Ephesians. 3:19–21 – « Be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory… »
How does one contain the fullness of God, which is infinite? Imagine a jar with a lid. It is finite. It can only a certain amount of liquid but no more. But if you take the lid off, it can contain the blowing of the wind or the outpouring of the rain…an immeasurable quantity! « A closed vessel can never contain anything larger than its own size. But an open vessel has no limitations. Only by opening yourself up can you come to know that which you don’t already know. And only by becoming an open vessel, can you contain that which is greater than yourself. » (Jonathan Cahn)
When you remain open, you can cooperate with the Lord when he wants to fill you with His truth, which has no end, or with His Spirit without measure. He wants to remove your limitations and enlarge your borders. He does this to increase your influence and your fruitfulness! It starts at a personal level and then overflows to your church family as you inspire others to do the same.
- Consider these powerful verses:
a) Ex. 34:24 – « For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders…. » This verse is in the context of God’s commandment to His people to honour the Feasts of the Lord. One of the ways to be enlarged is to respect the celebrations of Souccot (Tabernacles), Pessach, and Shavuout. With each of these feasts, God releases new revelations and new victories which remove our limitations.
b) 1 Chron. 4:10 – « Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. » When we pray specifically and ask God in faith to remove our limitations, He rejoices! He is eagerly seeking for an open vessel into which He can pour His fulness.
c) Ps. 119:32 – « I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! » Humanism teaches that man possesses all the necessary within himself to succeed and to do good. This is contrary to the Word of God, which reveals to us that human nature is in fact basically evil and selfish because « all of sinned and fallen short of God’s glory ». The first step to walking in conformity to God’s will and God’s ways is to enlarge one’s heart to receive His nature!
How do you take the lid off? What is required of us if we are to become enlarged vessels for God’s glory?
- Repent for putting God in a box. Repent for self-sufficiency.
- Renounce « smallness » in your thinking and have your mind renewed by the Word of God, so that you are no longer « conformed to this world, but transformed…
- Celebrate past victories, but don’t be content with what you’ve already experienced or discovered. Know that the best is yet to come.
Jeûne de Daniel 
As I’m re-reading this article I’m thinking « What if my life were to become a place where Jesus feels completely at home in? And what if my church became a place where Jesus felt utterly at home in? Not just a place where He’d visit…but actually settle into and overflow from? We know His presence is always with us…but the verse above speaks of His FULNESS … We’ve all heard the expression « Jesus is MORE THAN ENOUGH », a term that refers to the superabundance that is Christ. When I make a meal for someone and we sit down and partake of it, I usually give away the leftovers when I’m « full. » I picture this « giving away » as I meditated on other verses: a) Grace and truth = John 1:16-17 – « Out of his FULNESS we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; GRACE AND TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. » b) Authority = Col. 2:9-10 – « For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ YOU have been brought to FULNESS. He is the head over every power and authority. » c) His presence manifested in the church = Eph. 1:22-23 – « And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the FULNESS of him who fills EVERYTHING in every way. » This truth is what I aspire to see, in my family and in my nation.
J’aimeJ’aime