Ephesians: A Doxology to end Ephesians 3
Ephesians 3:20-21- Abundance for generations to come to glorify God!
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB1995
Paul ends his second prayer in Ephesians 3 with a doxology praising Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. ChatGPT created this intriguing image at the top based on these two verses showing a panorama of power and glory in the church from an early gathering of a few believers to a future of many churches and people dedicated to the Lord, according to the power that works within us.
Enduring Word nails it on their commentary on this short, but powerful passage:
i. This doxology does not only belong to the prayer that precedes it, but also to every glorious privilege and blessing spoken of in the first three chapters. Who is able to bring such things to pass? Only God can do this because He can do far beyond our ability to think or ask.
ii. Paul says that God is able to do above all that we ask or think. The we included Paul and the other apostles and they certainly knew that Jesus could do great things.
· You can ask for every good thing you have ever experienced – God can do above that.
· You can think of or imagine things beyond your experience – God can do above that.
· You can imagine good things that are beyond your ability to name – God can do above that.
iii. Spurgeon on the phrase exceedingly abundantly: “He has constructed here in the Greek an expression which is altogether his own. No language was powerful enough for the apostle, – I mean for the Holy Ghost speaking through the apostle, – for very often Paul has to coin words and phrases to shadow forth his meaning, and here is one, ‘He is able to do exceeding abundantly,’ so abundantly that it exceeds measure and description.” (Spurgeon)
iv. “Therefore he is able to do all things, and able to do superabundantly above the greatest abundance.” (Clarke)
b. According to the power that works in us: God is able to do this in our life now, not beginning with heaven. This power… works in us now.
i. The things Paul prayed for in the previous verses (spiritual strength, the indwelling Jesus, experiential knowledge of God’s love, and the fullness of God) belong to us as children of God. However, they must be received by believing prayer and can be furthered in the lives of others by our prayers for them.
c. To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus: The only fitting response to this great God is to give Him glory – especially in the church, the company of His redeemed, and that He receive that glory throughout all ages, world without end [KJV] – Amen!
i. When the church understands and walks in God’s eternal purpose, God will be glorified and the church will fulfill its important duty of simply glorifying God.
ii. “But the apostle felt that he must not say, ‘Unto him be glory in my soul.’ He wished that, but his one soul afforded far too little space, and so he cried ‘unto him, be glory in the church.’ He calls upon all the people of God to praise the divine name.” (Spurgeon)
You can’t even imagine what good things God can give you, because He gives superabundantly (exceedingly abundantly, as Paul puts it) and is above even your deepest imaginings. This doesn’t mean we pray for material blessings but for His abundance in creating a church that gives Him the glory.
Precept Austin has an excerpt of a great sermon on these two verses by Steven Cole. It includes four ways to apply these two verses to your life:
Here are four ways to apply these wonderful verses:
First, don’t be guilty of not having because you haven’t asked. God says (Ps. 81:10), “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” So, open wide! Ask!
Second, don’t be guilty of not having because you doubt God’s ability or His willingness to give. Nothing is impossible with God! As the loving Father, He will give good gifts to His children who ask (Matt. 7:11).
We can’t always understand His purposes, but we never should doubt His ability or His goodness towards us.
Third, don’t be guilty of praying small prayers. Pray “big” prayers! It is impossible to ask God for too much, assuming that it is in line with His will and for His glory. Phillips Brooks said, “Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches but for wings.”
Fourth, pray for yourself and for this church that for His glory, God would do through us that which is humanly inexplicable. Don’t try to scrounge up 200 denarii to barely meet the needs of the hungry multitude.
Pray for the Lord to multiply our few loaves and fishes, so that He would get all the glory.
Pray for the powerful conversion of many sinners.
Pray for repentance and holiness for His saints.
Pray that He will be glorified in His church and in Christ Jesus, to all generations forever and ever. Amen!
WOW! Those sound like great ways to pray. Pray for wings instead of crutches, pray for a multiplication of His mercy and grace, giving Him the glory.
My next devotional examines Ephesians 4:1-3 - Walk in a manner worthy of your calling.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord: I plan to pray big prayers as much as possible for things that are in line with Your will and plan. I know that You give us so much abundance that we cannot measure it. Amen.
Citations and Credits:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.
Precept Austin was accessed on 04/25/2026 to review commentary for Ephesians 3:20-21. This commentary included an excerpt from a Steven Cole sermon; a link to that sermon was not provided in Precept Austin but it can be found here: Lesson 24: God is Able. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2008, All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation
Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. Within that commentary are the following references:
Clarke, Adam The New Testament with A Commentary and Critical Notes, Volume II (New York: Eaton & Mains, 1831)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon The New Park Street Pulpit, Volumes 1-6 and The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)