Ephesians 3:14-21

God’s Love For Us

 

As we pick up here in verse 14, Paul says, “For this reason.” 

A) Here in v. 14 Paul is coming back to the prayer that he started in v.1 – but then – took a detour on to talk about his apostleship

 

B) We noted how v. 2-13 are kind of in Parentheses – Paul is explaining some things about his imprisonment

1) But then in v. 14 he comes back to this prayer for the Church at Ephesus

 

C) Love the inspired prayers – God’s heart for us

    1) As well as Insight on how to pray – this is what God desires

 

D) So we want to notice several things tonight that we can glean from this Prayer

 

1st Notice Paul’s Posture: V.14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

A) This is interesting that we find Paul making reference to bowing the knee. 

 

B) And of course we don’t think there’s anything peculiar about that, because that’s a posture that we often take in prayer. 

1) And we do find examples of people bowing their knee in prayer in the Scripture.  But that really wasn’t the ordinary posture for a Jew in prayer. 

 

C) Ordinarily a Jewish man would stand and pray. 

1) Airplane to Hungary- 30 orthodox Jewish men on that plane – every couple of hours they were standing up shawls on their heads – Praying !!!!

 

D) Now there are those occasions, in scripture where you see someone kneeling in prayer – But usually it was an extraordinary event

1) Or a time where someone was displaying UNUSUAL PASSION

 

 

We think back to the time of the dedication of the temple.  And we read that Solomon knelt down.  And he prayed. 

A) And that was  an extraordinary event, they were dedicating  the house of God. 

 

B) We find Daniel kneeling down and praying during his Babylonian captivity -   When he was forbidden to pray by the government,

1) it says that he went to his room, and as his custom was, he knelt down and he prayed. 

 

C) We find that Jesus knelt down and prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane- night before his death  

1) We know this was a very passionate time of prayer – because we are told that his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood. 

 

D) We find that Peter, when he was petitioning the Lord over Tabitha, the young girl that had died, he knelt down and he prayed, she would be raised

1) So when we find kneeling in prayer taking place in the scriptures usually it is a very important event or a time of Great desperation

 

Kneeling of course, also indicates utter humility before God. 

A) Remember Psalm 95 said, “Come let us worship and bow down.  Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” 

 

B) And so as we’re kneeling in prayer we’re sort of expressing with our bodies our utter nothingness before God. 

1) We’re really exalting the Lord as we kneel in prayer. 

 

C) We are declaring a surrendered heart as we bow -  Sunday night – 50 people or so kneeling to pray –

1) Expressing a desire to be more passionate & more intimate in this relationship w/ God .

 

D) God honors that type of surrender{ I am sure that for many of those people – God has met them this week because of their hearts that night!!

S0 first of all we see Paul’s Posture in Prayer – Knelt down / Next lets consider the Premise of Paul’s Petition v.16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,

A) That is the  premise of Paul’s Petition: that God would grant this prayer according to the riches of His Glory

 

B) That God would work in their lives according to the riches of God’s glory

1) I want you to notice that it’s according to the riches of his glory rather than from the riches of His glory . 

 

C) Now that is a small point, but it’s an important point. 

1) Think of a very wealthy person.  Now a wealthy person can express some sort of generosity by giving in one of two ways.

 

D) They can give from their wealth – or they can give according to their wealth – Millionaire – from his wealth – gives 100 dollars

1) According to their wealth – He gives $ 100,000

 

When Paul talks about God granting according to the riches, the idea is that what God would grant us would reflect His wealth. 

A) So what God is going to grant us is to some extent going to correspond with His greatness and with His glory. 

 

B) So you can bet that when God gives according to His riches, whatever it is that He’s going to give, that it’s going to be an overflow,

1) it’s going to be an abundance, because it’s a reflection of what God has.  It’s not just a little piece of it, but it’s a reflection of the totality of it. 

 

C) Now when I look at the current needs of our Church – that Blesses me that brings comfort to my heart – God supplies according to His Riches

1) When I consider the needs of certain individuals in our Church – going thru heavy circumstances –

 

D) Encouraging to know: God is going to meet them according to the riches of His Glory – AWESOME THOUGHT

Now the first thing that Paul prays for them – that God would grant them according to the riches of His Glory is Supernatural Strength

A) He prays that they would be v. 16 strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

 

B) Oh, how we need to be strengthened don’t we?  We need strength. 

1) We face difficult circumstances at times.  And we need that infusion of strength. 

 

C) We need that divine energy injected into us so we can bear up under the burdens that we sometimes face.  Life is full of trouble and difficulty. 

1) So we need strength to endure.  We need strength to persevere.  We need strength to make it through the troubles. 

 

D) We need strength to stand against our adversary the devil. 

1) Blessed today in 2 Kings – Those who are with us are greater than those who are against us –

 

E) We need to realize – that greater is He that is in you than he that is the world

 

We need strength against the temptation that often comes our way. 

A) We need supernatural power to resist the temptation as it comes our way.   

 

B)We need strength to be witnesses for the Lord don’t we?  Brain dead sometimes – forget everything I know - other times I feel so powerless

1) oh how I need strength to be a witness.

 

C) God knowing that we would face difficulty in all of those things – inspires Paul here to pray – example / reminder pray for strength

 

The Word Strengthened = fortified / braced / invigorated .

A) That is what God  wants for  US  ! That we would be  Fortified & invigorated   

 

B) With Might – the word Might is Dunamis – used in Acts 1:8 Promise to ….

" You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea ........earth

 

C) Jesus was speaking of what was going to happen to them once they were Baptized w/ the HS – From IN to UPON

 

D) IN other words the strength that we need for our Lives comes from being Filled to over flowing with the HS

 

Notice also where he prays that they would be strengthened – in the INNER MAN

A) This is something that I find interesting – this strength was not something that you could see necessarily – visibly – looking outward

 

B) Wow that guy is buff ! – Wasn’t noticeable from the outside – although it could manifest itself outwardly

1) This is a strength that came from within – this was a strengthening of the Inner man of the Spirit man –

 

C) Consider the manifestation in Peter’s life – Coward to Proclaimer

1) Resulted in a Boldness to Preach – boldness to stand up against opposition

We will obey God rather than man

 

D) Resulted in a confidence to say to a crippled man – Silver and gold ….. in the name of Jesus rise up and walk

1) Listen Peter had no power in & of himself to make that man well – but Peter was strengthened with Power in his inner man to believe in the Power of Jesus to heal that Man – IN THE NAME OF JESUS

 

E) This strength is that which often manifest itself in a quiet confidence & boldness that has nothing to do w/ your talents & abilities

1)    But is there because of WHO is living inside of you     The H.S.

 

You know the problem with too many Christians today is that they are seeking to be strong in their own Strength – Some Formula Program

 

So 1st request is that they would be strengthen.w/ might ......in the inner man / Stronger, more focused more effective lives for the Lord!

A) 2nd Request  V17a  That Christ may dwell in your hearts thru faith!

 

B) Wait doesn't Christ already dwell in our hearts ...faith?   Yes at Salvation / You are indwelt with the HS

1) But this word dwell means to be at home in our hearts / to be at home settled down as a family member!

         

C) Paul is praying that Jesus would be at home in our hearts

 

 

Ever gone to a persons house where you just didn't feel at home?  don't touch

A)Can't  get to comfortable – always uneasy – sit here – don’t go there …..

 

B)  Paul’s prayer is that Jesus would feel at home in our hearts- that our Hearts would be his home – free to go where he wants to in our lives

 1) See a lot of people treat Jesus more like a guest than a family member Here is living room……….. stay here –

 

C) Jesus I will listen to you as it relates to this area of my life – but not in these

1) Bible study yes / Business no / Help with unsaved friends yes / Sensitivity to my spouse no.

 

D) Jesus I will give you that place of ownership as it relates to my ministry but not my singleness

1) Now we would rarely ever phrase it that way but we are living that way by our actions –

 

 

Listen our Lord’s desire is that our hearts would be His home!

A) That he would move freely in our lives / unhindered !!!

 

B) That our lives would be so surrendered to Him – we would be looking to Him in every area – leaning on Him – not our own understanding

1) Proverbs 3:5,6 is a good test –

 

Prov 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

 

C) The degree to which we do that with the varies areas of our lives will indicate to us how much of our hearts the Lord has !!!!

 

See Jesus wants to come in & remodel & redecorate/ NEWS FLASH – Jesus did not save you to keep you the way that you are  : Remodel / Rebuild  

A)People w/ that gift amaze me ! Take plaids/ florals/  solids various colors / some how it goes together! I think that doesn't match !/ come back later  Wow!

 

B) My wife is pretty good in this area – I have shared how my apartment was decorated before we were married – MJ / Endless Summer

1) Nothing matched -  All got to go - She had something Diff. in mind!

 

C)  Now I just couldn't picture what she had in mind / but when she was done it looked great ! Awesome

 

Jesus wants our heart to be His home He wants to move freely in our lives / He wants to redecorate

A)Listen you might not always understand what He is doing / it might not make any sense / But wait until finished!  / World 6 days / do w/ your life !!!

 

B) Now in some ways I think that the order of these first two petitions could be reversed – Because – the Power & Strength we need really only comes after we have truly surrendered { Our heart His Home

 

C) Think of Joshua – Joshua was in a place where He needed strength He needed wisdom – How to defeat Jericho

1) When did the Strength & wisdom come ? Only after Joshua placed himself in that Position of Submission to the Lord

 

B)That’s when the Lord gave Him instruction  on how the city was to be taken 

1) That is when the Lord showed His strength in leveling the mighty walls of Jericho – Started w/ Vision / then submission

Listen God wants to do so much in our lives – to bless our lives in so many ways – bless our Church in so many ways – all according to the Riches of His Glory

 

Rejoice in that tonight !!!!! 

 

Prayer for Baptism of the HS