The Fullness of God

I had the privilege of facilitating a life group in my home yesterday, where a few women joined me in worship and praise of the goodness and faithfulness of God. We read and chewed on a passage of Scripture that brought us life, hope and encouragement. Then we prayed the Scripture into our lives, the Body of Christ, locally and globally, and for our leaders. It was a time of refreshment and empowerment because we believe and declare what God’s Word says about us.

Ephesians 3:16-20 says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

As believers and followers of Christ, we are The Church. We are strengthened and empowered by God’s Spirit to get a hold of the amazing and great love of Christ, that is for us and for the world. There are no limitations of this love, as it is vast and goes beyond our understanding, but we can experience and encounter love and be filled to overflowing with this love, by the power of God’s Spirit in us, as we are full of it — full of God.

As we pondered this truth, we realized that being full implies there is no room for other things that are contrary to God’s character. When we are full of God, there is no room for fear, anxiety, doubt, hate, selfishness, and despair.

So then, as we are empowered by God’s Spirit to more fully understand and experience the amazing love of Christ, we are filled with love instead of fear and hate, peace instead of anxiety and despair, faith instead of doubt, generosity instead of stinginess, and grace instead of judgment. Being The Church, we are to be carriers of God’s presence, so that wherever we go, we demonstrate all of the fullness of God. This is possible only by yielding ourselves to God’s Holy Spirit, who fills and empowers us. God’s power is at work within us and He is able to accomplish so much more than we can even fathom!

As followers of Christ, filled with God’s Spirit, let us be the ones who reach out to our neighbors to share supplies. Let us be the ones who smile at fellow shoppers looking for toilet paper (I’m trusting my few rolls will last long enough!) Let us be the one who pray for our leaders, health care providers, military personnel and each other. Let us be the ones who support President Trump and join in a National Day of Prayer on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Let us be the ones who place hope in Jesus to be our healer. Let us be the ones who believe and pray that COVID-19 would stop spreading. Let us be the ones who practice good hygiene and listen to the public health authorities. Let us be the ones who show the love of Christ because we are filled with love.

Let’s be The Church, the Body of Christ that is filled to the fullness of God, His Holy Spirit and Christ’s love, which is desperately needed in this time of uncertainty and concern as together we face a global health and financial crisis.