Grow With Pastor Joe

As we have been studying the book of Ephesians there has been a great deal of doctrinal truth that has been presented in the first three chapters. The doctrinal truth is to be transformational truth applied by faith in our daily walk. Throughout Ephesians, there has been a threefold theme of doctrine, doxology, and devotion. Paul has been praying for the believers to come to a fuller of awareness and application of their wealth and walk in Christ. The doctrine that has been preached brings to light our infinite wealth that is in Christ. This doctrine then leads the believer within the life of the local Church to walk in Christ filled with devotion to Christ and His Church. Now, in Eph. 3:20-21, Paul will give a prayer of doxology (giving glory, honor, and reverence to God for His attributes and actions) that will connect the doctrinal section of Eph. 1-3 and the devotional section of Eph. 4-6. The first half of Ephesians can be seen as the positional truths of being in Christ and the second half of the letter being the practical transformation that should take place in our life. Paul’s prayer of praise will be a bridge connecting the entire book of Ephesians. True praise connects the positional truths (our union with and in Christ) leading to a transformational practical application (communion with and in Christ) of these truths. We must learn who we are in Christ to live in Christ by faith. Praise has been a theme because it embraces the wealth of doctrine in Christ and enables the walk of devotion to Christ. Earlier in Ephesians, Paul has prayed for their enlightenment and experience by faith of the grand truths found in the riches of Christ (Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-19). Now to connect the wealth and walk of the believer, Paul will issue out a prayer of praise to God for all the unsearchable riches of Christ and for its experience and application in the daily life of the believers. It is only as we are enlightened to our wealth through doctrine that we are enabled to walk in devotion. The Lord wants us to come to a fuller knowledge and application of what it means to have our wealth and walk in Christ. Nothing is more practical than our position of being in Him. What has been seen throughout Ephesians is the practical truth that God has secured our wealth in Christ and sustains our walk in Christ. All of this is by His grace for our good and His glory. We simply are called to live by faith to see these truths applied and the wealth appropriated to our account in our daily walk.

            Nearly the entire third chapter has been one long prayer filled with doctrine. The natural response to doctrine is doxology. Prayer is perhaps one of the greatest ways that we can have doctrine applied and give God glory. E.M. Bounds writes, “Prayer honors God, acknowledges His being, exalts His power, adores His providence, secures His aid.” This prayer of praise will be one of the most practical and impactful prayers in all the Bible. It represents a response of faith to what God has revealed by His grace and it receives His grace by faith to then live in the wealth of Christ. Where prayer and praise are offered to God, His power is obtained by faith in the individual believer and corporate body of Christ. This prayer is an example for each of us. Paul’s prayer turns his full attention to the excellency of God. The excellency of God is His glory. He is glorious in all that He is and does. His glory is excellent and excels beyond human comprehension or calculation. However, it is the praise of the excellency of God that embraces, experiences, and enables our wealth and walk in Christ. Eph. 3:20-21 reveals the excellency of God as it says, “²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,²¹ Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” These two verses reveal to us three distinct yet connected truths about the excellency of God. Today, as we study this prayer of praise we will see God’s excellent ability (V.20), God’s excellent sufficiency (V.20), and God’s excellent glory (V.21). To obtain the power to walk by faith in the following chapters we must praise God for our wealth that has been previously presented to us. Let’s take a walk across the bridge of praise for the excellency of God.

First, we must respond to God’s excellent ability. Eph. 3:20 says, “²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Read that again. Now read it slowly. Now read it out loud. Write it down. Read it again. God is able. God is exceedingly able. God is abundantly able. God is exceedingly abundantly able. God is able to do above all that we ask or think. God is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think. God is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Unfortunately, it is our human tendency to believe that we are more able than we are, and that God is less able than He is. The reason that Paul has spent so much time on doctrine is because we need a proper perspective about who God is and who we are. To go deeper, we specifically need a high view of who God is and who we now are in Christ so that our life would be filled with faithful praise and the practical application of the riches of Christ in our life. There are two things that we will see regarding God’s excellent ability.

One, we must see the excellence of His infinite ability. All that God does flows from who God is. Therefore, because God’s very being is infinite therefore His ability is infinite. God is not limited to our physical limitations. Looking at Eph. 3:20, we see the word “able.”  This word is the Greek word “dunamai” which means an inherent ability and resources. It is given to us in the present tense for a purpose. God’s infinite ability is first and foremost an ability that is constant and consistent. God’s attributes and ability doesn’t diminish. He does not wax or wane. He is consistently able because He remains the same.  He is constantly able because He is the only constant being in the universe. All else changes, yet He remains steady and unchangeable. Malachi 3:6 tells us, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” Is there anything more comforting in this world of chaotic change and uncertainty than the truth that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8)? The truth that God is constantly infinite in His ability and resources should cause our hearts to praise Him. It is such a truth that drives Paul to pray this prayer and have confidence in this prayer. There is no confidence in praying without believing that God is unchanging, infinite, and consistently able. Not only is God constantly able, but He is completely able. God doesn’t need help to be or do. He simply is and does. He doesn’t try. If God wasn’t completely able, then He couldn’t be completely God. Notice that His ability is an achieving ability. He is able “to do” (poieo). God doesn’t have wasted energy. He is infinite in His ability, but He chooses to achieve with His ability. God accomplishes and achieves His will through His Word and Work through Christ and His church. This has been the entire theme of our wealth and walk in Christ and will continue to be declared throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. God is also abundant in His ability. God is “exceeding abundantly” (hyperekperissou). This word is what we would call a super superlative, meaning, it is the highest, broadest, deepest, and very best. His ability is exceeding abundant. It goes beyond measure or expectation. Paul is praying this for the Ephesians and for us so that we would see that God is more than we think and does more than we can ask or think. The idea is that God is to be praised because we can’t fathom all that He can do, has done, is doing, and will do for His people in Christ. How often we tragically place God’s ability in the box of logic or human experience. He is consistently, constantly, and completely able to do more than we ask or think. Let’s look at some examples of this. God is able to make all grace abound (2 Cor. 9:8). He is able to succor those that are tempted (Heb. 2:18). He is able to save all to the uttermost that come to Him (Heb. 7:25). He is able to subdue all things to Himself (Phil. 3:21). He is able to keep that which we commit to Him (2 Tim. 1:12). God is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24). We could keep going on forever about the infinite ability of God. Does our asking and thinking match what God says about Himself? Do we ask and think based on the excellency of His ability? We should no longer continue to separate God’s miraculous acts from His mighty ability. He is still the God who has all mighty and is able to work miraculously as has been seen in Eph. 1-3.

Two, we must see that God has not only infinite ability but incredible willingness. We are often prayerless because we either doubt God’s ability or we doubt His willingness. Typically, we have a theoretical understanding that God is able, but we don’t have the practical application of His ability and willingness to act on our behalf. We deceive and discourage our own hearts to believe that God is able but unwilling or willing but unable. In the average heart of the believer, God’s benevolence (generous kindness) for His own is separated from His omnipotence (almighty power or possessing all power). God gives and keeps giving. All that He is and gives to His children in Christ is good (See James 1:5-7, 16-18). A.W. Pink writes,

“Because God is good, He is willing and ready to supply all our need according to the riches in glory by Christ Jesus“

The excellency of His ability shows us that God is not only infinite in His resources but readiness to bestow upon each believer all that is needed (and then some) to live the Christian life. God cares more about your wealth and walk in Christ than you or I do.

Grow with me as we study the believer’s wealth and walk in Christ.

Grow deeper.

Grow higher.

Grow wider.