A PRAYER FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF BELIEVERS

PROCLAMATION

“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 Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, in a letter to the believers in the church at Ephesus.  Paul began this third chapter by asserting that he is an apostle given by God to preach to the gentiles. (Ephesians 3:1-12)  He asked them not to be discouraged because he was in prison. (Ephesians 3:13)  Then he offered this prayer for them.  He prayed for their strength and power in The Lord, and that they would appreciate the vastness of the love of Christ.

 

APPLICATION

As believers we should pray for each other.  In fact, we should pray for all believers.  This prayer has four petitions on behalf of believers.  First, that all believers would be strengthened in The Spirit.  Second, that Christ would dwell in our hearts by faith.  Third, that we would know the extent of the love of Christ and be grounded in it.  And fourth, that we would be filled up with all the fullness of God.  This is a prayer that we should pray for all believers so that we would all be strengthened and grow in the knowledge of God and the love of Christ.  This is something that we all could use as we continue our Christian journey in this sin-sick world where temptation and evil are all around us.

 

A PRAYER FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF ALL BELIEVERS

Proclamation:

“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 Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, in a letter to the believers in the church at Ephesus.  Paul began this third chapter by asserting that he is an apostle given by God to preach to the gentiles. (Ephesians 3:1-12)  He asked them not to be discouraged because he was in prison. (Ephesians 3:13)  Then he offered this prayer for them.  He prayed for their strength and power in The Lord, and that they would appreciate the vastness of the love of Christ.

Application:

This prayer has four petitions on behalf of believers.  First, that all believers would be strengthened in The Spirit.  Second, that Christ would dwell in our hearts by faith.  Third, that we would know the extent of the love of Christ and be grounded in it.  And fourth, that we would be filled up with all the fullness of God.  This is a prayer that we should pray for all believers so that we would be strengthened and grow in the knowledge of God and the love of Christ.  This is something that we all could use as we continue our Christian journey in this sin-sick world.

A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL STRENGTHENING

Proclamation:

“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 Lord’s holy people, 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.”  Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Paul wanted the Gentiles in Ephesus to know that he was called of God to preach the gospel to them. (Ephesians 3:1-9)  After he explained his purpose for writing to them, he prayed for them. (Ephesians 3:14-19)  He ended the chapter with a doxology and a benediction. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Application:

In Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers we should be mindful of four requests.  First, he wanted God to strengthen them spiritually.  Second, he wanted Christ to dwell in their hearts.  Third, he wanted them to know the vastness of the love of God.  Fourth, he wanted them to be filled with all the fullness of God.  This petition is a prayer that we could pray today for all of our Christian brothers and sisters, and for ourselves.  We could all benefit from being strengthened spiritually, having Christ in control of our heart, having a better understanding of the love of God, and having our entire being filled and consumed with the love and grace of God.