By Merle Shenk
Chapiter One of the book Great Grace
Experiencing powerful moments of divine encounters completely transforms the way we live. Even as a young man, I was aware that there was more in God than what I had already experienced. Since then I have had personal experiences that have shaped my own understanding of God’s grace from a theological concept into a defining revelation that has changed how I live. This expression of grace is available to every believer!
Time and again, I have encountered the Lord’s limitless supply—His abundant flow of grace that meets me right where I am and empowers beyond my own ability. The good news is that this expression of grace is available to every believer!
One such moment came during a season of serving as a worship director in our church. This experience would become a foundational revelation of what is available through God’s grace. It was an encounter that would forever shape my understanding of God’s limitless supply available to all believers.
I was preparing for an upcoming time of ministry and had spent a significant amount of time in prayer and preparation. Despite all of this, things were still not fully coming together. The weight of that uncertainty brought stress and I was experiencing an unusual amount of desperation. As I pressed into God in intercession and prayed in tongues, an unexpected shift occurred. A deep peace hit the core of my stomach. It was like receiving a substance in my spirit! This was the first of what would be many similar encounters. I have come to understand these encounters as moments when I would receive a super-
natural portion of God’s grace and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
The experience was undeniable—tangible, almost physical.
It was more than just peace; it was supply. In an instant, there was a deep knowing that everything I needed was already provided. Strangely, I did not have a clearer plan in mind, yet a fullness settled in my heart. It was a peace from God that confirmed something was imparted into my spirit. As the time of ministry unfolded, life from God’s heart flowed in a profound and powerful way. Over time, these moments became recognizable as times of divine impartation—God downloading a portion of His grace, His supply, and His power.
Through repeated encounters, the ability to depend on and draw from God’s grace grew. Powerful ministry times often followed, revealing that God was always faithful to provide exactly what was needed. I grew more and more confident in His provision. God’s preparation always proved far greater than my human effort alone. It often met me when I felt poured out and like I had nothing left to give. I now prepare differently, posturing myself humbly as a ready vessel, prepared to receive and release what He has already supplied.
Over the years, my faith deepened in God’s ability to deliver His empowering supply. The pursuit is to make room for His grace, power, and presence to move freely, both personally and through ministry to others. Without Him, nothing of true value can be accomplished; His leading is what sustains and directs every step.
Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Paul instructs the church in Rome to put on Christ and not allow any space for the flesh to have its way. If provision can be made for the flesh, as Paul warns against, how much more can provision be made for the desires of the Holy Spirit to be fulfilled? The life flow of the Holy Spirit within a believer is sacred—more than just an anointing. It is an ever-present reality of His work available to every follower of Jesus.
It is important to be intentional about living in alignment with God’s grace to avoid restricting the free flow of God’s power in our lives. As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to carry His life, love, and power to the world. The way we orient our lives, schedules and priorities—through surrender and dependence on Him—determines how freely His presence moves and ministers through us.
Reflection Questions
- How does our understanding of God’s grace impact our understanding of His provision and empowerment?
- What practical steps can believers take to cultivate a lifestyle that aligns with and makes room for the flow of God’s grace?
Great Grace was upon Them All
“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).
In this verse, we see two key components at work. As the apostles preached, God’s power bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus. But there was something else—great grace rested upon them all!
Was this a one-time encounter for the early church, or is it something we can experience today? The truth is, we can live in this reality—and many have. Throughout church history, countless moves of God have demonstrated that His great grace is still available!
It is possible to live out these realities in our own lives today! The testimony we read about from Acts 4, provides us with a glimpse into what a measure of heaven looks like when it touches earth.
Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10, “Let Your kingdom come, Let Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” He was not instructing believers to pray for something unattainable. He did not mean, “Pray this way, but in reality, you will never see it.” Acts 4 provides a tangible manifestation, a scriptural picture of what happens when heaven invades earth.
The apostles leading the church at this time were the ones Jesus had personally taught to pray in this way. This is no coincidence. He not only instructed them in prayer but also modeled a life of unity with the Heavenly Father, that was empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 4, those who had walked with Jesus understood clearly what was available to the church. They had witnessed His ministry, experienced His mentorship, and seen His death, resurrection, and ascension. In obedience, they had waited in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, which was the empowering baptism of the Holy Spirit.
These same disciples faced the chilling effects of persecution following the arrest of Peter and John. Yet, instead of retreating in fear, they gathered in prayer, acknowledging their struggles while standing firmly on the Word of God. As a result, they were filled again with the Holy Spirit and emboldened to continue their mission.
Acts 4:33-37 says, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. And Joseph, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
The results we see in verses 33-37 is a dynamic picture of God’s power and grace moving among His people. Everyone was experiencing an amazing unity of heart and mind. They even saw resources being shared in such a way that would make a modern communist jealous. I am not suggesting that the church should sell everything and create communes. There have been enough experiments with that model to know it often leads to some strange places.
However, what stands out in this church community is the unprecedented abundance they experienced! What was noticeably absent was selfishness, self-preservation, and personal ambition. (Though these attitudes later surfaced with Ananias and Sapphira.) Instead, the church body experienced an overflow of blessing poured out in an atmosphere where brothers and sisters were united. They were of one heart and one mind in the Lord.
In this environment of unity, the apostles ministered the gospel with great power. Jaw-dropping miracles took place. People were hearing the gospel with signs and wonders following. We can see the results of great grace being upon everyone! Every person living together under God’s great grace caused abundance to flow so that there was more than enough to fill every need.
Reflection Questions
- How does the unity of believers contribute to the manifestation of God’s great grace and power in the church today?
- What lessons can modern believers learn from the early church’s experience in Acts 4 regarding generosity, unity, and the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit?
The Power of Grace Synergy
In this, I see the practical outworking of what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
The result of all grace abounding to us (and this sounds strikingly similar to “great grace was upon them all” as mentioned in Acts 4) is that we have all sufficiency in all things and have abundance so that every good work that God wants us to do can be accomplished! This scripture was written in the context of being a joyful giver. I don’t think Paul was writing an empty promise or simply a hopeful encouragement. I believe that this was his lived experience.
In Philippians 4:12, Paul says that he knows how to be abased and that he knows how to abound. Why is it so easy to focus on the abased part of this scripture and miss the fact that Paul says, “I know how to abound”?
To abound is more than just supernatural financial provision. It is a declaration that God’s grace supplies whatever is needed to fulfill His purpose. Whether it is time, wisdom, strength, or resources, grace ensures that every good work can be accomplished. Everyone functioning in full grace releases such blessing through the body of Christ that there are simply no needs! There was plenty to go around.
In Acts 4, it does not appear that the land being sold was the only property these believers owned, leaving them in need themselves. Instead, the impression is that there was such a level of abundance that selling a portion of their property and giving the proceeds to the apostles was not a burden—it was simply a natural response. And this was not a one-time event; it happened multiple times, demonstrating a continual flow of generosity in the early church.
What strikes me about this passage is the synergy that grace created. It wasn’t just a few wealthy individuals giving while others looked on. Everyone played a role.
The apostles led with boldness and power. Believers prayed and shared. The entire community functioned like a well-connected body. This is the beauty of grace at work—it activates every person. The stay-at-home parent, the entrepreneur, the student, the teacher, the CEO, the person who feels like they live in the background—all engaged, all having a part to play.
I am standing in faith for the body of Christ to experience this level of grace upon each person. When each person experiences God’s empowering supply of abundance, grace begins to flow through a community. Every person starts to get caught up in it. Every person finds his or her place and starts to flourish. The body of Christ begins to function as it was designed—each part working together, creating momentum that cannot be manufactured by human effort. Each one is knit together by what every joint supplies. The environment of such a church community becomes dynamically alive with the power of the Holy Spirit. When the grace of the Lord in people’s lives comes together, a divine synergy is created.
Imagine a movement where this kind of grace synergy touches every individual. Where competition fades, and collaboration rises. Where each believer’s gifts are celebrated and honored. Where the gospel is proclaimed with power and lives are transformed as a result. This is the environment shaped by God’s grace—where the Holy Spirit moves powerfully through a unified people. In this space, humble preparation blends with supernatural power, sparking exponential impact. When this happens, overflow is inevitable. Revival is in the air.
This lifestyle isn’t reserved for a select few who have learned to live by faith and partner with God—it is available to every believer! When each person’s gifts and strengths function together under the great grace of God, they form a powerful unity that reflects heaven on earth and advances God’s kingdom across the nations.
I pray your faith is stirred for what God can do in our generation through the example shown to us in Acts 4:33. Dive in to explore the fullness of God’s grace for your own life!
Reflection Questions
- How does the concept of “grace synergy” in the early church apply to modern Christian communities, and what practical steps can believers take to cultivate it?
- In what ways does living in God’s abundant grace transform individual purpose and collective impact within the body of Christ?
More from Merle Shenk
Walking in the power of God’s abundant supply Packed with real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical wisdom, this book reveals that grace is walking in divine empowerment every day. Through testimonies of breakthrough, restoration, and supernatural provision, Great Grace demonstrates how God’s undeserved favor is actively at work in your life.
