Communion through Prayer

Empowered by His Spirit: A Prayer for Strength

Bible Passage: Eph 3:14–21

Summary: In this passage, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers, asking that they be strengthened in their inner being through the Holy Spirit, allowing Christ to dwell in their hearts by faith, so they can grasp the vastness of God's love and be filled with all the fullness of God.

Teaching: This sermon teaches that spiritual strength and understanding the breadth of God's love are foundational to a healthy Christian life. It emphasizes that prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit are key to experiencing Christ's presence and fullness in our lives.

How this passage could point to Christ: This passage illustrates Christ's central role in God's redemptive plan, as it underscores that through faith in Him, believers can experience the fullness of God's love and power. It points to Christ’s indwelling presence as essential to spiritual vitality and growth, connecting the believer with God's eternal purposes.

Recommended Study: As you prepare for this sermon, consider exploring the Greek terms for 'strengthened,' 'dwell,' and 'filled' in your Logos library, as they could illuminate different dimensions of Paul's prayer. Also, investigating the historical context of the Ephesian church and their specific struggles may provide insights into applying this message effectively. Lastly, examining related passages in Ephesians about the work of the Spirit may enhance your understanding of the broader theological context.

MAIN POINT

In the history of the church, figures like Martin Luther often spoke of the importance of prayer in spiritual life. Luther once said, 'To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.' His commitment to prayer transformed not only his life but also the world around him, showing us that weakness in our prayer life leads to weakness in our faith journey.

Big Idea: To thrive in our faith and overcome life's challenges, we must seek spiritual strength through prayer and the Holy Spirit, allowing Christ to shape our hearts and fill our lives with His love and fullness.

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing”

Recap

Main Points of Ephesians:

Christ has reconciled all creation to himself and God

Christ has united all peoples from ALL nations to himself and to one another in HIS CHURCH.

Transition into our text

Now the apostle picks up the thought he had begun in verse 1 and had interrupted with a parenthetical section on the mystery. Therefore, the words, For this reason, refer back to chapter 2 with its description of what the Gentiles had been by nature and what they had become through union with Christ. Their astonishing rise from poverty and death to riches and glory drives Paul to pray they will always live in the practical enjoyment of their exalted position.

William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1929.

1. Prayer-Fueled Power

Eph 3:14-17

Consider a soldier preparing for battle; without regular training and drills, he becomes weak and unprepared. Similarly, the spiritual soldier who neglects prayer finds himself vulnerable to the attacks of life. Just as we wouldn’t send a soldier into battle untrained, we mustn’t face the challenges of the day without the strength that comes from communion with God through prayer.

emphasize that spiritual strength comes from humility and prayer, as Paul kneels before God asking for inner strength through the Spirit.

True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length. The Secret Of Power In Prayer, Volume 34, Sermon #2002 - John 15:7

Charles Spurgeon

“I bow my knees”

We may pray as we walk, sit, or recline, but our spirits should be bowed in humility and reverence.

William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1929.

Jesus taught that Humility is important in prayer and that the purpose of prayer is to COMMUNE with God, not to get praise from others .

Matthew 6:5–15 ESV

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

How does Prayer give us strength?

It allows Christ to take root in our hearts through faith transforming us from within (your will be done father)

Prayer acknowledges that we are not self sufficient, because in its nature it is a conversation with the God who cares for us.

Prayer lets Humility grow as we KNEEL before the King of Kings.

Encourage listeners to consider kneeling, not just physically but in spirit, seeking the Holy Spirit’s power to fortify their inner being, making them resilient against life's trials.

2. Plumb the Love's Depths

Eph 3:18-21

comprehending the vastness of Christ’s love is key to being filled with God's fullness.

In the book of Job, we see a man undergoing immense suffering. He questions God and longs for answers, yet it's in the whirlwind of God's response that Job finally understands the vastness of God's power and wisdom. Job realizes that a proper understanding of God includes embracing His mystery, recognizing that we may not have all the answers but can trust in His character. It invites us to reflect on how we wrestle with our own understanding of God during trials.

DO we know Gods character? or do we only know a caricature? In which we emphasize the parts of God we agree with and diminish the other parts of Him?

If so then we are not following God. We are merely following our own ego.

Rather, when we understand the love God has for us we can allow ourselves to properly interpret Gods will in our lives.

Emphasize that through this understanding and Christ’s indwelling, they will overflow with His love and power, equipped to face any challenge and serve God’s purposes.

“It is possible to know a lot about a car. To know exactly how the ignition, the transmission, and so on operate and yet never use it to go anywhere. It is possible to know very little about an automobile and use it everyday to travel hundreds of miles. In the same way it is possible to know a great deal about the bible - it doctrines, interpretations, moral standards, promises, warnings and so on and yet not live by those truths.”

-MacArthur

Paul’s prayer extends to knowing dimensions beyond human grasp

Inspire believers to meditate on these dimensions — breadth, length, height, and depth — of divine love.

Colossians 3:9–17 ESV

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God’s love is not drawn out by our lovableness, but wells up, like an artesian spring, from the depths of his nature.

Alexander Maclaren (Preacher and Expositor)

Application: This sermon helps Christians see the importance of divine strength to face life’s challenges, emphasizing that true resilience comes from the Spirit. It encourages believers to seek spiritual growth and intimacy with Christ, which will provide the foundation to deal with struggles and weaknesses more effectively.

APPLICATION

In a high-pressure work environment, you may feel the urge to take matters into your own hands, leading to burnout and frustration. Instead, dedicate your workdays to being Spirit-led by seeking God's direction before starting your tasks. At the beginning of your day, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your interactions and decision-making. Whenever you face a challenging situation, instead of reacting immediately, take a moment to breathe and invite the Spirit into the process, asking for clarity and peace.

If you're enrolled in classes or courses, the burden of academic performance can weigh heavily. This week, offer your studies to God by asking the Holy Spirit for focus and insight. Before studying or attending lectures, pray specifically for understanding and retention of material. If you encounter difficulties, pause and ask the Spirit for creative solutions or alternative ways to grasp the concepts, instead of relying solely on your intellect. This can transform your experience from mere studying to a deeply spiritual endeavor.