A REVELATION OF JESUS’ POWER

The apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus: “That you may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:18–19). Paul was saying, “May God reveal to you not just the past greatness of Christ but His present greatness.”

The Church today has great reverence for the Jesus who walked on Earth — the Galilean, the son of Mary, the teacher and miracle worker. We never grow weary of hearing and telling of the greatness of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

We love to remind ourselves of how this Jesus chased demons and stood strong against all temptations. He opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears, caused paralytics to leap, restored withered arms, healed lepers. He turned water into wine, fed multitudes with just a few loaves and fishes, and on more than one occasion He raised the dead.

Yet, at some point in history, Christians began to limit the present power of our great, miracle-working Savior. The Church developed a theology that made Christ God of the spiritual but not of the natural. We often don’t know Him as Lord over our everyday affairs, as God of our home, our children and marriage, our job and bills.

Paul is telling us we need a revelation of the power of the resurrected Jesus, seated at the right hand of God, with all power given to Him in heaven and on earth. “[God] put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22).

As I read this passage, my heart was stirred with a powerful truth: “Jesus has never been more powerful than He is right now.” Moreover, according to Paul, Christ is “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:21).