The Exceeding Greatness of His Power to Us, Who Believe
By Daniel Nettleton
“The light of the world shines brighter and brighter,
As wider and wider God opens my eyes;
My trials and burdens seem lighter and lighter,
And fairer and fairer the heavenly prize.” “The wealth of this world seems poorer and poorer,
As farther and farther it fades from my sight;
The prize of my calling seems surer and surer,
As straighter and straighter I walk in the light.” “My waiting on Jesus seems dearer and dearer,
As longer and longer I lean on his breast;
Without him I’m nothing, seems clearer and clearer,
And more and more sweetly in Jesus I rest.” “My joy in my Saviour is growing and growing,
And stronger and stronger I trust in his word;
My peace like a river is flowing and flowing,
As harder and harder I lean on the Lord.” “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, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Eph. 3:20, 21. This is a part of Paul’s inspired prayer for the church of God. And is not God able and willing to give to his people all for which his Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pray; yea, exceeding abundantly above all Paul or we ever thought or asked? When the things for which Paul prayed are received, they will make those by whom they are received “signs and wonders . . . in Israel.” The angel said to Daniel, “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” In these days of the voice of the seventh angel when the mystery of God (the gospel) is being finished, in these days when there shall be delay no longer, God is waiting to do something out of the ordinary for his people. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him,” or “set steadfastly to seek him.” 2 Chron. 16:9. Let us note some of the things in Paul’s petition. His prayer began with verse 14 of Ephesians 3, and we observe as we read it carefully that the principal thing for which he prays is that we may be strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith; that, being rooted and grounded in love, we may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, length, depth, and height, and to know, the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fulness of God. Oh, what a people we should be if we were all filled with the fulness of God! The earth would soon be lightened with his glory. Moses was so filled with the fulness of God that when he came from the presence of the Lord, he had to veil his face; he partook of the glory of God by association with him, and he reflected this glory on the people. God’s people are to have a similar experience in the time of the loud cry. “Servants of God, endowed with power from on high, with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven. . . . God’s people were strengthened by the excellent glory which rested upon them in rich abundance, and prepared them to endure the hour of temptation.” “Mighty miracles were wrought, the sick were healed, and signs and wonders followed the believers. God was in the work, and every saint, fearless of consequences, followed the convictions of his own conscience, and united with those who were keeping all the commandments of God; and with power they sounded abroad the third message.”—Early Writings, pp. 278, 279. God not only enlightens our understanding so that we may know his will, but he wishes us also to know what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe. The working of his mighty power is the same as that which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places. In Col. 1:9-11, the apostle Paul also speaks of this power to usward: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.” Oh, why should we talk of serving God in “our weak way,” when we may be strengthened with all might, and that according to his glorious power? Why should we be faint-hearted and tremble with fear when all power in heaven and earth are his, and he has promised to be with us even to the end of the world? But for what purpose does he grant this power?—That we may be victorious in our lives over sin, and may give to others the glorious gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. We cannot retain this power unless we transmit it to others. One has truly said, “It is not the power we generate, but the power we transmit that counts. Power generated and not transmitted is a dead loss.” “In order to keep some things, we must give them away.” The manna hoarded spoils; the dewdrops give themselves to refresh the grass and flowers, and are turned into diamonds and pearls in the clear beams of the morning sunlight. The Dead Sea is dead because it is always receiving but never gives. Give, and it shall be given unto thee, is9the rule of the gospel. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, and when thus anointed, he went about doing good. Christ commanded his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, to make disciples of all nations. He promised that they should receive power, after the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they should be witnesses of him, both in Judea and Jerusalem, and unto the uttermost parts of the world; and as they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, the promised blessing came. That day of Pentecost was the dawning light for a sin-darkened world. In a few short years, under the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the whole world heard the gospel, and thousands were turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. But there came a falling away, and the church exchanged the power of God for the power of man. “How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! . . . If the church had always retained her peculiar holy character, the power of the Holy Spirit which was imparted to the disciples would still be with her. The sick would be healed, devils would be rebuked and cast out, and she would be mighty, and a terror to her enemies.”—Early Writings, p. 227. God is just as willing and able to do a work in our time as he was to work for his church in the days of the apostles. “By the grace of Christ the apostles were made what they were. . . . Is not the Spirit of God to come today in answer to earnest, persevering prayer, and fill men with power? . . . As the disciples, filled with the power of the Spirit, went forth to proclaim the gospel, so God’s servants are to go forth today. . . . Why has the history of the work of the disciples, as they labored with holy zeal, animated and vitalized by the Holy Spirit, been recorded, if it is not that from this record the Lord’s people today are to gain an inspiration to work earnestly for him? What the Lord did for his people in that time, it is just as essential, and more so, that he do for his people today. All that the apostles did, every church member today is to do. . . . A work similar to that which the Lord did through his delegated messengers after the day of Pentecost he is waiting to do today.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VII, pp. 32, 33. Shall we keep him waiting? Oh, no, for it is written, “There shall be delay no longer.” Now listen to these encouraging words: “Already many are receiving the Holy Spirit, and no longer will the way be blocked by listless indifference.” “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.” Oh, let us be willing. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” My dear brethren, as I read these words, there comes into my soul a stronger desire, yea, an intense longing, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” “God was manifest in him that he might be manifest in them.”