20Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us
(Ephesians 3:20, BSB)
Amen! I love this verse. It is one of those verses that is hard not to love. Indeed, To Him who is able to do SO MUCH MORE than ALL we ASK or IMAGINE. Wow! Some versions say EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL we ASK, THINK or IMAGINE. That is the LORD our GOD. Check out my post on seeking God if you have not yet.
This verse encourages us to dream, have vision, ask and imagine as large as we possibly can and yet, God is able to exceed that. Does that mean that God will do everything we want and give us everything we ask for or see fit according to our own wisdom as we sit back and wait? NO. It is not according to our own wisdom or will but according to HIS POWER that is AT WORK WITHIN US
Wait, what?
Yep! It’s right in the text. God is not a genie or a wish stick to grant our every whim and desire. Which is a good thing because sometimes the things we desire would harm us. If you have not experienced it, check out a couple of movies with genies, it never goes well. God is always looking out for our good.
We misapply the verse because we take a few words and run with them. The exceedingly abundantly above and beyond is linked to the God’s power that is at work within us. We have a role to play that is beyond asking. It is not about “ask and keep the status quo”. We need to co-operate with God. To allow Him to work in us and mould us. We need to be available and open to God’s voice, prompts, nudges and instructions. The shifts in mindsets and desires, the prompts to apologize and/or forgive, the call you hear or faith step you are to take… These are God’s power at work within you. Let us take a look at these words from the book of Joshua:
(Joshua 3:13, BSB)“When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD— the Lord of all the earth— touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
Sometimes, you take the step and results follow. The priests had to step into the waters of the Jordan first, as the Lord had instructed, before the waters parted J. Moses prayed, lifted his hands over the waters as instructed, before the Nile parted. Are you getting the picture? Ask, then believe and move as God directs… not ask, then do nothing. In all these though, it began with looking to God, our strength and power.
Don’t worry, it is not according to your own strength or power, but by God’s power. You don’t get to strain with your own power in the action steps. You also don’t get to take the pride in the successful exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond part. You get to live in it and enjoy what God has done/is doing. You get to encourage others through your life and bring glory to God. You get to receive and glow through partnership with God, to the glory of God. Amen? God’s power at work within us is a beautiful partnership like dance or a pulley system. When we work together with God and not against God, the exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all we ask, think or imagine happens. Don’t worry about asking for the wrong thing or not wanting to submit to God’s word.
“For God is the One working in you both to will and to work according to His good pleasure.”
(Philippians 2:13, BSB)
God is working in your heart. You’ll find that AS YOU GO, your thoughts, desires and plans will change in accordance with God’s GOOD, PERFECT and PLEASING will for you. So ask, think and imagine BIG, as you enjoy your God-adventures and allow God to work in you.
Written by Jeanne Rehema