God’s Power Available In You Ephesians 3:14-21

1. God’s Power Available In YouEphesians 3:14-21 • What could you imagine God would do with your life if you totally surrendered it to Him? • Chapter 3: 2-13 the nature of the church • created by God • Jews and Gentiles united together • the “body of Christ” – a mystery • Paul’s Prayer: • Paul’s Resolve • Paul’s Requests • God’s Resources

2. 1. Paul’s Resolve • Ephesians 3: 14-15 [ESV] - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. • Scripture gives us many examples of different postures in prayer Not common for Jews to pray on bended knee they usually stood upright

3. Paul kneels in prayer  indicates an increased level of intensity • Kneeling is symbolic of submission and of dependence • Paul was on his knees in prayer for these believers, resolved to bring them before God. • Paul begins his prayer with: “For this reason…” • Paul has told us that we have a new identity in Christ and now he prays that we will understand what that means and that we will be empowered to live as new creations.

4. 2. Paul’s Requests • Paul makes four requests on behalf of these believers. • a. Inner Power • Ephesians 3:14,16 [ESV] - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father …that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being. • At salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you • We need the power of the Spirit to live the way God wants us to live for His glory.

5. This power is available to our “inner being” • 2 Corinthians 4: 16 [ESV] - So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. • Renewed day by day: • The spiritual component of our being is being controlled by God. •  feed on His Word; •  stay in communication with Him through prayer •  worship Him with all our heart and strength •  live clean, pure obedient lives

6. b. Inner Presence • Ephesians 3: 14,17a [ESV] - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father … that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith • Greek: “dwell” – to settle or inhabit. • “that Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home in your hearts.” • WuestWord Studies • Have you allowed Christ’s Spirit to settle in and make himself totally at home in your heart? • Or are there still rooms that are off-limits to Him?

7. c. Inner Perception • Ephesians 3: 14, 17b-19a [ESV] - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father …that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, • Paul wants believers to understand the full knowledge of the love of God • “rooted” – an agricultural term • “established” – an architectural term • Love must also be the foundation – the root system of our lives

8. 1 Corinthians 13: 7,8a, 13 [ESV] - Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. …So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. • “Love is intrinsic to all the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22: “Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long-suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love’s touch. Goodness is love’s character. Faithfulness is love’s habit. Gentleness is love’s self-forgetfulness. Self-control is love holding the reins.” Dr. Donald Barnhouse

9. Christ’s love “surpasses all knowledge” – it is unknowable in its full extent because it is an infinite love. • Paul wants us to “comprehend” it (v.18)  to take hold of it – to seize it. • It is a relational love • v.18 - “comprehend it with all the saints” • “We can only come to a better, fuller understanding of [Christ’s] love in community” Kent Hughes

10. The “mystery” called the churchmust strive for unitybecause the world is watching us to see what the love of Christ looks like • John 13:34,35 [ESV] - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

11. d. Inner Provision • Ephesians 3: 14, 19b [ESV] - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. • The concept of this word “to be filled” speaks about completeness. • Paul is praying that God take over full control of our lives • To be filled with God means we must be emptied of ourselves.

12. Note the progression here in Paul’s prayer: • The inner power of the Holy Spirit leads us to allow Christ to settle in and be at home in our hearts. Christ at home in us leads us to understand His incredible love for us. And knowing His love better, leads us to experience the fullness of God’s presence in us as we turn more and more of our lives over to His control. David Jeremiah • That’s the process of sanctification

13. 3. God’s Resources • Ephesians 3:20-21 [ESV] - Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. • Paul declares the unlimited provision of God available to His children. • Paul ends his prayer with this praise to Godbecause only our great God has the power to work in us to accomplish the things he has prayed for.

14. Do you believe God has great things in store for us here at Calvary Gospel Church? • Do you believe God can meet all our needs? • Q. What could I imagine God would do if I surrendered myself completely to Him? • We serve a God who can do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (v.20) • For what purpose? • “For His glory.” • What a Great God we serve.