Exceeding Abundantly Above All

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Have you ever stopped to really take in the meaning of this passage in Ephesians?

If you’ve never read it or never REALLY read it, do so now. Then read it again. And again. Go ahead. I’ll wait. 

Now. What jumped out at you as you read these words from the Apostle Paul? These verses are part of a prayer by Paul to the church at Ephesus. 

Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul prays for the saints at Ephesus that they may be strengthened by the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in their hearts, that they would be able to comprehend God’s amazing love to them and that they would be filled with the fulness of God. 

And then, he writes these powerful words that we find in verse 20. 

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us

The thing that jumps out at me in this verse is God’s ability to do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL! 

The Greek word used for exceeding, is the word ‘hyper’.  If any of you ladies reading this have a very active child, you will know all about that word hyper. It has the idea of over, above and beyond. Hyperactive children don’t just do things. They DO things! Over, above and beyond what you expect. Nothing done half-heartedly. It’s over the top. 

And strangely enough, Paul uses the Greek word again, in the same verse. He uses it for the word ‘above’. So, we have 2 hypers in the same verse! That’s seriously hyper!  I think Paul wants us to really grasp this idea of God giving us so much more than we ask. 

Paul describes God as a God who can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

So, God doesn’t just do and give what we ask or think, but He goes beyond. Over and above. He gives exceeding abundantly above.  We can’t even begin to understand what God can do. 

Matthew Henry puts it like this:

“There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it.”

Just knowing that my God can do more than I ever ask is amazing, but did you notice that it’s not just what we ask but also what we think? Poof! Mind blowing moment! 

 We don’t even have to ask it, and He sees into our hearts and our minds, and goes over, above and beyond to do exceeding abundantly, to do even what we think and haven’t even verbalised yet! 

How many times have you prayed for something small, just a little thing, and God answered, and you thought to yourself, “Oh! I wish I had asked for more”. We pray our small prayers, hoping for a little drop of blessing and God pours out a colossal river of blessing from His vast treasure house and our puny, little bucket overflows, spilling out and filling others lives as we share what God has done.  And we’re left wishing we had lifted a swimming pool to heaven and asked for that to be filled! 

God answers over and above all that we ask or think. He doesn’t just answer, He ANSWERS! And He doesn’t just bless, He BLESSES! His grace and mercy are inexhaustible. Unfathomable. Immeasurable. Incalculable. Incomprehensible.  

But wait there’s more! God’s abundance is not limited to only a few. It never runs out! His wellspring of blessing is everlasting. It is unending. Unlimited. Boundless. So this means, that no matter how many blessings He showers upon other’s lives, there is still enough for me. For you. For everyone. We don’t have to fear that His supply will run out. There’s no need to worry that by the time He comes to us, there is only a drop left. No! EXCEEDING ABUNDANT! 

In the story of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, God not only performed a miracle, but He ‘hyper’ performed it! He made sure that everyone was fed and that everyone was fed well.

Matthew 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

There was an abundance of food. Enough for everyone there that day to be filled and then some! It’s interesting that God caused there to be 12 baskets full of leftovers. There were 12 disciples weren’t there? Hmmm. Food for thought. 

These last 2 verses of Ephesians 3 are the end of the prayer for the church at Ephesus and here Paul sets a good example for us. Notice he is ending the prayer with praise. Praise to an awesome God. In verse 20, he describes God and what he is able to do and then in verse 21 he gives God all the praise. 

Ephesians 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

It’s a good habit to get into. That of concluding our prayers with praise. Yes, praise should play a large part in every aspect of our praying, but to end our prayers with praise and thankfulness to God will bring glory to His name and have you rising from your knees with a grateful heart and a spring in your step. 

So, I want to encourage you to keep this verse in your minds and in your hearts and remember that God is able. 

It doesn’t matter what struggles you may be facing, what burdens you may be carrying, what trials you may be suffering through, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all!  It doesn’t matter how big or how small your prayers are, He is able. 

Psalm 81:10  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Take heart. Trust in His promises. Wait on the Lord. Watch God work. 

And when He does, give Him all the glory. 

Revelation 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Just Some Thoughts………..

I love to write. I love to speak. But sometimes, despite all my study and all my time spent alone with God, it’s as if I come up blank. I know there are things He has taught me from His Word, and I know there are things I want to share with others, but I seem to draw a blank at what it is I’m to write about or speak about.

I’ve recently been studying for our monthly Ladies Bible Study here in Katherine and also praying about what God would have me speak on at the Mum Heart Conference in Dundee, NT in March.

I don’t want to just write or speak for the sake of it. God has taught me so many things in these past few years and many of the lessons I have had to learn came through sore trials and pain and suffering. But it is often the fire that is needed in our lives. The purifying work that God does. We don’t like it, but it is needed. The storms, when all we want is calm. The work, when all we want is rest. The pain, when all we want is comfort.

I love it that God always knows what is best for us and that He sees the bigger picture and knows what it is we need as opposed to what we want.

My life has never been as busy as it is right now. I have never had so many things to attend to, so many hats to wear, so many commitments to fulfill. But in all the busyness, God can still bring calm. I recently read this quote,

“Sometimes God calms the storm.

Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.”

Wow! Isn’t that true? The storm rages all about us and we cry out to God to stop the storm. Stop the busyness. Stop the craziness, the screaming schedules, the pulling from every direction. But no, He lets the storm rage and begins to calm His child.

“Calmness doesn’t mean the absence of activity,

but rather the clear reality of God being in control at all times.”

He is in control and whether we can see His hand or not, we can trust Him. The tumult of the world rages on about us, our schedules scream, but we can be as calm as a leaf, floating on an absolutely glassy surface of water. And that calmness is inside of us. He brings His peace to our soul. He calms our struggling, our restlessness, our minds and our hearts. But only if we let Him. He longs to hear us cry out to Him. He wants us to come to Him.

Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Maybe one of the reasons I can’t find exactly what God wants me to write or speak about, is the fact that I am not letting Him calm my heart. I am expecting Him to give me something while I rush about. On the run. “Toss me something Lord, while I run by, I don’t have time to stop! I’m too busy!”

I need to take the time to sit. To meditate on His Word. To spend time in earnest prayer. Asking God for peace. Begging Him for wisdom.

As much as we women like to say we’re too busy, we seem to make time for the things that bring us pleasure. It may be friends, social media, hobbies, even exercise! But taking the time to sit down bodily, and in heart and mind and focus on listening to God speaking to us is often pushed aside.

A little saying that I have been trying to keep in my mind constantly is,

“Instead of saying, ‘I don’t have the time’, try saying, ‘It’s not a priority’, and see how that changes things”

When we realize that it’s our priorities that need to be put in order and it’s not a matter of running out of time, the rubber really hits the road.

God only gave us 24 hours in the day, and while we may think we need so many more, He knew from the beginning of time how many hours we would need.

As busy wives and mothers, we rush about, trying to fit everything into the 24 hours, sometimes not stopping to ask how God would have us fill it. It’s no wonder we feel so stressed and frazzled. Who better than God knows how to fill those hours?  God is bigger than our day to day problems. His wisdom is beyond comprehension. His love and grace are unfathomable. We have only to ask Him.

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Sometimes I start out my day with so many things on my to-do list, that I don’t even know where to start. You may say, ‘start at the beginning’. But where is the beginning? I need to stop, right then and there, and ask God to show me where to begin and where to end and how to fill in the middle.

I will never feel truly satisfied with my day of busyness and interrupted plans unless I let the Lord decide how it should be ordered.

I lay out my list before Him and He gets out His big black marker, and crosses out the unnecessary, and adds in the important, and rearranges the order, sometimes so much so, that I don’t even recognize my list anymore. I may feel frustrated and confused. But I stop and take time to listen to Him speak, He hears my heart, He knows my longings, my desires and He plans as only He can.

His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. But I have the comfort in knowing that although it may seem like He’s messed my list all up, or thrown it out altogether, He is omniscient. I can trust Him.

So, ladies, if you’re feeling the need of some calm and order in your day, take the time to sit and ask God to order your day.

I have this little reminder pinned up above my desk and probably need to pin it up in a few more handy places as a reminder:

Stop what you’re doing

Sit down in body, heart and mind

Seek God’s peace and priorities

Start up again

When you feel the storm rising up inside of you and you feel overwhelmed and calmness seems out of reach, take the time to sit. Read through the promises in God’s Word. Pray over your priorities. Listen to God speak. Rise up. Resolved to take God at His Word and trust Him.

Lift your tired eyes, raise your weary head, and press on. Take that next step. And the next one. And the next one. God is there with you.

The storm may rage about you, but God can calm His child.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.