Exceedingly Abundantly - 2015

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I love these verses – but normally my focus has been on the word “power”.  I would read these when I felt helpless and I would read them when I felt fired-up.  I loved the fact that these verses tell us that we have power in Christ Jesus.

The last time however, my attention was brought to the phrase - exceedingly abundantly!  

For weeks I have been so focused on these 2 words. 

We have a habit of limiting God in our lives because we try so hard to understand intellectually everything about Him.

But when you think about what verse 20 is saying - ²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

There is no way that we can understand all that God can do because what He can do exceeds what we are capable of thinking. 

This verse is also telling us that He is going to do these immeasurable acts through us.  We are going to be used to do these exceedingly abundantly acts, acts that we cannot even imagine. And we will do this with His supernatural power.

So let’s really think about this:

1 missionary could walk into a village and because of the presence of God in his life, the entire village could be saved.

Or

1 person could walk in a hospital and instantly because of God’s supernatural power that is dwelling in that person – every patient is instantly healed and saved.

Or

1 teenager who is born again – walks into their high school, and because of the Dunami Power that he/she is filled with, every student and teacher is saved.

But wait a minute – I thought of these, and this verse says that He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think.  Any one of these acts could happen plus abundantly more. Isn’t that amazing!  We can’t even think of what He will use us for. And yet how many times in our lives do we think that something is impossible, that we won’t be able to accomplish something. 

Think about events on your life that you are just amazed at – that you know without a doubt that God had His hand in them and you think back now and can’t believe that it happened.

We need to understand that we may not understand everything about God, but that we need to understand that He can do exceedingly abundantly with us and through us.

Think about the most beautiful yet outrageous act that would glorify God and then understand that He can use you to exceed that.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We can’t think like the world and be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The world thinks in “impossibles” – Renewing your mind in this instance means that you start thinking in “possibilities” instead.

The world thinks “You have to understand it” – Renewing our mind means, you believe it even when you don’t understand it.

If you think about it – I don’t want to know all that God can do, I love being amazed. I love it when something happens and He blows my mind.  I don’t want to understand everything because I love those moments when He wows me and you know what?  I think He likes them too!

How do you feel when you do something amazing for someone and you get to see their reaction – He likes that too!

So I challenge you:

During 2015– let’s make the choice to focus on these phrases instead of the things that frustrate us, let us dwell on what God can do instead of what we can’t do. 

Ask God to use you to do exceedingly abundantly more this New Year through His dynamite power. Give Him the go ahead to blow your mind at how He will use you.

Let’s stop settling for what the world thinks and let’s start thinking exceedingly abundantly.