Amazing Prayer 7 - His Unimaginable Power

Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21; Ephesians 1:15-23
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 Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

I.   Open our Eyes to See (1:18)

     A.  To see our Hope (1:18b)

           1.  What is the Hope He calls us to?

                 a.  Not to settle for ho-hum!

                 b.  He calls us to more

                 c.  Dream big dreams

           2.  He calls us to hope

                 a.  “Calls” not “sends”

                 b.  We find hope in Him/in Jesus

           3.  Do we see/know this Hope?

                 a.  Look with the eyes of our heart

                 b.  Focus on it, not on sin that distracts.

                 c.  We live for the time of fulfillment (1:10)

     B.  To see our Riches (1:18c)

           1.  Lit. the riches of the glory of his inheritance

                 a.  The riches of His glory are in the saints

                 b.  We are His inheritance

                 c.  We are His pearl of great price!

           2.  The riches are already in the saints!

                 a.  The glory is present in us. Do we see it?

                 b.  Do we see we are His inheritance?!

                 c.  Do we see how wealthy we are?!

     C.  To see His Unimaginable power (v.19a)

           1.  His hyperbole of power...to do beyond all

                 a.  His “out-of-the-ballpark” power for us...

                 b.  Do we see this power at work in us?

                 c.  1:18 Let’s see it; know it!

           2.  Resurrection power! Ascension power!

                 a.  Look at what this power can do! (vv 20-21)

                 b.  Who could have asked for, or imagined that?

                 c.  Power to give all authority (v 22a)

           3.  All this for the Church (vv. 22b-23)

                 a.  All this power & authority is for us!

                 b.  Jesus will do anything for the Church

                 c.  In fact He already did!

II.  Beyond the Overflow

     A.  Beyond what we Ask

           1.  Lit. Beyond to overflowing of what we ask

                 a.  Do more than everything, beyond to ...

                 b.  There aren’t expressions big enough!

           2.  Do we think we ask too much from God?

                 a.  We can’t ask too much!

                 b.  He’ll never break a sweat answering us!

                 c.  We can’t dent the riches of heaven

           3.  Maybe we ask too little, or too small!

                 a.  Maybe we ask only for things

                 b.  Maybe we ask only for baby-steps

                 c.  Ask boldly! Ask like Paul in this prayer!

     B.  Beyond what we Understand

           1.  Imagine: Lit. think, consider, understand

                 a.  We can think of, and imagine a lot!

                 b.  We don’t ask for all we think to ask

                 c.  He can give what we don’t dare ask!

           2.  Beyond what we could possibly think

                 a.  We dream big–but not bigger than God!

                 b.  We have imagination–but His is bigger!

                 c.  He can do everything He can imagine

           3.  Can we think about this (vv. 14-19)?

                 a.  Do we think God could answer this?

                 b.  Shall we ask Him to?

     C.  He can but Will He?

           1.  Does He want this prayer answered in us?

                 a.  Last week: is it okay to pray this? Yes!

                 b.  Does it seem God wants us to ask this?

                 c.  Does God want to tease us?

           2.  Is anything stopping Him from answer it?

                 a.  We don’t have because we don’t ask (James 4:2b)

                 b.  Doesn’t God want to dwell in us, fill us with Love, fill us with Himself?

                 c.  If it’s God’s will keep asking!

III. His power at work In Us

     A.  His Spirit Dwells in us!

           1.  In 1:19b-20 His power worked in Jesus

                 a.  Resurrecting, ascending, giving authority all for the church.

           2.  Not just His power but His Spirit is within!

                 a.  Now this power is at work within us!

                 b.  Not just His power but His Spirit too!

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 1Cor. 3:16

     B.  Greater things than these . . .

           1.  He will do greater things in us

                 a.  Than we thought to ask for, or imagine

                 b.  Than we understand are possible

           2.  Because of His Spirit, and by His Power, we will do greater things

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. (Jn.14:12)

                 a.  To know the love of Christ is to give it

                 b.  To have God’s power is to love with it

                 c.  To have the Spirit is to do the things of Christ

     C.  This very prayer is being Answered

           1.  Because the power of His Spirit is at work (v.16)

                 a.  He strengthens us in our inner being

                 b.  Release that strength

           2.  Christ dwells in us thru His Sp. (v.17)

                 a.  He gives us Faith so Christ lives in us

                 b.  Release that Faith

           3.  We have power w/in to know His love (v.19a)

                 a.  Power to know what’s unknowable

                 b.  Release that power

           4.  His Sp. within fills us! (v.19b)

                 a.  Fills us with Himself!

                 b.  Release that in-filling!

The Bottom Line:

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