The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.vs10-12

Salvation is free; it is free in all its components and in every detail; it is free in all its parts; it is the gift of God.

It is not what you deserve or work for. It is not what you contribute to! It is what God gives you and I freely in His grace - unmerited, unsought, and unearned by us.

We do seek Him, but it is seeking grace. We do believe, but grace causes us to believe the gospel. Salvation is Christ dying for sins, and God giving us the benefits without any cause in us! Nothing caused Him to look our way, except mere pity and grace that are in Christ [1 Tim 1:14]. He loved us, because He loved us! He chose us, because He chose to. He redeemed us, and not someone else, because He put us in the Book of Life and decided to get glory by saving US from hell [Rev 13:8]. We owe Him everything, and all glory and honor is His.

Therefore, He does not use the preacher’s strength, but the Spirit. He does not help us because a man is zealous, but HE GIVES a man a word, so that He can give it to us. Therefore, let us not praise men, because all things are of God [1 Cor 3:7]. Any man used by God in ministry will tell you, “It is not me; it is Christ. He could have cast me off long ago. I do not deserve to be useful!”

This is the greatness of grace - that God’s chosen to give us Jesus Christ and the riches of the inheritance… just like He came to Abraham, when he was an idolater, He came to you and me, when we were dead and lost in our sins, and He saved us by grace alone.