Most of us don’t have any idea what grace really is. Oh, we know some basic facts about it. We know we were saved by it (Ephesians 2:8). But we don’t even begin to understand the real power it can release in our lives now, today!

If you want to get a picture of what grace can really do, look at what happened to the early Christians in Acts 4. They’d been threatened by the religious leaders of Jerusalem and commanded not to speak or teach anymore in Jesus’ Name. So, they were praying about the situation.

Roughly, what they said was this, “Now Lord, we’ve been threatened, but we aren’t about to quit preaching and go hide out under some religious rug. Just turn the power up, give us boldness, and we’ll go on.”

Do you know what happened as a result of that prayer? Verse 33 tells us, “Great grace was upon them all.”

Great grace. Grace so powerful that when those believers received it, the whole building shook. Grace so great it enabled the apostles to work “many signs and wonders...among the people” (Acts 5:12).

That one story alone should be enough to convince you that grace is not just some abstract, spiritual state of mind. Grace is real. It’s powerful. It provides the supernatural power to make things happen!

Now, do you want to know something really exciting? The Bible says that same grace that was available to the early Church in Jerusalem is available to anyone who’s ever sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Thank God, that means you and I qualify!

If the devil’s been threatening you lately, follow the example of those early Christians. Get in prayer and say, “Lord, I don’t care what the devil and his bunch say, I’m not going to back down. I’m going to keep on talking and living by faith—and I’m going to do it boldly. So, just turn up the power!”

I guarantee, if you’re sincere about it, He’ll do it; and you’ll begin to discover what grace is really all about.

Scripture Reading:
Acts 4:8-33

Since God doesn’t save anyone against their will, does it really do any good to pray for people who consciously refuse to receive Jesus as Lord?

Yes. Yes! Yes! It does!

You see, in spite of the fact that most all unbelievers who have purposely refused to receive Jesus as Lord think they’ve made that decision of their own free will, the truth is, they haven’t. The Word of God says they’ve been blinded by Satan. He’s blocking their perception of the truth. So their decision hasn’t been freely made at all.

That’s important for you to grasp. Because through the prayer of intercession, you can interfere with the satanic forces and help take those blinders off! You can also change circumstances with your prayers and help create situations that will bring them in contact with the Lord. You’re well within your spiritual rights when you do that.

I prayed with a friend of mine once who’d been praying for his lost brother for years. Jesus said in Matthew 12:29 to first bind the strong man and then enter his house and spoil his goods. So we said, “You spirit blinding the eyes of __________, you stop what you are doing to keep him out of the kingdom of God. In Jesus’ Name, you stop now!”

Jesus also said in Matthew 9:38, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” So we prayed, “Lord, send someone to ______________ with the Word of God. You know who he will listen to. We claim __________________ for the kingdom of God. We believe we receive his salvation and deliverance. In faith we praise You for it.”

In almost no time at all his brother called him. “What have you been doing up there?” he asked. “In the past few days, everyone I’ve come across has started preaching to me!”

Our prayers had interfered with the forces Satan had been using to blind this man to Jesus and created the circumstances to bring him into the kingdom. Sure enough, within a few days, he was born again.

Use this same prayer for your loved ones and believe when you pray and you’ll see the same results.

Don’t sit by and let the devil take your friends and loved ones without a fight. Pray. Pray! Pray! Come against the “god of this world.” Take off the blinders and open their eyes to the glorious gospel of God.

Scripture Reading:
2 Corinthians 4:1-7

When I first learned to cast my cares on the Lord, I was down in south Texas preaching a meeting that no one was coming to. I’m telling you, people were staying away from that meeting by the thousands; and after a service or two with just the preacher, one or two others and me in attendance, I was starting to sweat it. But the Lord said, Cast that care on Me, so I did.

I started walking around grinning and whistling. I told the devil, “I’m not going to frown or have one worried thought. I came here to preach and that’s what I’m going to do, and it’s God’s business whether anyone shows up or not. I couldn’t care less!”

I went around so happy I felt downright foolish. The devil said, “What’s the matter with you? Don’t you even have sense enough to worry over something like this?” I suppose people were saying, “I guess he’s too dumb to worry. I think it’s because he’s never been to seminary. He can’t tell a landslide from a flop.”

But I told the Lord, “I have my care rolled over on You, and if no one shows up but that one dear old woman, she’s going to be the most preached-up old woman in the state of Texas because I’m going to preach just the same as if there were a crowd.”

I didn’t realize then what was happening, but that carefreeness put me in a noncompromising position with the devil. He couldn’t get to me anymore. He couldn’t get me in fear and unbelief anymore. He couldn’t pressure me and get me to compromise because I didn’t care. I’d given all my care to God!

Are you ready to be free of care? If you are, just make this confession of faith:

“I’m a believer. I’m not a doubter. The Word works in me. And at this moment, I humble myself under the mighty hand of God. I cast all my care over on Him. From this moment forward, I refuse to worry. Instead, I will pray. I will use my faith and believe, and He’ll exalt me over the problem and over the devil. For I belong to Jesus and He cares for me!”

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 55:16-22