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Paul, the Author of the text, identifies himself as an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God; writes this particular book to the believers at Ephesus. He says to them that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Paul is talking to believers only; those who worship and praise the God of heaven, the one true and living God. Paul says to these believers, that the God whom they give all of the glory and all of their praise is able to do more than enough for them, out of a supply that is beyond measure. He can open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. So he writes this book to believers. Believers are a different type of people. They're different because they have been changed. This change is not physical. So if you were short before you became a believer, you'll still be short after you believe. This chance is not a weight loss change either. If you were overweight before you believed, you can rest assured that you'll still be overweight after you believe. This is not a hair transplant change either. If you were bald before you believed, you'll still be bald after you believe. Now don't get a shaved head confused with a bald head.. A shaved head is one where you clean off the hair with a razor or whatever but it will grow back. When it grows back you have to repeat the process of cleaning it off again and again, and again. The type of baldhead I'm talking about is the one where God cleans off the hair. When He cleans off the hair He cleans it off by the roots. No more roots, no more hair. Don't even think that, you can go to the barber shop and get a break because you don't have much hair to cut. Because the truth of the matter is this, the price of a haircut has a finder's fee already included. If he finds some hair to cut it cost, and if he doesn't find any to cut, he charges the same price for not finding any to cut. You can't by looking, look and see the difference in a believer in Christ, but there is a difference.
How Are Believers Different?
Before becoming believers some of them smoked, some drank, alcoholic beverages, some women chased after some men, some men chase after some women So, if you're looking for outward change in a believer, you won't find it. Looking at the outward appearance of a believer is not enough to convince anyone that a change had taken place. Maybe that's why God begins the change on the inside. On the inside the spirit of man is regenerated and becomes connected with the Spirit of God. And when the spirit of man becomes connected with the Spirit of God, God's Spirit in turn seals man's spirit until the day of redemption. And when the God's Spirit seals your spirit, no power on earth can ever change that. So first there is a Spiritual change, an unseen change that begins to work. If you keep listening to the Word of God, One day you will stop listening and start hearing the Word. Hearing the Word of God makes the difference. Hearing activates belief; belief then activates faith. Faith will in turn establishes a relationship between the natural and the Supernatural. So when the natural and the Supernatural have established a relationship with each other, changes that started on the inside, will show up on the outside. You'll still look like you, but you're different. How are you different? You didn't stop drinking, but you changed from drinking an alcoholic to non-alcoholic beverages. Men didn't stop chasing women, and women didn't stop chasing men. They just changed the way they chase each other. They get married, and then chase each other all through life, until death shall separates them. You don't stop smoking either. The way that you smoke is changed. Instead of lighting up drugs and tobacco, the Holy Ghost which is a fire will light you up. And when the Holy Ghost sets you on fire the smoke that you become will be a witness to everybody who knows you that you're on fire for the Lord. Believers are different.
When Does This Change Take Place?
Something you should know is that the change that takes place is on the inside, is brought about by a process called Sanctification. Sanctification is the process used by God to restore us in His image, and enables and equips us to for His service. Sanctification is also the process used to bring to our remembrance that it was God who has been good to us all of our lives. And when you know for yourself that it wasn't you that kept you, but that you were kept by the power of God, then will you know that a change has come over you. When you know that you've been changed, you don't mind getting up early for Sunday school. You don't mind staying until the morning worship is over,, you don't mind giving of your time and of your substance. You don't mind visiting the sick and shut in, praying for others, letting the world know that Jesus is the head of your life and that His love is in your heart., so that you'll want to love and treat everybody right. You've got to know this for yourself. When you know for that yourself your outward appearance won't change, you'll still look like you but OH! on the inside, the inside will began to look like Jesus. And when the inside begins to look like Jesus, you may not be what you want to be, but you're not what you used to be, because Jesus has made the difference in you.
What Evidence Is There of a Change?
There is a theological term called The Mystical Union. The Mystical Union is the revelation of the believer relationship to Christ. We are in Him but He is also in us. I'm in Christ and Christ is in me. That is known as The Mystical Union. Paul tells the Church at Ephesus that because of their relationship with Jesus, that God would reveal to them the mystery of Jesus. Anytime something has happened and no one knows how it happened, the cause is said to be a mystery. All attempts to solve mysteries usually all end in speculation. That's when someone human does the best he can with what he has to work with and takes the best guess in an attempt to solve the mystery. For the believer God replaces speculation with revelation. Revelation discloses the truth of a mystery, while at the same time exposing the myth of speculation. Let others say whatever they want about Jesus. Let them call Him a good man. Let them call Him the most famous man that ever lived. Let them call Him a Prophet. But to the believer He is the image of the invisible God. He is the second person of the Trinity He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He is the one who was born of the Virgin Mary. He's the one who healed the sick and raised the dead. He's the one who fed the hungry and preached the gospel to the poor. Jesus was betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter. He was crucified and died on the cross. He was buried and stayed in the grave three days and three nights. But rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures, with all power in Heaven and Earth in His hand. The idea of change begins in the intellect, but the evidence of change is in the believer.
Conclusion
The Ephesians were perplexed by the mystery of the Church. They didn't understand how the Church could be a body, a building, and a bride. So Paul tells them that if they believe, all things were possible. If Jesus could be the Lamb and the Priest, surely the Church can be a body, a bride, and a building, But this mystery is that the Gentiles would be saved and become part of the body of Christ, and co-heirs with the Jews of God's promises. The Church is made up of believers. Believers are different because they have been changed from the inside to the outside. We know who God is. We know that He supplies our every need. We know that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. Exceeding, more than enough. Abundantly, beyond measure. If you believe and have the faith God is able to do more than enough, with a supply that is beyond measure. Prove Him now and see if He will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Whatever you need, God is able to supply your every need. He's able to fix you for living. He's able to fix you for dying. And He's able to fix you for living after you die. You'll have everlasting life over in the homeland of the soul, a place where you'll never grow old He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. That Power is Jesus.