The apostle, Paul, uses a phrase throughout the New Testament when he prays: “according to the riches of His glory…” We find Paul praying for the Ephesians: “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man”. (Ephesians 3:16)
Again in Philippians 4:19 Paul uses the phrase when he encourages the Believers to “think no lack” : “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”.
Colossians 1: 26-27 “Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
So what does “the riches of His glory mean”? We know that God’s word declares He will not give His glory to another, the credit that is due to only His great name. We often sing heartily, “We give You all the glory…” But when Jesus taught us how to pray, ( Matthew 6:9-13), He declared (verse 13) “…For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen”. Many a man has sought to wrestle and gain God’s power for his own glory, to extend his own kingdom. But according to the above scripture, note that God has placed His power safely in the middle of that verse for the extension of His kingdom, for His glory. When God blesses someone and that person takes the credit to themselves, God removes His hand of grace from their lives and they fall. God WILL NOT give His glory to another. “Thine IS the glory”.
God only gets the glory from my life when I walk in humility. It is an obligation that God requires, not an option. God looks into my heart and sees the motive why I do something. If I take God’s blessing to my credit, God is displeased. If I want everyone to know my good deeds, I am seeking my own glory, living for the praise of men but displeasing my Heavenly Father. God requires of me a secret life with Him, a closet life. I should not care that others know the good works I am doing, or noise it abroad for men’s praise. It grieves the Holy Spirit when I seek to elevate myself to others.
When God sees my secret life lived to Him, with right motives, He will say, “Well done, My beloved son/daughter”. I will “be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man”. God receives all the glory and I receive all the benefits of His care, love and peace. This is kingdom living! A life lived to the glory of God! A tree is known by it’s fruit.
Colossians 1:28 “….Christ in you, the hope of glory”. I will enjoy the riches of that glory when I am absolutely dependent on the life of Jesus Christ in me. Now I am getting in line with God’s purpose, recognising my need to include and consult the Lord in everything. Jesus demonstrated this principle declaring that of Himself, He could do nothing. Then He did everything as a surrendered vessel to His Father. He performed mighty miracles and spoke creative words and wisdom, declaring it was His Father’s power working through Him, giving all the glory back to God. The Father knew He could safely trust His divine power in the hands of His Son because Jesus only had one agenda: to please and obey the Father in everything, even to death on the Cross. Jesus was totally dependent on His Father. May we strive to reach that place of total dependency. Not a fleshly striving but according to Colossians 1:29 “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily“. If I am striving according to His working, pressing on to the goal then I will be accompanied by Father’s joy and peace, the indwelling presence of His Son.
Thanks be to God, He has supplied everything we need through His Son. Only when we see and live our lives totally dependent on Him, will we be hidden in Christ, and only HE will be seen. We will receive the benefits of being “strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man” according to the riches of His glory. God be praised!
