The Ascription of Praise (1)

We’ve been looking at Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians (3:12-21). Having looked at the Attitudes of prayer (vs. 12‑13), the Approach to Prayer (vs. 14‑15), and the Appeal of prayer (vs. 16-19), we come finally to The Ascription of Praise (20-21): Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

In light of all that glorious truth, there is nothing left to do but praise God in the way Paul does here in verse 20-21. Paul went a little higher until he reached the climax with the words, “We might be dominated with all the dominance of God.” There is nothing more he could do then except praise God for all He has done. In closing the doctrinal half of Ephesians, we note two principles: The measure of power to us and the measure of praise to God.

First, we see the measure of power to us (v. 20). One of the most incomprehensible truths of God’s Word is Paul’s description of God’s power. Verse 20 is one of the most vivid examples of the in­adequacy of human language. Paul cannot find adequate words to describe God’s power, so he heaps superlative upon superlative. He first says that God is able. Scripture several times declares what God is able to do. With the threat of being cast into the furnace for not bowing to worship the Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego humbly responded, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king” (Dan. 3:15-17). “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul,” our Lord declared, “but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). Additionally, “God is able to make all grace abound” (II Cor. 9:8), “is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:10), “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by [Christ]” (Heb. 7:25), “is able to keep that which [we] have committed unto him” (II Tim. 1:12), and “is able to keep [us] from falling” (Jude 24). The root of Paul’s thinking is that God is able.

Therefore, because He is able, God can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. The expression exceeding abundantly is incredible. It is a very rare double compound, huperekperissou. The prefix hyper means “over, beyond, or above,” the primary preposition ek means “out of or from,” and the root perissos means “over and above, more than enough.” It wasn't enough for Paul to say that God can do more than enough, but that He can do above and beyond more than enough. What a paradox! How can one do more than more than enough?

But even that is not all, for Paul adds above again—exceeding abundantly above all things. Above is again huper. The full thought then is: not only can God do more than enough, and above and beyond more than enough, but even more than above and beyond more than enough. In short, God can do infinitely more than what any of us can ask or even think about asking.

Now consider that this unfathomable power of God is the same power that is [working] in us. This power first saved us. It turned a cowardly fisherman named Peter into courageous servant of Christ. It turned a persecutor of the Church named Saul into the greatest preacher of the Gospel. It turned our Lord’s own unbelieving brother James into an uncompromising pillar of the Church. Most Christians can name at least one person they know who was dramatically saved by this power. One man I know was once the distributor of pornography on board a naval vessel, but God gloriously converted him and called him to preach.

This power now continues to [work] in us, “For we are His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10). Oh, that we would realize that God is continually working in us: He uses every message we hear preached; He uses every trial and sorrow we encounter; He uses every joy and triumph we experience; He uses every opportunity to witness we face; in short, He uses everything to work in us. The sooner we realize that truth, the more we are going to mature, the deeper we will grow spiritually.

Why is God working in us in this way? One reason, of course, is to make us all we can be for our own benefit and blessing. But there is a greater reason, and it is this that we will examine next time.