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EPHESIANS 3:14-21
Lesson #09
PAULS SECOND PRAYER
- Memory verse: Eph 3:21
- Read Eph 3:14-21 Paul’s second prayer
- We studied Paul’s first prayer in Eph 1:15-23.
- In that prayer Paul asked for enlightenment.
- In this prayer Paul asks for enablement.
- In the first prayer, Paul wanted the believer to know what God’s riches were.
- Now Paul prays that believers would possess those vast riches of God so that they can use them.
- In that prayer Paul asked for enlightenment.
- We studied Paul’s first prayer in Eph 1:15-23.
A comparison of the two prayers
| Eph 1:15-23 | Eph 3:14-21 |
| -Paul prays for knowledge -God is light -Paul asks for light concerning Hs power and provision for believers -the new man is seated in the heavens in the presence of God -man blessed by God’s glory |
-Paul prays for power -God is love -Paul asks for love concerning his experience of God’s presence in believers -the new man on earth experiences God’s presence in Him -God’s glory dwells in man |
- Just like the first prayer, you can also use this prayer in your prayers for yourself and your family. Remember to pray the Word.
- Explanation of Paul’s second prayer:
- The invocation (3:14-15)
- It is through prayer that we lay hold of God’s riches that enable us to live like Christians and fight the battles against Satan.
- It is through a personal relationship with God that we have access to our wealth.
- Verse 15 speaks about a whole family in heaven and earth.
- God is the creator of all mankind and in that sense He is God, the Father.
- However, all men are not children of God by nature.
- Instead unbelievers are “children of disobedience and children of wrath” (Eph 2:2-3).
- Only those who have been born again are born into the family of God and can call God “Father” in an intimate, personal relationship.
- The petitions (3:16-19)
- There are four requests.
- One request leads into the next which leads into the next, etc., etc.
- =1= Spiritual strength (16)
- We learned that the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the evidence of salvation. (Rom 8:9)
- The presence of the Holy Spirit cannot help but produce good works (Eph 2:10 Jam 2:17).
- However, it is the power of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life that enables the Christian to live a victorious Christian life.
- It is this power that Paul prays for in Eph 3.
- The power of the Holy Spirit is one of the riches of God that belongs to the believer.
- Notice that verse 16 says “according to the riches of his glory” and not “out of the riches of his glory”. What is the difference?
- If I were a millionaire and gave you $10, I would be giving you $10 out of my riches. But if I gave you 10% it would be according to my riches.
- The first is a portion, the second is a proportion. The second is greater.
- What does it mean to have the Holy Spirit give power to the inner man?
- It means you are inwardly controlled by God, the Holy Spirit;
- Walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16,25)
- The Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
- It means you are making faith decisions according to our study in Nehemiah.
- It results when you feed the inner man on the Word of God.
- It results when you pray and worship God, continually submitting to Him.
- It results when you keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18 – more about this when we study chapter 5)
- =2= Deeper experience with Christ (17)
- Paul knows that once you taste the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, you want more. That drives you to a deeper experience with Christ.
- Notice that it is achieved by faith.
- You have to first believe that God has more for you in order to pursue it.
- Paul uses three verbs to illustrate and explain this deeper experience:
- 1). Dwell — This verb in Greek means = to settle down and feel at home. This is not a surface relationship but to get to know the Holy Spirit, how He works and moves in a person’s life, so that you recognize Him when He is present, and you feel comfortable in His presence. Christ wants to settle down and feel at home in your life.
- 2). Rooted — This verb relates to the plant world. A tree must grow its roots deep into the soil to have nourishment and stability.
- 3). Grounded — This verb is an architectural term. It refers to the foundation on which a building is constructed. An architect will tell you that you cannot build a tall building unless you first dig a deep foundation. The same is true with the Lord. If you don’t go deep, you cannot go high.
- =3= Grab hold of God’s great love (18-19)
- When you go deeper with the Lord, you will be able to grab hold of His love.
- Verse 18 uses the word “comprehend” / “apprehend”.
- The Greek word here means = to grab hold of for yourself.
- In other words you can mentally understand something and not ever make it part of your life. Paul wants believers to grab hold of God’s love and make it part of their lives.
- =4= Filled with the fullness of God (19)
- The final result of getting hold of God’s love is to experience the fullness of God.
- Usually we measure our Christian walk and our level of maturity with other Christians.
- If you feel satisfied about your Christian walk, you are measuring your life by the weakest Christian.
- If that is what you do, you will never desire to experience more of God’s power, more of God’s presence, more of God’s love.
- The fullness of God is the ultimate limit of experience possible on this earth in our fleshly bodies. Expand your thinking to believe that God wants you to experience a fullness of His love.
- The final result of getting hold of God’s love is to experience the fullness of God.
- =1= Spiritual strength (16)
- The benediction (3:20-21)
- We see the presence of the Holy Trinity in this passage:
- Paul prays to God, the Father, about the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, which is made available through Jesus, the Son.
- Paul prays for a great deal of power in your life:
- “to him that is able to do all,
- above all,
- abundantly above all,
- exceeding abundantly above all”
- We see the presence of the Holy Trinity in this passage:
- The invocation (3:14-15)
- Discussion: what are some things that rob the Christian of power?
HOMEWORK
EPHESIANS 4:1-16
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.
- Application of Eph 3:14-21
- What is robbing you of spiritual power in your life?
- According to what we learned in our lesson, what is the remedy for it?
- What can you do this week to build more spiritual power into your life?
- Preparation for Eph 4:1-16
- Read Eph 4:1-16
- Which characteristics does the Christian need to have to live the Christian life?
- Read Eph 4:1-16
- What gifts has God given to the church in order to equip believers? (11-12)
- Which great dangers are these gifts to the church (11-12) supposed to help us avoid?
- Memory verse: Eph 4:14
