¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[c] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Our passage for consideration today is the second of two prayers that Paul offered for the Church at Ephesus. The first is found in chapter 1:15-23, and the subject of that prayer is for the enlightenment of the believers. The second prayer, which we will dissect today is here in chapter 2, and the focus, or the subject of this prayer is enablement. By enablement, I mean the giving of power or strength to someone to accomplish a task.

Paul’s prayer is divided into three parts, but there is one theme. First in verses 14 and 15, there is the Invocation. An invocation is an action of asking someone for help. And so, Paul begins by assuming a humble posture, as one bows before a King, to invite Him to help. Secondly, there is the Petition. The Petition is found in verses 16-19. This is Paul’s request. Specifically, there are four requests, but they should be considered as four parts of one request, and not four individual requests. Finally, there is the Benediction. This Benediction, or “good words,” is really a doxology of praise, as Paul explodes forth with gratitude for Who God is, for What God has done, and for What God will do.

There is three parts, but one theme: power, or enablement. The ability to accomplish something.

Verse 14 begins, “For this reason…” Paul is picking up on an idea that he began at the beginning of the chapter. Notice verse 1, “For this reason I, Paul…” what follows in verses 2-13 is a parenthesis. His glorious explanation of the mystery of the Gospel is expounded in this parenthesis. Now he is returning to the idea which he began. “For this reason…”

What reason? This is a bridge linking back to chapter 2. 

• “You were dead, but now you are alive.” 
• “You were a mess, but now you are His Masterpiece.”
• “You were strangers and aliens, but now you are citizens.”
• “You were broken, but now you are built upon a firm foundation.”

“For this reason, now that you have a new identity in Christ, for this reason, I bow my knees before the Father.” The Ephesians high position in Christ led Paul to a humble position before Christ. Notice that bowing is not the opposite of boldness! Back in verse 12, Paul said, “we have boldness and access with confidence” the throne of God “through our faith in him.” How are bowing and boldness not opposites? Bowing to his knees is a recognition by Paul of his position, and a recognition of God in His position.

Recognizing that God is on His rightful throne, Paul assumes the rightful position of bowing to his knees as he approaches his Father. His petition was focused on power.

The Secret of our Power

Paul’s prayer is that the church, v. 14, “according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power…”

Notice that Paul asks the Father to give according to the riches of his glory. If a Billionaire were to give you $20, he would be giving to you out of his riches. But if he were to give you $200,000, he would be giving “according” to his riches. The greater the wealth, the greater the gift must be to be given in accordance with his wealth. What are the riches of God’s glory? They are stagering!

• The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.
• The stars and the planets are His.
• All the resources of the world are His.
• All power, majesty, and dominion are His.

But let us be clear. The riches we are speaking of here are spiritual riches, and not material riches. There is no promise in the Scripture of material riches, but there are boundless promises of the spiritual riches that come in Christ. Paul has already enumerated some of these spiritual riches…

• He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
• He has redeemed us
• He has forgiven us
• He has made know to us the mystery of His will
• He has given us an inheritance with His Son Jesus Christ

This is not an exhaustive list. These are yours in Christ Jesus.

The story is told of a fantastically wealthy man named Julian Ellis Morris of England, who liked to dress like a pauper and sell razor blades, soap, and shampoo door-to-door. After working hard all day, he’d return to his luxurious mansion, change into his formal attire, and have his chauffeur drive him to exclusive restaurants for dinner. Other nights he’d charter a flight to Paris, just to have dinner.

Too many Christians are like the eccentric Mr. Morris! They spend their days living in spiritual poverty and only occasionally enjoying the riches they have in Christ. What a tragedy to walk around in rags of your own inadequacy when you can be clothed in the glory of Christ! If you are a child of God, live like it and look like it!

The Source of our Power

Having considered the secret of our power, Paul now turns to the source of our power. 

The Spirit of God

The first source of our power is the Spirit of God in the inner man. Notice verse 15, “he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

Remember back to the words of Christ as He prepared to ascend into heaven: “And ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come…” Power through the Spirit of God. What power does the Holy Spirit bring?

• Power to guide us into all truth
• Power to convict us of all sin
• Power to enable us to overcome all temptation
• Power to understand all of God’s Word
• Power to minister to all people
• Power to be unified with all believers
• Power to fulfill all the Father’s will
• Power to be witnesses to all the world

The Holy Spirit inaugurates your belief. The Holy Spirit influences your behavior. The Holy Spirit intercedes on your behalf.

The Holy Spirit can teach you all things. The Holy Spirit can protect you from all things. The Holy Spirit can comfort you in all things. The power of the Spirit of God.

The Son of God

But there is another source of power. There is power in the Son of God. Verse 17, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…”

I want you to understand this is a description of operation, not of location. Let me explain. At the moment of your conversion, the moment you cross the line of faith, the moment you are born-again, it is not that Christ takes up a literal occupation of your cardiac muscle. It is not an issue of location. It is a description of operation, literally, who is in control.

There are some who are willing to accept Jesus as their Savior. Despite bold boasting, few people actually willingly want to go to go to Hell. Most people like the idea of their sins being forgiven and being given the favor of God.

But here’s the problem; Jesus does not become your Savior until you make Him your Lord. “If thou wilt confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you shalt be saved.” 

Lordship is a matter of control.

• Control of desires
• Control of passions
• Control of behavior
• Control of our decisions

When you allow Christ to be in control of your desires, passions, behavior, and decisions, then, through faith in Christ, He graciously becomes your Savior. When you allow Christ to dwell in your heart, your whole life is centered on living with Christ as the center of your everything.

And look what happens. Verse 17, “you become rooted and grounded in love.” You receive the strength that comes from being settled in the strong foundation of love. A plant will not grow unless it is rooted in the soil, and a person will not grow unless it is rooted in the Savior. A bulb grows when it is rooted in the soil, and a believer grows when he is rooted in the Savior.

When Christ is your center, love becomes the source of your power to live life. When Christ is your center, you have all the power necessary to live the Christian life.

¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

• We can see the breadth of love that extends to all mankind. “For God so loved the world.”
• We can see the length of love that has chosen us, “before the foundation of the world.”
• We can see the height of love that “blesses us in the heavenly places.”
• We can see the depth of love, that remains “faithful even when we are faithful.”
• We can see all of this, experience all of this, perceive all of this. But Paul says that doesn’t even scratch the surface of God’s love for us.

And then, that you would understand that this love surpasses all knowledge.

• It goes beyond our understanding.
• It goes beyond our comprehension.
• It is infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

This love allows us to be filled with the fulness of God. The inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit allows the indwelling of Jesus Christ, which allows us to experience the fulness of God. This fulness speaks of total domination. It speaks of God taking control of every area of our life. To be filled with God means that you have been emptied of yourself. Thus, it becomes God living His life through you.

That is why Paul said elsewhere, “I have been crucified with Christ, therefore, I no longer live; Jesus Christ now lives in me.” God Himself is the power to live the life that God has called us to live.

• When God is alive in you, your character reflects Christ.
• When God is alive in you, your conduct reflects Christ
• When God is alive in you, your conversation reflects Christ

Who you are, what you do, and what you say are controlled by Christ. That is the power of God in you! The incredible hope of glory! The secret to Christian obedience is the fulness of Christ in you.

The Scope of our Power

Finally, Paul explodes in a doxology, a hymn of praise.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What is the scope of our Power? A God who is able to do more than you could ever ask, more than you could ever think, more than you can ever imagine.

God is not restricted by the size of your request. His not small. He is not limited. He is able. He can take your request and enlarge it! He is inexhaustible in His ability. God is not restricted by your ability to think. He can do more than you can think. God is not limited by your imagination. He can do more than you can imagine. And so what is the response? We are to bring glory to Him in our lives and in the church.

Application… We have looked at a great deal of doctrine today, but how can you live this out in your life this week.

• Live a life of prayer. Let prayer be the air your breath. Humble yourself. Bow your knees. Go to the Father in prayer
• Live a life of power. Be strengthened by His power instead of walking in your own power. Let Christ dwell in your heart. Be rooted and grounded in love. Know the Love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, and be filled with the fulness of God.
• Life a life of praise. He can do more than you can ask or think. So praise Him. His power is at work in you. So praise Him. He deserve glory personally, publicly, and perpetually, so praise Him.