I don’t know about you, but I am inspired by Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians found in Ephesians 3:16-19 It is both deep in spiritual meaning and high is spiritual exhilaration.
“16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with
inner strength through his Spirit,17 Then Christ will make his home in your
hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love an
keep you strong. 18 And you may have the power to understand, as all of
God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love
is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to under-
stand fully;” NLT “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’ NKJV
This is what I long for. These are signs we are spiritually fit.
that my inner being would be strong with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Then I could be mighty in prayer, in endurance, in faith, in everything God wants to empower me for
that my heart (my emotions, my mind and my will) would be a comfortable home for Jesus. I want Him to feel welcome. I want Him to relax and enjoy Himself.
that my roots would go deep into God’s agape love. Then not only would I grow in His love but I would also be unshakably secure.
that I would effectively grasp the fullness of God’s love in all of its dimensions. Now that would be thrilling beyond compare!
that I would experience Jesus’ love even though I cannot understand it. It would be something I experience so deeply I would never take it for granted.
that I am filled to the brim and spilling over with the fullness of God. This too would be thrilling beyond compare!
The question is: “Is this possible?”
The answer is, “Yes!”
It is “Yes!” for three reasons.
1) Since Paul prays it and it is in the Bible it must be something God wants for us. He tells us in 1 John 5:14-15 that if we ask for something God wants to give us, we will get it.
2) Paul follows this prayer with an affirmation of the infinite power of the Holy Spirit within us that can do far, far more than we could ever imagine or even ask for. He naturally honors and praises the Holy Spirit for this power to answer this prayer. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do what it takes to become spiritually fit.
3) With the strength and power of the Holy Spirit we can be like Paul and press hard for our goal (Phil. 3:12-14) making every effort count. (1 Cor. 9:24-27)
What is your experience with this prayer?
“16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with
inner strength through his Spirit,17 Then Christ will make his home in your
hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love an
keep you strong. 18 And you may have the power to understand, as all of
God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love
is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to under-
stand fully;” NLT “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’ NKJV
This is what I long for. These are signs we are spiritually fit.
that my inner being would be strong with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Then I could be mighty in prayer, in endurance, in faith, in everything God wants to empower me for
that my heart (my emotions, my mind and my will) would be a comfortable home for Jesus. I want Him to feel welcome. I want Him to relax and enjoy Himself.
that my roots would go deep into God’s agape love. Then not only would I grow in His love but I would also be unshakably secure.
that I would effectively grasp the fullness of God’s love in all of its dimensions. Now that would be thrilling beyond compare!
that I would experience Jesus’ love even though I cannot understand it. It would be something I experience so deeply I would never take it for granted.
that I am filled to the brim and spilling over with the fullness of God. This too would be thrilling beyond compare!
The question is: “Is this possible?”
The answer is, “Yes!”
It is “Yes!” for three reasons.
1) Since Paul prays it and it is in the Bible it must be something God wants for us. He tells us in 1 John 5:14-15 that if we ask for something God wants to give us, we will get it.
2) Paul follows this prayer with an affirmation of the infinite power of the Holy Spirit within us that can do far, far more than we could ever imagine or even ask for. He naturally honors and praises the Holy Spirit for this power to answer this prayer. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do what it takes to become spiritually fit.
3) With the strength and power of the Holy Spirit we can be like Paul and press hard for our goal (Phil. 3:12-14) making every effort count. (1 Cor. 9:24-27)
What is your experience with this prayer?