I’ll be honest. I spent years praying Ephesians 3:20 like it was a spiritual credit card with no limit.
I’d quote, “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” and start imagining the blessings I believed it unlocked.
But here’s what I’ve had on my heart lately: what if the “exceeding abundantly” power God wants to give isn’t about your finances or promotions, but about a love so strong it keeps you standing when everything else falls apart?
The Part We Love: (Coffee Mug Faith)
You’ve seen this verse everywhere. On graduation cards, church bulletins, and home décor:
“Exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.”
It sounds like a divine invitation to dream bigger, pray harder, and chase your miracle. We love that part! We frame it, we claim it, and then we stop right at the comma.
We’ve been quoting half a sentence and calling it a promise, but when we cut the Word of God in half, we trade life-sustaining power for a shallow self-help slogan. And let me tell you, a slogan won’t help you when “stuff” hits the fan.
The Part We Forget: “According to the Power Working in Us”
The verse doesn’t end there. It continues, “…according to the power that worketh in us.”
Those seven words change everything. When we ignore them, we reduce God to a vending machine. We think “exceeding abundantly” means material blessings. An answered prayer, a healed relationship, or promotion. But Paul was saying the real miracle is not what happens to you, it’s what happens in you.
Paul Wasn’t Writing a Manifestation Guide
Think about where Paul was when he wrote this verse. He wasn’t on a beach with a latte, crafting inspirational content for Instagram. He was in prison. Writing to a church that was scared, exhausted, and honestly wondering if they’d made a huge mistake following Jesus.
This isn’t a prosperity promise; it’s a survival prayer.
Right before that verse, Paul prays believers would be “strengthened in the inner man,” meaning God doesn’t promise your problems will disappear. He gives you the strength not to break under them.
Religion says: “Follow the rules and the trials will go away.”
Jesus says: “Even in the fire, I’m still holding you with a love deeper than the pain.”
The Power is The Love
We often treat “the power that worketh in us” like a mystical force. But in verses 17–19, Paul explains exactly what it is: the love of Christ.
That love is the power working within you.
It’s not about how hard you try or how perfectly you perform. It’s about the love. If you don’t have a revelation of God’s love, you’re going to burn out trying to be a “good Christian” on your own strength. The end of you is the beginning of Him. But you have to stop trying to manage the outcome and start receiving His affection.
When you stop striving to “earn” God’s blessing and start resting in His love, you discover He’s been enough all along.
Does This Mean God Doesn’t Want to Bless Me?
I can hear you asking, “are you saying I shouldn’t ask for big things? Am I supposed to just be happy while my life falls apart?”
I’m not telling you to stop wanting healing or provision or improvement in certain situations. I wanted those things too. I still do. But I had to learn the hard way that my worth wasn’t tied to whether or not God gave them to me.
God is a Father who delights in giving good gifts. Ask Him for anything. He can handle your desperate 3 AM prayers.
But here’s the market gap in modern Christianity: We’ve become obsessed with the gifts and completely disconnected from the Giver. We’ve traded union with Christ for “try harder” moralism that leaves us dry.
If you only look for God in material blessings, you’ll miss Him in the “exceeding abundant” peace that keeps your heart together during the hardest seasons.
If your faith depends on God changing your circumstances, what happens when He doesn’t?
You’ll either blame yourself; or walk away dissapointed. Both responses are lies from the enemy.
A New Way to Pray Ephesians 3:20
Most of us spend our lives praying: “Lord, thank you that you’re going to bless me abundantly. Do something bigger than I can imagine.”
We’re focused on the stuff.
What if we started praying the “inner man” prayer instead?
“Lord, I want a revelation of how much You love me. Strengthen my inner being so I can comprehend the height and depth of Your grace. Let the power of Your love work in me so I’m secure, no matter what’s happening around me.”
One prayer is about your circumstances. The other is about your identity.
One depends on your situation changing. The other depends on a God who never does.
One prayer depends on change around you. The other depends on a God who never changes.
You’re not failing because you’re struggling. You’re actually waking up to a faith that’s real. You don’t have to convince God to love you; you just need to let that love transform you from within.
Your Next Step: Sit with Ephesians 3:14–21
Take five minutes today to meditate on Ephesians 3:14–21.
Don’t focus on what God can do for you. Look for who He wants to be to you.
Ask Him to reveal where you’ve been performing for love instead of receiving it.
Let His “exceeding abundant” power work in you, because that’s where the real miracle begins.
Leave a Reply