Ephesians 1:19, specifically “to usward who believe”. I am thinking about faith, how it’s impossible to please God without it, and how every single wit of anything concerning the bible, God, Jesus Christ, salvation, the holy spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the moral code or way to live out life that is pleasing to God, God even being the creator – Every single thing is entirely based on believing it. Owning it. Living and breathing by it.
Without faith and it’s synonym, believe, none of it means anything. And then I’m thinking of how I could say I have faith in Jesus and what He accomplished at the cross, in my salvation, yet not have faith in God healing my body or that the Holy spirit will help me understand what I read in the bible or that God will help me through a present situation.
So, somehow, I’m trying to work out how “to usward who believe” could actually refer to a believer not recieving all God has for him/her merely because they don’t understand that it takes a belief in the whole, but also a belief in each individual piece. Can you make sense of that?
In other words: There could be a lot of things, REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS, that God has for any believer – that a believer simply doesn’t recieve – simply because he refuses to include himself in “usward who believe”. Not only is that sad for the individual, it’s sad for the world at large, our society, THE CHURCH, the individuals church, and God Himself.
For there are many truths in the Word of God that any individual or group of individuals can deny simply through unbelief. And this is really serious stuff for any Christian who is serious about their own walk with God which will ultimately affect all of creation, not just their own life and well being.
I’m wrestling with something deep here, and it could get deeper. The phrase “to usward who believe” in Ephesians 1:19 points to the immeasurable greatness of God’s power—but it’s targeted. It’s for those who believe. Believe what? Every thing the New Covenant, you know, that agreement made by God between Himself and Jesus Christ, sealed in blood, has for us.
So many people think the new covenant is between themselves and God, but that’s not biblical. It’s between Father God and Jesus Christ, and the only way for us to be within that agreement is by being in Jesus Christ.
You and I can’t keep the New Covenant or mess it up. We just step into its blessings by faith. Why? Because God put us in Christ. Not because we’re good or bad. It’s all His grace. That’s the good news that lights us up! That’s what it means to live on the right side of the Cross. (2 Cor.5:14; Gal.2:20; Eph.2:5-6; Col.2:11-15; 3:3)
It’s imperative that we all get a grip on just how crucial our faith is to our walk. And we can’t pick and choose. Otherwise, we’re just the same as any slacker in any army.
So, here’s how I think it works out: faith isn’t a buffet. You don’t pick and choose what to believe about God, or about The Word of God, or the specifics of the Word of God.
Faith Is a Whole-Package Deal
Think about it this way:
What Faith Actually Looks Like:
- ✅ God is Creator
- ✅ Jesus died for my sins
- ✅ I’m saved by grace
- ✅ Holy Spirit lives in me
- ✅ God heals
- ✅ God provides
- ✅ God guides me through trials
What Partial Faith Looks Like:
- ✅ God is Creator
- ✅ Jesus died for my sins
- ✅ I’m saved by grace
- ❌ Holy Spirit doesn’t really help me understand Scripture
- ❌ God won’t heal my body
- ❌ God won’t help with this situation
See the disconnect? You can’t say, “I believe God can save my eternal soul” but then say, “Nah, He can’t heal my back pain.” That’s not faith—it’s selective trust.
This short post “Our Heavenly Position: Walking in Christ’s Authority” is an absolute for following through and actually taking on our responsibility as an active Christian.
The Bible’s Take
Hebrews 11:6 nails it:
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him…”
Not “some faith.” Not “faith in the big stuff only.” Faith—complete trust in God’s character and promises.
Mark 11:24 gets practical:
“Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Believe for salvation, but doubt everything else.”
Why This Happens
Here’s why believers struggle with “partial faith”:
| The Problem | What’s Really Happening |
|---|---|
| “I believe I’m saved” | Trusting God’s character for eternity |
| “But God won’t heal me” | Doubting God’s character for today |
| “I trust Jesus for salvation” | Believing God’s promises selectively |
| “Holy Spirit won’t help me understand” | Limiting God’s power in practice |
The “Usward Who Believe” Reality
Ephesians 1:19 isn’t saying God’s power is limited to what you understand. It’s saying that God’s full power flows to those who actually believe—not just in salvation, but in His entire nature.
Here’s the breakthrough:
- God’s power isn’t rationed by your theology
- But it is limited by your unbelief
- When you believe God can do everything His Word says
- Then you position yourself for everything He’s promised
Many Christians struggle to embrace Pentecostal tenets like healing, prophecy, and Spirit baptism with evidence of tongues, viewing them as extreme or unnecessary. This theological restraint creates a serious limitation—not on God’s power, but on what believers experience of God’s power.
Ephesians 1:19 promises “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,” yet when theology says “God doesn’t do that anymore,” faith shrinks to match that belief.
Consider the disconnect: if someone trusts God for salvation’s miracle but doubts His willingness to heal their body today, they’re not just rejecting Pentecostal doctrine—they’re rejecting God’s revealed nature in Scripture. Jesus healed “all” who came to Him (Matthew 12:15), the early church saw miracles routinely (Acts 5:16), and James 5:14-15 commands prayer for the sick with confident expectation.
The result of unbelief disguised as theology:
- Healing prayers become hopeless rituals
- Scripture reading misses Holy Spirit illumination
- Bold faith gets replaced by resigned acceptance
- God’s power stays theoretical, not experiential
Pentecostal beliefs aren’t about emotionalism—they’re about believing God’s Word without expiration dates. When Christians limit God to their comfort zone, they don’t just miss blessings; they miss knowing the full character of a miracle-working God.
The real tragedy? They’re teaching the next generation a God who’s powerful in history but impotent today. Unbelief wrapped in theological sophistication doesn’t impress heaven—it grieves the Spirit who wants to move.
What if the limitation isn’t God’s willingness, but our refusal to believe He’s willing?
Practical Steps
1. Identify Your Partial Faith
Ask yourself:
- Where am I doubting God?
- What promises am I ignoring?
- Where do I trust God… but not really?
2. Build Faith for the Whole Package
Read the promises – Find them for yourself in your own bible. These and more are in there waiting on you to own them.
- Healing
- Guidance
- Provision
- Protection
- Peace
- Strength
- Wisdom
- Deliverance
- Restoration
- Victory
- Comfort
- Direction
- Freedom
- Joy
- Power
Believe for each one. The same faith that saved you unlocks every promise. God doesn’t pick and choose what He’ll do for believers—He just waits for us to believe the whole package.
Declare them – Speak them out loud
Act on them – Take steps that require God’s involvement
3. Remember God’s Character
If God can:
- Create the universe
- Raise Jesus from the dead
- Save your soul
Then He can:
- Heal your body
- Give you wisdom
- Walk you through trials
The Bottom Line
“To usward who believe” means believing the whole counsel of God, not just the parts that feel safe. The more you stretch out for God, the more God delivers.
Your faith journey isn’t:
“Believe for salvation → Graduate → Pick and choose”
It’s:
“Believe God completely → Receive His power completely”
When you believe God for everything His Word promises, that’s when Ephesians 1:19 becomes real in your life. Not just for eternity, but for today.