Add correct line breaks, correct capitalisation, correct punctuation, correct Australian English spelling, and correct KJV Bible verse quotations and references to my paragraphs where applicable. But do NOT — I repeat — do NOT alter or change ANY words from my paragraphs under ALL circumstances.
God Is Able (Ephesians 3:20-21)
42:14 Intro 46:31 I. How Much Is God Able To Do?
48:56 God is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask
54:15 God as able to do exceeding abundantly above what we think
56:28 Example of Abraham
59:09 Example of Moses
1:06:04 God’s power is working in all of God’s children 1:08:10 II. How Must We Respond To Him?
1:11:11 We must glorify God and not ourselves
1:13:12 We give glory to God because of Jesus Christ
1:18:47 We should give glory to God forever and ever
1:26:53 Closing Prayer
Our text for today's message is taken from Ephesians 3:20-21. Allow me to read for you. “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 life, there will always be unpredictable events and unexpected challenges. When things are smooth sailing, it is not difficult for us to acknowledge that God is preserving us moment by moment, accomplishing his purposes in our lives. But when we are faced with the pressures of life, facing the difficulties of paying our mortgages, the struggles of bringing up our children, the negative results from our medical reports, do we begin to wonder, is God still able to help me in this situation today?
The Bible is the Word of God and when we open the sacred pages of the Bible, we are being ministered in so many different ways. At times, we are humbled because we are made conscious of our sins. At other times, we are encouraged because we are reminded of what God has done in Christ Jesus for our salvation. At other times, we are being instructed, rebuilt, and even stirred within our hearts to better serve God.
Here in this passage, it is a doxology. There are many doxologies in the Bible, especially the book of Psalms. A doxology is a short hymn of praise. This particular doxology is not only an outburst of praise to God, but it is also a most comforting doxology because it focuses on the ability of God — what God can do for us.
Nonetheless, it is not a blank check. The words “we” and “us” is a reference to the believers. When we are saved by Christ, when his Spirit has empowered us, when his love has mastered our hearts and filled us with his fullness, when these conditions are met, then God is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
There is no situation in which God is not able to use us for his glory provided we are submitted to him. The title of our message is God Is Able. There are two points in our message in the form of two questions. Firstly, how much is God able to do? And secondly, how must we respond to him?
I. How Much Is God Able To Do?
Verse 20 begins with “Now unto him”. It is an acknowledgement of praise that God is the one who is able. There is no question in the minds of the believers that God is able to do more than what we ask or think. But few Christians actually enjoy the privilege of seeing him do that in their lives because they fail to see the pattern of God’s empowerment in these verses. The phrase ‘he is able’ comes from the Greek word dunamine, which means power, from where we get the English word for dynamite.
Often times verse 20 is known as a pyramid progression of God’s empowerment. It begins with God is able, followed by God is able to do, followed by God is able to do exceeding abundantly, and then God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask. And finally, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think.
The original Greek word for exceeding abundantly literally means above, out of, and abundant. And that was how the King James Bible had translated this phrase. It is something that is out of abundance or super abundantly.
God is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask
How much is God able to do? Firstly, he is able to do super abundantly above all that we ask. It is natural for little children to go to their parents and ask for things like toys, dolls, dinosaurs, and to visit places of interest. We adults also have our asking. We do make requests though very differently. But we do ask for things like secure jobs, better incomes to support the family, good health, and obedient children.
Throughout the Bible, there’s no reproach for the believers who make requests to God except only when we pray in a hypocritical manner or when we ask for the wrong thing and for the wrong reason. As James 4:3 says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
Yes, we do pray. However, our prayers are always very physical instead of spiritual. We ask for security when what we really need is godly courage. We ask for promotion when what we really need is humility. We ask for blessing and prosperity when what we really need is willing sacrifice. We see only those things that are earthbound while God sees into eternity. And he knows what is needful for our souls, what is needful for our lives, and for our lives to touch the lives of others beyond measures. And so he is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask — not according to what we ask, but above what we ask, which is according to his sovereign will.
Recently, I went for a mission trip in Indonesia. There I met an old Christian friend, an army colleague of mine in the past. He is married and for years the couple has been praying for God to bless them with children but they are childless. Ever since then, the couple has been going to Batam, one of the islands in Indonesia, twice a month to visit the orphanages, children homes, and feeding the street kids living under the bridges. My friend said to me, ‘We have prayed to be parents of one or two children, but we have become parents of hundreds.’ Only God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask.
Dear friend, take a moment and consider your life, your prayer life, your experiences with the Almighty God. Do you realise that whatever we ask of God, whenever we ask rightly, not with the wrong motives but for the glory of God, he always has something bigger and greater for us? Something different from what we have anticipated. Something more than we asked for. Isn’t that true?
God as able to do exceeding abundantly above what we think
God is also able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. There are some things in our lives that we pray with great confidence. We know that it is God’s will for us to conquer sin. It is God’s will for us not to yield to temptations. It is God’s will for us to serve him, to lead our own families, etc. And we pray with confidence for these things.
There are other things that we know will please God and we ought to be praying for those things. But then we are not that confident. When we consider our future, we know that it is a blessing to find a godly Christian spouse, get married, establish a home, have children, and serve God as a family. But only perhaps, or maybe it will not happen.
So we can only think in our minds. But whatever we think — whether we have full confidence or not — it will always be way, way below what the sovereign God has in mind for us. Whatever you are thinking at this moment, what God has in mind for you is always far beyond what you would think. What is possible? With God, all things are possible. (Luke 18:27).
Example of Abraham
Allow me to quote two examples in the Bible: Abraham and Moses.
Firstly, let us consider the example of Abraham. God called Abraham when he was a pagan living in the Ur of the Chaldeans. God told him that he will make him into a great nation, bless them that bless him, and curse them that curse him, and he will be a source of blessing to others.
At that time, it would be most difficult for Abraham to fully comprehend how ultimately that source of blessing will come as a result of one of his descendants, the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham did not even have a son. He was old. His wife Sarah was well above the age of childbearing.
So the question is, how to? If you were Abraham what would you be thinking? You’ll be thinking, ‘Lord, just give me a child or give me several children.’ You will probably be thinking that a great nation is just a large family.
Well, the Almighty God eventually gave Abraham a son named Isaac. And the blessing that God had promised became a reality. And that blessing was not limited to his physical descendants, the children of Israel, but it included the entire family of God from amongst all nations throughout human history — including you and me.
When we look back at Abraham’s life, what will we say? We will most certainly testify that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think.
Example of Moses
Consider the example of Moses. God told Moses that he was going to cause the Pharaoh to let the children of Israel leave Egypt, where they were slaves for about 400 years. Moses did not want to go, but God insisted and showed Moses that he would work miracles through him by changing his rod into a serpent and then back again, and then making his hand leprous and then healing it again. Moses went to the Pharaoh.
If you were Moses, would you have anticipated the full magnitude of the ten plagues that God had brought on Egypt — turning the water into blood, the plagues of frogs, flies, boils, hail, locusts, etc., and eventually the death of all the firstborn in Egypt?
Would you have anticipated the miracles of the Exodus — the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of the Egyptians, the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, the manna that came down from heaven, and the water that came out of the rock — and all the other miracles?
Would you have anticipated that God would give to Moses the Ten Commandments and used him to write the first five books of the Bible?
When we look back at Moses’ life, what would we say? We will most certainly testify that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. The same goes with Joshua, King David, Ezra, Nehemiah, the apostles Paul, Peter, and John, and all the saints throughout the generations, including us.
Have you considered your life experiences? How God has answered your prayers above and beyond what you ask or think? Life may not have gone exactly as the way you have planned it. You may have had many disappointments and trials. But if you are really trying to obey God and follow after him, and you carefully trace the footsteps of your life, you can surely say with full confidence: ‘My God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think.’
By way of testimony, when the Lord first called me into the full-time ministry in Singapore, what I asked of God was very simple. It was just for one prison pass. One prison pass to enter into one prison that I may minister to the prisoners. I was given a prison pass, but it was not an ordinary pass. That pass entitled me to enter into all the prisons in Singapore except the women's prisons. At that time, what I could think of was just a ministry within the four walls of the prison cell. And I always thought that five years or 10 years down the road or my entire life would be just about prison ministry.
What about my family? I dare not think of having a family. I could barely support myself. How much less a family? To cut the whole story short, today I'm standing before you, having a family, and pastoring this church in Melbourne. It was something way, way beyond what I've asked or thought. It was never in my thoughts, let alone my asking. What then can I say about my life? God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
What about you, my friend? Have you ever considered how the Lord has brought you thus far? Think about your life, your family, your marriages, your children, your job, your services in the church, etc. Some of us may be thinking, ‘But it cannot possibly apply to me. For others maybe, for Abraham or Moses or David or even full-time ministers, but for ordinary lay people like me, most certainly not.’
God’s power is working in all of God’s children
Well, the Apostle Paul will not leave rooms for this kind of thinking. He showed us that the power that is able to do all these things is the same power that is already at work in all of God's children.
Look at the last part of verse 20: “according to the power that worketh in us.” Christians are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. And God is able to accomplish his purposes not because of our own strength and abilities, but it is through the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is the power that worketh in us.
Jesus said to his disciples in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Remember Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."
So knowing that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us is a most wonderful assurance. But this wonderful promise also demands a response. And this brings us to our second point.
II. How Must We Respond To Him?
How must we respond to him?
Verse 21: “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” The power comes from God. Then the glory must go to him. Glory is due to God in the church because he has chosen to use the church, the body of believers, as the instrument to accomplish his purposes on this earth.
Through the church, the gospel message is preached. The doctrines of God are taught. God's people are nurtured in his grace and equipped to serve him. Whatever has been accomplished by us in Bethel BP church, it is done because God is able and he has enabled us. Therefore, glory belongs to him. God deserves to be glorified in the church.
As we consider our Myanmar missions, we started off with supporting only two missionaries, Reverend Biak and Reverend Lian Uk. That was when I first came to this church. Subsequently they went on to establish First BP church in Insein, Bethel BP church in Dagon, Ngalti BP church in Chin state, Truth Theological College, the Christian literature ministry, and so forth.
Our Myanmar brethren knew that a lot of money was needed to establish and sustain all these ministries, and they acknowledged that many Bethelites have given most cheerfully to support their work. They are very thankful and they always give thanks in their prayers to the Bethelites. So much so that I'm afraid that we may rob the glory of God that is due unto him.
We must glorify God and not ourselves
It is a thin line between glorifying God and glorifying ourselves. We must be extremely careful to remind ourselves, as John the Baptist said, "He" - Jesus Christ - "must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)
As a church, some of us have been called to serve in different areas of ministries. Are you serving God in the power of your own strength or in his power that worketh in you? If you are serving in his power that worketh in you, then you have absolutely no reason to glorify yourself.
Whether you are a leader, a worship chairman, an usher, a Sunday school teacher, a DHW facilitator, a pianist, or a sister involved in the refreshment or flower arrangement team, you must realise that it is God who has opened the door for you to serve. And it is God who has enabled you to serve according to the power that worketh in you.
Just because we have done well and someone has said some nice things about our services, we must never allow pride to creep into our lives, into our services. We humble ourselves and give all glory and honour that is due unto him.
We give glory to God because of Jesus Christ
As a church, we are able to give glory to God all because of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus." The church is made up of the body of believers.
In the past, we walk according to the cause of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, that is Satan. We were by nature the children of wrath. We could never understand what it means to serve God. As 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
In the past, we look at Christians going to church as legalism. We look at Christians serving God as slavery. We look at Christians giving their tithes and offerings as taxes and donations. We could never understand.
But by the grace of God, we have been made conscious of our sins, the penalty of sins, and the judgment that awaits us. We were brought under conviction. And the Bible points us to the only saviour, Jesus Christ, who came into this world, lived a perfect life. He suffered. He was crucified on the cross of Calvary, shedding his precious blood to save us from our sins. He died. He was buried. But the grave cannot consume him. For he rose again from the dead on the third day. He is the resurrection and the life.
By the grace of God, we believe in him. By faith, we embrace him as our Lord and Saviour. We are united with Christ. We are one with him. The Holy Spirit indwelled in our hearts. And from then onwards, we are able to dedicate our lives to serve him.
We call ourselves Christians and we represent him on this earth. His glory is reflected in what we do as his body which is the church. Our actions can either honour or dishonour Jesus Christ. And so we must always be mindful and consider if our actions are bringing him honour or dishonour.
Again, as a church, as a family, as an individual, it is easy for us to give thanks when things are running smoothly, when our mission churches are growing, when our children are strong and healthy, when our young people have found godly Christian partners.
But when tragedy strikes at the heart of the family, when cancer comes upon us, when our loved ones are taken away from us, when our mission churches are being persecuted, can we still give glory to God? Can we still say my God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think?
If we are not able to, then it simply shows that our love for God, the glory we give unto him, is only based on the circumstances of life. When times are good, we praise him. When times are bad, we murmur and complain. Is that the way we live our lives? God forbids. Oh Lord, teach us to give glory and honour unto thee in all circumstances.
We should give glory to God forever and ever
For how long, you may ask, for how long should we give glory to God? Forever and ever. The Bible says, “throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21)
There will never be a moment that the glory of God is not due to him. And there will never be a moment that God is not able to do and to work in our lives through his power, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
In moments of great success, he is able. In moments of our greatest fear, he is able. In moments of difficulties and struggles, he is able. When the challenge ahead is too great, he's still able. Forever and ever He's able and glory is due unto Him.
Ever since when I became a Christian, I love to attend Thanksgiving services. I would listen in amazement to the believers giving reasons for their thanksgiving. Someone might give thanks for a child soon to be born, despite doctors having repeatedly said that the couple having a child was impossible. While the couple was recounting their blessings, another couple sitting in the pews might be stirred with a deep emotion because no such miracle child has come to them. And most recently they has just lost or suffered their fourth miscarriage.
Another sister might give thanks to God for ministering to her during the most trying moments of her life, when her late husband was dying of cancer. Very different circumstances and situations. Yet they all gave thanks to God.
If the unbelieving world were to look at all these accounts, what would their response be? Most likely they would say, ‘Well, wait a minute. This one gave thanks for a new life given to her. That one gave thanks when he received no such blessing. And that final one gave thanks for a life taken away from her. It doesn't make sense.’
Yes, it doesn't make earthly sense. But the God of heaven, infinite in wisdom, if He were to answer the prayers of His dear children, do you expect Him to be limited by our earthly wisdom and understanding of things? Of course not. We expect our God to work in ways beyond and above our asking and thinking.
Our prayers are always limited by our human wisdom. We think we will be happy if we see the perfect sunset or sunrise, if we meet the right person, if we get the right job or if we get relief from the sickness that troubles us.
But the Almighty God sees beyond the sunrise, beyond the trials, beyond the afflictions, beyond the heart. He knows all these things would distract his dear children from a total dependence upon him. So oftentimes he would allow those circumstances into our lives, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Dear friend, I do not know what you are going through. There may be trials just around the corner of your life. Or you may already be facing one right now. Or you may be encountering great victories and blessing after blessing. We cannot understand the circumstances of life, nor do we pretend to understand. But one thing we do know, there's one who is in control of all things, and he is the almighty God.
And we learn to humble ourselves before him, always trust trusting and resting in His love, and seeking Him in prayers. God listens to our prayers, and when he answers, he will answer our prayers most amazingly.
And we can say with full confidence, whatever be the situation, whatever be the circumstances or adversities, come what may, my God 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.
May this doxology always be on our lips and be applied into our lives to the glory of God.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray.
Father in heaven, indeed even as we consider these two verses, it is a hymn of praise onto Thee, acknowledging that Thou alone are the one who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Indeed, as we look back upon our lives, our church, our families, Thou has been so gracious, merciful, and Thou has brought us to this place, and it is something that is beyond and above what we ask or think. Thou art really so good.
And the power that Thou has enabled us to do the things set before us is through Thy spirit and so glory is due onto Thee. And we are able to glorify Thee all because of our Lord Jesus who came for us and saved us and indwelled us with His spirit, empowering us at every moment of our lives that we may continue to glorify Thee in all circumstances. Not only in good circumstances but in adversities as well forever and ever throughout all ages world without end.
And this is what we long and desire to say for the rest of our lives. And may this doxology not just be a verse or verses that we recite in our lips but also be applied into our lives all to the glory of Thy precious name.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Add correct line breaks, correct capitalisation, correct punctuation, correct Australian English spelling, and correct KJV Bible verse quotations and references to my paragraphs where applicable. But do NOT — I repeat — do NOT alter or change ANY words from my paragraphs under ALL circumstances.
In life, there will always be unpredictable events and unexpected challenges. When things are smooth sailing, it is not difficult for us to acknowledge that God is preserving us moment by moment, accomplishing his purposes in our lives. But when we are faced with the pressures of life, facing the difficulties of paying our mortgages, the struggles of bringing up our children, the negative results from our medical reports, do we begin to wonder, is God still able to help me in this situation today? The Bible is the word of God. And when we open the sacred pages of the Bible, we are being ministered in so many different ways. At times, we are humbled because we are made conscious of our sins. At other times, we are encouraged because we are reminded of what God has done in Christ Jesus for our salvation. At other times, we are being instructed, rebuilt, and even stirred within our hearts to better serve God. Here in this passage, it is a doxology. There are many doxologies in the Bible, especially the book of Psalms. A doxology is a short hymn of praise. This particular doxology is not only an outburst of praise to God, but it is also a most comforting doxology because it focuses on the ability of God. What God can do for us. Nonetheless, it is not a blank check. The words we and us is a reference to the believers. When we are saved by Christ, when his spirit has empowered us, when his love has mastered our hearts and filled us with his fullness, when these conditions are met, then God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. There is no situation in which God is not able to use us for his glory provided we are submitted to him. The title of our message is God is able. There are two points in our message in the form of two questions. Firstly, how much is God able to do? And secondly, how must we respond to him? Verse 20 begins with now onto him. It is an acknowledgement of praise that God is the one who is able. There is no question in the minds of the believers that God is able to do more than what we ask or think. But few Christians actually enjoy the privilege of seeing him do that in their lives because they fail to see the pattern of God's empowerment in these verses. The phrase he is able comes from the Greek word dunamine which means power from where we get the English word for dynamite. Often times verse 20 is known as a pyramid progression of God's empowerment. It begins with God is able followed by God is able to do followed by God is able to do exceeding abundantly and then God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask. And finally, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. The original Greek word for exceeding abundantly literally means above, out of, and abundant. And that was how the King James Bible had translated this phrase. It is something that is out of abundance or super abundantly. How much is God able to do? Firstly, he is able to do super abundantly above all that we ask. It is natural for little children to go to their parents and ask for things like toys, dolls, dinosaurs, and to visit places of interest. We adults also have our asking. We do make requests though very differently. But we do ask for things like secure jobs, better incomes to support the family, good health, and obedient children. Throughout the Bible, there's no reproach for the believers who make requests to God except only when we pray in a hypocritical manner or when we ask for the wrong thing and for the wrong reason. As James 4:3 says, "E ask and receive not because he has a miss that he may consume it upon your lust." Yes, we do pray. However, our prayers are always very physical instead of spiritual. We ask for security when what we really need is godly courage. We ask for promotion when what we really need is humility. We ask for blessing and prosperity. When what we really need is willing sacrifice, we see only those things that are earthbound while God sees into eternity. And he knows what is needful for our souls, what is needful for our lives and for our lives to touch the lives of others beyond measures. And so he is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask. Not according to what we ask, but above what we ask, which is according to his sovereign will. Recently, I went for a mission trip in Indonesia. There I met an old Christian friend, an army colleague of mine in the past. He is married and for years the couple has been praying for God to bless them with children but they are childless. Ever since then, the couple has been going to Batam, one of the islands in Indonesia, twice a month to visit the orphanages, children homes, and feeding the street kids living under the bridges. My friend said to me, "We have prayed to be parents of one or two children, but we have become parents of hundreds. Only God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask. Dear friend, take a moment and consider your life, your prayer life, your experiences with the Almighty God, do you realize that whatever we ask of God, whenever we ask rightly, not with the wrong motives, but for the glory of God, he always has Something bigger and greater for us. Something different from what we have anticipated. Something more than we asked for. Isn't that true? God is also able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. There are some things in our lives that we pray with great confidence. We know that it is God's will for us to conquer sin. It is God's will for us not to yield to temptations. It is God's will for us to serve him, to lead our own families, etc. And we pray with God confidence for these things. There are other things that we know will please God and we ought to be praying for those things. But then we are not that confident. When we consider our future, we know that it is a blessing to find a godly Christian spouse, get married, establish a home, have children, and serve God as a family. But only perhaps, or maybe it will not happen. So we can only think in our minds. But whether we whatever we think whether we have full confidence or not, it will always be way way below what the sovereign God has in mind for us. Whatever you are thinking at this moment, what God has in mind for you is always far beyond what you would think. What is possible with God all things are possible. Allow me to quote two examples in the Bible. Abraham and Moses. Firstly, let us consider the example of Abraham. God called Abraham when he was a pagan living in the ear of the cowians. God told him that he will make him into a great nation. Bless them that bless him and curse them that curse him and he will be a source of blessing to others. At that time it would be most difficult for Abraham to fully comprehend how ultimately that source of blessing will come as a result of one of his descendants, the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham did not even have a son. He was old. His wife Sarah was well above the age of childbearing. So the question is how to if you were Abraham what would you be thinking? You'll be thinking, "Lord, just give me a child or give me several children." You will probably be thinking that a great nation is just a large family. Well, the Almighty God eventually gave Abraham a son named Isaac. And the blessing that God had promised became a reality. And that blessing was not limited to his physical descendants, the children of Israel, but it included the entire family of God from amongst all nations throughout human history. including you and me. When we look back at Abraham's life, what will we say? We will most certainly testify that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. Consider the example of Moses. God told Moses that he was going to cause the Pharaoh to let the children of Israel leave Egypt where they were slaves for about 400 years. Moses did not want to go, but God insisted and showed Moses that he would work miracles through him by changing his rod into a serpent and then back again and then making his hand lepous and then healing it again. Moses went to the Pharaoh. If you were Moses, would you have anticipated the full magnitude of the 10 plagues that God had brought on Egypt, turning the water into blood, the plagues of frogs, flies, boils, hails, locust, etc. and eventually the death of all the firstborn in Egypt. Would you have anticipated the miracles of the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of the Egyptians, the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, the mana that came down from heaven, and the water that came out of the rock, and all the other miracles, would you have anticipated that God would gave to Moses the Ten Commandments and used him to write the first five books of the Bible. When we look back at Moses' life, what would we say? We will most certainly testify that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we think. The same goes with Joshua, King David, Ezra, Nemiah, the apostles Paul, Peter, and John, and all the saints throughout the generations, including us. Have you considered your life experiences? How God has answered your prayers above and beyond what you ask or think. Life may not have gone exactly as the way you have planned it. You may have had many disappointments and trials, but if you are really trying to obey God and follow after him and you carefully trace the footsteps of your life, you can surely say with full confidence, "My God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think.
Add correct line breaks, correct capitalisation, correct punctuation, correct Australian English spelling, and correct KJV Bible verse quotations and references to my paragraphs where applicable. But do NOT — I repeat — do NOT alter or change ANY words from my paragraphs under ALL circumstances.
By way of testimony, when the Lord first called me into the full-time ministry in Singapore, what I asked of God was very simple. It was just for one prison pass. One prison pass to enter into one prison that I may minister to the prisoners. I was given a prison pass, but it was not an ordinary pass. That pass entitled me to enter into all the prisons in Singapore except the women's prisons. At that time, what I could think of was just a ministry within the four walls of the prison cell. And I always thought that five years or 10 years down the road or my entire life would be just about prison ministry. What about my family? I dare not think of having a family. I could barely support myself. How much less a family? To cut the whole story short, today I'm standing before you, having a family, and pastoring this church in Melbourne. It was something way, way beyond what I've asked or thought. It was never in my thoughts less alone let alone my asking. What then can I say about my life? God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. What about you, my friend? Have you ever considered how the Lord has brought you thus far? Think about your life, your family, your marriages, your children, your job, your services in the church, etc. Some of us may be thinking, "But it cannot possibly apply to me. For others maybe for Abraham or Moses or David or even full-time ministers, but for ordinary lay people like me, most certainly not." Well, the Apostle Paul will not leave rooms for this kind of thinking. He showed us that the power that is able to do all these things is the same power that is already at work in all of God's children. Look at the last part of verse 20. according to the power that workketh in us. Christians are indwwellled with the Holy Spirit. And God is able to accomplish his purposes not because of our own strength and abilities, but it is through the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is the power that workketh in us. Jesus said to his disciples in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall be ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and onto the uttermost part of the earth." Remember Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, sayeth the Lord of hosts." So knowing that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that workketh in us is a most wonderful assurance. But this wonderful promise also demands a response. And this brings us to our second point. How must we respond to him? Verse 21. Onto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. The power comes from God. Then the glory must go to him. Glory is due to God in the church because he has chosen to use the church, the body of believers as the instrument to accomplish his purposes on this earth. Through the church, the gospel message is preached. The doctrines of God are taught. God's people are nurtured in his grace and equipped to serve him. Whatever has been accomplished by us in better BB church, it is done because God is able and he has enabled us. Therefore, glory belongs to him. God deserve to be glorified in the church. As we consider our mama missions, we started off with supporting only two missionaries, Reverend Bak and Reverend Linuk. That was when I first came to this church. Subsequently they went on to establish first BP church in better BB church in Don Gouti BBP church in theqin state truth theological college the Christian literature ministry and so forth. Our myama brethren knew that a lot of money was needed to establish and sustain all these ministries and they acknowledged that many better lives have given most cheerfully to support their work. They are very thankful and they always give thanks in their prayers. to the battle lights. So much so that I'm afraid that we may rob the glory of God that is due unto him. It is a thin line between glorifying God and glorifying ourselves. We must be extremely careful to remind ourselves as John the Baptist said, "He, Jesus Christ, must increase, but I must decrease." As a church, some of us have been called to serve in different areas of ministries. Are you serving God in the power of your own strength or in his power that workketh in you? If you are serving in his power that workketh in you, then you have absolutely no reason to glorify yourself. Whether you are a leader, a worship chairman, an usher, a Sunday school teacher, a DHW facilitator, a pianist or a sister involved in the refreshment or flower arrangement team, you must realize that it is God who has opened the door for you to serve. And it is God who has enabled you to serve according to the power that workketh in you. Just because we have done well and someone has said some nice things about our services, we must never allow pride to creep into our lives into our services. We humble ourselves and give all glory and honor that is due unto him. As a church, we are able to give glory to God all because of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. The church is made up of the body of believers. In the past, we walk according to the cause of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, that is Satan. We were by nature the children of wrath. We could never understand what it means to serve God. As 1 Corinthians chapter 2:14 says, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." In the past, we look at Christians going to church as legalism. We look at Christians serving God as slavery. We look at Christians giving their tithes and offerings as taxes and donations. We could never understand. But by the grace of God, we have been made conscious of our sins, the penalty of sins, and the judgment that awaits us. We were brought under conviction. And the Bible points us to the only savior, Jesus Christ, who came into this world, lived a perfect life. He suffered. He was crucified on the cross of Calvary, shedding his precious blood to save us from our sins. He died. He was buried. But the grave cannot consume him. For he rose again from the dead on the third day. He is the resurrection and the life. By the grace of God, we believe in him. By faith, we embrace him as our Lord and Savior. We are united with Christ. We are one with him. The Holy Spirit indwelled in our hearts. And from then onwards, we are able to dedicate our lives to serve him. We call ourselves Christians and we represent him on this earth. His glory is reflected in what we do as his body which is the church. Our actions can either honor or dishonor Jesus Christ. And so we must always be mindful and consider if our actions are bringing him honor or dishonor. Again, as a church, as a family, as an individual, it is easy for us to give thanks when things are running smoothly. When our mission churches are growing, when our children are strong and healthy, when our young people have found godly Christian puns, but when tragedy strikes at the heart of the family, when cancer comes upon us, when our loved ones are taken away from us, When our mission churches are being persecuted, can we still give glory to God? Can we still say my God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think. If we are not able to, then it simply shows that our love for God, the glory we give unto him is only based on the circumstances of life. When times are good, we praise him. When times are bad, we murmur and complain. Is that the way we live our lives? God forbids. Oh Lord, teach us to give glory and honor unto thee in all circumstances. For how long, you may ask, for how long should we give glory to God? Forever and ever. The Bible says throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. There will never be a moment that the glory of God is not due to him. And there will never be a moment that God is not able to do and to work in our lives through his power exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. In moments of great success, he is able. In moments of our greatest fear, he is able. In moments of difficulties and struggles, he is able. When the challenge ahead is too great, he's still able forever and ever. He's able and glory is due unto him. Ever since when I became a Christian, I love to attend Thanksgiving services. I would listen in amazement to the believers giving reasons for their thanksgiving. Someone might give thanks for a child soon to be born. Despite doctors having repeatedly said that the couple having a child was impossible. While the couple was recounting their blessings, another couple sitting in the pews might be stirred with a deep emotion because no such miracle child has come to them. And most recently they has just lost or suffered their fourth miscarriage. Another sister might give thanks to God for ministering to her during the most trying moments of her life when her late husband was dying of cancer. very different circumstances and situations. Yet they all gave thanks to God. If the unbelieving world were to look at all these accounts, what would their response be? Most likely they would say, "Well, wait a minute. This one gave thanks for a new life given to her. That one gave thanks when he received no such blessing. And that final one gave thanks for a life taken away from her. It doesn't make sense. Yes, it doesn't make earthly sense. But the God of heaven, infinite in wisdom, if he were to answer the prayers of his dear children, do you expect him to be limited by our earthly wisdom and understanding of things? Of course not. We expect our God to work in ways beyond and above our asking and thinking. Our prayers are always limited by our human wisdom. We think we will be happy if we see the perfect sunset or sunrise. If we meet the right person, if we get the right job or if we get relief from the sickness that troubles us. But the Almighty God sees beyond the sunrise, beyond the trials, beyond the afflictions, beyond the heart. He knows all these things would distract his dear children from a total dependence upon him. So often times he would allow those circumstances into our lives that all things work together for good to them that love him to them who are the called according to his purpose. Dear friend, I do not know what you are going through. There may be trials just around the corner of your life. Or you may already be facing one right now. Or you may be encountering great victories and blessing after blessing. We cannot understand the circumstances of life, nor do we pretend to understand. But one thing we do know, there's one who is in control of all things and he is the almighty God. And we learn to humble ourselves before him. always trust trusting and resting in his love and seeking him in prayers. God listens to our prayers and when he answers, he will answer our prayers most amazingly. And we can say with full confidence, whatever be the situation, whatever be the circumstances or adversities, come what may, my God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask all thing, according to the power that workketh in us. unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end. Amen. May this doxology always be on our lips and be applied into our lives to the glory of God. Let us pray. Father in heaven, indeed even as we consider these two verses, it is a hymn of praise onto thee, acknowledging that thou alone are the one who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Indeed, as we look back upon our lives, our church, our families, thou has been so gracious, merciful, and thou has brought us to this place, and it is something that is beyond and above what we ask or think. Thou art really so good. And the power that thou has enabled us to do the things set before us is through thy spirit. And so glory is due onto thee. And we are able to glorify thee all because of our Lord Jesus who came for us and saved us and indwelt us with his spirit, empowering us at every moment of our lives that we may continue to glorify thee in all circumstances. Not only in good circumstances but in adversities as well forever and ever throughout all ages were without end. And this is what we long and desire to say for the rest of our lives. And may this doxology not just be a verse or verses that we recite in our lips but also be applied into our lives all to the glory of thy precious name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.