Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
—EPH 3:20-21 NLT
Heavenly Father:
I choose to trust You today…
Jesus once said, “Anything is possible if a person believes” (Mk 9:23).
To which an overwhelmed, heartbroken Father responded, “I believe. Help me with my doubts” (Mk 9:24 MSG).
So, today, with whatever faith remains in me, I choose to trust You.
1) I trust that You are “able” (Eph 3:20).
The word “able” means “having the necessary and sufficient power, skill, ability, means, resources or opportunity to do something.” To do anything. It means “having a quality or nature that makes something possible.”
The fact that You, God, are able changes what is possible.
God, You are able.
Able to heal me. Transform me. Grow me. Provide for me. Lead me. Protect me. And strengthen me.
You are able to change my situation. Regardless of the circumstance.
You are able to provide:
Beauty instead of the ashes of my defeat,
Joy instead of mourning, sorrow and grief.
Hope instead of despair and depression.
Strength instead of weakness.
Wholeness and holiness instead of brokenness and sin.
Wealth and prosperity instead of lack.
A double portion instead of shame and guilt.
An identity and inheritance instead of shame and disgrace.
Peace instead of anxiety.
Love instead of fear.
Gentleness instead of anger.
Patience instead of frustration.
Grace instead of my constant need to perform, and,
Resilience instead of weariness. (See Isaiah 61)
You are able to replace a period, with a comma.
This current situation will not have the final say in the story You are writing in my life. Only You and only Your Word can write the final sentence in this story.
According to Romans 4, You are “able to do whatever [You] promise” (Rom 4:21). So, today, I claim Your promises for my life.
Further, today, I choose to align my faith with the faith of a broken, flawed, and all too human man like Abraham who believed that You are able to “bring the dead back to life and create something out of absolutely nothing”(Rom 4:17).
Today, I believe You are speaking life to the dead things in me and my life!
Today, You are creating something brand new out of the “nothing” I have to offer…
I trust that my God is able!
2) Second, I trust that you are able to “accomplish infinitely more than I can ask or think” (Eph 3:20).
The fact that You are able not only changes what is possible, it also changes what is probable.
The Passion Translation for Ephesians 3:20 indicates that You, God, are able to “achieve infinitely more than [my] greatest request, [my] most unbelievable dream, and exceed [my] wildest imagination! [You] will outdo them all.”
The Message Translation says that You are able “to do anything…far more than [I] could ever imagine or guess or request in [my] wildest dreams.”
Father, in Ephesians 3:20, You seem to be challenging me to…
- ask for my greatest, grandest, most outlandish request,
- think my biggest, most significant, creative thought,
- dream my most impossible, extravagant, fantastic dream,
- imagine the wildest scenarios, outcomes or turn-outs I thought possible…
Your response to whatever I come up with seems to be:
- Ask big, Chris, I’ll answer even bigger!
- Think creatively, son, I’ll answer even more creatively.
- Think significant thoughts. I’ll answer you with even greater significance.
- Dream the impossible, child! I’ll change Your definition of what the word possible actually means.
- Let your imagination run wild, Chris. You’ll discover, it’s not wild enough! Because I can’t be tamed and I won’t be put in a box!
Father, today You are challenging me to believe, to dream and think big! But, try though I may, I’ll never come close to thinking like You (Isa 55:8-9)! I’ll never come close to what You’re capable of and to what You can do!
You will always exceed my best thoughts on my best day!
I trust that You are able to “accomplish infinitely more than I can ask or think.”
3) I trust that Holy Spirit is working in me even when I am unaware of His activity.
Father, I haven’t missed the phrase tucked in the middle of the first sentence.
“Now glory to God, who is able — through his mighty power at work within us — to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think…”
The Passion Translation renders that phrase, “…for His miraculous power constantly energizes you.”
The Message reads as follows: “He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.”
Father, I want to thank You that even when I am unaware of it, Holy Spirit is at work in me.
He is renewing my mind by Your Word (Rom 12:2).
He is shaping my attitudes and thoughts.
He is leading and guiding my words (Ps 19:14).
He is developing fruit and character in my life like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control or self-discipline (Gal 5:22-23).
Holy Spirit is aligning my heart with Your heart (Phil 2:12b-13).
Holy Spirit prays for me and thru me, allowing me to build myself up in this most holy faith (Jude 1:20).
Holy Spirit gives me the ability and power to live every day and face every challenge in a way that honors You and inspires the people around me (Gal 5:16-17; 5:25).
Holy Spirit gives me the ability to sing at midnight (Acts 16) and sing when relational challenges have pressed me beyond my capacity (Ephesians 5:18 – 6:4).
Holy Spirit gives me the ability to believe the impossible (Heb 11:17-19) and to see the invisible (Heb 11:27)
So, today, I choose to trust that Holy Spirit is working in me and thru me even when I am unaware.
I also choose to trust that I’m not left to my own strength or power when it comes to believing and trusting You. Your Spirit is fuel to my faith! So, right now, in this moment, I lean into Holy Spirit, believing that He will pray in me and thru me so that my prayers are in perfect alignment with Your sovereign will. Believing that He is empowering me with inner strength even when I feel alone, afraid and weak (Eph 3:16).
Today, I choose to rely on Holy Spirit. I choose to trust the promise of Jesus in John 14:26.
“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.” —JN 14:26 AMPC
4) Finally, I choose to believe that when I trust You to do what You and only You can do, You receive great glory.
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. —EPH 3:20-21 NLT
Heavenly Father, today, with whatever faith is left in me, I choose to trust You.
You are able!
“God isn’t offended by your biggest dreams or boldest prayers. He is offended by anything less. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.” —Mark Batterson