The Ability of God

If you watch some awards show, a person will stand on stage with a list of people to thank after they have received a reward. Paul says here, if you receive an answered prayer, there is no list of names, only one name. The glory is not to go to them, it is to go to Him. If Paul is able to do what we ask him in prayer, when we pray according to his will, well he is, and that will be our focus as H.B. Charles, Jr. joins us for this Friday edition of Renewing Your Mind. I'm Nathan W. Bingham, and to close our week, you'll hear a message from H.B. Charles, Jr.'s series, Blessings and Praise, Benedictions and Doxologies in Scripture. Across eight messages, Dr. Charles, Jr. exposits some of the most instructive benedictions and doxologies in Scripture.

So if you'd like to own this series, until midnight tonight, you can request it with a donation of any amount at renewingyourmind.org. Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture? I think we all do, even if it's just our present favorite, because it's a text that we've been studying and meditating upon a lot.

Well today, H.B. Charles, Jr., pastor teacher of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, will be teaching on his favorite doxology. In this session, I wanted to share with you my favorite doxology from Ephesians chapter three, verses 20 and 21. It reads, Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.

Amen. The late Donald Gray Barnhouse once stood in the pulpit of the 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and shocked his congregation by announcing prayer changes nothing. But he didn't make this statement for shock value. Barnhouse was trying to communicate the truth that God changes things, not prayer. That is, prayer works not because of the words we say, the promises we claim, or the faith we demonstrate. Prayer works because of the sovereign power, the omnipotent power of almighty God.

Christian living must always flow from Christian truth. So if one is to learn to pray, one does not best learn to pray by studying prayer. One best learns to pray by studying the God who answers prayer. In Ephesians chapter three, verses 20 and 21, declare great truths about this God who answers prayer. There are two prayer reports in Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. There is a prayer for understanding in Ephesians one, verses 15 through 23. And then there is a prayer for strength in Ephesians three, verses 14 through 21. The prayer begins in verses 14 and 15 with an invocation.

For this reason, I bow my knees before the father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. Verse 16 is the main petition of the prayer that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being. Verses 17, 18 and 19 give the intended results of the prayer so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breath and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all of the fullness of God.

Then this prayer ends in verses 20 and 21 with a closing doxology. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that you could ask or think. Consider that the petitions of this prayer are sandwiched in between big statements about God.

Verses 14 and 15, Paul addresses God as the one father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. And then in verse 20, he refers to God as him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we could ask or think. The very structure of the prayer teaches us something about prayer, that all effective prayer is God-centered. You won't be able to pray right until you first recognize that God is willing to hear and able to answer prayer. Sometimes we short circuit our own prayers because we say amen too soon. But prayer is not over after you have given God your laundry list of personal requests. Prayer shouldn't end until you give praise to the God who answers prayer.

In Psalm 50 verse 15, the psalmist writes there as God speaks, call to me and I will deliver you and you will glorify me. That's the purpose of prayer, not merely the answers you receive. The purpose of prayer is the glory of God. Here we see in this doxology that you shouldn't wait till after you get an answer to glorify God before you get the answer.

In fact, as Paul shows us here, before you have finished the prayer, you should give praise to the God who answers prayer. In these two verses of this wonderful doxology, Paul declares two statements about the God who answers prayer. He first says that God is able to answer your biggest request.

God is able to answer your biggest request. Verse 20 says now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us. This is a wonderful statement about the nature of God, the power of God, the character of God. But notice that he does not call God by his name. He identifies God here by the outworking of his divine omnipotence and sovereign authority. He is the God who is able.

And the word God is omnipotent. Jeremiah chapter 32, verse 17. Oh, Lord God, it is you who has made the heaven and the earth with your mighty power and your outstretched hand.

Is there anything too hard for you? And then Jeremiah 32, verse 27, God answers. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.

There is nothing too hard for me. In Luke chapter 1, verse 37, the angel explains to Mary how she will give birth to a son, even though she has not known a man. The answer is simple. With God, all things are possible. And in Luke 18, verse 27, the Lord Jesus Christ himself declares that the things that are impossible with man are possible with God. God is able. And his divine omnipotence is at work on the behalf of those who are in Christ in two ways. God's power is at work in a way that is infinitely beyond us. He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we could ask or think.

God is able. That is, he has the ability to get things done. He has the ability to work according to his intention. It's one thing to have good intentions, sincere motives, great expectations.

It's another thing to be able to accomplish what you intend. This is our God. He is able. The scriptures declare, 2 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 8, that he is able to make all grace abound toward you. The Bible says in Jude 24 that he is able to keep you from stumbling. And in Acts, Paul says to the Ephesian elders that he is able to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20, verse 32, he's able.

This is good news. And his ability is not just theoretical or hypothetical. God is able to do stuff with his power.

It's not a ceremonial authority attributed to him that does not accomplish anything. God has real power, says Paul here to do something with his power. But consider what God does with his sovereign omnipotence.

Hold on to your seats. Paul says he is able to do what you ask. This statement in verse 20 is cherished by what it says about the power of God. But here's a statement about the goodness of God. The God that has all power in his hand uses it to answer prayer. The God who is omnipotent is also omniscient. He who has all power knows all and he is able to meet the needs that we don't even have the words to articulate. David says it this way.

Psalm 37, verse four, he says, delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. He is able to do what you ask. He's able to do what you think.

How much of it? Paul says he is able to do all that you ask or think. A.T. Robinson comments here that our highest aspirations are not beyond his ability to bestow. There is no burden that God cannot lift. No door that God cannot open. No enemy that God can not defeat. No need that God cannot meet. No problem that God cannot solve.

No sickness that God cannot heal and no sin that God cannot forgive. He is able to do all that you ask or think. And he doesn't have to stress, strain and struggle to do it. He's able to do far more abundantly than all that you ask or think. He is the God who is infinitely at work beyond us, but God's power is also at work as it is indwelling within us. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that you ask or think according to the power at work within us. The power to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think works according to the power of God within us. In fact, the verb able is tied here to the noun power. God himself, the God who is able is himself the power that is at work within us. This is good news because we're weak people.

We're weak people. And the promise here is that power is available to resist temptation, to live obediently, to serve faithfully. To witness boldly and even to suffer joyfully. And also, we are told here that we don't have to wait for God to scoop down from the sky with power that we need to help us.

It is at work within us. Every believer, the moment you trust Christ for salvation, God the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart immediately, permanently, completely. Romans 8 verse 9, the beat part of that verse says that whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But when you trust Christ for salvation, God the Holy Spirit immediately takes up residence and he lives within us to give us the strength we need to do God's will. And it's according to power. I like that.

It's according to, not just out of, but it's according to. Some celebrity goes into a restaurant and leaves a thousand dollar tip and it shows up on a tabloid blog site as something big. But it's no big thing for a millionaire to give a thousand dollar tip out of his or her wealth. There are billionaires that are dedicated to giving away half their wealth for education and medical research. They're not giving out of their riches.

They're giving according to their riches. And this is how God provides strength to his children in Christ, not merely out of, but according to the power that is at work within us. I know it doesn't feel that way, right? Sometimes you say if this exceedingly abundantly above power is at work within me, I sure don't feel it.

To which I say, good. The promise here is not that you will feel strong. In fact, I suggest to you that it is a good thing when we feel weak. When we feel strong, we are prone to act as if we are self-sufficient, the weaker we feel, the more we lean on him. And even when we don't feel strong, the assurance of God's words that this power is still real and available and sufficient. One writer said it is as gentle as the development of a dew drop, as imperceptible as the growth of a tree, but as lasting as the throne of God.

Even when you don't feel it, his strength is available. Isn't that what Paul affirms in another place? In 2 Corinthians, when he received this thorn in the flesh, he prayed about it, concluded he could not serve the Lord with this debilitating weakness, only to have God tell him, my grace is sufficient for you. 2 Corinthians 12 and 9, and my strength is perfected in your weakness. God, first thing this passage tells us about the God who answers prayer is that this God is able to answer your biggest request. Then in verse 21, there's the second truth about the God that answers prayer in this doxology. And it is this God is worthy to receive your highest praise.

The God who is able to answer your biggest request is the God who is worthy to receive your highest praise. You have not understood this doxology if you stop at verse 20 as wonderful as it is. Verse 20 and 21 go together.

In fact, they are linked by parallel language. Verse 20 begins to him who is able, verse 21 begins to him be glory. The purpose of prayer is the glory of God.

It's the major truth of this doxology. The purpose of prayer is the glory of God. We speak of God's glory two ways, his intrinsic, inherent glory. God is glorious because God is God. It is the shining light of his presence.

It is the crushing weight of his character. To say that God is glorious is to say that God is God. What you have here, however, is an inscription of glory. It's the believer's response to God's self-revelation of who he is. And in light of this God answering prayer, he is worthy of glory.

D.A. Carson raises an important question related to this doxology. Has God become so central in your thoughts and in your pursuits and thus in your prayers that you cannot imagine asking God for anything without sincerely desiring that the answer would bring glory to God? To understand prayer is to pray for things that would bring glory to God. Listen to what Paul says about the glory of God here. He says give glory to God alone.

If you watch some award show, person will stand on stage with a list of people to thank after they have received a reward. Paul says here, if you receive an answer prayer, there is no list of names, only one name. The glory is not to go to them. It is to go to him. John Stott says the power comes from him. The glory must go to him. God alone deserves the glory. Psalm 115, verse one declares, not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but to your name give glory because of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. Give glory to God alone. And then Paul says give glory to God in the church.

Give glory to God in the church. Every New Testament doxology is addressed to the church. This is the only New Testament doxology that includes the church. Here he says the church is the platform for the glory of God. There are so many today who would almost apologize for the church as if it is some necessary evil.

They treat the church as if it somehow gets in the way of the glory of God. But here Paul says that the church is the platform for the glory of God in the world. Psalm 8 says that God made us a little lower than the heavenly beings and has crowned us with glory and with honor. But the image of God has been marred by sin. Romans 3 23, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But by the rescuing grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made new. We are cleansed from sin.

We are adopted into God's family and we are made trophies of God's amazing grace. And so the text here says that this God who deserves glory alone has so designed that sinners are testaments of the strength of his grace and that he is to be glorified in the church. And then he says that God is to be glorified in Christ Jesus. Two platforms by which God is to receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus.

Of course, this is not saying that they are equal. It is reminding us that the church is the body of Christ and Christ is the head of the church. He is the shepherd and we are his sheep.

He's the groom and we are his bride. In other words, friends, you cannot have a high view of Christ and a low view of the church at the same time. The priority must be to Christ. John 1 14 says the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. Jesus in his incarnation was the walking, talking, breathing glory of God. In John chapter 12, verses 27 and 28, Jesus says, Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say, Father, save me from this hour?

But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Jesus did not die at the cross merely to fix our problems. He died at the cross to glorify his father. Second Corinthians chapter four, verse six says that God who said, Let there be light has caused his light to shine in our hearts so that we might see the light, the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God alone deserves the glory. God is to be glorified in this church. God is glorified in his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And then finally Paul says, Give God the glory forever.

Not just forever, two time references he mentions. He says God deserves the glory throughout all generations, in every season, in every circumstance, in every period. And when the generations end, we're to glorify him forever and ever.

When we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. God is able to answer your biggest request, and as a result, God is worthy to receive your highest praise. He deserves the glory alone. He deserves the glory in the church. He deserves the glory in Christ Jesus.

He deserves the glory throughout all generations and forever. It's as if he said it all, but there is one more thing to be said. Amen. Amen means so be it.

It's true. Right on. So aren't you glad he doesn't say now to him who is able, we hope so. Now to him who is able, maybe. Now to him who is able, let's see how things turn out.

He says, No, God is able. Amen. Amen indeed for the God who answers prayer. Answered prayer is such an encouragement along the journey, isn't it? I know how grateful I am when a brother or sister shares answered prayer with me, testifying to the God who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think. Who could you encourage today by sharing an occasion of answered prayer? This is the Friday edition of Renewing Your Mind, and I'm thankful you're listening today.

I had the opportunity to sit down with HB Charles Jr. in the podcast studio at last month's Ligonier National Conference in Orlando, and I began by asking him what his hopes were for this series and how it might help the church. So the series blessings and praise and the selected passages, benedictions and doxologies get to the heart of the Christian life, namely prayer to God and praise to God. These are essential for our spiritual health and growth. It gets us into the purposes of God for our lives. And one great way that has helped me spiritually to get into both the subjects of worship and of prayer are these prayer wishes, these announcements that are interestingly statements to the readers, but they are at their heart prayers to God asking for things that only God can produce. And then there are times in Paul's writings where he seems to just interrupt himself and just burst out in praise and glory to God, which is significant because proper theology should lead to doxology.

It should not lead to us being puffed up in our own knowledge. It should humble us in worship before God. Now, you've addressed this a little bit in that answer, but for our listeners that are less familiar with the terms benediction, doxology, could you unpack that just a little bit further for us?

Sure. A benediction is a statement of blessing. It is an announcement of God's favor on God's people. Interestingly, it's, as I said, it's multidirectional language because in those benedictions, the speaker is addressing the people of God, but the core, the heart is prayer language because in those statements, for instance, the Aaron blessing of number six is a statement to the people of God. God commands Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons to bless the people with these very words.

And yet these are things that only God can produce. And so they are announced with a sense of humble dependence upon God and confidence in God. A doxology is just a declaration of praise. It is exaltation, exaltation of God. And when you find them in the New Testament, particularly in the epistles of Paul, they show up in very, very profound places where he is writing theology or he is stating his prayer reports for God's people. And something stirs up his heart as he's writing and is moved by the Holy Spirit to just break forth in praise to God. Well, today on Renewing Your Mind, we heard you teach on what you called your favorite doxology from Ephesians three.

What do you love about that text? The first thing I love about the statement there in Ephesians, chapter three, verses 20 and 21, is that it is actually a part of the prayer report of Paul in Ephesians, chapter three, verses 14 through 21. So it's a remarkable prayer that prays for strength for God's people, knowledge for God's people.

In fact, he actually prays that God's people would know the love of God, which is past knowledge and understanding. He just prays for incredible things for our growth in Christ and yet ends with this statement of praise, which I think is strategic and important because he doesn't wait till God answers to give God praise. Before he finishes the prayer, he pauses to announce that God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we could ask or think. And then he attributes glory to God in Christ Jesus and the church. The church and Christ are platforms of God's glory on the earth. It's just a beautiful statement of the sovereignty of God. But at the same time, it's a statement of the goodness of God. And it just comforts my heart in times of need. So Ephesians three, you spoke about doxology there. Is there a benediction that comes to mind, perhaps a favorite or just one that you appreciate?

Yeah, so I am I am biased because my chosen benediction to conclude our worship services at the church, I service numbers chapter six versus twenty four through twenty six. And that blessing of Aaron is a benediction, a statement of blessing that is meant to cover all of life. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift his countenance unto you and grant you his peace. It's just affirming that God has every sphere of life covered. Whatever circumstances arise, he has everything under control and he will care for his people. If someone's listening today and they're considering getting this this teaching series, maybe working through it personally, maybe in a small group setting, but they're not sure.

What would you say to them? I think this would be a helpful series for you to pick up, both in your own personal study and in group study for two reasons. Number one, these studies are, of course, thoroughly biblical. These are a lot of ideas about praise and prayer are more experiential than expositional. This is a study of biblical passages that are inspired in the word of God to help you better understand what God has revealed about himself and how we are to live.

And yet at the same time, they're very practical. These are passages that you can put in your faith pocket, as it were, and carry them about with you in the day to day affairs of life. These blessings and doxologies are not just quote unquote pocket prayers, but to use an analogy, they are places of refuge when the storms of life are raging, when your faith is tested, when battles are raging, you can find refuge in these to remember the faithfulness of God, the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God.

I love that expression, a faith pocket, just to put one of these verses in. How would you encourage someone who is seeking to memorize some of these benedictions and doxologies? How have you sought to memorize scripture?

Sure. I would encourage you, first of all, to memorize these benedictions and doxologies to, in the language of Psalm 119, to hide them in your heart, to more literally to store them up as a treasure in your heart so that you will not sin against God. And really, for me, all scripture memorization just happens slowly. It is meditating, lingering phrase by phrase by phrase. And so I'm not one of those persons who memorize scripture fast, but I think maybe that's a good thing, so that you are not just by rote memory learning the wording of the text, but by slow meditation. Just phrase by phrase is how I memorize until I get it in my system. I want it to not just be lodged in my head, I want it to be rooted in my heart.

And sometimes that just takes time, but it's good time of communion with God. That was H.B. Charles, Jr., a pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, and he'll be one of our teachers at next year's Ligonier National Conference on the theme, Crucial Questions. I'd love to see you there next April, and you'll also be joined by thousands of other Christians from across the U.S. and around the world. If you'd like to learn more and register, visit ligonier.org slash 2026. Today's message was from H.B.

Charles, Jr.'s eight-part series on benedictions and doxologies in scripture. And today only, when you give a donation of any amount at renewingyourmind.org, or when you call us at 800 435 4343, we'll send you this series on DVD and unlock digital access to the messages and study guide in the free Ligonier app. Your support enables Renewing Your Mind to remain completely free to listeners every day of the year across the globe. Visit renewingyourmind.org or use the link in the podcast show notes to show your support. And if you live outside of the U.S. or Canada, we'll give you lifetime digital access to the series and study guide when you donate at renewingyourmind.org slash global. Thank you. You may have heard us reference Reform Theology on Renewing Your Mind.

A couple of months ago, R.C. Sproul taught on what we call the five solas of the Reformation. But next week, he'll expand on some of the introductory elements of Reform Theology, or as one preacher of old called it, Biblical Christianity. So I hope you'll join us beginning Monday here on Renewing Your Mind. Thank you.