June 15, 2025 • 25 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The purpose in your prayer must be for God's purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He must get the glory.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Doctor Tony Evans says, putting God's glory first is the
key to expanding.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Your spiritual capacity.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
And when you expand your capacity, you expand your opportunity.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings
from the archives of doctor Tony Evans. The same power
that raised Jesus from the dead is it working us?
But are we tapping into it today? Doctor Evans continues
his look at Paul's powerful prayer in Ephesians, revealing how
to access the spiritual strength God has already placed within us.
(00:42):
Let's join him.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
The prayer for spiritual power.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth derive
its name. Now he lets us know in this first
part that the way you access your spiritual power is
through prayer. He says, I bow my knee to my Father.
(01:09):
So what you want to do if you need spiritual
power is humble yourself before the Father. Now he then
enters into a discussion, and you're going to touch on
four areas in this prayer for spiritual power. Let's look
at how he breaks it down verse sixteen, that he
(01:31):
would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power through the spirit in the
inner man. He now, first of all, wants you to
have increased spiritual strength. Increase spiritual strength. God strengthens us
to come to Him, to be able to receive what.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
He has for us. It is the job of the
Holy Spirit to renew and.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Empower us so that our capacity is enlarged. Look at
a couple of references. First of all is Second Corinthians,
Chapter four. Second Corinthians, Chapter four, Verses sixteen and eighteen,
do not to eighteen. Therefore we do not lose heart.
(02:19):
We don't quit. Though our outer man is decaying, yet
our inner man is being renewed, how regularly, day by day,
so your capacity can grow on a daily basis.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
For momentary light.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory,
far beyond all comparison. While we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are
not seen.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
For the things which are.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So what should we be.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Focusing on things that are what not seen, because remember,
the things that are not seen control the things that
are are seen. Man, he says, I wood, Man is decave,
and I don't care how good you look.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
You are the cave.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Keep looking in the mirror. There will be more wrinkles
the cover. They'll be more gray hairs to hide, There'll
be more. You know, you're just deterioration setting in all right. Now,
here's the beauty of this. As your physical person deteriorates.
As you feel walking slower, moving slower, getting grayer, getting older,
(03:31):
you know, hiding more wrinkles, all that stuff, and we
all in this room are getting older, your inner man
should be getting younger and younger, or getting renewed, he says. Secondly,
he wants us to pray for increased spiritual intimacy. Increased
spiritual intimacy verse seventeen, so that Christ and by the
(03:54):
way in verse sixteen, will strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
Notice where in the inner man? So it's in your
human spirit that is at the center of your soul
that this increase occurs. Then you want to increase intimacy
verse seventeen, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Christ may be in your.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Heart, but the question is is he comfortable with the arrangements.
What he wants to do is that access to all
of life so that he can be totally at home.
Because guess what. The more at home Jesus is the
cleaner your life will be.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So that means you've got to come clean.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
In developing an intimate walk with Christ, not only is
there it be increased spiritual strength and increase spiritual intimacy,
that it be increased spiritual depth.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Notice the second half.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Of verse seventeen, and that you, being rooted and grounded
in love, may comprehend with all the saints. What is
the breath and length and height and depth being rooted
and grounded in love? He gives us two analogies that
explains its concept, rooted and grounded. Rooted is an agricultural term.
(05:12):
It refers to roots that run deep under the ground,
which keeps the tree or the plant or whatever it
is stabilized regardless of external weather. So to be rooted
means to be stabilized from underneath. Agriculturally, grounded referred to
the foundation.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If you want to.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Build a high building, you've got to take time and
dig a deep foundation. The higher the edifice, the deeper
the drill for the foundation. What he is saying is
God wants us to go deep in love. He says,
rooted and grounded in love, so that our capacity to
(05:53):
love grows. Because remember the definition of love. Now, it's
not first talk about emotions or inactions. It's talking about
acts of the will that seeks that which is better
for the other person. So when we want to love God,
we want to seek his glory. We want to love people,
We want a minister to their hurts and needs in
accords with the.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Word of God.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
God wants us to go deep in love. Now, why
does he want us to grow deep in love? Because
love always expands your capacity, he says through prayer. If
you go deep in your relationship with God and in
your depth of love, by seeking to do that which
pleases God, which will affirm that which is your ability
(06:38):
to relate to others, then you expand your capacities. Now,
God will always test how deep you are, and that
was a call trials. Trials are God's way of testing
the depth of your root or the depth of your foundation.
Then he wants you to increase your spiritual understanding verse eighteen.
(07:00):
May be able to understand with all the saints what
is the breadth and length and height and depth?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Understanding?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
This word means apprehension or laying hold of for yourself.
You need your own testimonies. Don't piggyback off of my
walk with God, and I can't piggyback off of your
walk with God.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
You need your own.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
He says in verse eighteen that you may be able
to understand with all the saints. That's a very important phrase,
because you will never get it all yourself.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
See it's good.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
We're here testimonies to see what God is doing somebody
else's life. But we need our own testimony so somebody
else can hear what's happening in our lives. And then
when we get everybody's testimony together, we'll see how big
God really is. Because he did that for you, He
did something else for you, something else for you.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And if we have five hundred people in the.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Audience, and if five hundreds of different testimonies, you know
what that tells how great God is. He can meet
in each one of us individually, in our individual problems,
handle him individually, and we all have reason to praise
Him so that next year, when you run into a
problem that you didn't have this year, you remember God
did something about that in somebody else's life. So that's
(08:18):
why you've got to be part of the family of God,
so that you can get the size of God. Because
nobody will ever have all the experiences that God has
to offer.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So he wants you.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
To have an experience of an understanding so that you
will have notice what he says, to know the love
of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled
up to all the fullness of God. So what you
want is increased capacity so you can handle more because
(08:49):
God will always feel you to your capacity. That's why
he says in verse eighteen, he wants you to know
the breath, the land, the height, the dam. That's just
a nice way of saying he wants he wants you
to understand how big God really is. Let me tell
you how big God really is in eternity. When you've
(09:12):
been with God one hundred quadzillion years, which I don't
even know what that number means, But when you've been
with God one hundred tquadzillion years, you would have just
been introduced to him. That would have been like a
three minute introduction to a message after one hundred quadzillion years.
Because the God of the Bible is inexhaustible, He has
(09:35):
no end. That is not for human consumption. To try
to understand God is the waste of your natural time,
all right. Because the scope we're talking about, the scope
is too big. That's why we're gonna have to have
new bodies, because we don't have to have new capacities
for taking this stuff in which we do not have
in our current finiteness. So what he wants you to
(09:56):
do is he wants you to realize the Holy Spirit's
power to Christ's intimate relationship with Christ, and through this
love relationship with God, that He's got a love so
big it'll last forever. It's that long, it's so high
it can reach take the center to the highest heaven.
It's so deep it can reach down to the lowest
(10:16):
center and pick him up. He's talking about the breadth
of this great love of God, which surpasses knowledge.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
You couldn't write enough books to cover it. Can imagine all.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The books have been written about God and Jesus Christ,
and then merely introductory volumes.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
The library is full of them by the Mega thousands.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
No books about any other being in the universe like
there about God and his son Jesus Christ. So he
wants you to come to understand through prayer your spiritual
power by expanding your spiritual capacity.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
But capacity alone isn't enough. We also need the right perspective,
or Evans will unpack up powerful truth about what God
can do through you, what His power is at work
within you when He returns in just a moment, don't
go away?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
How do you share the Gospel with confidence? What's God's
plan for our communities? Why does the Old Testament matter
to your faith today? Those are just a few of
the questions you'll get answered when you enrolled in the
Tony Evans Training Center, an interactive online study experience with
doctor Tony Evans where you can grow in your knowledge
of God's Word and learn to advance His Kingdom agenda
(11:31):
in your life. Visit Tonyevans Training dot org to get
started today. That's Tonyevans Training dot Org.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Before we get back to doctor Evans, I wanted to
let you know that the message you're hearing today is
part of his sixteen part series on the Book of
Ephesians called ordinary Holy finding God in the mundane. In
this powerful collection, Tony explores how God often does his
greatest spiritual work in the middle of our most ordinary moment,
(12:00):
helping us see that even the routine rhythms of life
can become sacred when surrendered to Him. If you'd like
to dig deeper into this series, to review today's message,
or to share it with your small group or family,
you can download the complete two volume set instantly and
will also send it to you on CD or USB
flash drive as our way of saying thanks for your
(12:23):
generous support of Tony's work on the air and communities
across the globe, and as an added way of saying
thanks and to help you grow even further, will also
include his book Kingdom Living, a practical, encouraging guide to
building a stronger walk with God and learning to live
out your identity in Christ. This special offer will only
(12:45):
be available for a limited time, so get all the
details today at Tonyevans dot org or call our resource
team at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two.
I'll repeat that contact information after part two of today's message.
Let's get back to doctor Evans now in Ephesians chapter three.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Secondly, he wants you to have a perspective for spiritual
power verse twenty. Now to him who is able to
do exceedingly abundantly above all that, you can ask or
think according to the power working within us. And I
hope you saw that this goes back to the capacity.
Do you see that line, according to the power working
(13:26):
in you? You can quote this verse from here to doomsday.
If there's nothing in you, you'll get nothing to you.
This power of God is beyond your wildest dreams.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Then what's my problem?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Simple? Your capacity. The problem is your capacity, my capacity.
Let's talk a little bit about God's power here. Number one,
God's power is personal. It's personal, he says to him,
not to it. See, people want this impersonal power for us.
(14:07):
We're talking about Daddy here, talking about the Father. Remember
he's praying to the Father, So the power is tied
to the relationship.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So God's power is personal.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Secondly, God's power is potent, and it's all seen in
that phrase.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
He is able, he is able.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
And he tags onto that. And I mentioned a moment
ago let me and said again, he's able to do
anything God decides to do.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
He can do. He's able. So when you can't, you
are a perfect candidate.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When you run out of your resources, He's able when
they say no, way, no, how, He's able. So he
wants you relying on his ability. God's power is personal.
God's power is potent. God's power is also unpredictable because
(15:09):
his power is beyond what you think. It goes beyond
what you ask, but it also goes beyond what you think.
So never put God in a box. Never tell God
do something this way. You just tell him what you want.
(15:30):
Let him decide how he's gonna do it. Jeremiah thirty two, seventeen,
Great verse one worth memorizing Jeremiah thirty two, Verse seventeen.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Oh Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heavens and
the earth by thy great power and by thy outstretched arm.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Here it is nothing is too difficult for thee. Nothing nothing.
Now the question is does he want to do it?
The question is not if he able.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
We saw a little bit of God's power when we
were in Columbia, South Carolina, and we were in this
crusade in this outdoor stadium. The rain was coming in,
and we got in a room and we prayed, and
this one lady took over the prayer meeting. We were
praying that God would hold back the rain. And she
stood up in the prayer meeting and she said, in
(16:34):
the name of Jesus Christ, I declare that it not rained.
And she was bold and strong with it. We went
out on this platform. We sat down and we watched.
We watched the clouds parked straight down the middle. The
dark clouds go around the stadium, and it rained again
(16:59):
after it got on the other side of the stadium.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
She was praying out of her capacity. You see.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
So when your capacity grows, because you're growing deeper and
wider in the Lord, then you'll get to see more
of him who is able to do exceedingly. But see
a lot of people say, well, pray for your miracle.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Your miracle is only related to your capacity. Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
God's power therefore, finally is prejudicial. It's not equal for everyone.
It's according to the power working within. What you get
from up depends on what's working in. So you want
to increase your spiritual capacity, and you'll know it's increasing
because you'll see more spiritual.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Answers to prayer.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Now that'll be a proof that your capacity is broadening
because you'll see God doing things that he couldn't.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Do five years ago. You grow in this thing, you
don't leap fraud.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
You don't leap fraud at least your final point, and.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That is the purpose for spiritual power.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Your purpose must be right to Him, be glory in
the church and to Jesus Christ to all generations. The
purpose in your prayer for your power, based on your
capacity must be for God's purposes. He must get the glory.
(18:32):
Let me send it again. He must get the glory.
If he does not get the glory, then he has
no vested interest in showing you the power. Why should
he show you the power so you can get the
glory or something else other than him getting the glory
(18:52):
when it's his power. Isaiah forty six ten says, my
purposes will be established, and I will accomplish my good pleasure.
Here's a text that you should memorize sometimes. Romans Chapter eleven.
Romans Chapter eleven, verses thirty three to thirty six. Oh,
(19:14):
the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable
are his ways? Just what we're saying an Ephesians, for
who has known the mind of the Lord, or who
became its counselor when did the last time he ask
you what you think, okay? Or who has first given
(19:35):
to him that it might be paid back to him again?
For from him, through him, and to him are all
things to him be glory forever.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Same thing he's saying here to all generations.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
You got to say, when you're calling one god for
spiritual power, what he's going to get out the deal?
What will he get out of this deed? If he
comes through and does this miracle for you? What will
he get out? Remember when David sinned, he said, Lord,
forgive me, remove me, spare my life because he was
(20:14):
under the death penalty for murder. Spare my life. And
then he says, and if you do it, I'll go
tell transgresses your ways. If you will come through for me,
I will go out and let other sinners know more
about you if you.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Come through for me.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
See, the question is how will God get the glory
Matthew five sixteen, that men might see your good works
and glorify your father, who is in heaven. How will
he get the credit? If God to tie into divine purposes.
So that means you must make I must make a
lifestyle of giving God glory and not apologize. Stop apologizing
(20:59):
for giving God glory.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Give him the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Now, I'm not saying be bombastic. I'm not saying being appropriate,
but I am saying, don't be ashamed, don't be ashamed
to give. Don't be too cute to give him the glory.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Don't be too much of a professionally give him the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Don't be looking too swank that you can't give him
the glory. Don't be ashamed to give him the glory.
That word glory means to demonstrate, put on display, advertise,
show off, highlight, all of those synonyms for give him
the glory. And you don't really give him the glory
by what you say. You give him the glory about
(21:36):
what you do. You give him the glory by representing him.
You're give him the glory by how you do what
you do. If you do your stuff sloppy, that's not
giving him the glory. Bible says, even when you go
to work, you work for the Lord, your God. So
say Lord, this is not the job I want. I
don't want to stay here. But as long as you
have me here, I'm a work in such a way
that my performance.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Will give you the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Now, you just expanded your capacity, and when you expand
your capacity, you expand your opportunity.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Bless them, doctor Tony Evans reminding us that when we
honor God even in the everyday routines of life, we
make room for him to do extraordinary things, and he'll
return with a closing thought in just a moment before
he does.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Though.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Today's message, Accessing your Spiritual Power is part of Tony's
sixteen part audio series called Ordinary Holy, a deep dive
into the Book of Ephesians that shows how God meets
us in the every day. It's yours with our thanks,
along with his book Kingdom Living. When you support Tony's
work on this station and beyond, just visit Tonyevans dot
(22:50):
org or you'll find all the details right on the homepage.
Or call one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty
two to make your request again. That's Tony Evans Dorg
or by phone at one eight hundred eight hundred three
two two two. You know, teamwork falls apart when people
(23:10):
chase their own agendas tomorrow, doctor Evan shows how God
causes people to unity so they can grow and serve together.
Right now, he's back with this closing illustration.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Hydrants water.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Hydrants a little small small things, but based on their
connection with the reservoir will determine how much water they
let out. If they're disconnected underneath, they won't let anything
out for the firemen as they put up their hoses
(23:45):
to put out a fire. But if they're connected underneath
the ground, and you don't see the connection because the
connection is underneath the ground. But if they're connected right,
those little things will produce water all day law and
water that comes out so strong and to knock you
silly because it comes out with so much force. You
know why because their source is always full. So all
(24:08):
they do is share their fullness from the source based
on the connection. If you know Jesus Christ today, you
have a connection, and your connection is a reservoir is
always full. If you keep the connection tight, that invisible
connection and the inner man, you will gush out the
power of God in your life and in your circumstances. Remember,
(24:33):
your spiritual capacity will determine your spiritual power
The purpose in your prayer must be for God's purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He must get the glory.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Doctor Tony Evans says, putting God's glory first is the
key to expanding.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Your spiritual capacity.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
And when you expand your capacity, you expand your opportunity.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings
from the archives of doctor Tony Evans. The same power
that raised Jesus from the dead is it working us?
But are we tapping into it today? Doctor Evans continues
his look at Paul's powerful prayer in Ephesians, revealing how
to access the spiritual strength God has already placed within us.
(00:42):
Let's join him.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
The prayer for spiritual power.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth derive
its name. Now he lets us know in this first
part that the way you access your spiritual power is
through prayer. He says, I bow my knee to my Father.
(01:09):
So what you want to do if you need spiritual
power is humble yourself before the Father. Now he then
enters into a discussion, and you're going to touch on
four areas in this prayer for spiritual power. Let's look
at how he breaks it down verse sixteen, that he
(01:31):
would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power through the spirit in the
inner man. He now, first of all, wants you to
have increased spiritual strength. Increase spiritual strength. God strengthens us
to come to Him, to be able to receive what.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
He has for us. It is the job of the
Holy Spirit to renew and.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Empower us so that our capacity is enlarged. Look at
a couple of references. First of all is Second Corinthians,
Chapter four. Second Corinthians, Chapter four, Verses sixteen and eighteen,
do not to eighteen. Therefore we do not lose heart.
(02:19):
We don't quit. Though our outer man is decaying, yet
our inner man is being renewed, how regularly, day by day,
so your capacity can grow on a daily basis.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
For momentary light.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory,
far beyond all comparison. While we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are
not seen.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
For the things which are.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So what should we be.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Focusing on things that are what not seen, because remember,
the things that are not seen control the things that
are are seen. Man, he says, I wood, Man is decave,
and I don't care how good you look.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
You are the cave.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Keep looking in the mirror. There will be more wrinkles
the cover. They'll be more gray hairs to hide, There'll
be more. You know, you're just deterioration setting in all right. Now,
here's the beauty of this. As your physical person deteriorates.
As you feel walking slower, moving slower, getting grayer, getting older,
(03:31):
you know, hiding more wrinkles, all that stuff, and we
all in this room are getting older, your inner man
should be getting younger and younger, or getting renewed, he says. Secondly,
he wants us to pray for increased spiritual intimacy. Increased
spiritual intimacy verse seventeen, so that Christ and by the
(03:54):
way in verse sixteen, will strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
Notice where in the inner man? So it's in your
human spirit that is at the center of your soul
that this increase occurs. Then you want to increase intimacy
verse seventeen, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Christ may be in your.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Heart, but the question is is he comfortable with the arrangements.
What he wants to do is that access to all
of life so that he can be totally at home.
Because guess what. The more at home Jesus is the
cleaner your life will be.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So that means you've got to come clean.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
In developing an intimate walk with Christ, not only is
there it be increased spiritual strength and increase spiritual intimacy,
that it be increased spiritual depth.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Notice the second half.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Of verse seventeen, and that you, being rooted and grounded
in love, may comprehend with all the saints. What is
the breath and length and height and depth being rooted
and grounded in love? He gives us two analogies that
explains its concept, rooted and grounded. Rooted is an agricultural term.
(05:12):
It refers to roots that run deep under the ground,
which keeps the tree or the plant or whatever it
is stabilized regardless of external weather. So to be rooted
means to be stabilized from underneath. Agriculturally, grounded referred to
the foundation.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If you want to.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Build a high building, you've got to take time and
dig a deep foundation. The higher the edifice, the deeper
the drill for the foundation. What he is saying is
God wants us to go deep in love. He says,
rooted and grounded in love, so that our capacity to
(05:53):
love grows. Because remember the definition of love. Now, it's
not first talk about emotions or inactions. It's talking about
acts of the will that seeks that which is better
for the other person. So when we want to love God,
we want to seek his glory. We want to love people,
We want a minister to their hurts and needs in
accords with the.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Word of God.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
God wants us to go deep in love. Now, why
does he want us to grow deep in love? Because
love always expands your capacity, he says through prayer. If
you go deep in your relationship with God and in
your depth of love, by seeking to do that which
pleases God, which will affirm that which is your ability
(06:38):
to relate to others, then you expand your capacities. Now,
God will always test how deep you are, and that
was a call trials. Trials are God's way of testing
the depth of your root or the depth of your foundation.
Then he wants you to increase your spiritual understanding verse eighteen.
(07:00):
May be able to understand with all the saints what
is the breadth and length and height and depth?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Understanding?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
This word means apprehension or laying hold of for yourself.
You need your own testimonies. Don't piggyback off of my
walk with God, and I can't piggyback off of your
walk with God.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
You need your own.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
He says in verse eighteen that you may be able
to understand with all the saints. That's a very important phrase,
because you will never get it all yourself.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
See it's good.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
We're here testimonies to see what God is doing somebody
else's life. But we need our own testimony so somebody
else can hear what's happening in our lives. And then
when we get everybody's testimony together, we'll see how big
God really is. Because he did that for you, He
did something else for you, something else for you.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And if we have five hundred people in the.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Audience, and if five hundreds of different testimonies, you know
what that tells how great God is. He can meet
in each one of us individually, in our individual problems,
handle him individually, and we all have reason to praise
Him so that next year, when you run into a
problem that you didn't have this year, you remember God
did something about that in somebody else's life. So that's
(08:18):
why you've got to be part of the family of God,
so that you can get the size of God. Because
nobody will ever have all the experiences that God has
to offer.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So he wants you.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
To have an experience of an understanding so that you
will have notice what he says, to know the love
of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled
up to all the fullness of God. So what you
want is increased capacity so you can handle more because
(08:49):
God will always feel you to your capacity. That's why
he says in verse eighteen, he wants you to know
the breath, the land, the height, the dam. That's just
a nice way of saying he wants he wants you
to understand how big God really is. Let me tell
you how big God really is in eternity. When you've
(09:12):
been with God one hundred quadzillion years, which I don't
even know what that number means, But when you've been
with God one hundred tquadzillion years, you would have just
been introduced to him. That would have been like a
three minute introduction to a message after one hundred quadzillion years.
Because the God of the Bible is inexhaustible, He has
(09:35):
no end. That is not for human consumption. To try
to understand God is the waste of your natural time,
all right. Because the scope we're talking about, the scope
is too big. That's why we're gonna have to have
new bodies, because we don't have to have new capacities
for taking this stuff in which we do not have
in our current finiteness. So what he wants you to
(09:56):
do is he wants you to realize the Holy Spirit's
power to Christ's intimate relationship with Christ, and through this
love relationship with God, that He's got a love so
big it'll last forever. It's that long, it's so high
it can reach take the center to the highest heaven.
It's so deep it can reach down to the lowest
(10:16):
center and pick him up. He's talking about the breadth
of this great love of God, which surpasses knowledge.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
You couldn't write enough books to cover it. Can imagine all.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The books have been written about God and Jesus Christ,
and then merely introductory volumes.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
The library is full of them by the Mega thousands.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
No books about any other being in the universe like
there about God and his son Jesus Christ. So he
wants you to come to understand through prayer your spiritual
power by expanding your spiritual capacity.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
But capacity alone isn't enough. We also need the right perspective,
or Evans will unpack up powerful truth about what God
can do through you, what His power is at work
within you when He returns in just a moment, don't
go away?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
How do you share the Gospel with confidence? What's God's
plan for our communities? Why does the Old Testament matter
to your faith today? Those are just a few of
the questions you'll get answered when you enrolled in the
Tony Evans Training Center, an interactive online study experience with
doctor Tony Evans where you can grow in your knowledge
of God's Word and learn to advance His Kingdom agenda
(11:31):
in your life. Visit Tonyevans Training dot org to get
started today. That's Tonyevans Training dot Org.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Before we get back to doctor Evans, I wanted to
let you know that the message you're hearing today is
part of his sixteen part series on the Book of
Ephesians called ordinary Holy finding God in the mundane. In
this powerful collection, Tony explores how God often does his
greatest spiritual work in the middle of our most ordinary moment,
(12:00):
helping us see that even the routine rhythms of life
can become sacred when surrendered to Him. If you'd like
to dig deeper into this series, to review today's message,
or to share it with your small group or family,
you can download the complete two volume set instantly and
will also send it to you on CD or USB
flash drive as our way of saying thanks for your
(12:23):
generous support of Tony's work on the air and communities
across the globe, and as an added way of saying
thanks and to help you grow even further, will also
include his book Kingdom Living, a practical, encouraging guide to
building a stronger walk with God and learning to live
out your identity in Christ. This special offer will only
(12:45):
be available for a limited time, so get all the
details today at Tonyevans dot org or call our resource
team at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two.
I'll repeat that contact information after part two of today's message.
Let's get back to doctor Evans now in Ephesians chapter three.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Secondly, he wants you to have a perspective for spiritual
power verse twenty. Now to him who is able to
do exceedingly abundantly above all that, you can ask or
think according to the power working within us. And I
hope you saw that this goes back to the capacity.
Do you see that line, according to the power working
(13:26):
in you? You can quote this verse from here to doomsday.
If there's nothing in you, you'll get nothing to you.
This power of God is beyond your wildest dreams.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Then what's my problem?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Simple? Your capacity. The problem is your capacity, my capacity.
Let's talk a little bit about God's power here. Number one,
God's power is personal. It's personal, he says to him,
not to it. See, people want this impersonal power for us.
(14:07):
We're talking about Daddy here, talking about the Father. Remember
he's praying to the Father, So the power is tied
to the relationship.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So God's power is personal.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Secondly, God's power is potent, and it's all seen in
that phrase.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
He is able, he is able.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
And he tags onto that. And I mentioned a moment
ago let me and said again, he's able to do
anything God decides to do.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
He can do. He's able. So when you can't, you
are a perfect candidate.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When you run out of your resources, He's able when
they say no, way, no, how, He's able. So he
wants you relying on his ability. God's power is personal.
God's power is potent. God's power is also unpredictable because
(15:09):
his power is beyond what you think. It goes beyond
what you ask, but it also goes beyond what you think.
So never put God in a box. Never tell God
do something this way. You just tell him what you want.
(15:30):
Let him decide how he's gonna do it. Jeremiah thirty two, seventeen,
Great verse one worth memorizing Jeremiah thirty two, Verse seventeen.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Oh Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heavens and
the earth by thy great power and by thy outstretched arm.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Here it is nothing is too difficult for thee. Nothing nothing.
Now the question is does he want to do it?
The question is not if he able.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
We saw a little bit of God's power when we
were in Columbia, South Carolina, and we were in this
crusade in this outdoor stadium. The rain was coming in,
and we got in a room and we prayed, and
this one lady took over the prayer meeting. We were
praying that God would hold back the rain. And she
stood up in the prayer meeting and she said, in
(16:34):
the name of Jesus Christ, I declare that it not rained.
And she was bold and strong with it. We went
out on this platform. We sat down and we watched.
We watched the clouds parked straight down the middle. The
dark clouds go around the stadium, and it rained again
(16:59):
after it got on the other side of the stadium.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
She was praying out of her capacity. You see.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
So when your capacity grows, because you're growing deeper and
wider in the Lord, then you'll get to see more
of him who is able to do exceedingly. But see
a lot of people say, well, pray for your miracle.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Your miracle is only related to your capacity. Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
God's power therefore, finally is prejudicial. It's not equal for everyone.
It's according to the power working within. What you get
from up depends on what's working in. So you want
to increase your spiritual capacity, and you'll know it's increasing
because you'll see more spiritual.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Answers to prayer.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Now that'll be a proof that your capacity is broadening
because you'll see God doing things that he couldn't.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Do five years ago. You grow in this thing, you
don't leap fraud.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
You don't leap fraud at least your final point, and.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That is the purpose for spiritual power.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Your purpose must be right to Him, be glory in
the church and to Jesus Christ to all generations. The
purpose in your prayer for your power, based on your
capacity must be for God's purposes. He must get the glory.
(18:32):
Let me send it again. He must get the glory.
If he does not get the glory, then he has
no vested interest in showing you the power. Why should
he show you the power so you can get the
glory or something else other than him getting the glory
(18:52):
when it's his power. Isaiah forty six ten says, my
purposes will be established, and I will accomplish my good pleasure.
Here's a text that you should memorize sometimes. Romans Chapter eleven.
Romans Chapter eleven, verses thirty three to thirty six. Oh,
(19:14):
the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable
are his ways? Just what we're saying an Ephesians, for
who has known the mind of the Lord, or who
became its counselor when did the last time he ask
you what you think, okay? Or who has first given
(19:35):
to him that it might be paid back to him again?
For from him, through him, and to him are all
things to him be glory forever.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Same thing he's saying here to all generations.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
You got to say, when you're calling one god for
spiritual power, what he's going to get out the deal?
What will he get out of this deed? If he
comes through and does this miracle for you? What will
he get out? Remember when David sinned, he said, Lord,
forgive me, remove me, spare my life because he was
(20:14):
under the death penalty for murder. Spare my life. And
then he says, and if you do it, I'll go
tell transgresses your ways. If you will come through for me,
I will go out and let other sinners know more
about you if you.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Come through for me.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
See, the question is how will God get the glory
Matthew five sixteen, that men might see your good works
and glorify your father, who is in heaven. How will
he get the credit? If God to tie into divine purposes.
So that means you must make I must make a
lifestyle of giving God glory and not apologize. Stop apologizing
(20:59):
for giving God glory.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Give him the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Now, I'm not saying be bombastic. I'm not saying being appropriate,
but I am saying, don't be ashamed, don't be ashamed
to give. Don't be too cute to give him the glory.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Don't be too much of a professionally give him the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Don't be looking too swank that you can't give him
the glory. Don't be ashamed to give him the glory.
That word glory means to demonstrate, put on display, advertise,
show off, highlight, all of those synonyms for give him
the glory. And you don't really give him the glory
by what you say. You give him the glory about
(21:36):
what you do. You give him the glory by representing him.
You're give him the glory by how you do what
you do. If you do your stuff sloppy, that's not
giving him the glory. Bible says, even when you go
to work, you work for the Lord, your God. So
say Lord, this is not the job I want. I
don't want to stay here. But as long as you
have me here, I'm a work in such a way
that my performance.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Will give you the glory.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Now, you just expanded your capacity, and when you expand
your capacity, you expand your opportunity.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Bless them, doctor Tony Evans reminding us that when we
honor God even in the everyday routines of life, we
make room for him to do extraordinary things, and he'll
return with a closing thought in just a moment before
he does.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Though.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Today's message, Accessing your Spiritual Power is part of Tony's
sixteen part audio series called Ordinary Holy, a deep dive
into the Book of Ephesians that shows how God meets
us in the every day. It's yours with our thanks,
along with his book Kingdom Living. When you support Tony's
work on this station and beyond, just visit Tonyevans dot
(22:50):
org or you'll find all the details right on the homepage.
Or call one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty
two to make your request again. That's Tony Evans Dorg
or by phone at one eight hundred eight hundred three
two two two. You know, teamwork falls apart when people
(23:10):
chase their own agendas tomorrow, doctor Evan shows how God
causes people to unity so they can grow and serve together.
Right now, he's back with this closing illustration.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Hydrants water.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Hydrants a little small small things, but based on their
connection with the reservoir will determine how much water they
let out. If they're disconnected underneath, they won't let anything
out for the firemen as they put up their hoses
(23:45):
to put out a fire. But if they're connected underneath
the ground, and you don't see the connection because the
connection is underneath the ground. But if they're connected right,
those little things will produce water all day law and
water that comes out so strong and to knock you
silly because it comes out with so much force. You
know why because their source is always full. So all
(24:08):
they do is share their fullness from the source based
on the connection. If you know Jesus Christ today, you
have a connection, and your connection is a reservoir is
always full. If you keep the connection tight, that invisible
connection and the inner man, you will gush out the
power of God in your life and in your circumstances. Remember,
(24:33):
your spiritual capacity will determine your spiritual power
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