Paul’s prayer for the Church

This portion of Paul’s letter is intended for Spiritually mature Christians to realise their individual, personal  “mission statement”.

Eph 3:14-21

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father

What is the mission statement of the Church? What is the reason for the existence of the Church?

          “For this reason….”

The reason being Paul’s strong desire for the Church to discover what he found in the “mystery” of the manifold wisdom of God in creating the church.

3:10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

16 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.

20 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

1.     The Introductory To Paul’s Prayer

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

He is referring to those who are living and those in heaven who have gone on before.

Effective prayer; prayer that is motivated by an urgency or an important event.

Here Paul is motivated by the need for the salvation and the unity of the church as the Body of Christ. 

         

The church is under constant threat of the worldly chaos and the disintegrating disunity and separation between nation and nation; between man and man and the weakness to temptation challenging the members.

          Only in Christ can true unity and moral excellence be found. 

The Church is to be the instrument through whom the Spirit of God can reach a world whom God so loved that He gave His only begotten Son.

2.     The Petitions Of Paul’s Prayer

16-19   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.

A.   He prays for their spiritual power

Here is God’s selected leader who prays not only for the Eph Church, but for the

entire Church throughout the world and throughout the ages. For you and for me.

           

This prayer is being answered even now, so that we may withstand all that Satan and the world can throw at us because “Greater is He that is in you. . . “

B.  He prays for Spiritual permanence of the believer

          (1)That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Jesus said (Jn 15: 7,8) If you remain in Me and…..

          The constant abiding of Christ is determined by you and me. Perseverance in Holiness is the only way to ensure such a possibility.

          FAITH is a positive assurance that what you believe is actual and true. Any sign you seek to prove the presence of Christ in your inner being will disallow faith to operate.

         

             (2) that you may be rooted and established in love

·        Ps 1:3. . . He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

                  

(3) that you may have power to grasp the awesomeness of God’s great love for you and how He wants to pass that love on to the world through you.

(4) that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Can you, for one moment imagine that you have the fullness of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit living in your heart?  

When you are entirely sanctified, you are filled with all the fullness of God!

Illlustration

A thimble full of Atlantic Ocean contains a perfect sample of the vast Atlantic Sea. Yet the rest of the Ocean remains as it was. Same with us when we have the fullness of God in our hearts. We can be filled with all of God’s perfection. Our own perfection is being developed in this world, waiting for that Wonderful Day.

In this union,

God’s perfection becomes the believer’s perfection but only IN CHRIST.

3.     The Perception Of Paul’s Prayer

20,21 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

Wow!  Infinitely more than all we ask or imagine. God is waiting for us to be ready to receive more than we can imagine. He can do anything for you IF ONLY we will get to the point to believe it.

          How does God prepare us for this experience?

Well, He puts you into His oven and bakes on you. He allows you to go through valleys and mountain tops. Hard times have a good effect on those who, regardless of the tough times continue to trust Him.  1 Cor 10:13 applies.

God is also moulding you as a potter shapes the clay into his chosen shape and form. Sometimes the potter reduces the model and reshapes it to what he had in mind.

The condition of the Ephesian church some time after Paul’s letter, is mentioned by the Lord to John on the Isle of Patmos where John was banished for being a Christian. 

·        Rev 2:1-7

          "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 

2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

           7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

How about us? Do we still have that “first love”? It is probably the love for God. He must be the first and the last of your love life. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength.  And then also your neighbour followed by your own self. God must come first in everything about your short life here on this faltering planet.  This world is not your home!

CONCLUSION

Can you believe that you have spiritual power? How strong is your faith?

Does Christ dwell in your heart?

 Where will you be tomorrow if you should die tonight?

Have you ever made your mission statement?  What is the reason for your present existence?

Do you know if Christ is dwelling in your heart?

How strong is your faith?

Are you experiencing God’s strong hand on your life? God may be teaching you to be stronger in your self-image. Like the eagle teaching its young to be eagles.

Are you sure that God really loves you? And that you are precious in His sight?

Prov 3:5,6.