It’s that time of year for waving the flag and patriotic songs, picnics and fireworks.
Fireworks. Power. Makes me think of the scripture I’ve been pondering lately.
Here’s the verse: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (Eph. 3:20 NIV, bold mine)
This stirs me to search my heart and question myself…
* Am I allowing the Lord to work His power in me?
* Am I obstructing His working through me?
* What am I doing to clog up the works?
We all, as Christians, have God’s power working in us. Let’s dig in and see…
* now: this word in Greek does not mean at this moment of time. It means but, moreover, and, also, etc.
* able: the Greek word is dunamai, meaning to be able or possible, be of power, powerful, to have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources or through a state of mind, through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
* immeasurably: comes from three words meaning…
1) over, above, beyond, superior to, more than, etc.
2) the point from which motion or action proceeds, from, out of, etc.
3) in the sense of beyond, superabundant in quantity or superior in quality, excessive, over and above, more than is necessary, surpassing, etc.
* power: the Greek word is dunamis, which comes from dunamai, and means force, miraculous and inherent power, strength, ability, and so on.
* work: energeo (which comes from the Greek word energes from which we get our word energy) means to be active, to effect, be fervent, be mighty in, to be operative, showing oneself active or display one’s activity.
But what is the moreover and also? The previous few verses (14-19) tell us…
* that, according to His glorious riches, the Lord would grant us to be strengthened with might through His Spirit
* that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith
* that we would know how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Christ and be rooted and grounded in His love
* to know that this love transcends or surpasses knowledge
* and that we may be filled with the fullness of God.
If we were to rewrite all this, it might go like this:
According to God’s riches, as Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, perceiving His endless love as above our knowledge of Him, we are filled with God’s fullness.
Moreover, He is then powerful, having the ability to do more than necessary, over and above all we ask or imagine, according to His dynamite, miraculous power and strength that is active, effectual, and operative in us.
In other words…He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine only if we allow His power to work within us.
If we have this dynamite power in us, is it efficiently working? If our pipes, so to speak, are clogged with sin of whatever kind, it acts as sludge to contaminate His Presence, and His power will not flow. We must be cleansed and filled with God’s holiness for His miracle-working power to be operative in us.
Is His dynamite power efficiently working in me? I wondered, so I asked myself…
* What am I not doing for my family or others to show them this power?
* What needs of my family or others go unmet because I do not listen to the Lord’s leading or I harbor some sin, thereby, not allowing Him to work efficiently through me?
When Jesus sent out the disciples, He gave them “power and authority” (Luke 9:1) over demons, to preach the kingdom, and to heal the sick.
The Greek word used here for power is, again, dunamis. Exousia is the word used for authority and also means privilege, force, mastery, token of control, delegated influence, jurisdiction, and so on.
If we are “a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit” (Eph. 2:22b NIV) through Jesus, then that same authority and delegated influence, that same living power and energy, resides within us, working as we agree with Him to accomplish His works. Isn’t that an awesome thought?
Oh, if only we could begin to grasp the magnitude of His dynamite power and allowed Him full reign and rein in our hearts, how much immeasurably more could we do for the Lord?
Are you filled with dynamite?
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Lynn writes devotionals and inspirational stories. She has one book waiting to be published in 2015 and is working on a second one. Her greatest passion is to fulfill God’s call on her life to encourage others and glorify the Lord with her writing. She currently writes for several sites and writes bi-weekly on her site, Heading Home. http://lynnmosher.com
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