21-Day Growth Challenge | Day Four: "Exceedingly Abundantly Above"

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 Bryan Hudson 3 Comments


Key Verse
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Insight
The closing words of this chapter reads like a "pep talk." Clearly it is much more than that. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write these words, so the tone and substance of this text reflects the message God intended to convey.

The soaring words were meant to inspire faith in the Ephesian believers and all readers. On Day Two, we read Ephesians 3:17-19 and shared the truth that Christ's love fills us with God's fullness. Verse 19, "To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

It is from a perspective of fullness in God that Paul writes, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

From that perspective, can you see God working in you in a manner that is "exceedingly abundantly above" what you ask or think? In other words, when you are full of love, you are full of God's power!

This sounds like hype, but it is not. God is perfectly capable of delivering on any promise that He makes. He wants to use us, "…according to the power that works in us."

God wants glory in His church, in every generation. That begins with you and me.

Example:
There was a football team that had lost every game. A businessman promised to buy every team member a car if they could win one game. The guys were highly motivated to win, but they lost every remaining game. Moral to the story: Hype and motivation won't make us better. We need real change, substance and power in order to improve.


Prayer
In your prayer today, ask God to help you experience the real power of God, not just "hype" about His power. Thank Him for leading you along a path of spiritual growth towards a place that is "exceedingly abundantly above" what you can ask or think.