What does it mean that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)?

TL;DR:

In the closing to a prayer in Ephesians 3, Paul highlights the Lord’s sovereignty, omniscience, and omnipotence. He affirms that God’s character and ways are far above what we can even imagine.

In a letter to believers in Ephesus, Paul includes a prayer that affirms God’s inconceivable greatness. Paul writes that God "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Other translations use "immeasurably more" (NIV), "far more abundantly beyond" (NASB), "exceedingly abundantly above" (NKJV), and "infinitely more" (NLT). In short, Paul’s words show that God’s knowledge and power are unlimited, far above what we can imagine. Scripture frequently reminds us that God’s greatness is inconceivable to us (Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 38; Isaiah 55:9; 64:4). Sometimes, this means we won’t always understand why something is happening to us, as the book of Job shows. The New Testament conveys this, too. Luke recount how Peter’s skepticism about his night’s fishing haul turned to amazement and repentance when Christ intervened (Luke 5:4–11). The Bible consistently shows that God’s plans are greater than we can ask or envision. Christians do well to pay attention to Paul’s description of God in Ephesians 3:20 and to never doubt His knowledge, power, and love.

from the old testament

In Job 38:4, God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.” What follows is a series of rhetorical questions that illustrate how limited humankind is in the knowledge of God’s plans and purposes.
Isaiah 55:9 stresses the great chasm that exists between God and humankind in terms of knowledge and character: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This makes it foolish to ever believe our way is better than God’s way.

from the new testament

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian believers, he includes this closing to prayer: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21). God has unlimited power and ultimate sovereignty over all, which should encourage us.
In Matthew 19:26, when the disciples express wonder at who can be saved, Jesus replies, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Nothing limits our omnipotent, sovereign Lord.
In 1 Corinthians 2:9 Paul quotes Isaiah: “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.’” God’s love for us is immense, and for the omniscient, omnipotent Lord of Glory, anything is possible.

implications for today

Fishermen are known for tall tales about catching “the big one”—which in their story is a huge fish, but to their hearers, is obviously not so large. But Luke 5:4–8 tells about Peter’s amazing haul of fish, a story we can believe with confidence. After laboring all night without catching anything, Peter skeptically puts down his nets again at Christ’s instruction. His haul is so large the nets start breaking and extra boats have to help. That story is real but also serves as a metaphor for how we sometimes view what the Lord can do in our life. Like Peter, we might dutifully obey the Lord, while subconsciously putting limits on what we believe He can accomplish. For instance, we might say a perfunctory prayer for the loved one we don’t really think can be saved. But as Paul reminds the Ephesians, God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). There are no limits to what is possible for God. As our all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving Father, He knows exactly what we need (Matthew 6:8) even when we can’t imagine it. Believers can look back on the trajectory their lives have taken and see God’s hand on crucial points. Christians do well to pay attention to Paul’s description of God in Ephesians 3:20 and to never doubt His knowledge, power, and love.

understand

God’s power and knowledge are limitless.
The Bible teaches that God’s plans are incomprehensible and greater than our understanding.
Believers should trust in God’s sovereignty and infinite love, knowing that He can do more than we expect, even when we don’t see how.

reflect

Where in your life might you be limiting God’s ability to work because of doubt or lack of faith?
How have you experienced God doing more than you could ask or imagine in your life, even when you didn't see it at the time?
What does trusting in God’s sovereignty look like for you in your daily circumstances?

engage

How can we encourage others to trust that God's plans for us are greater than we can understand, especially when we face difficult situations?
What might it look like for a group of believers to pray with the confidence that God can do "immeasurably more" than we ask or imagine?
How can we remind ourselves and others to not limit God’s power, even when we don’t see immediate results or answers to our prayers?

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