling businessman. You’ve watched this person struggle to get his footing for years, but he’s faced one failure after another and seems ready to give up.
By John Bevere
But then someone approaches your friend and says, “Great news. We now have the scientific means to put on you the combined fullness—the full ability and nature—of Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Interested?”
What would your friend say? “Absolutely!”
Once he had the abilities of these men, your friend would start thinking of ways of investing he’d never thought of before. He would become very successful and exceed anything he had ever achieved. He’d become a leader in his field, and everyone connected to his work would benefit from his success. It would be astounding to behold.
This is a nice hypothetical, isn’t it? It’s too bad we don’t actually have a way to take on the nature of the leading men and women in our fields. Maybe you’re even reading this story and thinking right now, “I wish that were possible because I could use it!”
But hold that thought.
Assuming the Nature of Jesus
In his first epistle, the apostle John makes a stunning statement: “As (Jesus) is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). That’s a huge declaration. Essentially, John is saying that while we don’t have a way to take on the nature of Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, we do have access to the nature of someone greater than any of these men. How? Through God’s grace.
If that statement surprises you, you’re not alone. There are a lot of misconceptions about grace in the church today. Most of us don’t really understand what grace is or what it does in our lives.
Here’s a case in point. In 2009, a survey was conducted with thousands of Christians across America. They were asked, “Give three or more definitions or descriptions of the grace of God.” Of the thousands surveyed, only 2 percent stated that grace is God’s empowerment. Yet this is exactly how God has defined and described His grace!
He says: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
The word weakness means “inability.” So God is saying, “My grace is My empowerment, and it is optimized in situations beyond your ability.” This applies in our homes, our churches, our workplaces and every other area of our lives. How amazing is that!
This isn’t an isolated idea in Scripture either. The apostle Peter defines God’s grace the same way. He writes, “Grace … be multiplied to you … . His divine power (grace) has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:2-3). Once again, grace is referred to as God’s “divine power,” and Peter says every resource or ability we need is available through that empowering grace.
This leads me to something the Lord revealed to me during a recent prayer time. He asked me, “Son, how did I introduce grace in My book, the New Testament?”
As an author who has written over a dozen books, that question carried significant meaning to me. Whenever I’m bringing up a new term in a book, I give the primary definition when I introduce it. So when a new term is introduced in the book of an experienced author, I assume it carries the primary definition.
But my response to the Lord’s question was, “I don’t know.” I went to my concordance to find out how God introduced grace in His book. Here is what I discovered: “We have all received from His fullness grace upon grace” (John 1:16).
The apostle John is stating here that the grace of God gives us the fullness—the full ability and nature—of Jesus Christ. Did you hear that? Not Bill Gates. Not Steve Jobs. Not Albert Einstein or Johann Sebastian Bach or any other great man or woman in history. The fullness of Jesus Christ Himself!
This is why John can boldly declare, “As He is, so are we in this world.” It turns out our hypothetical situation isn’t so far-fetched after all. In fact, it understates the reality of what God has given us.
Leading on the Job
The grace of God is overwhelming. It’s a gift of salvation, forgiveness and the empowerment to live rightly before God. Not only that, but it also enables us to be fruitful and reign in life. Paul says: “For if by one man’s trespass death reigned through him, then how much more will those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17).
The implications of this statement are astounding. By God’s grace, we can rule in life. We’re empowered to overcome any obstacle, and we’re ordained to make a significant mark in our spheres of influence.
How does this look in practice? We are to break out of the status quo, to surpass the norm. We are called to influence—to be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (Deut. 28:13). Not only are we to rise above the adverse circumstances of life, but we’re also to outshine those who don’t have a covenant with God. We are to be leaders in the midst of an unenlightened world. The head sets the direction, course and trends, whereas the tail follows. We should be leaders in all aspects of our society, not followers.
Allow me to spell it out clearly. If your profession is in the medical field, by God’s grace, you have the ability to discover new and innovative ways of treating sickness and disease. Your potential is immeasurable and unlimited. Your fellow workers should marvel at your discoveries, and your work should inspire them. Your innovation and wisdom will cause them to scratch their heads and say, “Where is this person getting their ideas from?” Not only can you shine in your sphere of influence, but you will multiply your effectiveness in your field. Others will aspire to follow in your steps and seek to know the source of your ability.
If you’re a web designer, your creations should be fresh and innovative, so much so that others emulate your work. You and other believers in your field should set the prevailing trends that society follows. You will be sought out for your work and known for your innovation. You’ll be so ahead of the curve that others in your field scratch their heads and say to one another, “Where do they get this creativity from?” You will multiply your effectiveness by imparting your knowledge into others, growing your industry and giving into God’s kingdom.
If you’re a school teacher, by the empowerment of grace, you can develop fresh, creative and innovative ways of communicating knowledge, understanding and wisdom to your students. You can think of approaches none of the other educators in your school system have considered. Your fellow educators will say, “Where is he or she getting these ideas?”
If you’re a businessperson, you can come up with inventive products and sales techniques that outclass what’s been done before. You’ll engage keen marketing strategies that are ahead of the curve. You will deftly perceive what’s profitable and what’s not. You’ll know when to buy and when to sell, when to get in and when to get out. Other businesspeople will scratch their heads trying to figure out why you’re so successful. And you’ll multiply by developing young entrepreneurs and generously giving to build the kingdom.
The same principle applies if you’re a musician, researcher, athlete, scientist, policeman, flight attendant or stay-at-home mom—or if you’re in the media, the military or any other arena of life.
Each of us is called to different sectors of society. Wherever we’re located, we should flourish. Our businesses should thrive even when others struggle. Our communities should be safe, delightful and prosperous. Our places of employment should boom. Our music should be fresh and original, emulated by secular musicians. The same should be true of our graphics, videos and architectural designs. Our creativity should inspire and be sought after on every level.
Our performances, whether in athletics, entertainment, the arts, media or any other field, should stand out. When the righteous govern, our cities, states and nations should flourish. Our schools should excel when we teach and lead. When believers are involved, there should be an abundance of creativity, innovation, productivity, tranquility, sensitivity and integrity. All because of grace!
Depending on His Grace
Now, before you go away thinking this is nice in theory, let me assure you that it is the reality of what God can do in each of our lives when we yield to Him. I’ve personally witnessed this transformative power of grace.
One of my worst subjects in high school was English and creative writing. I struggled anytime I was assigned a three-page paper. It would take many hours for me to finish a paper—and not before going through half a notebook pad. I’d rip up and throw away page after page of awful writing. I scored a mere 370 out of 800 points on the English portion of the SAT.
When God told me in 1991 that He wanted me to write a book, I thought He had me mixed up with someone else. How could I write a chapter, let alone a book? What I didn’t originally factor in was the immeasurable, unlimited and surpassing greatness of the grace of God in me.
Within 10 months of receiving my “write a book” directive from God, two women from different states approached me two weeks apart and said, “John, God wants you to write. In fact, if you don’t, He’ll give the messages to someone else.” So I wrote a contract with God and acknowledged my complete dependence upon His grace.
Since that day, I’ve written 19 books. Millions of copies have been distributed worldwide in over 90 languages. Why the change? Because before, I wrote in my strength. Now I’ve learned to believe for and depend on God’s grace.
What about you? What has God entrusted you with? Do you see the evidence of His grace in your work, or have you been attempting to labor in your own strength? Has God given you a gift, a goal or a dream that seems impossible to achieve? The truth is, whether you’re succeeding or you’re struggling, God wants to take your efforts to the next level by His grace.
I encourage you to let the words of Ephesians 3:20 stir your faith: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us.”
Are you ready to engage with His remarkable power? Make this your prayer:
Father, today I ask You to work mightily in my life. I know grace is the power that enables me to live above and beyond anything I could imagine or request. As I steward the influence and skills You have entrusted to me, help me shine as a light for Your glory. Help me set a precedent in my field and point many to You. Thank You for empowering me with the fullness of Jesus Christ! In Jesus’ name, amen.
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John Bevere and his wife, Lisa, are the founders of Messenger International. This article is based on content from Good or God?: Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough by John Bevere. For more information on the book or to dig deeper into this topic, visit goodorgod.com.
(Source: ministrytodaymag.com)
