Meditate on this Truth of God FOR and IN US — those who believe in the mind-transforming promises of God!
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, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)
Paul’s use of “exceedingly abundantly above all” sounds very similar to his use of “width and length and depth and height” in describing the love of Christ; the fulness of God in the preceding verses (Eph 3:18-19).
Just how BIG or GREAT or MASSIVE is this power that Paul is trying to convey?
Can you hear how the Lord, through Paul, is revealing to us just how much HELP, POWER, MIGHT, GRACE, MERCY, HOPE, FRUIT, HEALING, SALVAGING, PROVISION, PATIENCE, JOY, EMOTIONAL & SACRIFICIAL LOVE, SELF-CONTROL, and more is OURS as we lay hold of the One Who laid hold of us. As we yield ourselves to Him through FAITH married with obedience, we can and should hopefully expect this supernatural GRACE to manifest itself in our life for His glory!
But, what must we do?
- Humble ourselves and ask Him for this blessing. Wrestle for it with all diligence and persistence—don’t give up until you have in you what Jesus purchased and the Father has willed for your life. (1 Peter 5:6, Matthew 21:22, Genesis 32:24-32, Hebrews 6:11, 2 Peter 1:5, Luke 11:8-10, 1 Corinthians 6:20)
- Recognize and acknowledge that He, God in Christ Jesus, is the ONLY Source and Provider of such supernatural (and natural) blessings, in that James testifies “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from ABOVE, and comes down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17-18)
Why in Eph 4:1 does Paul BEG US to walk worthy of the calling with which He has called us? The word “calling” in our Bibles is like an invitation to an event, or place; not just in the future, but NOW. It is not a unique calling, such as one is “called” to be a plumber, and another is “called” to be a lawyer, but that God through Christ has invited us into His family, invited us to spiritually be nourished at the banquet of His mind and ways, and invited us to ultimately spend eternity with Him… if we are willing. (Luke 14:15-24)
The heart of God’s “calling” for us is that His servants, like He did, would “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” (Luke 14:23-24)
So a clearer understanding of this passage might be:
“I, therefore… beseech you to walk worthy of the [invitation] with which you were invited…” (Eph 4:1)
But the question remains, why? Why are we to “walk worthy” of His glorious invitation?
Because of God’s ETERNAL PURPOSE.
- That through us, others would know that the Father sent His Son (John 17:20-26).
- That we—His holy assembly of set-apart servants, the Ecclesia (called-out ones of God), His Bride—would so shine His Light before men to make known to the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world the manifold wisdom of God according to the ETERNAL PURPOSE which He accomplished in CHRIST JESUS, our Lord! (Matthew 5:16; Eph 3:10-12)
- That we would believe that we’ve been enabled to do so, thereby glorifying God in our body and spirit (outwardly and inwardly) which are God’s since we have been purchased with a great and costly price.
- That we would not deny Him by having a form of godliness while not living in nor believing in a life of POWER from on HIGH. (2 Tim 3:5; Luke 24:49)
- That we would overcome in this life by eating of the Tree of Life now AND in the life to come. The “eating” in this life is obtained by abiding in Christ; imitating, trusting, loving, keeping, doing, and obeying everything Jesus has commanded us to do. And in so doing, we also EAT of the hidden manna (the unseen Bread of Life that comes through and with the Spirit of Christ), we abide in the Father’s love, and we find that because we were “rooted and grounded in the love of Christ”, we ultimately and finally will stand in the manifest reality of the Tree of Life, Jesus Christ… the Root of Jesse, the Son of God.
Therefore, beloved, DON’T LOSE HEART!
Your faith in Christ gives you boldness and access to the Father of lights with confidence that He Who has begun a good work IN YOU will COMPLETE IT until the Day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6) He is looking for willing participants in the grand work of His will being accomplished. Therefore, let us place ourselves in a position to allow His holy work to prosper and we will be an instrument of the Eternal Purpose of God.
This has to be His work in us, not a work of our flesh, as testified by James, John, Peter, and Paul:
James: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” (James 1:18)
John: “…to them [as many as received Him] He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
Peter: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is [exceedingly patient] toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Paul: “[God our Savior] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)
And lastly but most preeminently, Jesus:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes [in an active state of obedient faith] in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
With much love in Christ,
Brother Jeff