Eph. 1:18, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
If the first wing of the victorious Christian life is total abandonment to the will of God in the big and small things of life; then the second wing is FAITH. It is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The desire and the choice to fully surrender is a response to His grace that works in us “to will,” but faith is that disposition in us that believes, and therefore receives the “to do” part of His ability. Look closely at first 19 of the Ephesians 1. “… the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” Let me translate it better for you grammatically so that you understand the true meaning of the verse. Paul prays that the eyes of your heart would understand, “His continuously present and available, way beyond (any trial or temptation you’ll ever face) mega supernatural ability in us, who are living moment by moment believing in His way beyond, mega, supernatural ability.” That is the meaning of the verse, and Gods promise to us. Remember, faith is not hoping; instead faith is knowing. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. When you have faith you can stop hoping and simply start thanking, because you know. Faith is believing; that is knowing; that in each moment His mega, way beyond anything you’ll ever face, supernatural ability is at work in you right now giving you the victory. You see because of the power of God that is in you, victory is always potentially yours, because no matter what you face; no matter how big the temptation is; no matter how much bigger it seems than you are; His power, and ability is bigger. Having said that, potential victory only becomes yours experientially as you believe. Faith is our part that realizes his part. Faith and victory are so interconnected that 1 John 5 says that “faith is the victory that overcomes the world.” Faith is simply believing, in the now, that He is doing His part.