You have to think sometimes, as the Body of Christ, we shortchange ourselves when it comes to an understanding of the greatness of God in our midst, or should we say the potential of the Church in His presence.
In fact, the Word of God talks about the ‘fulness of God’ right here in the Church, but how many of us have actually worked out what exactly that means or how we allow ourselves to be completely absorbed into the exciting prospects it presents?
Prayer for fulness
We know that ‘the earth is the Lord’s and all its fulness (Ps.24:1),’ but what about the presence of the fulness of God in the earth, also? There’s a prayer that Paul prayed for the Church that ends with an appeal to the Body of Christ being His fulness. We need to read it all to begin to grasp the power of it.
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:15-19
Because God fills the Body of Christ, His fulness is present with us. His divine nature is active amongst us. He ‘fills all in all.’ This speaks of each individual as well as the corporate Body. We are the Body of Christ, and He is the Anointed One of God in our midst through the Spirit of Christ. This touches everyone who believes.
His dynamic power is here with us. He hasn’t ceased being God. He is still El Shaddai (Gen.17:1-2), the Almighty God who appeared to the great man of faith, Abraham, and called Abraham ‘friend of God (James 2:23).’
He is still the God who parted the Red Sea and took millions of Israelis over on dry land as they escaped their captivity in Egypt (Ex.14:29), and who destroyed the Egyptian pursuers in the same sea (Ex.14:30).
He is still the God who sent the Word to become flesh and dwell amongst us, full of grace and truth (John 1:14), who went about destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). Still the God of miracles, signs and wonders.
Filled with the fulness
Consider the Apostle Paul’s other prayer, that we would be filled with the fulness of God.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19
Knowing the length and depth and height and breadth of the love of helps us understand the fulness of God and how it impacts us as individuals and as coworkers and as members of the Body of Christ.
I am joyful simply knowing that we can receive a portion of the God’s anointing for each of us (1John 2:27), and a measure of faith and of grace (Rom.12:6), and that we have the name of Jesus, the Sword of the Spirit, which is His Word, and the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us, but the thought of the fulness, yes, the very fulness, of God residing with us is absolutely amazing.
Oh, it’s reverence-inducing and awe-inspiring when we see the dimension of the possibilities; when we consider His Spirit with us, in us, and upon us to help Him achieve His goals of winning the lost to Him and bringing them home into His bosom through the power of the gospel; that His hand is upon us to do His will in the earth as long as we are here.
Above all we can ask or think
Paul compliments that prayer with a doxology. which is an inspired remembrance of the greatness and glory of God, the highest praise, led by the Spirit.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Yes, Paul realises that it is very difficult for finite beings to come to terms with eternity and the dimension of God’s greatness within the Church and across the globe which is His in its fulness as He reveals His fulness through us. Even the angels want to see what God will accomplish through His Church.
To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Ephesians 3:8-13
The manifold wisdom of God is to be made known by the Church to all the principalities and powers in heavenly places. These are spiritual beings awaiting the redemption of the saints, that is, believers, those who are born again, who’ve faith in Christ.
This was God’s eternal purpose in Christ. We, the Church, make know God’s greatness, His fulness, His majesty in the earth at this time. This is what gives us great boldness with confidence through faith in Him.
There’s so much more to this, but I pray that this will be a taster to the potential of the Church in this present age as we go into all the world with His mandate to make disciples of all nations.
