Ephesians 1:15-19a: For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.This week I want to examine the last phrase of this passage: And his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus to have their hearts enlightened. Paul wanted that church, and all believers, to know the greatness of the power of God for those who believe. There is absolutely nothing that can be compared with the power of God. It is incomparable.
When the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt, Moses went to Pharaoh and demanded that Pharaoh let Israel's children go three days into the desert, so they could worship God. Various plagues came upon the people of Egypt as Pharaoh's heart was hardened to the cry of Moses.
It is interesting that the magicians of Egypt could replicate some of the early plagues. What Moses did through the power of God, they did through the power of their magic, which was the power of Satan.
But then one day they were befuddled because they could not perform the same miracle, that God had performed through the hands of Moses and Aaron. The plagues became greater. Aaron struck the dust of the ground with his staff, and gnats came upon the land. The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God."
The incomparable power of God was far greater than the power of the magicians. It was so great that the Red Sea was parted by the power of God. Manna fell from heaven by the incomparable power of God.
But where has the incomparable power of God gone? Why do we not see great miracles on a regular basis today?
Romans 8:11 states: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you.
Jesus said in John 14:12, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Paul said in Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us.
The imcomparable power of God is in those of us who are believers. Paul says in Romans 8:11 that the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is dwelling in us. Understand that Satan desperately wanted to stop the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is not risen, our faith is in vain. But Satan had no chance against God. The incomparable power of God through the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. And that same Spirt is in you giving life to your mortal body.
The imcomparable power of God dwells in you!!
Jesus said that the church is to do greater works than even he did. Do we dare believe his words? Do we dare believe for greater miracles than those performed in the ministry of Jesus?
Paul says in Ephesians 3:20 that God is able to do far beyond what we could think or imagine. How will God do that? He will do far beyond what we could think or imagine through his power that is working in you and me who believe.
So why don't we see greater manifestations of the power of God in our modern American society? In our text Paul said, and his incomparably great power for us who
believe. Do you believe that God wants to use you to release demonstrations of his power into this earth? Do you believe that Holy Spirit power dwells in you as great as the power that raised Jesus from the dead??
When I was a young preacher boy, one day I was in the church building alone praying. I was beseeching God (really begging God) for the power of God. I was fervent in my prayer. One day the Holy Spirit whispered to me, "The power is here, just tap into it." God was in that building before I walked in. But in another sense I brought the power of God into the building when I walked in. How can that be? It can be because the Holy Spirit lives in me. Greater is he who is in me, than he who is in the world.
I am still working on tapping into that power. But a day of great miracles and demonstrations of the power of God is before us. There will be great revival as we grow closer to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's begin to believe that God can and will use us as instruments of his power. Let's be participants in the coming revival, and not spectators without a clue.
God's power is in YOU!! Release his power into your world beginning today!
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org