The Multiplying Affect: Ephesians 3:7-12
“7) of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8) To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9) and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10) so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11) This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12) in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”Ephesians 3:7-12
Did you see it? Did you notice? Paul just applied everything we have been talking about related to Zoe life in the individual believer to the church! The church is a living and powerful organism with a mission in this world.
It is a mystery! It is amazing! Gods goal is that “… the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” God wants the church to shake up the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God wants the church to be alive with His power and glory.
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church. In the next verse He gave His Church the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with the authority and power to bind and loosen on earth? Somewhere along the way, the church lost the keys.
What does it look like when the church finds the keys to unlock the power and glory of God? I suspect a lot more than what we are seeing in most western churches today. The Bible points to a multiplying factor that happens when Gods people start seeking Him and His kingdom. What is a multiplying factor? Let’s take a quick look.
Leviticus 26:7-9says; “7) But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8) five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. 9) So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you.” Do you see the multiplying affect? The odds in Deuteronomy 32:30 are even higher. If this was true in the Old Testament, how much more in the New Testament.
Read Matthew 18:18-20. Jesus concluded by saying; “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”” The potential is not measured by the two or three, it is measured by Jesus who stepped into their presence. Two or three can now put ten thousand to flight because of the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul takes the Zoe life potential of the individual Christian and multiplies it in and through the local church. (See Ephesians 4:7-16) He wanted the whole body to grow up into Christ and reach their “combined potential.” He was pointing to the multiplying affect.
You can be a hot ember to light and fan the flames in the body of Christ, or you can be a fire extinguisher to put out the fire in others. It boils down to your walk with God in the spirit/Spirit.
You cannot keep it locked within. Jesus intends for rivers of living water to flow out from your innermost being to those around you. (Matthew 7:38-39) Notice, this is connected to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in verse 39.
Can you imagine the combined potential when a church or many churches in a region experience revival? So what is revival? It relates to the fire of the Holy Spirit engulfing the church. You cannot have revival and quench the Holy Spirit at the same time! If you are sincerely praying for revival, you are asking God to pour out the Holy Spirit. I strongly encourage you to stop being a hypocrite and throw away your fire extinguisher!
Every movement of God in history was eventually quenched by the fire quenchers. They were the religious people who stood on the side lines and criticized, controlled and quench the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus faced them. The early church faced them. Every revival and Great Awakening faced them. Any church that starts coming alive faces them. Any individual Christian who starts embracing and walking in Zoe life will face them.
You are most likely facing them right now if you mention Freedom Quest, walking in the spirit/Spirit or the power of God, miracles or God working in extra ordinary ways.
But every time in the Bible Gods people began earnestly seeking Him; signs and wonder start happening. It happened through Moses in Egypt. It happened through Elijah. It happened through the public ministry of Jesus. (Acts 2:22) It happened throughout the book of Acts. (Acts 2:43; 4:29-31; 6:8) Joel prophesied about it. (Joel 2:28-31) The writer of the book of Hebrews talked about it. (Hebrews 2:4) We could look at many more examples in the New Testament.
Why was this? The simple answer is that our God is and Awesome God! He is alive and powerful and has poured out the Holy Spirit. Churches around the world today that embrace this truth are walking in the power of God. But churches that teach God does not do miracles today are dead fire extinguishers. They are natural, carnal and humanistic.
Notice, I mentioned “churches.” In Ephesians 3:10, Paul focused on the church shaking up the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. When spirit alive (Zoe life) and Spirit filled Christians come together in the authority of Jesus Christ, there is a multiplying affect.
Look at the progression in the book of Ephesians. Paul wanted individual Christian to be set free… so they could start walking in Zoe life … so they could join with other Spirit filled Christians in the church… so they could shake up their region for the glory of God… and then send out some to impact the world.
This has been my prayer and passion since I wrote the book “Revival Quest” over two decades ago. The seeds are spouting around the world. It is happening in many places. Jesus is at work preparing His bride for His soon return. (Ephesians 5:27) The church is starting to come alive!
Don’t be a fire extinguisher! Don’t become the victim of a fire extinguishing church or pastor! Seek the promise of the Father. Live and walk in the fulness of life Jesus promised. Become a world changer!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“7) of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8) To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9) and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10) so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11) This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12) in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”Ephesians 3:7-12
Did you see it? Did you notice? Paul just applied everything we have been talking about related to Zoe life in the individual believer to the church! The church is a living and powerful organism with a mission in this world.
It is a mystery! It is amazing! Gods goal is that “… the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” God wants the church to shake up the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God wants the church to be alive with His power and glory.
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church. In the next verse He gave His Church the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with the authority and power to bind and loosen on earth? Somewhere along the way, the church lost the keys.
What does it look like when the church finds the keys to unlock the power and glory of God? I suspect a lot more than what we are seeing in most western churches today. The Bible points to a multiplying factor that happens when Gods people start seeking Him and His kingdom. What is a multiplying factor? Let’s take a quick look.
Leviticus 26:7-9says; “7) But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8) five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. 9) So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you.” Do you see the multiplying affect? The odds in Deuteronomy 32:30 are even higher. If this was true in the Old Testament, how much more in the New Testament.
Read Matthew 18:18-20. Jesus concluded by saying; “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”” The potential is not measured by the two or three, it is measured by Jesus who stepped into their presence. Two or three can now put ten thousand to flight because of the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul takes the Zoe life potential of the individual Christian and multiplies it in and through the local church. (See Ephesians 4:7-16) He wanted the whole body to grow up into Christ and reach their “combined potential.” He was pointing to the multiplying affect.
You can be a hot ember to light and fan the flames in the body of Christ, or you can be a fire extinguisher to put out the fire in others. It boils down to your walk with God in the spirit/Spirit.
You cannot keep it locked within. Jesus intends for rivers of living water to flow out from your innermost being to those around you. (Matthew 7:38-39) Notice, this is connected to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in verse 39.
Can you imagine the combined potential when a church or many churches in a region experience revival? So what is revival? It relates to the fire of the Holy Spirit engulfing the church. You cannot have revival and quench the Holy Spirit at the same time! If you are sincerely praying for revival, you are asking God to pour out the Holy Spirit. I strongly encourage you to stop being a hypocrite and throw away your fire extinguisher!
Every movement of God in history was eventually quenched by the fire quenchers. They were the religious people who stood on the side lines and criticized, controlled and quench the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus faced them. The early church faced them. Every revival and Great Awakening faced them. Any church that starts coming alive faces them. Any individual Christian who starts embracing and walking in Zoe life will face them.
You are most likely facing them right now if you mention Freedom Quest, walking in the spirit/Spirit or the power of God, miracles or God working in extra ordinary ways.
But every time in the Bible Gods people began earnestly seeking Him; signs and wonder start happening. It happened through Moses in Egypt. It happened through Elijah. It happened through the public ministry of Jesus. (Acts 2:22) It happened throughout the book of Acts. (Acts 2:43; 4:29-31; 6:8) Joel prophesied about it. (Joel 2:28-31) The writer of the book of Hebrews talked about it. (Hebrews 2:4) We could look at many more examples in the New Testament.
Why was this? The simple answer is that our God is and Awesome God! He is alive and powerful and has poured out the Holy Spirit. Churches around the world today that embrace this truth are walking in the power of God. But churches that teach God does not do miracles today are dead fire extinguishers. They are natural, carnal and humanistic.
Notice, I mentioned “churches.” In Ephesians 3:10, Paul focused on the church shaking up the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. When spirit alive (Zoe life) and Spirit filled Christians come together in the authority of Jesus Christ, there is a multiplying affect.
Look at the progression in the book of Ephesians. Paul wanted individual Christian to be set free… so they could start walking in Zoe life … so they could join with other Spirit filled Christians in the church… so they could shake up their region for the glory of God… and then send out some to impact the world.
This has been my prayer and passion since I wrote the book “Revival Quest” over two decades ago. The seeds are spouting around the world. It is happening in many places. Jesus is at work preparing His bride for His soon return. (Ephesians 5:27) The church is starting to come alive!
Don’t be a fire extinguisher! Don’t become the victim of a fire extinguishing church or pastor! Seek the promise of the Father. Live and walk in the fulness of life Jesus promised. Become a world changer!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
