The prayers of the Apostle Paul a) The prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 (read)
This prayer contains a progressive revelation. Please note there are five main steps in this prayer.
Step 1 Verse 16; To be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. This strengthening with might in your inner man is an essential prerequisite before partaking of steps 2-5. For it is only through the ‘dynamite’ power of the Holy Spirit in us that we can progress spiritually.
Step 2 Verse 17; Tells us that consequences of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith is that we become rooted like a tree in love and grounded like a building, with Jesus Christ as your foundation. This means our Christian walk of obedience to Christ is based upon our responding in love to his love which Jesus gave first.
Step 3 Verse 18; When we are strengthened with might in our inner man, and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith and we grow rooted and grounded in love then we are in the position to begin to comprehend or discern spiritually the dimensions of God`s love where it surpasses humanly discerned knowledge. Things to consider about the dimensions of God’s love.
Breadth – boundless Length – endless
Depth – fathomless Height[1] – measureless
Even to describe God’s love as a sea is inadequate since seas have limits.
Step 4 Verse 19 We must experience the love of Christ, each one of us. That agape love that the Holy Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). When we are filled to overflowing with his divine love then we attain the fourth step of the progression, which is that we have the richest measure of the divine presence and we become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself.
If this is true, it is possible that we can experience the richest measure of the divine presence! Wow!
The Greek rendering of ‘filled with all the fullness’ suggests a continuous process, a progressive enlarging experience like a vessel being filled to the brim. Then the vessel expands, and the process goes on and on. Thus, our hearts will grow and take in more and more of Him. Amen.
Step 5 Verse 20 Paul then goes on to say after having given us such a tremendous revelation of the word, that the Lord can do infinitely more than all that we dare ask or think, infinitely above our highest hopes, prayers, desires, thoughts, or dreams. Wow!
Fellow saints, the word of God tells us that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Would you dare to make such a prayer as this, a prayer for yourself and for those you lead, would you dare to pray this prayer right now?
In verse 20 did Paul get carried away with himself? Or was the Holy Spirit showing the church how we also ought to pray for ourselves and others, so that we can aim for the summit of God`s fullness in us in bodily form.
If we ask Him for bread will he give us stone or snake for a fish?
He knows what good gifts to give to His children.
Matthew 5:6
Conclusion
Would you dare to ask God for his best for yourself and others, or do you think that the Lord can only just keep you saved?
See Ephesians 3:10 concerning the multi-faceted wisdom of God.
The Word of God says that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Will you dare make such a spirit anointed prayer your fervent prayer.
Dare to pray this prayer!
Father God we bow our knees to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
We ask that you grant us, according to your riches, that we might be strengthened with your mighty power in our inner man.
We pray that Christ may be dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we are becoming rooted and grounded in your divine love.
We ask that we may be able to comprehend with all your saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of your love, and to come to truly know your love which surpasses human knowledge, that we might be filled with the love of God as you are Lord.
Lord, we know you can do much more above all we can ask or even think because your power is at work in us and we say Amen and Glory to your name.
[1] Height
How high does God`s love extend? Look at the privileges we now enjoy and those the Lord has promised will come.
I Samuel 2:8
Isaiah 56:5
Romans 8:16-17
I John 3:1
Revelation 22:4-5