© 19 Colin Melbourne
In Ephesians Chapter 3 the Apostle Paul begins by praising God for His grace to him, and the revelation that he, a fanatical Pharisee, should be chosen to make known the Gospel of Christ to the Gentile world.
The Holy Ghost in Paul then makes the following statements, Eph. 3:9-12 KJV;
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Notice three points:
- God’s plan of redemption is now revealed. It was a mystery under the Old Covenant, but not since Christ has destroyed the enmity between all mankind, Jews and Gentiles, and God our Father. This is a stated fact, and God chose an arch enemy of Himself, and of Gentiles; bloodthirsty Saul of Tarsus, to reveal this to us. It is The Good News to be proclaimed, no longer a mystery kept hidden.
- It is Father’s intended purpose that believers show forth to Heaven and Earth the glory of God’s wisdom, mercy, and power in Christ Jesus. That is what we are here for: Be busy doing that, everything else is frivolous and wasted opportunity.
- Believers are to have holy boldness to approach Father, confident that we will be accepted, approved, and endorsed because of the faith of Christ.
This is our shouting ground: Yes LORD!
Our God reigns, He’s put away our sin, bought us back from Hell’s teeth, pulled us out of Satan’s grasp, and raised us up in Christ Jesus, where we now live and reign, joint-heirs by His faith.
Note that final clause,
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Don’t hesitate, quit dithering, stop ‘if-ing’ and stammering, lift up your eyes unto Christ’s, and see His benevolent smile.
We have boldness to come to Him, because of His faith.
We have confidence to ask for what we need, what He died to give us, and know that we have what we ask, because it is already won for us by the faith of him.
Don’t neglect this point, your life-ministry depends on this revelation.
Trust in your faith in Him, and you will wallow in doubt, become topsy-turvy, wobbling, wondering will He, won’t He? Believing one minute: Doubting the next.
That is not pleasing to your LORD
That’s precisely why Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, Jn. 11:31-35 KJV;
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Jesus wept.
No wonder He wept, faced with such foetid unbelief in evidence, who wouldn’t, it’s pitiful!
He alone in the graveyard-gaggle had faith for a miracle: The “believers” were wailing and mourning!
Please don’t copy that crowd of losers, have faith in The Name.
Discover what trusting in Jesus’ Lordship does
It turns funerals into resurrection parties, it makes death spring to life, transforms the bleakest situation to Glory before your eyes: Only believe!
Those doubting bawling Jews should have been confident in Christ, smiling, rejoicing outside the dead man’s tomb, reassuring one another;
“He’s here now, Our Jesus will raise Lazarus up, he’s only been dead four days, the LORD’s going to raise dry bones, dead for centuries, at the Last Day, so this will be easy for Him, He’ll just ask Father, and there will be another glorious resurrection, Halleluia!”
But no, they were clueless, bound by unbelief, walking by sight and feelings, joyless, weeping and faithless.
“What kept you Lord, if only you’d come four days earlier… Bwaaaw!”
And that was the ‘believers’!
No wonder He wept!
Let’s make Him smile
It’s not difficult when you fulfil what this scripture says,
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Do that now, do it in the sunshine, and at your midnight-hour.
He will not fail you.
Just stick to His word.
What does it say?
…with confidence by the faith of him.
You’ve surely understood the difference between faith in Him, and the faith OF Him, haven’t you?
I hope your faith in Him is strong, it will be as you walk in obedience, but even then, it is not the faith that gets God’s will done.
Try approaching Father on the basis of your faith in Christ, and asking Him to raise the dead, or heal leukaemia, to make the dumb speak and the blind to see.
That’s sure to be embarrassing for you, and worse for the subject.
Don’t do that
Instead, do what the scripture says, and approach Father…
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Now that’s completely different from asking on the basis of your faith in Christ isn’t it?
That is coming to Father on the sure foundation of the faith OF Christ.
Your faith must be in His faith, not in your faith in Him.
It must be; in His Sacrifice, in His prayers for you, in His finished walk with God, in His Blood, in His resurrection, in His Name, and in His words of promise, Jn. 15:16 KJV;
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
He meant what He said, Jn. 16:23-24 KJV;
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
In His Name means trusting in His standing with Father, not your own righteousness.
Doing Your Best Doesn’t Work
Your own righteousness is your personal walk, your good behaviour, your holiness, and your obedience.
You surely do your best: But your best will never come up to God’s Standard.
Will it?
Not even close!
That’s why you have always failed to please Father by your faith, your obedience, and your righteousness. They fall way below the standard required to satisfy Him.
Infinitely Better Than Your Best
But take heart little one, He doesn’t scold you.
He simply smiles, and points us to the finished faith OF Christ: Trust in God’s Standard, and you satisfy all His demands, Father is delighted, honours His Word, and gives whatsoever you asked of Him.
Now read His word again, and you will discover this truth was there all along, Eph. 3:9-12 KJV;
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Now you know how to get your prayers answered every time.
© 19 Colin Melbourne
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