As believers, the promise of sharing in the abundant (Zoe) life of God and living in His fullness is a great privilege. It’s not some future goal. It’s reality because we are seated together with Christ in heavenly places.
Jesus said,
“… the person whose ears are open to My words who listens to My message and BELIEVES and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has POSSESSES NOW eternal life….” —John 5:24 (AMP)
“And this is the RECORD that God hath given to us ETERNAL LIFE, and this LIFE is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath LIFE; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” —John 5:11-13
John assures us that we already have the very life of God.
Peter said,
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3).
Few things are more frustrating than knowing the promise of abundant life, but experiencing little or none of it daily. To experience it, we must interpret the gospel correctly.
Filled with All the Fullness of God
Paul’s prayer gives us insight in Ehesians 3:14-20
“…to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (v. 16).
He emphasizes being empowered from the inside out. The Kingdom of God is inward, and everything God does is through our hearts from the inside out.
The Indwelling of Christ
Then Paul tells us how God empowers us from the inside out. Paul says,
“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (v. 17).
When we receive Christ, He comes and dwells in our hearts, but I also believe he’s saying we should consciously focus our hearts on Christ and Him crucified—to allow Christ to dwell in the deepest, most intimate recesses of our hearts (our belief systems). Paul then says,
“…that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” (v.17).
When we focus on Christ, we discover that we’ve always been the focus of God’s love—an unending, unconditional love. The Kingdom of God is inward, and everything God does is through our hearts from the inside out.
Able to Comprehend
Verse 18 says, “… to comprehend … what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.”
Comprehend means to lay hold of so as to make one’s own. When we focus our attention on Christ, we are able to lay hold of God’s fullness.
Paul says,
“…that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (v. 19).
This happens effortlessly when we focus on Christ and become established in God’s unconditional love. It doesn’t come through effort—only through right believing.
God Is Able
God is the One who is able.
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (v. 20).
Able means to have the ability and power to do. It’s the exhaustive power to perform, carry out, fulfill, bring to pass, and produce. It’s not only God’s intention for us to live in His fullness; He will make it happen!
Exceeding abundantly means superior in quantity or excessive. This term is a super superlative— something that is beyond expression.
The idea behind “above all that we ask or think” is to ask for a bucket full, but there’s still an ocean left over. God is able to do what we think, and then over and above! According to the power—miracle working power (ability, energy, and might) of influence, and enablement—that works IN US.
Living the abundant life is the influence of God’s unconditional love working in our hearts. Receive what He did by grace, and realize that His finished work is active in you, right now!
– Arthur
