I see what’s going on!

Ephesians 3:14 NRSV

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

Ephesians 3:15 NRSV

from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

Ephesians 3:16 NRSV

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,

Ephesians 3:17 NRSV

and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

Ephesians 3:18 NRSV

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Ephesians 3:19 NRSV

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:20 NRSV

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,

Ephesians 3:21 NRSV

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

Intro:

In chapter 2 of the book “Rooted” that we are studying in our CFG small group Zoom sessions on Tuesday night the author mentions Paul as being a great example of someone who thrived and grew through every circumstance.

(pause)

And he points to Paul’s words in....

Philippians 4:13 NRSV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

And then he says.....

if we are really going to thrive like Paul we have to read the two verses before verse 13.

Philippians 4:11–12 NRSV

Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.

(pause)

And basically Paul is saying,

Regardless of the SEASON........

I have learned how to tap into the Strength of Christ that does not change based on SEASONS....

But.....

If we never see the hidden value of a bad season....

.....we will never get to the fullness of strength

(pause)

And so the question becomes.....

Is there ever a point in our lives that God’s power does not work?

Because....

If not.....

If God’s power is capable of working at every point of our lives

.....that means there’s nothing we have to get out of

.....but the key is tapping into Christ’s Power right where we are!

(pause and expound)

Look at it now...

Ephesians 3:14–15 NRSV

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

The reason Paul is praying is found in verses 12-13....

.....where it says,

“I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings; for they are your glory.

And so basically Paul is praying that,

they would find God’s strength to complete the mission to the world for Christ.

(pause)

And the bible says that Paul....

Calls on God, the father of all creation.....!

(pause)

And what I found powerful is the fact that.....

.....the reason Paul has the courage and the confidence that he has access to pray to God is because God has been so kind towards him and the Ephesians.

(pause and expound)

and then in verse 15 the biblical writer wants us to be reminded of something.......

And in my spiritual imagination I believe that when the bible says that Paul is praying to the father of,

“Every family in heaven and earth”

......the writer wants us to grasp the magnitude of God’s greatness and soverignty!

In other words......

We are praying to a very great God!

(pause and expound - optional)

Look at it now....

Ephesians 3:16 NRSV

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,

Notice now the content of Paul’s prayer....

I pray that......

“According to the riches of his glory”

In other words.....

God what I am praying for is based on your infinite resources ....

God I am praying for you to pull from your abundance when you hear my cries....

Freedom....

We don’t gauge our power based on our current context.....

Context gives us our conditions

But....

Our Creator gives us our power

And unfortunately.......

We use Context as our “Power Guage”

(pause)

But look at what Paul prays.....

The text doesn’t say anything about context.....

But instead it says....

“I pray, that according to the riches of his glory!”

See....

We got to SET the PROPER STANDARDS..........for POWER release in our lives!

(pause and expound)

Look at this next part now.....

“he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with POWER through his Spirit”

Paul says,

I’m praying that you might become powerful way down deep on the inside.......

And then he classifies what type of power and where this power comes from.....

He’s very clear when he says.....

he desires God to strengthen us through the person of the Holy Spirit!

(pause)

And I believe the significance of this prayer is that the EFFECT of this power is not to be experienced on the outside...

But down on the inside......

Because.....

Growth don’t happen with power that remains on the outside of a thing.

But.....

Growth starts happening when power invades the inside of a thing, and motivates capacity/capability.

(pause)

Look at it.....

Ephesians 3:17 NRSV

and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

The text says,

I am also praying that.....

“Christ may live in your hearts based on what you believe.......

so that you will be.....

Rooted - Firmly fixed

Grounded - Established

In Love - God’s love for us, and our love for God is the sense here in the text.

And so......

there is no point in our lives with Christ, where we are not becoming stronger

Because......

The power on the inside is working.....

And......

God’s love is maturing us throughout life’s process.

(pause)

Optional -

Now the bible says......

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty....

And so when Paul is praying this....

He understands that.....

Christ presence dwelling in our hearts is IDENTICAL with the Power of the Holy Spirit strengthening us on the inside.....

(pause)

Ephesians 3:18 NRSV

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Ephesians 3:19 NRSV

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The biblical writer says,

I pray that you will understand that Christ’s love is “All Encompassing”

......when you examine these 4 dimensions

Breadth

Length

Height

Depth

The takeaway is that.......

.....the way Christ loves us goes beyond how we typically understand love.

And Paul is praying that.....

......we would be completely filled with an understanding of God’s love for us!

(pause)

And the reason I believe Paul is so concerned with this shows up in verse 20.....

Ephesians 3:20 NRSV

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,

Remember now.....

The reason Paul is praying for the reader of this letter.....

.....is so that they would find strength in God to complete the mission.

(pause)

And what Paul understands is that.....

.......the Mission can become rough

.....and if we become too weak we may forget what’s going on!

(pause)

And this is when it hit me......

Paul says in this doxology.....

“NOW to him who by the power at work within us”

(long pause)

Watch this......

In our CFG small group reading of the book “Rooted”....

.....In chapter 2 the author also says,

“We have to pay attention to and accept the lessons God is trying to teach us in our current assignment and season.”

(pause)

And here Paul says,

........there is a POWER at work within us.

(pause and empasize)

So wait a minute......

Because........

If God is working in me........

....maybe this resistance

.......this struggle

........is exposing my potential that can only show up through God’s POWER!

Watch this.....

The more struggle or resistance experienced in a season.......

The more Power God is going to use........

.......and the more strength we receive

Because the Power......

.....is WORKING within us!

Working: Gk - energeo, which means to be effective or productive

(pause)

So..........

.........Bad Seasons don’t turn off POWER

But.....

........Bad Seasons turn the POWER ON!!!!

(pause and exmphasize)

And so Freedom.....

I believe “I see what’s going on!”

Because.......

the text says...

God is doing something that far exceeds what we could ever......

- ask for: demand or plead for

or

- imagine: consider

“I see what’s going on!”

(pause)

Closing Point 1:

You’re not struggling.......

You’re GROWING at the ROOT!

......and this is your Season of Preparation!

Because.......

.......The POWER just got turned ON!!

(pause)

Stop trying to RUSH to the end......

#stoprushing

Because the POWER is “AT WORK within us!”

#Power

Meaning.......

We don’t have to WAIT to the end of a Season

We don’t have to WAIT to get out of a situation

But......

Right here in our NOW moments........

There is a POWER......

WORKING within us!

Closing Point 2:

You thought you were just WAITING......

But now you see that,

God is WORKING even through the Waiting........

Hast thou not seen

Hast thou not heard.....

Isaiah 40:29 NRSV

He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.

(pause and expound)

Isaiah 40:31 NRSV

but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

“I see what’s going on!”

That’s why the POWER is working within us......

.....because God you did not give our CONTEXT dominion over us

You gave us DOMINION over our CONTEXT

Genesis 1:26 NRSV

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

God....

I see what’s going on!

(pause)

So you haven’t given any SEASON the power to DOMINATE me

The only thing your Season can do is DEVELOP you!

And so because God loves us like God does.......

when the Season is too much....

God turns up the POWER that works within us so that we are able to grow through those instances!

“I see what’s going on!”

God......

.....you’re looking to get the GLORY out of this!!!

Ephesians 3:21 NRSV

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

And whatever you do.....

.....don’t miss the last word in verse 21

Because.....

......the last word is

“Amen!”

Freedom,

You aint finished praying......

You aint fininshed yet..........

Until you close it out PROPERLY and POWERFULLY!

That’s what AMEN does!

Amen says........

I’m closing the back door with AUTHORITY!

And......

This is getting ready to come to PASS!!!!!

Because.....

It is so!!!!

.............................CONCLUSION....................