Accessing Grace by Faith: Receiving God’s Promises God’s Way

Accessing grace by faith helps us stop striving and start standing in God’s unearned favor

Welcome to another episode of the Health for the Spirit, Soul, and Body Blog from Doxa Missions. Today, we're looking at accessing grace by faith and how faith and grace work together in receiving God’s promises. 

Many believers love the promises of God, but sometimes we quietly feel as if we must earn them. We may think, “If I pray enough, serve enough, behave well enough, or avoid enough mistakes, then maybe God will bless me.” But the good news of the gospel is not that we earn God’s goodness. The good news is that God is full of grace, and we access that grace by faith. 

By the end of this post, you’ll understand why accessing grace by faith is the only way to receive God’s promises with peace, confidence, and joy. 

Faith opens the door to grace 

Romans 4:16 says: 

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.” — Romans 4:16, KJV 

That phrase is powerful: “it is of faith, that it might be by grace.” 

In simple terms, God designed faith and grace to work together. Faith is not a religious performance. Faith is the hand that receives what grace has already provided. Grace is God’s unearned favor, His kindness, His help, and His ability working in our lives. Faith is how we respond to that grace. 

This means we do not enter grace by trying harder. We do not enter grace by proving we are worthy. We do not enter grace by comparing ourselves to others. We enter grace by believing God. 

That is why the promise becomes sure. If the promise depended on our perfect performance, none of us could be confident. One day we might feel strong, and another day we might feel weak. One day we might feel spiritual, and another day we might feel like we missed it completely. But because the promise is by grace, accessed through faith, it rests on God’s goodness and not our greatness. 

Accessing grace by faith is not the same as earning from God 

Romans 5:1–2 says: 

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” — Romans 5:1–2, KJV 

Notice the order. We are justified by faith. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Then, through Him, we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. 

That is beautiful. We do not visit grace once in a while. We stand in grace. 

To stand in grace means your life is now positioned in God’s favor because of Jesus. You are not standing before God as a beggar trying to convince Him to care. You are standing as a son or daughter who has been accepted in Christ. 

Ephesians 1:6 says: 

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” — Ephesians 1:6, KJV 

You are accepted in the Beloved. That means your access to God is not based on your mood, your history, your background, your achievements, or your failures. Your access is through Jesus. 

This does not mean good works do not matter. If you are born again, good works should flow from your life. But good works are the fruit of grace, not the price of grace. 

Ephesians 2:8–10 says: 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” — Ephesians 2:8–10, KJV 

We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works. That keeps our hearts humble and grateful. 

Grace makes God’s promises sure 

One reason many believers struggle to receive from God is because they keep looking at themselves. They ask, “Have I done enough? Am I holy enough? Have I prayed long enough? Have I failed too many times?” 

But Romans 4:16 teaches us that the promise is by faith so that it might be according to grace, and therefore the promise might be sure. 

Grace makes the promise stable. Grace makes the promise dependable. Grace points us away from self-confidence and toward Christ-confidence. 

Romans 11:6 says: 

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” — Romans 11:6, KJV 

Grace and self-earning cannot rule the same heart at the same time. Either we are receiving by grace through faith, or we are trying to earn by works. God wants us to rest in what Christ has done. 

That does not make us lazy. It makes us fruitful. When you know God loves you freely, forgives you fully, and helps you graciously, your heart becomes stronger. You are no longer serving God out of fear. You begin serving Him out of love. 

Your faith gives you access to God, but grace is what supplies what you need. Faith does not replace grace. Faith receives grace. Faith does not pressure God. Faith trusts God. Faith does not boast in itself. Faith boasts in the Lord. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says: 

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV 

Because of Jesus, you are not trying to become righteous by your own effort. In Christ, you have been made the righteousness of God. That is grace. 

Romans 5:21 says: 

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 5:21, KJV 

Grace reigns through righteousness. And that righteousness is not self-made. It is received in Christ. 

So when you pray, pray with confidence. When you worship, worship with gratitude. When you face difficulty, do not approach God as though you must convince Him to be gracious. He already is gracious. Come by faith. 

Hebrews 4:16 says: 

“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 

The throne you are invited to approach is not called the throne of rejection. It is not called the throne of shame. It is the throne of grace. 

Give voice to God’s Word 

Sometimes we need to speak God’s Word until our hearts line up with the truth. Here is a simple confession you can say today: 

“I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Grace reigns in my life. I do not receive from God because I have earned it. I receive by grace through faith. I have access to the throne of grace, and God’s promises are sure in Christ.” 

Let that settle in your spirit. You are not standing outside begging for scraps. You are standing in grace because of Jesus. 

Final encouragement 

Accessing grace by faith brings peace to the soul. It reminds us that God’s promises are not fragile because they do not rest on our perfection. They rest on His grace, His Word, and the finished work of Jesus Christ. 

So today, stop striving to earn what God has freely provided. Believe Him. Trust Him. Come boldly. Stand in grace. 

What is one area of your life where you need to practice accessing grace by faith instead of trying to earn God’s help?