Ephesians 3:14-21

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Ephesians

Rusty's Notes

• This passage is the second of two prayers recorded in Ephesians, the first one being Ephesians 1:15–23.
• In the first prayer, the emphasis is on enlightenment;
• but in this prayer, the emphasis is on enablement.[1]
• Knowing vs being
• “know what you have, but start appropriating for your daily life.”
• Paul is writing from prison and focused on the spiritual needs of man rather than the physical.
• If we can focus on the inner man as the priority, then the outer man will be supplied as a byproduct.

 
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER
EPHESIANS 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father

• Abraham and Solomon stood
• David sat
• Jesus fell on his face in the garden
• No protocol in Scripture for praying posture
• Paul was attached to Roman Guard
• More of a heart issue

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

• Creator – Father of all men/women
• Savior – Father of those who believe
• In reference to creation means all Jews & Gentiles

16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to (1) be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,

• Still goes back to knowing what you have
• Then trusting for it to work
• Miss Marvel and She-Hulk discover powers and then learn how to use them.
• But it is not our strength but through His Spirit.
• How do you let the Spirit work through you?
• Someone has said, “If God took the Holy Spirit out of this world, most of what we Christians are doing would go right on—and nobody would know the difference!” Sad, but true.[2]
• “According to the riches of His glory”, not out of His riches…
• Not a portion, but a proportion
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. [3]
• It is only when we yield to the Spirit and let Him control the inner man that we succeed in living to the glory of God.[4]

17 and that (2) Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

• “Dwell” – to settle down and feel at home (permanently)
• “nesting” – get settled at camp
• Settle into a relationship… not just surface.
• That would be hard to do if it was just God alone.
• But there is a Spirit of God that dwells within you.
• You have a super power that is super-natural
• Super and natural
• “through faith” – believe and trust
• Simple as sitting in the chair

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 (3) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

• Rooted is an architectural term; it refers to the foundations on which we build[5]
• Building footers as a foundation.
• The deeper your foundation in Christ, the stronger you will be able to stand in the storms of life.
• Phil Tooley – God’s timeline is a plane.
• It is more than a plane… it has height and depth.
• $240 billion spent on loan relief… that’s politics
• I got $400 from the state this week… that’s politics
• That’s just a drop of God’s riches
• I can complain all I want about my $$$ and where it goes… but it’s the principle… the bigger picture is… it’s not mine in the first place… I haven’t missed a meal yet.
• Stay focused on the inner man and outer man will be provided for out of God’s riches.
• “with all the saints”

19 and to (4) know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

• Knowledge is good but it is not greater than love
• Knowledge leads to being puffed up… about you.
• Knowledge is good but worthless without love.
• What if you had the Bible memorized yet never loved?
• What if you loved and had no knowledge?
• What if you knew that you had the love of God walking with you every day?

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us--

• Our faith walk is just a portion of God’s riches.
• There is a lot of time, energy, money and life being poured out in our house for a one-day wedding.
• The question keeps coming up, how do we get it all done in 90 days?
• That one day is a drop in God’s limitless riches.
• Sam & Chloe’s marriage and family will be above and beyond that wedding day
• According to the power… not a portion but a proportion.

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.[6]

• Where is the glory?
• In the Church
• In Christ Jesus

 
Always Only Jesus

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 30). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 4:16–18). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 3:14–21). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.