Most of us believe that God is able to fulfill His promises.
However, most of what we are told is nothing more than deferred hope (Pro 13:12) - a gospel based on distance (God is far) and delay (you'd never know when, or if God would move). Pure religion!
Even the Israelites believed this lie whilst God moved visibly with them in the desert, yet instantly helped them when they were thirsty, hungry, in need of victory over their enemies, bitten by snakes, etc. etc.
Even today ...
The world always needed a God who was not only able and willing, but also fully executed his salvation plan to get it out of its self-made mess. The world needed a kinsman Redeemer in the truest sense of the word!
The message of a far-away-God with a perverted mid-set that you can never be sure to trust or not, is an evil gospel of religious origins from the darkest corner you can imagine.
And so it is ...
Jesus overcame the world! John 16:33
When Paul ends his prayer towards the end of Ephesians 3 in verse 20, we read something he says, but in most instances the translation is somewhat distorted and fails to convey the full message.
Paul encourages the people from Ephesus saying:
And to Him who is able (Greek - dunamai) to do exceedingly above what we ask or think, according to the power (same Greek root word - dunamis) that is working in us, to Him be esteem in the assembly by Messiash יהושע unto all generations, for ever and ever. Amĕn. Eph 3:20-21
Paul actually blesses the Ephesians by telling them that they must not lose hope "God is able ..." - at least that is how it is translated in most translations.
... but that would be hope deferred if they are not told that God was also willing and fully executed His plan!
No ...
Paul is not saying they have an able God and they must just keep on hoping for the best until break-trough happens!
No! God is both able and willing and He did fully execute His redemption plan. That is the very reason Jesus cried out on the cross "It is Finished". John 19:30
How then do we read verse 20?
The Greek word used by Paul for able is dunamai. It it is the word power, the same word Jesus used when He said you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you. Act 1:8
Dunamai is to have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances. It is to be empowered.
Dunamai fuses not only the able and willing part of the true Gospel, it reveals the power part, the part that Jesus is saying it is fully done and now, by My Spirit Who live inside of you, you get to have dominion in every situation!
Say onto the mountain ...
And so it is.
Jesus promised that He would never leave us, nor forsake us. Heb 13:5.
He is never far!
In fact, He is so close that He is in your heart and in your mouth! Rom 10:8.
No distance!
And He is not fickle or perverse.
Jesus, as the express image of the Father, showed us exactly what His will towards us is.
In fact, He said in victory on the cross It is Finished - fully executed!
No delay!
Just speak to the mountain!
So, how can we better translate what Paul says in Ephesians?
Let's paraphrase Ephesians 20 and 21, using the same freedom of translation that the translators of old had and hearing the same Spirit a little bit better to guide us ...
And to Him who is Power Himself, and made you heirs of this Power to overcome by sending His abiding Spirit to live right inside you, you are able to do exceedingly above what you keep begging for as if nothing ever happened, as if Jesus did not overcome on the cross, or what you keep thinking and perceiving in this world because of your brain-washed state - rather, you have authority according to the Power that is working in you,
... that's why Paul ends it so well ...
Now esteem Him, Messiash יהושע unto all generations when you gather or meet-up, for ever and ever. Amĕn.
HalleluYAH!