"His Incomparably Great Power"

It is an amazing thing that the Believer in Jesus Christ has an eternal victory to which God has called him.  We avail ourselves of that victory inasmuch as we trust God’s faithfulness and lean on His promises.  On the other hand, the human tendency to be caught up in the “here and now” is a weakness that makes us extremely vulnerable to doubts and discouragements that hang down from the eaves of our circumstances like vampire bats.  When our eyes turn aside from the countenance of God’s grace, our hearts become tainted with selfishness, our minds become darkened with doubt, and our spiritual lives become anemic as the world’s problems leech from us divine vitality and vigor.  Courage, peace, and joy dwindle all too easily away to nothing leaving us anxious, angry and afraid. 

Yet when our eyes return to the Savior and we rest in God’s ultimate and perfect demonstration of grace, our surety stands regardless of the tumults we must often face, the losses we must often suffer, and the pain we must often bear.  All of the dross of the less than perfect qualities that we find in ourselves will in time fail and fade, as it is burned off by the streaming rays of the glorious unveiling of all of God’s promises.  What will be left in His children will be only the pure gold of godliness and grace, the perfect and loving character of Christ which is cultivated in us by His Holy Spirit. 

Let us then continue to pray “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better.  Let us pray also that the eyes of ours heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which He has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe (from Ephesians 1:17-19a). 

Such power cannot be artificially manufactured.  There are no special batteries into which we may tap that will grant it to us nor is it the result of our good planning or even of our merit, no matter how righteous we may perceive ourselves to be.  It is simply the grace of God being realized, celebrated and trusted in the daily living of life. 

“That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:19b-21). 

Thus we may trust absolutely in His absolute power, love and wisdom.  How great is the power that liberates us from sin?  How sufficient is that power in the defeat of death, sin’s uncouth offspring?  It is the same power that returned life to the physical body of our Lord after He was mercilessly tortured and slain for us.  It is the same power that not only gave life back to His body but transformed it into a glorious new vessel, untainted by worldly pressure, disease or weariness.  It is the same power that caught up the Lord Jesus into the heavens and stationed Him there at the Father’s right hand that He might be enthroned above all other powers, now and forever. 

“And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:22). 

The power, therefore, that God has made available to you and me for victorious living is unlimited and everlasting.  Sin shall no longer be our master nor shall death reign as a tyrant over us.  “We were dead in our transgressions and sins, in which we used to live when we followed the ways of this world and of the (forces of evil)….  But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace we have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (from Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-9). 

When we turn in faith to Christ, surrendering our sin to Him and release control of our lives to His lordship, we are raised up with Christ and we too are seated with Him in the heavenly realms.  When the world sees us, it may sneer and turn its back on us.  No matter.  We have been lifted up spiritually and now keep company with the King of kings.  When our bank accounts register only an impressive collection of goose eggs and things are tight financially, we inwardly rejoice that we are showered with incomparable riches that the world cannot touch.  When pain becomes a constant companion that dogs our steps each day, we celebrate its certain doom.  The same power that lifted our Savior’s body from the grave will raise us also from the power of affliction, setting us free from all that hinders and hurts. 

“For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from Whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of 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 3:14-21). 

(Thom Mollohan and his family have ministered in southern Ohio the past 14 ½  years and is the  author of The Fairy Tale Parables:  Classic Fairy Tales Pointing to God's Love and Truth.  He is the pastor of Pathway Community Church and may be reached for comments or questions by email at pastorthom@pathwaygallipolis.com).