WEBVTT 00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:05.620 How big is God's power? Big enough to answer prayer? Big enough to change a life? 00:00:06.220 --> 00:00:11.000 If you try to describe how big God's power is, how would you do it? 00:00:11.860 --> 00:00:17.640 In Ephesians chapter 3, the Apostle Paul tries to describe it, and something surprising happens. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:24.700 He runs out of words. Yeah, Paul, who wrote 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament, 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:32.820 nearly half of them. So, he starts stacking words. Abundant. Exceedingly abundant. Beyond 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:40.040 exceedingly abundant. It's almost like the language itself starts to break. And when we slow down 00:00:40.100 --> 00:00:46.100 enough to notice it, we discover one of the most explosive descriptions of God's power in the entire 00:00:46.420 --> 00:00:47.140 New Testament. 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:04.839 it. Hello, beloved, and welcome to Verses We Missed. I'm your host, your OG Godcaster, 00:01:05.339 --> 00:01:10.680 Steve Webb. Every week we slow down and spend time with the quieter parts of Scripture, 00:01:11.180 --> 00:01:17.700 The verses that hide in plain sight, the ones that reward a slower reading and a prayerful heart. 00:01:18.420 --> 00:01:21.420 This is your midweek breath of Scripture and grace. 00:01:22.420 --> 00:01:26.440 Today we're looking at a verse that many Christians know or at least think they know. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:33.160 But like a lot of famous Bible verses, it's often quoted without really noticing what's going on in the text. 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:34.740 Here it is. 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:41.720 Now, to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the 00:01:41.850 --> 00:01:49.340 power of work within us, that's Ephesians 3.20. Now, most of the time we hear this verse used as 00:01:49.390 --> 00:01:55.080 an encouragement, and that's not wrong, it is encouraging. But something fascinating is 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:01.339 happening here in the original language. Because when Paul tries to describe God's ability in this 00:02:01.360 --> 00:02:09.700 verse, he almost runs out of words. He tries to explain how great God's power is, and normal 00:02:09.899 --> 00:02:16.800 language just is not big enough. So he does something unusual. He starts stacking words 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:23.180 together, one on top of another, almost like he's pushing the Greek language beyond its normal 00:02:23.430 --> 00:02:29.300 limits. And the result is one of the most over-the-top expressions in the entire New Testament. 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:34.940 Today, we're going to look at the prayer that leads up to this verse, the incredible Greek 00:02:35.220 --> 00:02:41.460 word Paul uses, why he stacks those words together, and what this tells us about the 00:02:41.640 --> 00:02:44.380 power of God already at work in believers. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:50.640 But first, let's step back and look at the context, because this verse doesn't just 00:02:50.860 --> 00:02:51.720 appear out of nowhere. 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:54.960 Now, before we go forward, let me ask you something. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.680 Have you ever prayed for something and then afterward thought, maybe that prayer was too 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:00.980 big? 00:03:01.590 --> 00:03:02.760 Or maybe just the opposite. 00:03:03.040 --> 00:03:05.720 Maybe you thought, I probably should have prayed for more. 00:03:06.740 --> 00:03:11.880 Well, keep that thought in mind as we go through this passage today, because Paul is about 00:03:12.100 --> 00:03:14.060 to challenge the way we think about prayer. 00:03:15.320 --> 00:03:17.380 So here's the prayer behind the verse. 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:21.220 Ephesians 3.20 is actually the conclusion of a prayer. 00:03:21.940 --> 00:03:23.760 Paul begins that prayer in verse 14. 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:27.900 He says, For this reason I bow my knees before the Father. 00:03:28.470 --> 00:03:32.520 Then Paul begins asking God for something remarkable on behalf of believers. 00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:38.960 He prays that they would be strengthened with the power through the Spirit, and that Christ 00:03:39.440 --> 00:03:44.980 would dwell in their hearts through faith, and that they would grasp the vast love of 00:03:45.160 --> 00:03:49.140 Christ, and that they would be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:51.660 Beloved, that's a big prayer, right? 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:55.580 Paul is praying for deep spiritual transformation. 00:03:56.510 --> 00:04:01.460 Paul wants believers to understand something that is almost impossible to comprehend, 00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:03.280 the love of Christ. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.020 And then Paul finishes that prayer. 00:04:06.660 --> 00:04:08.300 And it's almost like he pauses. 00:04:08.980 --> 00:04:14.240 It's as if he's reflecting on the magnitude of what he just asked God to do. 00:04:14.980 --> 00:04:15.660 And then he says, 00:04:16.380 --> 00:04:19.420 Let me remind you something about the God we just prayed to. 00:04:20.260 --> 00:04:21.920 And that brings us to verse 20. 00:04:23.020 --> 00:04:29.120 Let's read the verse again. Now, to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we 00:04:29.310 --> 00:04:36.540 ask or think. Now, in English, that sounds like strong emphasis. But in Greek, something unusual 00:04:36.780 --> 00:04:43.880 is happening. And this brings us to today's nerd nugget. The phrase translated as far more abundantly 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:47.600 actually comes from one single Greek word. 00:04:48.260 --> 00:04:50.700 And that word is huperech parisu. 00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:53.800 Now, don't worry, there won't be a quiz later. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.820 But once we break this word apart, something remarkable appears. 00:04:58.680 --> 00:05:01.840 Paul built this word by stacking intensifiers. 00:05:02.600 --> 00:05:03.920 Well, let me show you what Paul does here. 00:05:04.980 --> 00:05:07.740 He starts with a Greek word that simply means abundant. 00:05:08.440 --> 00:05:10.060 That word is parisos. 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:13.500 Then he intensifies it by adding another piece of the word. 00:05:13.960 --> 00:05:15.880 Now it means exceedingly abundant. 00:05:16.420 --> 00:05:17.700 But Paul still isn't satisfied. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:20.400 So then he adds another prefix that means beyond. 00:05:20.960 --> 00:05:25.420 And suddenly the meaning becomes something like beyond exceedingly abundant. 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:28.740 Paul is basically turbocharging the word. 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:31.380 Now, when I first looked at that Greek word, 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:35.140 I couldn't help but think about a word that many of us heard growing up. 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:38.040 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. 00:05:38.580 --> 00:05:40.440 You remember that from Mary Poppins, right? 00:05:40.840 --> 00:05:45.060 In the song, they say it's a word you use when you don't quite know what to say, 00:05:45.440 --> 00:05:47.140 but you know something is extraordinary. 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:50.180 And in a way, that's what Paul is doing here. 00:05:50.960 --> 00:05:56.480 He's trying to describe how great God's power is, and normal vocabulary just isn't enough. 00:05:57.200 --> 00:06:01.320 So, he stacks words together until the phrase basically means, as I said before, 00:06:02.119 --> 00:06:03.640 beyond exceedingly abundant. 00:06:04.320 --> 00:06:08.600 It's Paul's way of saying, I'm running out of language to describe what God can do. 00:06:09.460 --> 00:06:14.440 Now, if we translated Paul's phrase extremely literally, it might sound something like this. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:21.140 Now, to him who is able to do super, exceedingly, abundantly beyond everything we ask or think. 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:24.580 You could almost hear Paul thinking, abundant. 00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:25.860 No, that's not enough. 00:06:26.640 --> 00:06:27.480 Exceedingly abundant. 00:06:28.060 --> 00:06:29.020 Still not enough. 00:06:29.460 --> 00:06:30.460 Let's add another word. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:33.980 Paul stacks the words until the language almost bursts, 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:39.160 because he's trying to describe something that ordinary language struggles to capture. 00:06:39.960 --> 00:06:46.720 God's ability. So, when Paul tries to describe God's power, language reaches its limit long 00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:52.000 before God's power does. Well, let's stop here and let me ask you another question. 00:06:52.860 --> 00:06:58.420 When you think about God's power, do you think of it as distant? Something God does out there 00:06:58.580 --> 00:07:03.660 somewhere? Or do you think of it as something that might actually be active in your life today? 00:07:04.380 --> 00:07:07.940 Because Paul is about to say something that just might surprise us. 00:07:08.640 --> 00:07:09.180 He continues, 00:07:10.260 --> 00:07:12.380 Then all we ask or think. 00:07:13.080 --> 00:07:17.700 Well, that sentence fragment there has two limits, what we ask and what we think. 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:20.920 Well, maybe prayer is limited by what we dare to ask. 00:07:21.640 --> 00:07:23.140 Sometimes we pray cautiously. 00:07:23.790 --> 00:07:25.240 We pray safe prayers. 00:07:25.940 --> 00:07:29.920 But Paul says that God's ability exceeds even the boldest prayer. 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:31.860 But then he goes further. 00:07:32.460 --> 00:07:38.700 God also exceeds what we think, even our imagination, even our biggest dreams, 00:07:39.280 --> 00:07:44.780 even our most hopeful expectations. God's power is still beyond that. 00:07:45.940 --> 00:07:51.720 Now, here's the part that people often miss. Paul says, according to the power at work within us. 00:07:52.540 --> 00:07:57.980 Did you catch that? Paul doesn't say the power that God might someday give you. He says, 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:06.120 the power already at work within us. Beloved, that is astonishing. The God whose power surpasses 00:08:06.300 --> 00:08:14.160 imagination, the God whose ability goes beyond our biggest prayers, that same power already is 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:19.460 operating within believers, according to Paul here. Think about that for a moment. If you are 00:08:19.460 --> 00:08:25.979 a follower of Christ, the power of God is not just something you hope for. It's something already at 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:31.500 work inside you? What difference might that make in how you live this week, how you pray, 00:08:31.880 --> 00:08:37.760 and how you trust God? What's the purpose of this power? Paul answers that in the very next verse. 00:08:38.560 --> 00:08:44.860 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. 00:08:45.500 --> 00:08:52.719 Amen. So listen, God's power is not ultimately about our comfort or our success. It's about 00:08:53.000 --> 00:09:00.240 God's glory displayed in His people and displayed in His church across generations. 00:09:01.660 --> 00:09:08.480 So let's bring it together now. When Paul says God can do far more abundantly than we ask or think, 00:09:09.040 --> 00:09:14.840 he's reminding us of something very important. Our prayers may be limited, our imagination may 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:21.120 be limited, but God is not limited, and His power is already at work among His people. 00:09:25.280 --> 00:09:25.760 Let's pray. 00:09:51.260 --> 00:09:55.840 and help us to remember that that same power that raised Christ from the dead 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:57.920 is at work within your people. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.200 Father, may our lives bring glory to you. 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:03.320 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:10:04.530 --> 00:10:04.680 Amen. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:18.120 Well, before we wrap up today, let me just take a moment to mention something. 00:10:19.040 --> 00:10:23.980 Verses we missed and other LifeSpring Media podcasts are supported through your value for value support. 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:26.560 What that simply means is this. 00:10:27.300 --> 00:10:33.680 If the show brings value to you, if it helps you understand scripture, if it encourages your walk with Jesus, 00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:37.860 then I invite you to return value in whatever way makes sense for you. 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:39.660 Time, talent, or treasure. 00:10:40.280 --> 00:10:41.760 That might be prayer for the ministry. 00:10:42.380 --> 00:10:48.340 It might be sharing the show with someone or sending a note of encouragement to me, Steve at LifeSpringMedia.com. 00:10:48.660 --> 00:10:51.920 Or it might mean financial support if you feel led. 00:10:52.540 --> 00:10:57.080 There's never any obligation, but I will tell you that you will feel really good when you participate. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:03.240 If you'd like to support the work, you can visit LifespringMedia.com slash support to find out more. 00:11:03.880 --> 00:11:06.200 Thank you to everyone who already supports the show. 00:11:06.310 --> 00:11:07.880 I truly do appreciate it. 00:11:08.400 --> 00:11:11.880 And some recent donors are Chris Hamilton, who came in with $500. 00:11:12.580 --> 00:11:15.700 Phil Colburn came in with $333.33. 00:11:16.800 --> 00:11:18.800 Howie Sarmiento came in with $100. 00:11:19.420 --> 00:11:21.880 Leo Bravo came in with $33.33. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:24.560 Jamie Lodberg came in with $20. 00:11:25.040 --> 00:11:26.660 Chase Jacobson came in with $20. 00:11:27.160 --> 00:11:31.740 And Brother Michael Hainer sends $7.77 every week like clockwork. 00:11:32.100 --> 00:11:34.420 Not to mention he streams Satoshis as he listens. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:39.240 And speaking of streaming, I want to thank those of you who send boosts and boostograms. 00:11:39.300 --> 00:11:40.020 God bless you guys. 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:41.600 May God bless each one of you. 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:43.060 Thank you so much. 00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:49.580 Beloved, the next time you read Ephesians 3.20, remember what Paul is showing us. 00:11:50.140 --> 00:11:55.620 The God you pray to is able to do more than you ask, more than you imagine, and more than 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:56.860 words can fully describe. 00:11:57.720 --> 00:11:59.140 His power is not distant. 00:11:59.660 --> 00:12:01.120 It's already at work in his people. 00:12:01.760 --> 00:12:06.220 And when you remember that, Ephesians 3.20 becomes a verse you'll never read the same 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:06.940 way again. 00:12:07.640 --> 00:12:09.600 And that's a verse we almost missed. 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:11.320 May God bless you richly. 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:12.520 I'm Steve Webb. 00:12:13.280 --> 00:12:13.420 Bye. 00:12:41.340 --> 00:12:42.300 Bye.