Ephesians 3:20

My Notes

What Does Ephesians 3:20 Mean?

Paul closes a prayer with a doxology — a burst of praise — that tries to describe a God whose capacity exceeds every human category. The language stacks superlatives: exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. It's deliberately over the top because the point is that God's ability overflows every container we try to put it in.

The phrase "above all that we ask or think" is striking. It's not just above what you ask for — it's above what you can imagine. Your biggest, most audacious prayer is still smaller than what God is able to do.

But the phrase "according to the power that worketh in us" grounds the extravagance. This isn't about God doing impressive things at a distance. The power Paul describes is already at work inside believers. The same capacity that exceeds imagination is operating within you right now.

In context, Paul has just prayed that the Ephesian believers would be rooted in love, would comprehend the vast dimensions of Christ's love, and would be filled with the fullness of God. Then he essentially says: and even that prayer barely scratches the surface of what God can do.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What's the biggest thing you've ever dared to ask God for? What would it mean if his capacity exceeded even that?
• 2.How does the phrase 'according to the power that worketh in us' change this from a statement about God's ability to a statement about your life?
• 3.Where in your life might God be doing something beyond what you asked — something you haven't recognized yet because it doesn't match your expectations?
• 4.What limits have you placed on what you think God can do in your specific situation?

Devotional

Your imagination has limits. Your prayers have limits. Your capacity to hope has limits. And Paul says God exceeds all of them.

That's either a nice idea or a genuinely disorienting truth. Because if God's ability is beyond what you can ask or think, then your biggest dream is still too small. Your most desperate prayer is still undershooting what's possible.

This isn't a blank check for wish fulfillment. Paul isn't saying you'll get everything you want. He's saying God's capacity to work in your life is bigger than your capacity to imagine it. The power isn't just around you — it's in you. Already working. Already moving. Already exceeding what you've dared to hope for.

What if the reason some prayers feel unanswered isn't that God couldn't do what you asked, but that he's doing something larger than what you asked? Something your imagination hasn't caught up to yet?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture