16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 KJV
We’ve heard it taught that “mercy is withholding what you deserve” —as in the case of sin, punishment or even death is deserved, but mercy withholds what is deserved. To put it another way, “Mercy triumphs over judgement.” (James 2:13b)
We’ve heard it taught that “grace is being given what you don’t deserve” —which is a true statement, but falls far short of helping us understand what grace is. Grace is heaven’s empowerment, freely given to us to enable us to know and do God’s will.
Did you get that?
Without grace, we have no hope. For it is by grace through faith that you are saved, and not of works for you to boast in… That’s the Pastor Bill paraphrase of Ephesians 2:8.
Read it this way:
“It is by the freely given empowerment of heaven that you are enabled to receive and activate faith in Christ to be saved. This (empowerment) cannot be gained by your works.”
Come Boldly…
In a Sozo session, the Sozo guest asked, “How can I come boldly when I am full of shame for what I did? Don’t I have to get rid of the shame in order to come boldly?”
This Sozo guest had a “performer mentality” —a mindset (or stronghold of false identity) that said, “If I meet the requirements, I am accepted. If I measure up, I will be rewarded. If I fail, I am worthless and rejected.”
The answer to the question, “How can I come boldly…” is simply this. You come boldly because the Word says you are to do that. Remember, mercy made a way for you to come boldly to receive grace in time of need. When we choose to act on the Word “by grace through faith in Jesus” we actually receive more grace to help in time of need.
Our good works can never qualify us for mercy and grace. Neither can our ‘bad works” (sins and iniquities) disqualify us from mercy and grace because the blood of Jesus is sufficient to cover all our sins and cleanse us of all our iniquities!
When reading the Word, we need to read it in context. When you see the word ‘therefore’ you must think, “What’s the ‘therefore’ there for?” In reading all of Hebrews and especially chapter four, we come to understand why we are to approach the Throne of Grace in time of need. We all need grace —heaven’s empowerment to enable us to understand and do our Father’s will in the earth.
Who are you?
If you are a son or daughter of God and you are not able to come boldly before the magnificent, majestic, glorious Throne of Grace to receive heaven’s empowerment to enable you to fully be who God says you are, then please sign up now for a personal sozo session. You will never regret it.
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About The Author: Bill Kline
Pastor Bill Kline is founder and leader of Sozo Freedom Steps Ministry. He also serves the International Bethel Sozo Network (IBSO) as Rocky Mountain Regional Sozo Facilitator. He is a certified Bethel Basic Sozo trainer. He helps churches and ministries start and develop Sozo ministry in Colorado and all the surrounding states. Pastor Bill is married to Debby and together they have four children and eight grandchildren.
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