INSIGHTFUL PRAYER. Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul unveiled the mystery of the Gentiles' inclusion in the body of Christ in the first part of the chapter, then revisited the "cause" he mentioned earlier. In a sincere and thoughtful prayer for the Ephesians believers, he asks that this be realized. This was no ordinary prayer that followed a routine format. When someone kneels to pray, it can reflect personal reverence and deep emotion. The two main points of this prayer are that God will grant them strength and love from Christ to rise above mediocrity. In addressing God, he reminded readers of Jesus Christ's deity and the unity of the Godhead. We pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Personal prayer to our heavenly Father signifies our trust and rest in Him as we communicate with Him through words, thoughts, and attitudes. Intercessory prayer often carries a sense of urgency because of impending danger or intense sorrow. The requests Paul made were very specific.
There are a number of physical positions people take when they pray. The Lord Jesus fell on His face when He prayed in the garden. David sat, and Solomon and Abraham stood when they prayed. Paul, in prison, chained to a guard, bowed down on his knees. The attitude of prayer is often expressed in our position. Worship, thanksgiving, and fellowship can often be best expressed when we give honor to God by rising to our feet. Contrition and confession, when they are real, are best expressed when one in humility is on his knees. Intercession for others indicates we are coming as supplicants for others who, like us, have a need.
The entire family in heaven and on earth reminds us that many more are under God's care as the Original Father of all. Angels, and possibly other families, live in heaven. "The earth he hath made for man." Whenever intelligent beings serve, worship, and respond to God, they do so as Father—the Father of everything. Believers are reminded earlier in Ephesians that they were spiritually dead and buried, but they have been given new life through the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Not only are we now alive in Christ and walking with Him, but we are also seated with Him in heavenly places among all who are part of the body of Christ.
The entire family of God includes those from the past, present, and future whom He has saved by His grace. We share the same Father as the Source of all things, and He owns everything. Since the beginning of the church, our purpose has been to worship God, evangelize the world with the good news of the Gospel, and build up believers. That is why there should be evidence of God's nature and His will in everything we do.
God possesses immense riches of His glory that are beyond our understanding. From that abundant store of divine provision, Paul prayed for believers to be strengthened with a firm foundation for their lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot manage our own weaknesses alone; we need genuine strength from within, not just outward displays of strength. This authentic strength in the inner person leads to deeper experiences with God. It can only happen as the Spirit of God reveals the word of God that addresses a specific need or situation. His love within us firmly establishes awareness of the indwelling Christ.
The love of Christ compels and motivates us. He dwells in the believer’s heart, and the ministry of reconciliation is powered by His divine love working through those who trust in Christ. When someone is “rooted and grounded in love,” life becomes effective both in gatherings and for individual believers. These experiences lead us to embrace love, which guides us toward the fullness of God. This "strengthening, according to the riches of His glory," is not just a taste of what is ours in Christ. It’s like drawing from a bank that belongs to God and is now accessible to us. The inner person needs to be governed by God because He can see, hear, feel, and do all things related to personhood—both good and bad. The strengthening of His people means that through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers will be mighty. They will be able to do what God desires and fulfill responsibilities that would normally be beyond their capacity. We must, by faith, claim what God provides and put it to use.
Living with another person is not just a short visit or an overnight stay. This prayer expresses the hope that Christ can settle in and feel at home with and among His people. Living with someone is not a superficial relationship. "By faith" makes this real because we are aware of Him within us. Often, when we face trouble or pain, we become more aware of the Lord's presence with us. This prayer reflects the desire that "by faith," we would have a constant, ongoing awareness of Christ with us at all times. The underlying hope is that this would be His dwelling place. His love resides within us when we are in conscious fellowship with Him.
The four major petitions in this second prayer of Paul focus on spiritual blessings in heavenly places. He grants these according to His riches. Clearly, there is more to receive than we will ever need. Being strengthened by the Spirit is through a power outside of ourselves that gives us victory. A person's spirit communicates with God, and our soul makes this connection real to our thoughts, decisions, and feelings. Our bodies are how we outwardly express what we have inwardly.
Indwelt by faith happens when Christ comes to us at salvation, but then He settles into those who give Him the throne of their lives. It is then that He is truly at home, not just a guest. When He has first place in all that occurs in my life, He controls it and dwells there as I rely on Him to live His life through me.
Being "rooted and grounded in love” is part of how this becomes real in our lives. Roots provide stability through what is unseen and enable the fruit to grow as it draws sustenance from the life source. It also includes the process of growth and nourishment that comes from what is unseen by onlookers compared to what they can observe of our life among them.
To be grounded, anything that weakens a building's strength must be removed to establish a solid footing. There's a need for a willingness to dig deep before beginning the construction, let alone completing it. We must be rooted for fruitfulness and grounded for stability. That is the only way to understand divine things. God grants this knowledge to those with the strength to perceive His plans for the church and for the future ages. He allows us to know things we could never discern on our own.
This all flows from love. Love is the dimension that extends beyond what is normal for man. Its scope surpasses our full experience and gives meaning to everything that happens to us. The reach of love covers our entire lifetime and continues into eternity. We see this from our beginning right up to death—and beyond. Love lifts us to the heights of our greatest joys, where we are seated with Christ. It is also present in the depths of our lowest experiences in life. As demonstrated in Christ, His love reaches the whole world. Its length endures forever and ever. The depths of His love led Him to "even the death of the cross." As for its height—heaven and all it contains and signifies will never exhaust the love of Christ. To understand or grasp all this, we cannot measure it because His love is infinite. Yet, we can experience, learn from, and apply it meaningfully in our lives.
Applying the first three prayer requests enables us to experience this fourth one. The fullness of God has been revealed to us through Christ. To experience this fullness comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit as we submit ourselves to Him. He will empower us to serve Him, grow to spiritual maturity, and become what He desires us to be. We can enjoy this fullness by faith when we are in fellowship with our heavenly Father. We move beyond what is seen and temporary to what is unseen and eternal. The Holy Spirit is the means by which this reality becomes real to us.
God Himself is the measure of such fullness. Nature has no room for a value vacuum or a spiritual vacuum. God has no emptiness, only fullness. "Of His fullness have we received, and grace for grace." If we only focus on ourselves, we might think these things are impossible to achieve in life. However, in the concluding part of this prayer, we learn that God can produce in us everything needed to do His will. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and He can do “exceedingly abundantly” more than we can even imagine in our minds.
It is Christ who makes us what He desires us to be. It is His power that works within and through us. What He can accomplish is only limited by us when we do not respond to the leading of the Spirit. When God’s work is done in us, the praise, honor, and glory belong solely to Him. We should never let ourselves be limited by our unbelief.
God has three purposes for the world He has entrusted to us. Worship, as believers, is a way we publicly express our gratitude for the redemption and salvation that God has made available to everyone. Evangelism is a primary goal of the church, and this extends beyond simply preaching the Gospel. It also involves discipleship and teaching that guide people toward obedience and maturity. Edification is how believers are equipped to continue God's work effectively.
The conclusion of the positional teaching in the book of Ephesians is a doxology. The church's position in Christ and its calling have been well described. Before Paul addresses the church's conduct, he offers praise for the blessings it has received. These blessings go beyond anything we can ask or imagine—and they will continue forever. Our limited perception conceals much from our view but provides enough to fill us with great joy about who we are and where we are in Christ Jesus.
Values once held by others were taught by them and learned by us. Now, they become part of our inner self. These values were established long ago through words from both close and distant people and were shaped by the duties of life, home, and the needs they provided. Thoughts and ideas, brought together by words and mixed with a sense of duty, were passed down to us. We learned the privilege of work—how and why—and what creates a framework for living—a way to live meaningfully, honorably, and visibly to others through consistency. Trust is built: instead of distancing, people draw closer and are happy to see you. Ethics, based on clear evidence and obvious truth, become part of the inner self.
Responses heard and seen accompany the transfer of services, goods, and gifts. Facial expressions match the sound of voices that are mixed; some quiet with emotion, and others loud with exhilaration and enthusiasm. Transferred from one to another is—attitude: both seen and heard through body language, words, and deeds that reflect the inner self. It is visible in the face and heard in the tone of voice. It can be perceived by those who are able to discriminate. In the walk, the body's posture, how the head is held, and the eyes are used when pressure arises to challenge the order of things. When emotions rise—dignity, honor, and self-respect that maintain calmness are part of the inner self.
Coming toward you, it becomes evident through the eyes, hands, and tilt of the head. The tone of voice, the firmness of a handshake, the steady gaze, awareness of surroundings and what is right or wrong, all evoke Respect: whether one is sorrowful or joyful, rich or poor, it resides within the person.
The evidence is visible in the actions of both the elderly and the young. That person can look beyond the obvious to the deeper reasons that might initially seem insignificant. They are willing to recognize both weak and strong efforts and are easily moved by appreciation: the touch of a hand, a smile, a tear, a lingering look—all part of the inner person. Thankfulness is not trivial; a quiet hymn sung inwardly or to God shows inner peace. Kind words and a gracious life, along with sympathy, empathy, tenderness, and strength, demonstrate authenticity despite circumstances. Moving from self-interest to genuine concern for others shows the Holy Spirit is always active, strengthening the inner person.