The Surpassing Greatness of His Power — Alan Martin

The Surpassing Greatness of God's Power

We're still in Ephesians chapter 1 first part of verse 19 this morning we're still in that section where Paul is praying for the the Church of Ephesus and his obviously God's desire for all believers is that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened and It takes light to see things for you to see what is what is it that we need to see very desperately?

We've already covered what is the hope of our calling and What are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints? And then we come to today and what is a surpassing? Greatness of his power usward and that power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ Jesus when he raised him from the dead and Seated him in the heavenly realms far above all authorities principalities powers rulers not just in this age.

But even in the coming age we're gonna focus this morning, and if you followed the Text message that I've sent out. We're gonna just concentrate on What is the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe?

The word power there comes from the Greek word Dunamis and there's an English word we get straight from the Greek word dunamis. What is it? What is dunamis sound like to you? Dynamite it is where we get the English word dynamite from it the basic meaning of the word is ability to do so for those of you who are.

You grew up speaking Spanish and it's the language of your heart. I want you to think pull there. It is pull there that yours its power of God in his pull there. So you can play also me Pueblo so I can it is power from God That allows me to say I can and not live the life of what I can't do.

But to do the things that by God's power I can like that verse I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me and that's the power the surpassing greatness of the power? That Paul is praying that we'll see that God will shine light in our hearts and we'll come to see how much of his power Is made available to us now this interesting you wouldn't get this from your English language.

But this word Dunamis is not just translated powers, but it's translated Miracles like for example, these are some of the places where it's translated miracles. Matthew 13 58 says this and he did not do many Miracles there.

In other words, he didn't display power and ability there. He didn't do many Dunamis it didn't end the plural there because of their lack of faith. Also when Mary when the angel came to Mary and said that she was going to have a son.

She knew she had not had any relationships with anyone. So she's wondering aloud. How is this going to be? How this is in Luke 1? 34 and 35. Luke chapter 1 34 and 35 says how will this be. Mary asks the angel since I'm a virgin and The angel answered that the Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the Most High Will overshadow you so that the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

You see Power here is an ability to do what you cannot do on your own. It is God-given ability to do in Luke chapter 6 verse 19. This word is there again. Okay those troubled by impure spirits were cured and the people all tried to touch him because power Was coming out from him and you see why it's coming out from him.

It was coming out from him to do something in them that they could not do on their own power from God to accomplish what God desires in Us and then there in verse Luke chapter 8 verse 46 another famous use of this word when that you remember the woman with the issue of blood and Who said if I just touched to him of his garment she has spent all of her money 12 years she had bled she was that means she was Unclean for 12 years and not able to be around family.

Enjoy normal social life. She lives as an outcast, but she had heard of the Lord Jesus and she said if I just touched him of his garment and Jesus was on the way to heal the the sick daughter of the synagogue ruler Jairus his house and while everyone was crowding him around that they could hardly even move.

This woman was able to press through the crowd. Even though she wasn't even supposed to be there because she's technically unclean. You're supposed to cry out unclean. She pressed through and touched Jesus garment and immediately he knew Power went out from him and he stopped and he said hey who touched me his disciples were like Lord.

What do you mean you touched you everybody is so we can't we got barely move here and he goes no someone touched me because I perceived power has gone forth from me and The and and the woman knowing that she was kind of seen and discovered she confessed.

She explained her condition and Jesus just blessed her and says go and go in peace daughter your faith Has made you whole so this is the use of the word power. It's it's dynamic and Now when they get into see if you've done your homework and let me let me ask you a quick question I am sending out a text message.

I try to send out a text message to everybody and If you are not receiving it, I need to know because unless you tell me you didn't get it I will not know. I Have discovered that some people that I am sending it to are not receiving it we need to figure out why so that you can have the You can have the information to study.

The Purpose of God's Power

But in that text message, I say we're gonna cover three aspects. I wanted you to think about three questions About this this power of God. The first one was what is the purpose of this power. What is the purpose?

You know, we're Paul is praying that we would understand. What is the surpassing greatness of this power, but for what purpose? What is that power? Designed to do what are your thoughts? Did you did you pray about that?

Did you consider that? What are your thoughts? To manifest his glory. Yeah, and and the idea of glory is the root word of glory is is Doca or to think doxa is the actual word for glory but it comes from the family to think and when God's glory is it is Manifested it causes other people to think about What just happened and as they think about it, they recognize power.

They recognize ability and so yes, that's one of the reasons to manifest his glory another someone have a thought. Okay, well, let's find our answers together in the scripture remember Emma and I want you to learn this because I want us to eventually all to be able to study the scriptures in the same way.

To know that the resources are there available and so, you know that in the back of your Bible if you have your Bible. There's a concordance. You can look up there the word power and it will tell you many verses.

Where the word power is in those verses that you can study and look at them and pray you can read those verses. You can meditate on them and receive insights. You can understand. Well, let's do that together.

Let's look at some verses that that answer this question. What is the purpose of this power? Let's first look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 Verse 7. Would someone read that for me nice and loud.

2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7. Okay, that's right so the answer here is We have this power in an earthen vessel, what do you think Paul meant by what's the earthen vessel? Our bodies. Like clay, they're so fragile.

They fall they crack they break they have to be tenderized. But the reason the reason we're know that we're weak is not to prove to the world. We're weak. Let's get this in our head. Stop blaming what you do on your weakness.

You are weak for the very purpose to demonstrate the mighty power of God that's in you. That's why this power is available. That it can be seen by everybody in your life. That the power of God in you is on display.

It's in control of what you do. It's in control of what you say. It's in control of how you react. That's why we're weak so that so not so we can do it's not this way and please understand me. It's not so we can like Oh Jesus is so wonderful and we're so weak and that brings him so much glory because you see the difference.

We're gonna stay in that little children's song. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so, you know right, and this is um. What how's it how's it go? Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes. Jesus loves me.

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so little ones to him belong. They are weak after we want to stay they are weak, but he is strong. Yeah, wonderful. That is we'll just tell everybody how weak we are.

That'll make him look so strong, right? No, no, no. His strength is supposed to be seen through our weakness. That's right. It's exactly right. His grace is efficient. We're gonna get to that that's one of the purposes of this power to be actually manifested in.

These weak bodies there are our bodies are going to be perfect in heaven. It's down here that the dynamic power of God can be seen at work in our human bodies. Yeah, they're weak. Romans 15 13 someone read that for me.

Romans chapter 15 verse 13. Nice and loud. Amen, the God of all hope would fill you with all joy and peace and believing wouldn't it be wonderful? For every one of us here everywhere. We are in home at work in our neighborhood all the time constantly manifesting joy and peace.

Showing the world that the God of hope is filling us and we are abounding in hope. Now if you're always abounding in hope, are you a pessimist or optimist? And if you're always abounding in hope, do you think you'll be murmuring and complaining about anything?

No, instead you're gonna constantly be looking for the help. God is giving you you're gonna cost of it. Constantly be talking about the mercies that are sustaining you and you know what that's gonna do.

That's gonna set you apart from the rest of the world. Because you're always you're being filled with all joy and peace as you believe and it's causing you to Abound in hope not just not just barely getting by it's like you're so hopeful.

Nothing troubles you. This and this is a testimony. It's one of the reasons one of the purposes of this power in us is to do this in us someone read Colossians chapter 1 verses 9 to 11. Colossians 1 Chapter 9 through 11.

Okay being filled with all power. This is the answer the question What's the purpose of this power that we would be filled with all power unto what? Unto all. Long suffering and endurance if anything that there's too many of today is Christian wimps that give up when it's hard.

We can only do well when things are good around us. But things go about we we lose our health or we lose our home or or we lose our job or something else and we all Fall apart and woe is me. Woe is me.

Endurance, Long-Suffering, and Love

We need power. So to produce in us great endurance. Great not just endurance great endurance. Because he who endures to the end shall be saved. And Jesus warned that because of the increase of lawlessness in the last days the love of many would wax cold.

But those who endure to the end shall be saved and long suffering usually has to do with people and you know what happens to too many people you lack the power of God and Someone else that needs a lot of work still gets under your skin and you quit.

You're tired of them and you don't want to deal with them anymore. So you back off and give yourself space and save yourself. Instead of loving them like Christ loved you. And we need to learn to be strengthened with power so that we can love the worst.

And what they do doesn't throw us off and we we don't grow weary and well-doing. But we show great endurance and long suffering and I love what in the Colossians in the in the original language. It's long great endurance and long suffering with joy.

Not only do we endure and we're willing to suffer along with people we enjoy doing so. It gives us joy. To stay in a relationship and by the way, this long-suffering is the first characteristic of love.

Love suffers long. And that proves to others there's power of God in your life. In our life because we're able to suffer along with people and then someone read Luke 2449. We Talk about in church and I don't know we've talked about it here as much as we need to but we talk about witnessing.

Or being a witness, you know what I think needs to happen for us to be witnesses. You don't need to be taught how to witness you need power. Because you have power you're going to be a witness. Someone read this verse and you'll see that and then you shall be my witnesses.

See when the power of God is on us and in us and working through us people see Jesus. That's what they see. They see self-control. They see the fruit of the Spirit. They see love joy peace patience kindness goodness.

Faithfulness meekness self-control they see a living God in a normal human being and They become Witnesses and you know what having power and actually being a witness of Christ will save us from it'll save us from being hypocrites.

Who profess to know Jesus and live no different than the rest of the world? It takes power to be an actual witness. Second question. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, I mean Huh Terry wait. It's an old word for wait stay in other words his he told his disciples.

I've got I've sent you on a mission. He knew that they had a mission to go to the world, but he said don't start that mission. Stay in Jerusalem until you get power. Because when the Holy Spirit comes upon you you're gonna receive power and then you're gonna go because remember before before Peter Received the Holy Spirit what happened when he was there by the fire warming himself and the guard said aren't you one of those followers?

Of Jesus what he knew. Panic. He became the chicken before he heard the rooster crow, you know. That's what but not that was before that was before the Holy Spirit came on him in power. And then when the Holy Spirit was on him in power He wasn't afraid of anyone and he boldly proclaimed the name of Jesus.

So much so that the that the Pharisees and all the scholars and all these academic Jews were saying they took Marvel that these men were just common untrained untaught men and they took note they had been with Jesus.

When when when the power of the Holy Spirit comes on us, you know what our family members are gonna know. We've been with Jesus. We've been with Jesus because they see the effect of Jesus in us. That's when that's when power comes upon you.

God's Power Produces Righteousness

All right now. More specifically it's a similar question. But what specifically is this power designed to do in us? Can we know it's good takes power. We know it takes power from him at work in us, but what is it designed to do in us?

Let's look at some scriptural answers first first. Let's look at his Romans chapter 8. Someone read for me Romans chapter 8 3 4. Okay. Pondering that verse. What's what is the power of God designed to do in us?

It's something it says that the law couldn't do and so by the way if the law couldn't do it. Just reading your Bible will never let it happen for you. It's gonna take more than reading and studying your Bible.

It won't do it the law can't do it. What cook what what was it that the law was not able to do in. It's in that verse. What was the law not able to do that now? Can be done because the Spirit of God is in us.

Yes, but it's actually in that verse. It's there in order that the righteousness of the law Might be fulfilled in us. The law couldn't make the people righteous but the Spirit of God Inside of us bringing us power allows us to walk in righteousness.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness heaven is the home of Righteousness and that when the power of God is worked in us it Produces in us what the law couldn't do the actual ability to do what is right?

Righteousness that's a purpose that the purpose of the law is to bring us the ability to do what's righteousness. Next verse. 2nd Peter Chapter 1 verse 3 someone reads 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 3 godliness.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So What purpose is this power to do his divine power has granted us? Everything necessary for what? Life and godliness. Guess what. Saints it's possible to live a godly life in this life.

It's possible to be a godly person in your home. It's person to be the it's possible to be the godly person at your work and the godly person in your apartment complex and the godly person in your block of the neighborhood and To respond in a godly way in everything you face because the power of God is there and everything we need.

To be able to live a godly life Is now there and it the next verse 4 it's not on here says that we have been been made partakers of the divine nature. We're actually sharing his nature he shares his nature with us and here's what I mean by that.

What's natural to him? God is naturally powerful. We're naturally weak. He shares his nature with us and his nature Changes our nature and you know what too many of us identify our nature with we identify our nature with Adam and Adam did what?

Sinned and that's what we say. Well, why do we sin? Because we are born from Adam because Adams are great great great great great great great great great grandfather and that's why we do what we do. Because we inherited the nature of Adam.

No. No. That's what we used to do. Because we inherited the nature of Adam. Now we partake of the divine nature. And what we do is because of Jesus Christ. Not because of that. This is what the the power of God is intended to do in us.

Self-Control Through the Holy Spirit

Someone read for me 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 7 a Lot of you know this if we started quoting some of these verses you could probably quote it from memory. 2nd Timothy 1 7. Okay, God did not give us a spirit of fear so we had this power we don't live in fear anymore.

It may surprise you but I don't necessarily live in fear of doing what's wrong. I know that if I'm if I'm not being filled with the Holy Spirit and if I'm not walking in the Spirit I know that's what I'll do.

But when you really know that you don't leave you don't stop being filled with the Holy Spirit. You walk in the Spirit and if you do that, like Paul says if we walk in the Spirit We will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

Even though the flesh wars against the Spirit even though the two were at war with each other. By walking in the Spirit. I don't have to fulfill the desires of that old flesh. The power of God in me actually is.

Is producing what does it produce. He's not giving us a spirit of fear but three things love power. And what. Right discipline it can be translated one of three ways a sound mind a discipline life or this beautiful term self Control.

And you know things happen. When we're out of Control don't we use the term? Oh, I lost it. I Just lost it. That means you're out of control. God didn't give you that spirit. God didn't give you the spirit of losing control.

God gave you the spirit of control self-control. I couldn't handle it. Oh You couldn't. What happened to. I can do all things through Christ. Who gives me strength? Hmm major accidents happen. Because of the inability to control.

What have we done. Look at the damage we cause when we don't control our mouth. Look at the damage cause when we don't control our reactions and God has given us his spirit so that power will be with us to enable us to walk in self-control.

Power Under Control

Because power. Power is wonderful. But you know anger is pretty powerful, isn't it? You ever feel some powerful emotions? And you know what power without control produces.

Explosions and.

Explosions are not usually very beautiful. They tear things apart. They destroy and damage things but God provided power. So that we don't have to explode. We can channel we deal with anger. We deal with strong emotions.

But we can deal with him under control, you know a bullet fired from a gun is an explosion. But it's directed it's controlled. It's intentional. Nuclear reactors coal-burning Utility electricity plants, they're producing combustion and great power.

But they do so it's under control and. Power under control does beautiful things. Power without control is very dangerous. So God has given us his power. So that we can live a controlled life a disciplined life have a sound mind careful speech.

What's the purpose of that. And. One last one on this question 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 then Joe Hernandez who made a reference to this earlier 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9 the context of this is where Paul was struggling because he'd been battling this Thorn in the flesh.

He said it was a messenger of Satan that was buffeting him beating him up. So he's and in it was wearing him out and he thought that he had it had to be taken away from him so he said three times he fled with the Lord to take this away from him and.

And this was the Lord's answer to him. What did the Lord answer? And what else for my power is made perfect where. Okay, who is here raise your hand who's here is weak. Who has weakness. Great. You're all candidates.

Great that means his power is Specifically designed for you and it's not just in general. It's tailor-made for your specific weakness. If you got a weakness of running at the mouth, ah, his power will help control your tongue.

If you have a power of losing your emotions or you have a weakness of losing your emotions your emotions. His power will come to you and undergird you and enable you to control. So that you can direct what you're dealing with and not explode.

Unfortunately too many of us have a tendency to wallow in our weakness. Yeah, not. Believe God when he tells us. Yes.

Yes, and that's why Paul is praying that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened that we wouldn't know how great the power is. We listen, you know what too many of us do we glorify the power of sin?

We glorify the power of the corrupt culture, but greater is he that is in us Than the one that's in the world. They're controlled by the spirit of disobedience. You and I have the Spirit of God. And he brings us power and this grace.

This grace is beyond forgiveness this grace is the power of God to Enable us to do what is pleasing to God. Oh How wonderful that is? That's what and that's what Paul's trying to get us to that's what he's praying that we would see.

The Power to Change Our Nature

All right third question. I Gave you plenty of opportunity to do your homework didn't. I'm following the very text I sent you. Third question. How does the availability of this power change the dynamic of our natural weakness?

Well, it changes our nature. Nature is natural. Every one of us were born in something. What does the Bible say? We were born in? Sin, we were all born in sin. So that's the nature we were born with in so order to change behavior.

God knew He had to change our nature. Now to keep us in check before the fullness of time before he planned to send his son and the Holy Spirit. He gave us the law but the law wasn't designed it to change our nature.

You know what? The law was designed to do to keep our nature in check. To hold our nature accountable. But the law is put into effect to lead us to Christ and you know how it works. Paul the one who loved the law gives us the idea he goes without the law.

I wouldn't even even known there was something wrong in me because I agreed with God's law and I wanted to do it, but the things that I wanted to do I Couldn't do and the things that I didn't want to do I ended up doing.

Well, wait a minute. That's when he led the discovery if I'm doing what I don't want to do and I'm not doing what I do want to do. That's not me it's sin dwelling in Me and when he realized that he was there was a another law in him making a prisoner.

Dominating him causing him to do what he didn't want to do preventing him to do from he did want to do. That's when he said Oh wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. And when you when you come to that question You say oh Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The law is not my answer. Jesus is why because what the law couldn't do God did through his son in Sending his own nature so that our nature as sinners can be changed into His nature as a righteous man.

If any man is in Christ, he is a New creation. He now has a new nature all things that were according to his old nature have Passed away and all things are becoming new through the power. This passing greatness of the power that is ours in Christ power to change us into a new nature and the nature of righteousness.

The nature of look that which loves God and pleases pleases God. So what you know what this will do and I pray that it has this effect on us. I Pray that it it will cause us to stop excusing what we're doing wrong because of our old nature.

It's not the real reason. And follow me follow me. I'm not saying there's not some accuracy in it. It's not it's partly true. The reason you sin is because of the old man, right? You got that. But is it like you can't help it.

You can't help are you telling me you can't help it? That's just what you're gonna do because that's the nature you have that's when you're deceived. Because that's not the only nature you have. You're not under obligation to live after that nature you have the very you're partaking of the divine nature and God is at work in you.

The Holy Spirit has come and brought the very power of Christ in you. So the reason you do wrong is not because there's not power. It's because you're on be leaving. Just like Joe said. We'd rather excuse what we're doing wrong than to avail ourself through faith of all the surpassing greatness of the power that's available to us and Too many Christians want to camp on we're forgiven.

We're forgiven. We're forgiven. We're forgiven. Where's the power? You know when Paul later in his in his book of 2nd Corinthians. There's people can talk to talk. And I think it Paul got fed up with it, honestly and Paul said, you know, I'm gonna come.

And I'm gonna pay attention to something. I'm not. I don't care what these people are saying. Anybody can talk. I want to see remember what he said. He wanted to see. I'm gonna check out what power they have.

Do are they living a godly life? Do the people in their lives see a saint and a godly person or do they see a hypocrite? A person who goes to church but manifest No different life than the rest of the world power.

A Form of Godliness Without Its Power

You know Paul warned about this and think with me. He said that there's some terrible times coming in the last days. And by the way, we live in the last days and Some of the characteristic of the last days or people be lover themselves lovers of money.

Both will proud disobedient abusive. Disrespecting of parents haters of authority. And then it says this these same people it says they'll love pleasure. More than they love God doesn't say they don't love God.

It's just they love their pleasure more and he goes on to say They have a form of godliness. But they deny the power Thereof now once you follow me, what are they denying the power of they have a form of godliness?

What are they denying the power of? They're denying the power to live a godly life. And you know why they do that. They say it's not possible because of a great-great-great-grandpa Adam. Because we're all born sinners and you know what?

I used to hear I grew up in this church. So it's no knock against his church, but I'll tell you what was commonly heard. We sin and bought word indeed every single day and that's supposed to be humility.

You're just honest you just I'm a piece of trash and I can't ever do what's right? I'm not I'm not a perfect person. Is that the real answer? How about how about how about this? Does Christ Jesus? Live in you does Christ Jesus live in you.

Every one of us are weak in the same way the question is Who among us are abiding in Christ? Who of us are availing ourselves through faith of the surpassing greatness of the power? That's there to manifest the glory of God in these vessels to clean up our speech to make our mind sound.

To guide our reactions and channel them where they're effective and beautiful restrained. Rather than explosive and damaging. This is this is what Paul is praying that we come to see. It's available to us.

The Holy Spirit Reveals Christ's Power

And this is this is what we'll close today's study with. This is how this works. If you'll pull up John 1614 through 15 someone read that for me. John 16 14 through 15. Okay. Now there's there's two different ways you can take that.

How does this spirit gonna glorify Jesus he's gonna take from what is Jesus. And now Jesus did everything that the father is it was his all the father's wisdom all the father's goodness all the father's righteousness all the father's peace all the father's joy all that the father has was in Jesus and The Holy Spirit is gonna take from what's Jesus and declare it or show it to you.

Now, how do you take that like a museum? So you can see it behind the stained-glass. Oh, wow. Jesus was so wise. Oh Wow, Jesus is so strong. Oh Wow, Jesus is so perfect. Is that the way is that what do you think you think the Holy Spirit's gonna show you is?

Oh, he is so wonderful and you're just such a loser or is it a different kind of show it to you? How about like this here you need it Linda? Here's control. You're battling you're under temptation. Here's my power.

You're battling your thoughts. They're kind of going crazy on you here. Here's my peace that passes understanding. It will guard your heart in your mind. It's perfect power. To enable you to do what's right in every situation and isn't that what isn't that what Paul said?

No temptation Has taken us but what's common to man and The Lord will not allow us to be tempted say it Beyond what you're able. So it's not true. You couldn't help it. Is it it's never true. You couldn't help it.

It never has been true. Some people don't get that from me. They explained to me what they were going through and they and why they did what's wrong and I'm just like I Brush it off. It's not the real reason you lack faith.

You didn't look to Christ. That's not what I'm hearing. Despite Christ living in me despite the presence of the Holy Spirit despite all that God has made available. Instead I chose to do wrong. That would be honest.

That would be more honest. Really the real reason was my unbelief. I took my eyes off of Christ. See, it's my job as your brother.

To say Look to Jesus.

Living by Faith and Shining as Lights

May the Lord enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we could see it. What is a surpassing greatness of this power? That's ours power that will enable us to do Everything that is pleasing to God in this life.

Yeah, that's the goal. That's our high calling and you know what what this does this enables. What Paul talked about in his letter to the Church of Philippi? He said do everything without murmuring and complaining.

That you may be blameless and pure now blameless that mean blameless now God's not he's not talking about being blamed by God. Who? Who do we have to be concerned about blaming us? The people around us who see us lose it you run off at the mouth, what are they gonna do?

Blame you they know what's wrong. You're murmuring complaining. They know what they see it. We're to do everything without that kind of thing. That we can be blameless and pure children of God in the midst of a Crooked and perverse generation in whom we shine like stars and what the beauty of a star is it it so attracts attention and Isn't that what Jesus said you are?

The light of the world. You're like a city That's set on top of a hill it can't be hidden and then you know what he said let your light So shine before men that that what they will see. Your good works not your Adam works your Jesus works.

They will see What this all-surpassing great power in us is producing. Because by the way God is at work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure and When God desires something for us to do something guess what he provides always?