The LORD says: “Even THAT!”
Dick Leggatt, President of Derek Prince Ministries – USA and comprises his December 8, 2017 Newsletter. Click here to receive the Derek Prince Ministries emailed E-devotional.
Are you facing an insurmountable obstacle in your life?
Is it simply too big a challenge for you to handle?
Does the problem loom so large that you’ve lost hope it can be resolved?
You and I face challenges every day of our lives. Usually, with God’s help, we can deal with them successfully.
Sometimes, however, an obstacle can arise that seems to defy all solution.
If you are facing one of those monster issues right now, I pray that this letter will encourage you to hold on and take an important step of faith.
An Encouraging Phrase
Much of the inspiration for this monthly letter comes out of our daily experiences here at DPM. This one is no different.
At a recent staff prayer meeting, lots of petitions were coming forth, and there was a sense of the LORD’s presence in the meeting. Then, someone shared a vision of what was taking place as all of us were interceding.
“As we were praying, the picture I saw in my mind was of a set of double doors opening up. There was a glow behind those doors, with bright light coming out.
My thought was that the light was actually a reflection of a deposit of gold behind those doors, representing the provision of the LORD.”
Next came the LORD’s encouragement about the vision:
“Don’t say that what you are facing is too much to handle! Although the obstacle is huge, you need to say, ‘Even that!’
Though it is big, even that— the problem that seems so large — even that can be resolved!”
An Amazing Response
Immediately, people around the room began to enter in personally to that prophetic word, speaking out, “Even that!” Person after person shouted the phrase — and then the laughter started.
It was almost as if the laughter was a release taking place in each of us — a relief and a recognition that the LORD could handle the very toughest problem confronting us.
He seemed to be encouraging us that although we may feel powerless at times, His power and His provision are sufficient to overcome even the most difficult challenges of life.
How about you?
Do you have an “even that” situation in your life right now?
Something far more serious than the usual problems you face — way beyond your ability to resolve?
Could this be your time to depend upon Jesus and His provision to deal with it?
Exceedingly Abundantly
As I was enjoying the faith and laughter from each person’s “even that” declaration, a passage from the Bible kept rolling around in my mind. “More than we could dare to ask or think.”
I knew it was in the New Testament, but didn’t know exactly where until I later consulted the concordance. There I found it: Ephesians 3:20–21.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
The first detail I noticed was that there is no comma between “exceedingly” and “abundantly.”
Not only is the LORD able to send much more power and provision than we need — the very definition of abundance.
But because God is Who He is, He insists upon pouring out even more bountiful measures of help for us.
Our LORD works in the realm of exceeding abundance. This means no problem is too huge for Him to solve.
No Matter the Circumstance
I discovered a second point as I studied this passage and its background in the book of Ephesians. Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison.
While being detained in his first imprisonment in Rome, Paul received an outpouring of amazing revelation from the LORD.
The first three chapters of his letter to Ephesus explain all God has done to bring us into our destiny in Him.
The last three chapters instruct us how to walk out that God-given destiny in a practical way. This marvelous, mysterious revelation came to Paul while he was confined in prison.
What does that tell us?
Jesus Christ can speak to us and bring us victory — right in the middle of the challenges we face. In the midst of his imprisonment, Paul wrote this marvelous declaration.
Ephesians 3:20 virtually shouts out faith to us: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”
The LORD can solve any problem — no matter how threatening or overwhelming.
Paul, transcending his prison setting, was telling us: Jesus can overcome “even that.”
Far Better
The theme of the passage quoted above was a focus for Derek Prince’s life. He taught often from it — always with tremendous insight, as you will see in the excerpt we have selected from his radio series, “How to Pray and Get What You Pray For,” Part 1.
When you think about renouncing your own will and embracing the will of God, there are three truths you need to bear in mind.
- First, God loves you more than you love yourself.
- Second, God understands you better than you understand yourself.
- Third, God wants only the best for you.
Are you prepared to say, “Not as I will, but as You will”?
When you truly yield to God’s will, you will discover it is what the Bible says it is: “Good, acceptable and perfect.”
Remember this: prayer is not a way for you to get God to do what you want.
Prayer is a way for you to become an instrument for God to do what He wants.
Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.…”
The NIV translation of that verse says: “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….”
So, God’s ability to answer our prayers goes exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
You might say, “How could that possibly be?
What is it that could be beyond anything I could ask or think or imagine or reason?”
The answer is, it is what God wants to do.
You see, what God wants to do is far greater, far higher, and far better than anything you could imagine or think of for yourself.
As long as we limit God to doing merely what we want, we miss what God wants.
So, it’s very simple and logical: in order to receive the best from God in our prayer, we have to come to God the way Jesus came, with reverent submission.
We must say, “God, not as I will, but as You will.”
Reaching Out in Faith
Let’s return one more time to that issue you are facing — the “even that” which seems to loom so large in opposition to you.
Would you be able to place it in the LORD’s hands right now, stretching out your faith to allow God to work in the situation and do His will?
If you are ready to turn it over, I would like you to pray the following prayer with me:
Dear LORD, You know better than anyone this immense issue I am facing right now. Other problems seem to yield and get resolved as I deal with them by Your grace.
This one seems too huge and stubborn. It doesn’t want to budge, no matter how I try to address it and bring spiritual pressure to bear against it. I feel powerless, LORD. I need an abundant measure of Your help on this one.
I proclaim now that You are able. I give praise to “Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly.” I have seen Your power and grace in other situations, LORD. And I choose now to believe You can overcome “even that” in my life.
Here it is, Jesus. Here is the issue that won’t yield, no matter what. Here is the problem that looms like a mountain before me — too big to even address.
I place it now in Your hands, declaring that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that I could ever ask or imagine in the resolution of this matter.
Thank You, LORD, for being here for me now. Thank You for Your power, Your grace, and Your help for me in facing this mountain-sized problem. Amen.
Coming to Our Rescue
You might possibly have felt the earth shake under your feet as you finished that prayer. What was that rumbling?
It may have been that mountain of a problem beginning to quake and crumble before the awesome power of the LORD Jesus.
When you stretch out your faith as you have just done, tectonic shifts can begin to occur in the realm of the Spirit.
Solutions and improvements regarding your major issues may be starting right now as a result of the prayer you and I just offered together.
All of us here at Derek Prince Ministries celebrate with you in the step you have taken today. We not only stand with you in it — we also want to walk it out with you.
Our greatest joy is to supply solid teaching to reinforce the steps you are taking. On that topic, please let us provide you with the full message from which we took Derek’s excerpt. Simply click the link below to download a free MP3 of “How to Pray and Get What You Pray For,” Part 1.
It is just one small way for us to thank you for your faithful prayers and your generous gifts toward this ministry.
You have shown your support for us; and we want to return the favor. Thank you so much.
Walking It Out
As this year draws to a close, what better finale could there be than seeing a huge obstacle begin to disintegrate right in front of you?
Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the wonderful process you have initiated through your prayer and declaration.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that all our problems will automatically evaporate before us.
You and I both know that life is able at any moment to throw issues and challenges in front of us that demand our attention and faith.
When they come, we place our full trust in the One who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever imagine!
So be encouraged, knowing that we stand with you in prayer and faith.
You can be sure of our prayers for you as you close out 2017 and prepare to step into 2018.
We are with you. More importantly, the LORD is with you, able to resolve any problem you face — even that!
All the best,
Dick Leggatt
President, DPM–USA
P.S. Thanks so much for being such a faithful friend and partner to DPM. It is our honor to serve you through this ministry.
Please take us up on our offer for a free MP3 of Derek’s helpful message: “How to Pray and Get What You Pray For,” Part 1.
Materials used by kind permission of Derek Prince Ministries.
Even THAT !