Eight Gems
I have been working on a teaching series (the book of Ephesians) for an upcoming visit to our Bible college in Peru.
And one of the verses in chapter three caught my heart on fire. A fresh understanding of these truths uncovered in this passage has caused me to change the way that I’ve been praying.
Here it is:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us; to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
It’s a verse I’ve know all my life; there’s even an old worship chorus based on these words.
But familiar as it may be, this time through it grabbed me by the scruff of my soul and said:
Listen up, son! God is trying to tell you something!
Life can be tough in a fallen world.
Many of us have longings that remain unfulfilled and hopes that seem as though they will never be realized.
So before you give up on that ever-illusive longing, consider these eight little gems (as I like to call them) hiding just beneath the surface of these well-worn verses.
Here are eight takeaways to reinvigorate our souls with faith to believe:
1. He is able to do… because He is alive and well, and is obsessively interested in every detail of our lives.
We are not down here slugging it out on our own. He’s not removed or uninterested in our seemingly insignificant lives.
Nietzsche was wrong: God is not dead; He is alive, and, therefore, He is able to do and to act on our behalf.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you…” (Jeremiah 33:3).
2. He is able to do what we ask…
It’s a touching thought, indeed—the God who “upholds the universe by His powerful word,” invites us to ask of Him.
It’s not like we barge into His presence with a personal concern that’s important to us, but not so much to Him.
No. He wants us to ask because… He wants to answer. And what’s important to us, is important to Him.
“Until now, you haven’t asked for anything in My name, ask and receive that your joy may be full” (John 16:24.)
3. He is able to do what we ask or think…
The Lord is able to do the things we can articulate, and He can also do the things we can’t express in words.
He reads our thoughts; He knows our hearts. And that’s a good thing because—
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
If you’re so perplexed by this thing, and it’s so deep that you can’t even find the right words, no worries.
He’s got this.
He speaks the language of your heart, and He knows what you’re wanting better than you do.
4. He is able to do ALL we ask or think…
He’s got the request down to the very last detail.
He’s not going to miss anything.
He won’t give you the almost; He wants to give us the whole thing–the all.
And that’s why when “the Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.”
We lack nothing because He is able to do it all.
5. He is able to do more…
The word for more is “beyond,” i.e., the Lord will meet our expectations and exceed them as well.
He doesn’t merely answer in a begrudging way—He is the God who “lavishes us with His love” (1 John 3:1), and “generously provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).
6. He is able to do abundantly more…
The double emphasis is not redundancy; it’s revelatory.
God is revealing once again that there are no limits on what is possible when He gets involved.
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me”(Jeremiah 32:27)?
I think we all know in our heads the answer to His question; we just need to live like we believe it.
7. He is able to do far more (exceedingly) abundantly…
I love this: God can do a whole lot more than just more.
He is able to do what you’re asking, more than you’re asking, and more than the more you’re asking for.
And more than that.
Limitations are out of the question for Someone who can speak the universe into existence.
8. Finally, its all “according to the power at work within us…”
Isn’t it nice to remember that our God, His loving presence and His matchless power, are not somewhere out there in the vast unknown?
He’s nearer than we may think.
He’s as close as our next breath; He’s as near as our next heartbeat.
“Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them” (John 14:23).
My takeaway?
I hear the Holy Spirit saying to all whose hope is in the Lord:
Dare to dream.
Expand your horizons.
Factor in the promises and power of the Most High and expect that mountain to “be lifted up and thrown into the sea” (Mark 11:23).
Let’s be like the man of faith, our father Abraham, and let us hope against hope.
He clung to a promise even though it seemed like a fantasy, but he continued clinging because He knew God was able to do exceedingly abundantly more than he could ask or think.
So ask big and watch God move in big ways.
And when He does, we’ll rejoice with you and sing together:
…to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!
