Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20, NASB1995).
Whenever I see a promise in the Bible that indicates God can work through me more than I ask or even think possible, I’m interested in understanding everything about the passage.
For this reason, I memorized Ephesians 3:14-21 decades ago. These verses form the context of the “beyond all that we ask or think” phrase.
What have I learned?
It’s a prayer by Paul for the Ephesian church.
As a request by the great Apostle Paul for the church (we are the church today), it must be possible to live a life beyond what we think possible. Or why would Paul even make the request?
I ask God to give me His dreams as He wants my life to be more than I can imagine.
To pray this prayer myself.
I often pray this prayer before I get out of bed in the morning.
Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 asks for five things. And almost every morning, I need one or two (or all five) things to get victoriously through the day …
- To be strengthened with power (v. 16)
- That Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith (v. 17)
- Be rooted and grounded in love (v. 17)
- To know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (v. 19)
- We may be filled up to all the fullness of God (v. 19)
Power, faith, love, knowing Christ, and filled with the fullness of the Spirit — Paul makes these requests for the Ephesian church so that they would be able to experience a great God.
It’s also why I pray this prayer for myself and those I know.
There is the principle of abundance that we learn from walking with God.
I’m tempted to focus on what God hasn’t done, prayers that weren’t answered, or questions to which I don’t get answers. But the principle of the Ephesians 3 prayer of Paul is the overwhelming grace and mercy of God.
Paul prays that instead of focusing on doubt, that …
Jesus would grant us to live according to the riches of His glory (v. 16, OGV).
I want to live in God’s wealth and not in the poverty of this age.
Paul starts his prayer with this phrase, “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father” (v. 14), and then he concludes, “To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” (v. 21).
Not only with the prayer of Ephesians 3:14-21 but in all of our prayers — we should begin with humility (bow our knees) and end with His glory.
Amen and amen!