In today’s post, I’ll finish chapter 3 of Ephesians. Paul has been showing us the blessings of our “in Christ” position. Now he closes this section with an exclamation of praise to God.
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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV
He praises God for His matchless power. This is a power that the Lord uses for our sake. It’s more than we could ever ask for, or even imagine.
However, that doesn’t mean that I get everything I ask for. Neither do I get everything I imagine. What it does mean is that I get things I didn’t even know I could ask for. In the same way, the Lord blesses me with things that are beyond my imagining.
He’s a good God. And He’s done more for me than I could have ever deserved or hoped for. But the great thing about this is that God works these things in us.
God’s unlimited power is at work in us right now. The Lord is accomplishing everything He desires for us. We just need to lay hold of it. The real question is; how do I lay hold of all this?
Paul talked about it in one of his previous letters.
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV
This verse is talking about the supernatural revelation of God. He wants to show us those things that are beyond ourselves.
Remember, a few posts ago, I talked about the manifold wisdom of God bringing His glory into the church. This is a huge part of it.
But, the revelation talked about here is not for those who simply live for themselves with no thought to the spirit walk. God reveals His plan to those who, through their daily walk with Christ, are seeking the mind of the Holy Spirit. They’re the ones who see God’s plan for their lives.
Prayer in the spirit is the gateway to this revelation knowledge. The power of the Holy Spirit takes us beyond our own human understanding.
“No eye has seen” – You can read the Bible from cover to cover and not see everything God has prepared for your life. “No ear has heard” – You can listen to every sermon, prophet, and apostle yet still not hear all God has for you. “No mind has conceived” – You cannot brainstorm, imagine, or even dream up everything that’s your portion in the will of God. BUT…God has revealed it by His SPIRIT.
He then goes on to explain that the spirit can investigate everything, even the deep things of God. I believe that Paul is talking about your own human spirit. Your spirit can search out all things.
You may think Google is good. The Bible tells you that your spirit is the greatest search engine ever created. I know that Paul was given an enormous amount of revelation. He wrote most of the New Testament under the direction of the Holy Spirit. How did he receive all of that? By spending time in the spirit.
Here Paul tells us the secret of this supernatural revelation. It can only be received in the spirit. He makes it clear that your flesh (eyes and ears) cannot grasp it. Neither can your soul (mind) come up with it. It has to be a work of your spirit.
It’s through this divine wisdom and revelation that we can lay hold of those things that are beyond all that we can ask or imagine. It comes through time spent with the Holy Spirit.
This only comes in a life that knows how to interact on the spiritual level. This means that you must know how to pray in the spirit in order receive the revelation that’s referenced by this verse.
Your body and soul can never search out the deeper things of God, it will only be accomplished by your spirit working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. We need to strive for this level of intimacy in our generation.
Question: How much time do you spend in the spirit?
© 2023 Nick Zaccardi
The Spirit and the Word 