For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
I will never forget when one of my friends gave me a book entitled “Exceedingly Great and Precious Promises Personalized” by James Riddle. It was one of those life transforming books. As I learned how to personalize Scripture, putting my name or the personal pronoun “I” in Bible verses, just as it was done in this book, I began to understand my life from God’s perspective. As a result, I began to experience God’s healing grace in every aspect of my life and started to become intimately acquainted with God Himself.
Let’s take a look at how James Riddle personalized Ephesians 2:8-9.
” It is by grace (unmerited, undeserved favor) that I have been saved through faith – and this doesn’t come to me through my own striving to obtain or even maintain it, but it is God’s gift to me. This salvation does not come to me by works, by penance, or by anything else that I can do other than just receive it.” James Riddle pg. 267
Now, let’s look at 3 important words in Ephesians 2:8
Saved in this verse comes from the Greek word “sozo,” which is used for the salvation for your whole being – for your spirit, soul, body, and even your circumstances. Therefore, in the New Testament you will see “sozo” translated in many different ways including healed, made whole, and delivered. God’s amazing gift to us is Jesus Christ, the One Who has saved us.
Grace – Yes, grace is unmerited and undeserved favor. But, truly grace is Jesus Christ and all that He has freely given to us through His sacrificial work of the cross. A beautiful acronym for GRACE is
G – God’s
R – Riches
A – At
C – Christ’s
E – Expense
By grace, God’s astonishing gift, you have been saved – healed, made whole, delivered – through faith.
Gift – What is a gift? A gift is something that has been given to you. It is not something you earn. The gift of God given to us is Jesus Christ, and in Him is every good and perfect gift. (John 4:10; James 1:17)
Need Healing in Your Spirit, Soul or Body?
Declare A Personalized Version of Ephesians 2:8
Years ago when I needed healing, I personalized Ephesians 2:8 as follows: “For by grace I have been healed through faith and not of myself; healing is God’s gift to me, not by my works lest I should boast.” Then, I allowed my heart and mind to embrace God’s gift of grace, God’s gift of healing to me, saying “Thank-You Jesus for healing me!”
If you want to understand this topic more, click on my teaching entitled: All Qualified to Receive God’s Supernatural Love
If you would like to experience God’s healing grace or know anyone in need of God’s Healing Grace, schedule a prayer session with us.
Blessings,
Sue Burdullis