There are many things in this life that we are unable to do. We just do not have the ability. We cannot flap our arms and fly. We cannot jump like a kangaroo. We cannot be in two places at once. We cannot defy gravity. We cannot even solve all our problems. None of this is true of God. He is able to do all things. Jeremiah 32:17 states, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” Read our text, Ephesians 3:20. Ponder these words. God is unlimited in every way. We know God is able, but we need to be reminded of this often.

Transition

I invite you to look at three examples of God’s unlimited power in the book of Daniel. My goal is to remind you and me that God is able to do anything, even things that seem impossible.

God is able to deliver (Daniel 3:17).

  1. Nebuchadnezzar made an evil decree.
    1. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon who conquered Jerusalem and carried scores of Jews to Babylon as slaves.
    2. He made a very tall image or idol of gold and ordered everyone to worship it. All who refused to worship his idol would be burned to death (Dan 3:11).
    3. Evidently, most of the Jewish slaves obeyed his order to save their lives.
  2. Three godly Jews refused to bow.
    1. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Daniel’s godly friends. We have no idea where Daniel was at this time, but He was not present.
    2. These men determined in their hearts to remain loyal to the Lord God of heaven and not to bow. This was reported to the mighty king (Dan 3:12-15).
    3. They placed their faith in God (Dan 3:16-18). They believed that God was able to deliver them if He chose to do so.
    4. This enraged the king, and he ordered to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual and had them cast into the flames (Dan 3:19-23).
    5. God chose to deliver them. Their ropes burned off, but they were unharmed and walked in the furnace with God or an angel (Dan 3:24-25).
    6. The king was amazed and honoured the men (Dan 3:26-29).
  3. Application for today
    1. It is not likely that you will face a fiery furnace for not worshipping an idol, but you may face other threats.
    2. You may be mocked for your Christian principles. Your job may be threatened if you take a biblical stand on moral issues. Your family may turn against you if you determine to live by the Bible.
    3. If things like this happen, remember, God is able to deliver you if he chooses, but if not be like these three men and do right no matter what the results.

God is able to abase the proud (Daniel 4:37).

  1. God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream.
    1. In time, Nebuchadnezzar became proud. In mercy, God gave him a dream about his pride.
    2. None of his wise men could interpret the dream. Finally, Daniel was called, and God enabled him to interpret the dream. The dream was about a big tree that was cut down. Daniel warned the king that he was the big tree and that if he did not humble himself before God that God would cut down his tree and he would go insane.
    3. He ignored God’s warning, and the dream came true.
  2. Nebuchadnezzar finally humbled himself.
    1. After being insane for seven years and living like an animal, he humbled himself and God restored his mind and health (Dan 4:34-36).
    2. He then gave praise and honour to God and acknowledged that those who walk in pride He is able to abase (or humble) (Dan 4:37).
  3. Application for us.
    1. One of the vices that God hates most in us is pride. In pride, we take credit for things that God has done in us. Pride steals God’s deserved credit and glory.
    2. Solomon wrote, (Proverbs 16:18) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Jesus told of two men who prayed in the temple (Luke 18:10-14). One was a proud Pharisee and the other a humble publican. Of the humble man, Jesus said, (Luke 18:14) “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.“
    3. If we become proud, we must remember, God is able to abase the proud.
    4. Also, God is able to heal (e.g., Jesus healed multitudes) and He is able to give us grace instead of healing, but we must let him choose. The latter is what God did when Paul asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh. (2 Corinthians 12:9) “And he [God] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“

God is able to shut lion’s mouths (Daniel 6:20-22).

  1. Evil men tricked King Darius.
    1. Elderly Daniel was the chief president under king Darius. His peers disliked his godly character. To get rid of Daniel, they devised a plan that attacked Daniel’s faithfulness to God in prayer.
    2. They lied to the king, saying that ALL the presidents desired to honour the king by passing a law that no one could pray to any being other than to the king for thirty days. Anyone who disobeyed would be fed to the lions. To this, the king agreed.
  2. Daniel continued to pray as usual.
    1. He faithfully prayed to the Lord three times daily (Dan 6:10).
    2. His enemies reported him to the king. This greatly displeased the king, for he respected Daniel (Dan 6:14). Unfortunately, the law could not be changed, and he ordered Daniel to be cast into the den of starving lions. Note his words to Daniel (Dan 6:16).
    3. The king passed the night fasting (Dan 6:18). Early in the morning, he went to the den of lions. Listen to his words in Daniel 6:20 as he asks whether Daniel’s God was able to deliver him.
    4. Daniel assured him that God was able. The king then pulled him out and cast in his accusers (Dan 6:23-24).
  3. Application for us.
    1. Since God was able to overrule nature and shut the mouths of hungry lions, God is able to help you and me in any circumstance that we may face.
    2. In my search for verses that state God is able, I found 16 verses. His ability includes building us up spiritually (Ac 20:32), keeping us secure (2Ti 1:12), helping us (Heb 2:18), saving us (Jas 4:12), and keeping us from falling (Jude 1:14).

Conclusion

What difficult need do you have that you are not able to resolve yourself? Whatever it is, God is able to help. His ability is unlimited. God was able to deliver the three godly men from the fiery furnace, to humble the proud king, and to shut the lion’s mouths. He is able to solve your problem for you, but He may go with you through your trial as he did for the three men in the fire, or he may give you the grace to endure the trial as He did for Daniel in the den of lions. Most importantly, He wants you and me to depend on Him and trust Him. If you or I become proud and fail to depend on God, He is able to humble us as He did the king.

Do your own research. Look up verses that say God is able. Meditate on them. Let them build your faith in God. Memorise (Ephesians 3:20) “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,”

Chorus: God can do anything but fail

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God is Able
28 January 2024 AM – Ephesians 3:20 – God’s Character