Notes
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20
God wants us to experience the greatness of who He is; in order to do so, we have to step into it by faith. We’re to continually fill up on the things of God - the fuel to do life with. Like a car, we can’t run on empty.
1) Fill up on God’s Kindness
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Ephesians 1:5-7
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8
We need to be good receivers of His kindness and love. Open up your heart and hands; God is generous, but we have to accept His gifts. Jesus came anyway. Though we are sinners, He died for us anyway. This is why generosity is important to learn; it teaches us about God’s generosity toward us.
2) Fill up on God’s Wisdom
I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Ephesians 1:16-17
And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Ephesians 1:10-14
Too often we seek wisdom from earthly things instead of God. He had a plan before the earth was ever created. We have to trust that God is working, even when it seems the enemy has won. When we receive God’s wisdom in our lives, we understand that He has a plan and He has a purpose.
We praise and glorify God when we have hope bigger than our current circumstances, faith in God’s plan for the future. He will redeem His people and expel all evil.
3) Fill up on God’s Power
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Ephesians 1:19-23
God’s power shows us that Christ is our example. By following His example, we can outwit the enemy and his schemes. When we fill up on God’s power, we have the ability to apply God’s Word to what we experience in life. Don’t let the enemy keep you from the more that God wants to do.
Group Questions
- In what ways does God show us kindness?
- What is the difference between earthly wisdom and God’s wisdom?
- When has God shown you His power - what He can do?
- How do we “fill up” on God’s kindness, wisdom, and power?
Prayer
God, in 2024 we pray for more - more wisdom, more redemption, more growth. We are so excited for the future you have in store.