No — no one can glory in fully living out all that God has in store, though every believer has the potential to be filled with all the fullness of God.
Les Feldick says no one, not even Dwight L. Moody, Finney, or Charles Wesley, can glory that they accomplish something, because it is all of God or none of God. Yet the potential remains real, since every believer can be filled with all the fullness of God and God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.
Ephesians 3:19-20 — Paul prays for believers to be filled with all the fullness of God and says God can do beyond what we ask or think — the very potential Les Feldick points to.
The Bible holds out an extraordinary potential for believers. In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays that believers would know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of God. Then in verse 20 he describes God as able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. This potential is described as resting on God's power, not human achievement. Scripture also records the reality of human weakness. Paul wrote, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair" (2 Corinthians 4:8). And in 1 Corinthians 15:34 he rebuked believers, saying, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." The Bible also shows that God does not call the people we would expect. As 1 Corinthians 1:26 says, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called."
Les Feldick teaches that no human being has ever fully lived out God's potential on his own strength. He says no one — not Dwight L. Moody, not Finney, not Charles Wesley — can ever glory that they accomplished something, because it is all of God or none of God. Even the apostle Paul, after a serious illness in Philippi, thought his ministry might be over, and he wrote about being troubled and perplexed. At the same time, Les insists that the potential is real. He says, "Every believer has this potential within him then, that we can be filled with all the fullness of God." He points to Ephesians 3:20, where God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. Les also teaches that this fullness is not something we earn. The moment we are saved, we have all of God as He can put Himself into us; the fullness of the Holy Spirit is present from the moment we believe. But God leaves within our realm of control how much of that fullness we maintain or allow to empty out. And God does not use the people we expect — not many wise, mighty, or noble are called, and He uses ordinary, weak people who do not have degrees.
No. Les says the prayer in Ephesians 3 is not addressed to angels or to people who have gone on to glory; it is addressed to believers living in Paul's own day in Ephesus. So every believer has the potential to be filled with all the fullness of God, not just a select group of spiritual superstars.
Les teaches that at the moment of salvation we have all of God as He can put Himself into us, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit is already ours. But we can let that fullness empty out. He uses the illustration of a cup: if a cup is full of water and you want to fill it with air, you must pour out the water. If you pour out half the water, half the cup is filled with air. In the same way, God leaves how much of the fullness we maintain within our realm of control.
Les says Paul was not a fearless superman. He was very commonplace and shook in his boots as he entered strange places. After a sickbed in Philippi, Paul actually thought his ministry had come to an end. He wrote that he was troubled on every side yet not distressed, perplexed but not in despair. So even the apostle experienced human weakness and limitation.
Les says every believer has a calling and God has a plan for every life, and it is up to each of us to seek it out. But God does not use the ones we think He should use. Scripture says not many wise men after the flesh are called, and Les notes that you do not need ten degrees behind your name to be something for God. God uses the things the world scoffs at.
Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained
subliminally, or however you want to put it, back in the Old Testament. But whatever. Someone gave me a copy of the book, and in the introduction to it, this mathematician in Israel really got the idea from all this, from finding something like 2,000, if I remember correctly, something like 2,000 pages of notes from the old inventor, Isaac Newton.
No Room for Human Glory
Les says no one, not Moody, Finney, or Wesley, can glory in accomplishment because it is all of God. Even Paul experienced hardship and thought his ministry was ending.
The Potential to Be Filled
Les says every believer has the potential to be filled with all the fullness of God, and God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.
Not Under Law but Under Grace — What Romans 6:14 Really Means
Moody said, oh, yes, it can. Why don't you think it can? And he says, you don't know what I've been. And he had been a recruiter for the prostitution trade of Chicago. And he said, because of me, countless number of beautiful young girls have ended up drug addicts, alcoholics, murdered, committed suicide, all because of me. And you tell me God will still save me? Dwight L.
God Uses Ordinary, Weak People
Les points out that Paul was commonplace and fearful, and that God uses people without degrees whom the world scoffs at.
Not Under Law but Under Grace — What Romans 6:14 Really Means
And so this is the whole comprehension of Paul's gospel is that God has poured out his grace, not just upon America, not just upon Israel, but the whole world. And of course, that becomes our responsibility is to let the world know that the grace of God reaches to the vilest person. Going back to what we heard about three, four programs ago that were sin abounds.
Fullness Already Yours at Salvation
Les teaches that at salvation we have all of God as He can put Himself into us, but we can let that fullness empty out through how we live.
A Calling for Every Believer
Les says every believer has a calling and God has a plan for each life, but God does not call many wise after the flesh.
Ephesians 3:19: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
This is the prayer that every believer can be filled with all the fullness of God, which Les directly references.
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,
Les uses this verse to show that God's ability goes far beyond our own potential.
2 Corinthians 4:8: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Shows Paul's own experience of human limitation, which Les says he wrote after a serious illness.
1 Corinthians 15:34: Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Les quotes this rebuke in the context of believers not knowing what God has given them.
1 Corinthians 1:26: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
Supports Les's point that God does not use the people we expect.
According to Les Feldick, no one — not even Moody, Finney, or Charles Wesley — can glory that they accomplished something, because it is all of God. Even those greatly used by God experienced weakness and limitation.
Yes. Les says every believer has this potential within him, and with God's help we can be filled with all the fullness of God. He points to Ephesians 3:20 where God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.
No. Les teaches that the moment we are saved, we have all of God as He can put Himself into us, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit is already present. But we can allow it to empty out through the choices we make.
Yes. Les says every believer has a calling and that God has a plan for your life, even if it isn't being a preacher or missionary. It is up to each one of us to seek it out.
Watch the Teaching: Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained