Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…(Ephesians 3:20 KJV)

Paul writes these words to the church of Ephesus from “prison.” He’s traveled all over preaching and teaching the gospel and he finds himself imprisoned in Rome. He’s exhorting his love for the church and letting them know that they should keep the faith despite his circumstances. Let’s look at his circumstances for a moment to marvel the power of God in this. Paul has been everywhere. He’s been persecuted, stoned and run out of towns. He is now imprisoned solely for teaching about Jesus. Yet, he is still alive when he should have been dead. His “prison” is a rented house. He is not in shackles. Look at God! When he was told that he must be imprisoned, what do you think his thoughts were? Some dungeon under the ground that he would be thrown in for the rest of his days most likely. Perhaps killed. Yet, his prison is a rented house. What prison do you know of is a rented house. You think of house arrest, right? For the “crimes” he was accused of in those days, he should have been thrown in a dark hole somewhere or put to death. But, God…

We hear Ephesians 3:20 all the time and don’t really know what it truly means until we have experienced God at work in our lives. Nowadays, being imprisoned can mean a myriad of things. A situation, a person, a material thing, a thought we’ve trapped ourselves into believing. Who of you has been delivered from that prison? Think of how you were delivered. When you were delivered, was your deliverance just enough or was there some other extraordinary benefit that you hadn’t considered? If your heart was right and humbled with God, I bet there was an extraordinary benefit that came with that deliverance. There perhaps was a ripple effect that was also with that deliverance. The last time I experienced God’s exceeding abundantly, I noticed his continued grace and blessing for weeks. I was given the opportunity to have a constant reminder of it every day.

Take some time today and think about what your prison is. Humble yourself in prayer and supplication to be genuinely delivered from it. Lay it at the Master’s feet. Live in expectation of that deliverance. I guarantee that you will not only be delivered but, but that deliverance will exceed your expectations and be more than what you could ask or think. ~ Selah