FAR MORE Abundantly Beyond ALL

Ephesians 3:14-21 | NASB

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.  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” 

Paul says so much in such a short prayer doesn’t he?  There is so much truth packed in you just have to sit and ponder it over and over!  However this portion stuck out to me today:  Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…  I love Paul’s use of descriptive words: he doesn’t just say far more than what we ask or think, or beyond what we ask or think, or more abundant than what we ask or think… NO! he must use them all! FAR MORE abundantly beyond ALL… do you think that leaves anything out?  In our finite minds we often limit God, we assume or believe that He acts in certain ways, or only cares about certain things, we doubt that He will act or could act in ways beyond what our minds think could be possible.  In our minds we have put God in a box, have put our expectations of Him, our assumptions regarding Him and how He works neatly in our little box with which we are comfortable.  However God is not constrained by our finite ideas and minds is He?  Thank the Lord He is not!! The verse here certainly makes it obvious that His ability is far beyond our thoughts and understanding of what it could even be.  Did Abraham and Sarah think that God could fulfill His promise?  Yes, however, there was a time when they doubted that He could fulfill it through Sarah, through the means that God had said He would and could.  

Genesis 18:14 | NASB

" Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."

God promised and: 

Hebrews 11:11-12 | NASB

"By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore."

Abraham, as good as dead, Sarah, beyond the proper time of life to conceive, physically impossible, Yet God said "Is there anything to difficult for the LORD" and He fulfilled His promise by giving them a son, an heir, by giving them Isaac.

The Israelites were mumbling… (yes again)… and they were tired of having only manna, they wanted meat!  Moses came to the Lord, the Lord spoke and told him that He would give them meat to eat until it came out of their nostrils and was loathsome to them!  But Moses said how? How are you going to feed this great number of people? If all the fish in the sea were gathered it would surely not be enough? This is what God had to say to that!!

Numbers 11:23 | NASB

"The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.”

Moses had limited God's power in his own thinking.  God had to remind him that surely His power was not limited!  How often do we come to God saying, "I don't know how you can do this?"  “Do you realize what it would take to accomplish ____” "I don't know if this is possible"  …… We should hear the word of God "Is My power limited" in our hearts every time we think or utter such thoughts, shouldn't we?? Shouldn't we boldly approach the throne of grace and ask whatever is on our hearts knowing that the power of God is not limited in any way, that if His soul desires it, He will indeed do it, that He will perform what is appointed for you and I? (Job 23:13-14)  It will certainly change the way we pray won’t it?  it should rebuke us in our hearts and minds when we limit God’s answers and dealings with us to what fits in our little box that we’ve come up with and become comfortable with.  We ought not to doubt God or question how He works, but we ought to be preparing to see what He is able to do, which is far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think! 

Romans 11:33-36 | NASB

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen”