That Christ May Dwell in Your Hearts

April 24, 2022 Pastor: Jared Cornutt Series: Ephesus: A Study from Life to Death

Passage: Ephesians 3:14–21

  

Prayer for All Members Based on Pastor Jared’s Message, April 24, 2022

 

Ephesians 3:14-21

 

“That Christ May Dwell in Your Hearts”

 

Introduction:  Because we can do nothing without Christ, prayer should be our normal, daily means of living the Christian life. Paul’s prayer shows us why we should pray, for what we should pray, and how we should pray:

 

  1. Why we should pray: Because of God’s bringing us all into His church. (vss. 14-15)

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named…

 

“For this reason” refers to what Paul has already written up to this point about God’s great saving work and His bringing everyone together in His church with no wall of hostility between us. No longer are any of us second class citizens, but we are all fellow citizens, fellow heirs, and members of the same body. It is because of this great grace and great potential that Paul prays.

 

  1. What we should pray for: That we all experience the amazing relationship God has given us. (vss. 16-19)

 

…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

  • A Prayer for Strength (16-17a): We need to be strengthened by the Spirit so that Christ may dwell and rule in our hearts.
  • A Prayer for Love (17b-19a): His love secures us, is immeasurable, and surpasses mere knowledge. The key to comprehending His great love is to experience His love together in community.
  • A Prayer for Fullness (19b): Only Christ can take on all the fullness of deity, but He enables us finite beings to be filled more and more with God’s fullness, for all eternity.

 

Father, we ask you to strengthen our spirits so that Christ may rule in our hearts. Please cause us to experience the love of Christ in our community; fill us full of Your fullness.

 

  1. How we should pray: With great expectancy! (vss. 20-21)

 

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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

 

God can do more through our church than we could ever have thought possible, because there is nothing too big for Him. Let us boldly ask Him for strength, for love, and for fullness, all for His glory.

 

Father, please give us a vision for our church that increases our faith, in accordance with Your Word. We give You the glory for all that You have done and will do in this church through Christ, Your Son!

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