One of my very favorite promises is Ephesians 3:20:
"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." Eph. 3:20
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" Jer. 32:27
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jer. 33:3
Did you catch that? He says if we call upon Him, He will show us great and mighty things which we do not know!
"We may have had a measure of the Spirit of God, but by prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 507, 508
"God’s ideal for His children is higher than the highest human thought can reach...There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward…" Heavenly Places, p. 141
So as I've been claiming this promise, it suddenly occurred to me recently that I should start asking for that "exceeding abundantly ABOVE all that we ask or think" gift. I mean, I don't know what to ask for, but obviously God has more blessings that He could give, if I just believed and asked. So with that thought in mind, I have literally started praying, "God, I don't even know what that exceeding abundantly above blessing is…but I'm asking for it. I want the blessing that I don't even know how to ask for!"
Well, this morning I was crying out to God, literally in tears, for this blessing. As I pray, I often have my Bible in my hands, and I will thumb through it looking for different promises to claim in my prayers. (Praying the Word is such a powerful experience, and it has given me so much more strength and confidence in prayer!) Anyway, I hadn't opened my Bible yet, but I was just holding it and praying. Then, realizing I needed promises to stand upon, I opened my Bible. With no thought or intent on my part, it opened randomly to Jeremiah 32 and 33. Two promises that I had previously underlined just jumped out at me. Then the tears really started flowing as I realized what God was saying to me. He was telling me… "Some may think you are crazy…but what you are asking for really is possible, I can do it! See here, I've already promised it!"
So here's the promises He gave me:
Well, this morning I was crying out to God, literally in tears, for this blessing. As I pray, I often have my Bible in my hands, and I will thumb through it looking for different promises to claim in my prayers. (Praying the Word is such a powerful experience, and it has given me so much more strength and confidence in prayer!) Anyway, I hadn't opened my Bible yet, but I was just holding it and praying. Then, realizing I needed promises to stand upon, I opened my Bible. With no thought or intent on my part, it opened randomly to Jeremiah 32 and 33. Two promises that I had previously underlined just jumped out at me. Then the tears really started flowing as I realized what God was saying to me. He was telling me… "Some may think you are crazy…but what you are asking for really is possible, I can do it! See here, I've already promised it!"
So here's the promises He gave me:
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" Jer. 32:27
And if that wasn't enough, check out the next promise.
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jer. 33:3
Did you catch that? He says if we call upon Him, He will show us great and mighty things which we do not know!
This verse I have read dozens of times. In fact, I like it so much I have it written in the walls of my home. And yet after reading it all these years, I just caught the significance. He's telling us… "I have so much MORE I want to give you, so much MORE than you can even imagine. But you have to ask for it! You have to ask for MORE!"
One of my favorite authors writes:
"We may have had a measure of the Spirit of God, but by prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 507, 508
"Lord, I continue to hold on asking you for MORE! I don't know what to ask for, but I know it's above anything that I can even think. So you must work and bless according to your will! All I ask is that you give me MORE then I even know how to ask for!"
Day 27 - Vit. B-3 Challenge
- Bible Thought: He really does promise MORE
- Blessing: My mom's health is improving. And God is continuing to answer some specific prayers I've been praying.
- Battles: To not settle, but to keep moving forward…onward and upward! As Eric Ludy says, "Never pitch your tent!" That is my challenge…I will not pitch my tent and set up camp. I will keep moving forward asking for exceeding abundantly MORE!
Yes! I'm asking with you! I love the verse that proceeds and the prayer that this promise is a portion of in Ephesians 3:14-21. What proceeds it? It is my heart cry as well: Lord, let me know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that I might be filled with all the fullness of God. NOW unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I ask our think. .. What an incredible promise! To be filled with God's presence. To be filled with the fullness of Him. I find it hard to imagine it. Surely it is the promise of an abundance of rain!
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