In Ephesians 3:20-21, Paul writes, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Paul’s description of God’s power is staggering! God is able to do immeasurably more than anything we could ask or imagine. I think most of us would say, “No duh.” Of course God can do this. But look at how he is poised to do this, “according to his power that is at work within us.” 

NT Wright says, “Read verse 20 carefully. Then think of what God might do in you and through you – you as a community, you as an individual. Now reflect on the fact that God is perfectly capable of doubling that, trebling that, going so far beyond it that you would look back at the present moment and wonder how you could be so short-sighted.”

My imagination soars when I read passages like this. Imagine the changed lives, the answered prayers, the prophetic words, the healings, the revival! 

Wait a minute. If this is true, then why am I not seeing this in my life and in my church?

There’s a phrase in verse 20 that I want to unpack a little deeper, “according to his power that is at work within us.” God’s power is already at work within. How is God’s power currently working within us? What is God doing within us? If you’ve read this blog long enough, I think you know my answer. He’s training and transforming us into the likeness of Christ as we apprentice ourselves to Jesus.

In The Great Omission, Dallas Willard writes: 

“Jesus is actually looking for people he can trust with his power. He knows that otherwise we remain largely helpless in the face of the organized and disorganized evils around us, and that we are unable—given his chosen strategy—to promote his will for good in this world with adequate power…

“Human life can never flourish unless it pulses with the ‘immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe’ (Ephesians 1:19). But only constant students of Jesus will be given adequate power to fulfill their calling to be God’s person for their time and their place in this world. They are the only ones who develop the character which makes it safe to have such power. [Emphasis mine]”

The last two sentences are key. God’s power is at work in us to first develop Jesus’ character in us so we can safely use God’s power in our world. This is an important thing to grasp. God’s great power is already doing the unimaginable in us. He’s transforming Jesus’ apprentices into Jesus’ character.

Jesus’ character is essential to handle Jesus’ power. Only a humble heart (discussed a few posts ago) will consider others more important than oneself and use Jesus’ power solely for the other’s good. Only the faith of Jesus will be confident in God’s care and well-being so that one doesn’t use Jesus’ power for validation, influence, or identity. Only a life fully satisfied in Jesus will be able to rest in God for all outcomes and not be tempted to manipulate situations and people to make something happen.

We must cooperate with God’s power at work in us so we can eventually cooperate with God’s power at work through us. Remember, the most important thing in your life is not what you do or accomplish. It’s the person you become. That’s God’s power at work in you.

I read a great quote by Bill Gaultiere. When he was mentored by Dallas Willard, Willard taught him to pray the following, “Lord, please don’t grant me more power than my character can handle.” 

Character sustains power. Power without character will ruin a person. Perhaps right now God doesn’t do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” because we couldn’t handle it and it would ruin us and our church.

So what do you do with a passage like John 14:12? Jesus says “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

I think the key is the word “believes”. This is not intellectual assent as many moderns assume. Rather, it’s faithful and loyal confidence. Those who have loyal confidence in Jesus will deeply trust him and accept his offer of apprenticeship. They will intentionally align their lives around his lifestyle and practices. They will seriously learn from him how to be like him. They will seek the inner transformation into his character and learn to be people who routinely and easily do everything he says. That puts John 14:12 directly in line with what we have been discussing. 

“Whoever has loyal confidence in me so that they become my apprentices and learn from me how to be like me, those people will do the works I have been doing. In fact, they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father and I can trust them with my power.”

So trust Jesus as his apprentice. God’s power is already at work in you doing the unimaginable — transforming you into the likeness of Christ, into a person with his character and entrusted with his power.