Sustaining Grace

Sustaining Grace 2nd Corinthians 12:1-10, especially verse 9  by Derek Gentle Sustaining Grace is God's timely infusion of spiritual strength to protect His people from despair and bitterness and which empowers them to mature through suffering.  1. Sustaining Grace supplies spiritual power when we are weak "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness' Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." - 2nd Corinthians 12:9  2. Sustaining Grace enables us to avoid despair ". . . Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our god and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace" - 2ndThessalonians 2:16 NIV: "Eternal encouragement" It is realistic: "Well-founded hope" (Amplified) 3. Sustaining Grace helps us at just the right time "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16  4. Sustaining Grace keeps us from bitterness "Looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by this many become defiled" - Hebrews 12:15  5. Sustaining Grace matures us through suffering "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you" - 1st Peter 5:10 3 basic results: (1) Fixing what's broken - "That no defect may remain" (John Wesley) (2) Making us strong - "That you may conquer all adverse power"  (3) Stabilizing us on a firm foundation - "As a house upon a rock"