Ephesians 3:20-21 – To Him Who is Able…”

Ephesians 3:20-21 (continued from Last week’s, Ephesians 3:13-19)

 

“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, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”  -NASB

 

The Message brings this out:

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”

Let’s look at the first part of verse 20.

NASB	Amplified
“Now to Him who is able to do”	Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] … , is able to [carry out His purpose and] do
“far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,”	superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]
“according to the power that works within us,”	[by] thepower that is at work within us

 

Is anyone else here amazed by the apparent contrast between two parts of this same sentence?

He, the Creator of the Universe, is able to accomplish His over abundant will for each of us through the power that works within us!!

We are the vessels for this power of God. We walk around with this power 24/7 and take it for granted 23/7.

 

We need to go back and look at all the “power“s in the above sentences, however.
(each instance of “power” needs to be substituted with the following …

Holy Spirit of God (the 3rd person of the Trinity).

You see the power working in us IS the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor 12:9 all use the word power as “dunamis”

δύναμιν= power, strength, capability, authority.

 

Let’s look at a simple example of this type of power…

A police officer is able to direct traffic, arrest law breakers, protect innocent people, etc. (all in the “name of the law”)
He has the power to do these things because he has been given the authority to do so, and has been given the knowledge of how to do so safely and respectfully.

Do you see the parallel ?

The Holy Spirit indwells us and gives us the power needed:

• to love God,
• love our neighbor,
• walk in the Spirit, and
• put aside the deeds of the sin nature.

He (Holy Spirit), endows us with:

• the authority and knowledge to
  • rightly handle the Word of God,
  • lovingly use it to discern
    • right from wrong,
    • light from darkness,
  • exhort or correct our brother,
  • and to take authority over the agents of evil.

That is the power at work in us.

C.H. Spurgeon said: (in Jun 17th, 1855) in a sermon entitled “the Power of the Holy Spirit)

“Power is the special and distinctive prerogative of God, and God alone. Power belongs to God. God is God: and power belongs to him. If he delegates a portion of it to his creatures, yet it still is his power. …

This exclusive prerogative of God is to be found in each of the three persons of the glorious Trinity. The Father has power: for at his word the heavens were made, and by his strength all things continue, and through him they fulfill their destiny. The Son has power: for like his Father, he is the Creator of all things; “Without him nothing was made that has been made” [John 1:3], and “in him all things hold together” [Colossians 1:17]. And the Holy Spirit has power.

It is concerning the power of the Holy Spirit that I will speak this morning; and may you gain a practical example of that attribute in your own hearts, when you sense that the influence of the Holy Spirit is being poured out on me, so that I am speaking the words of the living God to your souls, and the power bestowed on you when you feel the effects of it in your own souls.

He then begins to categorize the works of the Spirit.

1. OUTWARD AND VISIBLE DISPLAYS of the power of the Holy Spirit.
   1. Creative works
   2. resurrection works
   3. testimony work
   4. works of grace
2. INNER SPIRITUAL POWER of the Holy Spirit
   1. power over the hearts of men and women
   2. power over the will
   3. power over the heart
3. FUTURE WORKS of the Holy Spirit
   1. perfect us in holiness
   2. bring on the later day glory
   3. general resurrection

Once he reads the encouragements of each of these points in his message, he asks the listener why they should doubt anything in light of the expression of such power.

“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, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”  -NASB

Paul knows the power within him and that it is God’s power bestowed upon him to accomplish supernatural things. He reminds the believers in the purpose of this power and why Holy Spirit’s work is of higher priority than any circumstances he might experiencing for the sake of revealing that power.

Are you seeing the power ?

Are you revealing the power ?

if so, great, if not, re-examine your priorities for the race you are running. Change what you need to change so the Spirit can work freely inside you. Make yourself available to “Him who is able”.

next week, Eph 4:1-3 the Worthy Walk.

εν διακονια τω θεω, Dave Cadieux