Ephesians Devotionals
Bob Morris
1:19-20 Incomparable Power to Live By
[I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know] his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…
Who does not long for spiritual power? Has anyone reading this verse experienced this resurrection power or come even close to it? If not, that can mean one of two things – either it doesn’t exist, or there is much more available to all of us which we have not come close to exhausting.
What we don’t know hurts us. Paul’s concern and prayer is that we know God better (17). Specifically in these verses he wants us to know his “incomparably great power”. That alone would be cause to praise him. His power exceeds that of all the gods who might be compared to him. But the real wonder is that this power is for us who believe. The three things Paul is concerned we should know better are from God and for us.
The same power which raised Jesus from the dead is available to us for life and ministry. Such power does not come without cost – the road to power leads through suffering and death just as it did for Jesus. When Paul told the Philippians that he wanted to know Christ (3:10), he admitted it included wanting to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings. Whatever this entails for each of us, Paul assures us that no temptation is too great to withstand (1 Cor. 10:13), no obstacle is too high, no servanthood too menial, no contentment too elusive, and no deprivation impossible to bear, because we can do all this through Christ who gives us strength (Phil. 4: 13).
Too often we think of Christ’s power as the ability to climb our spiritual Everests, rather than to manage the day-to-day challenges of holy living. But Jesus' power was equally demonstrated in his emptying himself of his divine perogatives and becoming human, which we celebrate at Christmas. The "God who became little" is the same God who rose in triumph; his power is evident in both events.
While living in other cultures, I have seen the raw power of evil in demonization, in legally administered injustice, and in murderous hatred. Each of these at one point or another encountered the greater power of Christ and was subdued. Those were memorable occasions, because they were so unusual, so infrequent. Less notable but far more significant were the many instances of frustration that did not lead to anger, inconvenience which did not lead to surrender, and love which persisted long after repeated rejection. As often as not it is seen in human weakness. Those instances are equally demonstrations of power from God for us. That gives us confidence to believe that same incomparable power will be there to transform people’s lives and transfer them from darkness to light when we in our weakness and vulnerability faithfully live out the Great Commission. That is resurrection power in all its glory.
Lord Jesus, we confess our all too frequent powerlessness in even the simple things of daily living. We long to experience the incomparably great power that was explosively demonstrated in your resurrection. Grant us we pray, a taste of resurrection power as we seek to extend your kingdom, and help us in our unbelief.
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