Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What does it say

• Paul kneels before the Father
• Paul kneels before the Father because we may approach God and approach with confidence
• God’s family exists in heaven and earth
• God’s family derives its name from Him.
• Paul prayed for the Ephesians
• Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be strengthened.
• Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be strengthened in their inner being.
• Paul prayed that God would strengthen them through His Spirit
• Paul prayed that God would strengthen them with power.
• The reason Paul prayed the Ephesians would be strengthened was so Christ would dwell in their heart.
• Christ dwells in the heart through faith.
• Paul prayed the Ephesians would grasp the vastness of Christ’s love.
• Paul prayed for the Ephesians to be rooted in love.
• Paul prayed the Ephesians to be established in love.
• It takes power to understand the vastness of Christ’s love
• Paul prayed that the Ephesians have the power to grasp the vastness of Christ’s love.
• Paul prayed that all saints have the power to grasp the vastness of Christ’s love
• Christ’s love is long, wide, high, and deep.
• Christ’s love is more than can be understood.
• Paul prayed that the Ephesians grasp the knowledge of Christ’s love so they would be completely filled with God.
• Paul’s prayer was that the Ephesians be completely filled with the fullness of God – not filled with part of God.
• Paul’s prayer was that the Ephesians be completely filled with the fullness of God – not partially filled with all of God.
• Paul’s prayer was that the Ephesians be completely filled with the fullness of God – not partially filled with part of God.
• God can do more than we will very ask
• God can do more than we can imagine
• God’s power is at work in us.
• Paul prayed that God be glorified in the church.
• Paul prayed that God be glorified in the Christ Jesus
• Paul prayed that God be glorified in all generations
• Paul prayed that God be glorified forever and at all times.

What does it mean?

Paul is praying for two things for the Ephesians. First, he is praying that God strengthens them with the Spirit to their core. He prayed to God to strengthen them so that Christ may dwell in their hearts. Second, he prays that they are able to understand the greatness of Christ’s love so that they may be completely filled with God. Paul realized that the greatest thing was God. As a result, the greatest thing the Ephesians could have was a knowledge of the power and love of God. The most important that was the Ephesians be filled completely with God. Not just to know of God but to know God

God’s power is more than we can even imagine. Yet that power is at work in us. God’s love is more than we can understand. Even so, Paul’s prayer is that the Ephesians be given the knowledge of Christ’s love.

How does it work?

How different is Paul’s prayer then the prayers we pray? Our typical prayers are all about us and temporal things. “God please heal grandma. And please help me get a good grade on my test tomorrow. Help me pay my bills. Help me find my keys.” That last one I am particularly guilty of. And of course, we end our prayers with the magic words, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.” We treat God like a magic genii.

Paul’s prayer is for the Ephesians but it is about God. Paul’s prayer is for the Ephesians to be strengthened and to know Christ’s love. Why? So that God can be praised. Paul’s prayer is really then about God to God. He prays that God will receive glory in the Church and in Christ. Doing well on a test, or getting the quarterly report finished and filed on time does not bring glory to God. It brings glory to you and me.

So how do we fix it? What changes do we make in our lives? Well, we change our priorities. We recognize that God needs to be the most important thing in our life. We just …. That is the message of most sermons. You just need to change. You just need to get your priorities right. If you really loved God you would not do certain things or you would do certain things. You would ask yourself what would Jesus do? And do that.

The fact is you cannot do what Jesus did. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Jesus paid the price for your sins. Can you do any of those things? No! You cannot do anything close to any of those things. Paul prayed that God strengthens the Ephesians through God’s Spirit. It is only through the power of God that we live a life that brings glory to Him.

We always try to steal God’s glory. We claim we have accomplished something. We did it. Or we think we stood firm in the face of temptation. We did it. But the fact of the matter is we did nothing! It was the spirit that gave us strength. That is why Paul prayed that God strengthen the Ephesians with the Spirit, to bring glory to Him through His church of which every believer is a part forever and ever. Pray you bring glory to God.