Grace to Help

Do you need help?  Are you tired of trying to resolve problems single-handedly? Have you come to the end of yourself? Could you use a healthy dose of grace?

At some point, each one of us comes to the point of needing help. After trying all the resources available to us, sometimes we have to simply admit that solutions aren’t forthcoming. The situation is too tough for us to handle on our own. We need help.

This letter presents a wonderful promise. There is grace to help in times of need.

Carrying Your Own Load

Self-sufficiency can be an admirable trait. But it does have its limits.

As the son of a second-generation Scottish American (my paternal grandparents immigrated to America from Scotland in 1913), I was expected to make it on my own. (My father certainly did.) Whether through self-imposed discipline, long hours of labor, or a mile-long work ethic, the expectation was for me to get the job done. On my own; often with limited resources; despite adverse conditions; without assistance; every time.

In many ways, Cindi and I have trained our children in a similar way. The result is four grown children whose friends and employers can rely upon our sons and our daughter to take initiative, supply dependable work, and do the job—no matter what.

Galatians 6:5 endorses this idea: “For each one shall bear his own load.” (The J.B. Phillips paraphrase says, “For every man shall ‘shoulder his own pack'.”) In addition, Galatians 6:2 says that besides carrying our own load, we should be willing to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This is a good and healthy impulse.

In Our Time of Need

But what about those times when our own load becomes far too heavy? We all could testify to such moments. Like me, you have probably experienced those occasions when the thought of one more item added to your already bulging task list threatens to drive you into the ground—physically, emotionally, spiritually. When we encounter extreme pressures like that (and even before we hit our limit), we need grace to help.

One of my favorite passages from the Word—one which I share regularly—is Hebrews 4:16. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Mercy and grace are available to us!

Certainly, we all need mercy—and we can ask boldly for it. But probably the realization that produces the greatest relief for us is the promise of grace to help.

Two More Promises

Does that promise of helpful grace lift your spirits? Does it cause the flame in your pilot-light to reignite? Let’s add two passages—one from the New Testament and one from the Old Testament—to bring the hope you are starting to feel to a full flame.

First, the life-giving words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” One of the biggest downsides to our being overly self-sufficient is the tendency to exclude the Lord from our predicament. Mistakenly believing that Jesus would prefer that we handle things on our own, we push ourselves to the breaking point. Only then do we realize we are in over our heads: weary and depleted. Jesus promises rest: grace to help in those times of need.

Second, we read the Lord’s promise in Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Would you take a minute to envision what this passage is promising? Can you see the Lord reaching down into your situation? Can you see His powerful right hand taking hold of you and whatever situation is presently perplexing you or suffocating you? His mighty right hand—providing grace to help.

Where Grace Begins

Throughout his lifetime teaching ministry, Derek Prince often repeated certain truths that were especially meaningful to him—and particularly encouraging to his listeners. The principle highlighted in the following excerpt from “How to Find Your Place” is one of those truths: “God’s grace begins where human ability ends.”

Basically, God tends to put us in a position for which we are not qualified. The reason being, He doesn’t want us to rely on our own ability. It is not according to our works; but it is according to His grace.

Think of some of the most successful servants of God throughout the centuries. They have been weak people—often people with few qualifications who have been put in places of danger and difficulty. You would never imagine that they would succeed.

But, you see, the thing about grace is this: Grace cannot be earned. You’ll never achieve grace by working for it. Works and grace are mutually exclusive. I explain it this way: Grace begins where human ability ends. If you can do it by yourself, why should God give you His grace?

But when you come to the place where God wants you to do something and you can’t do it, then you have to depend on His grace. And that is what God wants us to do.

Asking Boldly

I hope the theme of this letter has lifted your spirits. Sometimes the situations we face and the burdens we carry weigh us down so much that we seem unable to ask for the help we need. Let’s not be so foolish as to allow that to happen.

Would you join me now? Let’s go together—boldly—to the throne of grace.

Dear Lord Jesus, I come boldly to You now, asking for Your help. You promise mercy for me, Lord. I need it—and I receive it by faith. In addition, You promise grace to help in my time of need. I want that as well!

The passage in Hebrews 4 reminds me that You are a High Priest who has experienced every aspect of human life. That means You fully understand what I am going through, and there is no shred of condemnation coming from You toward me. Thank You, Lord.

You know every one of the situations where I need mercy and grace. Thank You for Your provision. I declare with confidence that You are now pouring out Your mercy—with grace to help in my time of need. Amen.‍

The Best Possible Source

A cry for help is never a cause for shame. You and I have just honestly recognized our need together before the Lord, and we have gone to the best possible source of strength and assistance available. Whatever you and I are presently facing, we can count on Jesus to bring a measure of assistance and improvement to the situation before us.

You can also count on all of us here at Derek Prince Ministries to do everything within our power to help in your situation as well. It is our privilege to pray for you and to be available for you, and especially to send reliable Bible-based resources to strengthen you in your relationship with Jesus Christ. This result was the consummate goal of Derek Prince’s ministry—to strengthen each of us to serve Jesus better.

We are delighted to make available to you the full message, “How to Find Your Place,” from which we drew Derek’s quote. It is yours, free of charge, simply use the download link below—just one small expression of our profound thanks for your prayers and your financial help.

The Why and the Wherefore

Derek Prince always said: “Whenever you see a therefore in Scripture, you need to find out what it is there for.” Our passage from Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly….” What does the “therefore” signify? Why can we have such confidence?

An earlier portion in this chapter talks about the Word of God being “living and powerful” (v. 12). The promises in that energetic Word embolden us to come to Him.

No matter what you are facing—no matter how inadequate your strength or how undeserving you feel for the Lord’s attention—do not allow yourself to be deprived of the promise that is before you. It is yours for the asking, and you can rightly pursue it.

Come now—come boldly—to receive exactly what you need: His grace to help.

All the best,

Dick Leggatt

President, DPM–USA