Ministering And Operating In God’s Overflow

Subject: Ministering and Operating in God’s Overflow

Text: Ephesians 3:14-21

Introduction: In this portion of Scripture, the apostle Paul prays for his friends. His primary prayer and concern were for their spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings. Really, every time we pray, we should seek for ourselves and others these same spiritual blessings. The only way believers can be successful in their assignment is that God would give them an ample supply of Spiritual strength for the work and duty to which they were called.

Even though, we have been called to a “worthy calling,” many times ministry can be frustrating. Because of the trials and difficulties of our call, we must learn to minister and operate from God’s Overflow. There are numerous things that cause frustration in ministry, but one of the main sources of frustration is the disparity between what the church ought to be and how the church really is; the disparity between how its leaders ought to be and how we really are; even between what its member should be like and what we are really like. This frustrating fact has not only discouraged new people from coming into the church; it has driven many people away from the church. Others have been driven from the ministry completely! The good news is there is a bridge between is-ness and ought-ness of the church. There is a bridge between what the church is and what the church ought to be. How can we become what we ought to be? The secret is to allow the Holy Spirit to live and work in us. Hear the word of the text in the King James Version: Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Eph 3:20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (RSV)

When we operate from God’s overflow, there is no limit to what God can do in us and through us as we allow His Spirit to work in us. This text shows us that God can make us what we ought to be if we let his power work in us. Four things in the text: God can make us what we ought to be if we let Him Strengthen us with His Might in the inner man. We can overcome every frustration and limitation as we allow His Spirit to fortify us on the inside.

1. God can make us what we ought to be if we let Him Strengthen us with His Might. Eph 3:16 “that He would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

There are two things that make us destructive: Inner wounds and inner weakness. There is a tendency to hide injuries within. Our deepest wounds come from people we love and trust, our family, friends, co-workers and even from the children of God. Others come from loss we experience. An adage says, “Hurt people hurt people!” If we do not allow God to heal our wounds, we become like the people who hurt us. People that are mean are people who use to be nice but got hurt and never got healed. Many of our weaknesses flow out of our pain. His spirit must be allowed to strengthen us in the inner man. WE cannot run away from pain that we carry. God can make us what we ought to be if we let Him strengthen us with His Might. God can make our weakness a source to strength to help others if we allow Him to. Jas 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Because God pardons the sins of those who confess and acknowledge them, and not those who justify themselves. Therefore the apostle adds, we ought to freely confer with one another concerning those inward diseases, that we may help one another with our prayers. God can heal our wounds and strengthen our weaknesses.

2. God can make us what we ought to be if we let Him indwell us with His presence. Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

St. Augustine said, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the human heart that can only be satisfied with God.” Many of us struggle with trying to fill the void in our lives in our own strength. Some people try to fill the void with bad things; while others try to filled the void with good things. King Solomon wrote a book about it called Ecclesiastes which could have been called Can I save you some time? Drugs, sex and money won’t fill it. You see, bad things lead to bondage; good things lead to burdens and frustrations. After experiences every pleasure, along with 700 wives and 300 hundred concubines, Solomon concluded that al were vanity of vanities, all is vanity under the sun. It’s like chasing the wind! God alone can satisfy the longings of our heart. “Can’t nobody do me like Jesus!” God can make us what we ought to be if we let Him indwell us with His presence. We must allow Jesus to live in our hearts by faith. This is the only remedy against fear, anxiety and loneliness. We need to practice the presence of God. Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” The presence of God changes every thing!