Let’s Start Off Right (January 5, 2025)

Let’s Start 2025 Off Right – too many times people start a New Year off with unrealistic resolutions: new diet, saving money, progress in jobs, new relationship and more. What makes these and other ideas unrealistic? They are not putting God first in those endeavors. I am not saying that these things can’t happen. What I am saying is that if God isn’t FIRST, all things are for naught.

Ephesians 3:20–21 ~ “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

There is encouragement all throughout the Word of God to pray and trust God for the answer, for the plan, for the next steps in our lives, but NO WHERE any better, in my opinion, than here in Ephesians chapter 3. Why?

• God is able to do what we ask. Note just how strong and powerful God is. He is able to do …
  • “exceedingly”: to surpass; to go beyond any request; to overcome and do anything
  • “abundantly”: to overflow and to do more than enough
  • “above”: to go over and beyond, surpassing any need
  • “all that we ask”
  • all that we can think. Imagine going beyond anything we can think of! What is the greatest answer or deliverance we can think? God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can think.

As we think about God’s Power, we must understand what He is able to do. He is able …

• to raise up children from stones

Luke 3:8 ~ “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

• to fulfill promises even if they are humanly impossible

Romans 4:21 ~ “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”

• to make grace abound

2 Corinthians 9:8 ~ “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

• to do exceedingly abundantly

Ephesians 3:20 ~ “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

• to subdue all things

Philippians 3:21 ~ “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

• to guard the soul’s treasure

2 Timothy 1:12 ~ “which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”

• to save to the uttermost

Hebrews 7:25 ~ “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

• to keep us from falling

Jude 24 ~ “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,”

We must also understand the source of answered prayers: it is the power that works in us. What is that power within us? We can’t live a life of sin and think we are going to have the power to answer prayers.

1 Peter 1:14–16 ~ “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

When we are living the holy life God has called us to, we are following God’s Plan for our life, we are placing Him first in all things, turning our desires and our will over to Him … THEN and only THEN … the combine power of all that God has put within us, all that for which we are praying, all that God is and will be:

• the power of the Spirit strengthening us
• the power of Christ indwelling us
• the power of love working in us
• the power of understanding all that God does
• the power of the fullness of God Himself

What is the purpose of God answering out prayers and doing all this for us? So that He might be glorified in the church through Christ Jesus. How long is He to be glorified? Throughout all ages, throughout the world without end.