Oracion en Sufrimiento

Ephesians 3:14-21

Ephesians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chapter 9: The Fullness of God

It is possible to know a great deal about an automobile—to know exactly how the engine, the ignition, the transmission, and so on operate—and yet never use it to go anywhere. It is also possible to know very little about an automobile and yet use it every day to travel hundreds of miles. In the same way it is possible to know a great deal about the Bible—its doctrines, interpretations, moral standards, promises, warnings, and so on—and yet not live by those truths.

In the 1st 3 1/2 chapters of Ephesians Paul is writing to the church about the basic truths of the Christian life- who we are in Christ and the great, and unlimited resources that are provided to us His children because of our faith in Him. The rest of Ephesians from 3:14 until the end of the book Paul tells the church how we are to live as chosen, adopted, redeemed children of God. Paul starts chapter 3 going into prayer. Paul has been praying for the saints in the previous chapters. He is urging them to live in the understanding and power of “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places of Christ” in Ephesians 1:3. Our power comes down from above and dwells in us. Paul’s prayers in Ephesians 1:15-23 is that not only do they know of the power found in Christ but that power is working, moving, strengthening, and living in them. So his 1st prayer is for the church to know their power in Christ and who it comes from; the 2nd is to encourage them to use it and find life in this power. Paul’s wants the church and we are the church to find life in their new ways our new ways by the leading of the Spirit and not in their old ways the ways of the flesh. Ruben preached last week to be ready, awake, alert because Jesus is coming. We studied deeper on this more on Wednesday. Christ in us changes us completely and with Him in us we can’t help but share the Good News with the world. Christ is preparing His church for when He comes again.

We are going to read more on Prayer and the power that Christ supplies to His children here at the end of chapter 3 in Ephesians.

Let’s pray!

Lets read Ephesian 3:14-16

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14 Por esta razón me arrodillo delante del Padre, 15 de quien recibe nombre toda familia en el cielo y en la tierra. 16 Le pido que, por medio del Espíritu y con el poder que procede de sus gloriosas riquezas, los fortalezca a ustedes en lo íntimo de su ser,

1. Suffering Caused Paul to Pray 1. El sufrimiento hizo que Pablo orara

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14 Por esta razón me arrodillo delante del Padre,

Remember from the end of chapter 2 Paul says to the church not do lose heart, don’t get discouraged, hang in there. Yes Paul is suffering but it’s all worth it. The church has suffered greatly for many generations and will continue to but do not lose heart. For this reason he is praying to the Father. Paul’s focus is on the Lord and he is praying for the saints. His focus in not in his suffering or what he is lacking, but in what He has in Jesus.

What we can learn from Paul is how we are to approach the Lord. We are to humble ourselves. Not lift ourselves up but bow down to the One who chose us and redeemed us. We are never to take for granted this gift that we have to approach God at any time. In good times and in bad we are to go to the Father. We can go to the One who is almighty , all knowing, all powerful, and He hears us. And if we are still and we open up the Word He speaks to us and we hear Him. In our trails we must not forget God and focus on our problems but God to God, go to His word, and ask Him for wisdom and guidance. It’s when we do this that we find peace and joy. The enemy what us to worry , to be anxious, to be impatient. The enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy this peace and joy. When we go to the Lord He reminds us who He is and who we are in Him. We are victorious in Him.

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15 de quien recibe nombre toda familia en el cielo y en la tierra

Verse 15 Paul says that every family in heaven and on earth gets their name from God. So are all in the family of God? Do all people go to heaven? We can’t go to heaven unless He calls us, unless He chooses us, unless He makes Himself known to us, unless He adopts us. Has He done that for you? Do you know Him and trust in Him? He is the source of our salvation. We don’t adopt Him or some philosophy about Him. He is the one who adopts us. As Creator of all things, God is the Father of each man; but as Saviour, He is only the Father of those who believe. Nowhere in Scripture does it speak of a universal God the father that saves all men. "You must be born again" (John 3:7).

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7 No te sorprendas de que te haya dicho: “Tienen que nacer de nuevo.”

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16 Le pido que, por medio del Espíritu y con el poder que procede de sus gloriosas riquezas, los fortalezca a ustedes en lo íntimo de su ser,

In verse 16 and further on Paul prays for 4 things. The 1st thing is for strength. That God our father would give us strength. Paul wants this for those he is writing to and for the church to know of this power that is supplied to us by the spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit.

2. Pablo Ora Por Fortelza

The presence of the Holy Spirit is evidence of our salvation (Rom. 8:9); but the power of the Spirit enables us for Christian living, and it is this power that Paul desires for his readers.

9 Sin embargo, ustedes no viven según la naturaleza pecaminosa sino según el Espíritu, si es que el Espíritu de Dios vive en ustedes. Y si alguno no tiene el Espíritu de Cristo, no es de Cristo.

Jesus not only died to save us from judgement and death, but also to give us life and strength now. It’s not just hope for the future we have , but strength and power now that gives us joy and peace even in suffering. This life is temporary and we can still sing praise and give thanks because God is good even in suffering.

(Acts 1:8) "You shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you".

8 Pero cuando venga el Espíritu Santo sobre ustedes, recibirán poder y serán mis testigos tanto en Jerusalén como en toda Judea y Samaria, y hasta los confines de la tierra.

This was a promise of what was soon to come to the early church. The same is true today. We don’t have to wait for the Spirit. The Spirit of God lives in us the moment we believe. And He never leaves us. We must look to Him for strength. We must go to Him in prayer and He will remind us of the strength that lives in us.

3. Paul prays for depth

3. Pablo Ora Por Profundidad

17 para que por fe Cristo habite en sus corazones. Y pido que, arraigados y cimentados en amor,

Paul uses 3 ways to help the church understand the spiritual depth to believers the church.

For faith or by faith Christ lives/Dwells in our hearts. He’s not far away in space, but he is in us. He has made His home in us. He does not come and go, but He comes and stays. Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19

19 ¿Acaso no saben que su cuerpo es templo del Espíritu Santo, quien está en ustedes y al que han recibido de parte de Dios? Ustedes no son sus propios dueños; 20 fueron comprados por un precio. Por tanto, honren con su cuerpo a Dios.

Rooted speaks of the spiritual depth available to us as the body of Christ the church. What Paul is praying for is a deeper experience between Christ and His body/the church. Paul want for Christ to settle down and feel at home in their hearts—not a surface relationship, but one that grows deeper and closer to Him/Christ. Like a tree planted by a river. It’s roots grow deep and are established that even in a flood or a disaster it stands firmly rooted. When our faith is in Christ rooted in His living word even in difficulties we will stand strong. We can stand strong in faith even in a desert where there is no water because Christ is who sustains us.

Jeremiah 17:7–9 LEB

7 Blessed be the person who trusts in Yahweh, and Yahweh is his trust. 8 For he will be like a tree planted by water, and to the stream it sends its roots, and it will not fear when heat comes, and its leaves will be luxuriant, and in the year of drought it will not be anxious, and it will not cease from the bearing of fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?

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7 »Bendito el hombre que confía en el SEÑOR

y pone su confianza en él.

8 Será como un árbol plantado junto al agua,

que extiende sus raíces hacia la corriente;

no teme que llegue el calor,

y sus hojas están siempre verdes.

En época de sequía no se angustia,

y nunca deja de dar fruto.»

Cemented or established Our faith or the faith the Paul is praying about is on that has it’s foundation built on Christ. He is our corner stone. The storms that we will experience in this life reveals the strength of our foundation, the cement. If our faith is built on man or in ourselves we will not be able to withstand the storms that will come. Paul prayed that church would have a deeper relationship with Christ, because only a deep relationship could sustain them during the severe trials of life.

4. Paul Prays for Understanding or comprehension

4. Pablo Ora Por Conocimiento o Para Comprender

18 puedan comprender, junto con todos los santos, cuán ancho y largo, alto y profundo es el amor de Cristo; 19 en fin, que conozcan ese amor que sobrepasa nuestro conocimiento, para que sean llenos de la plenitud de Dios.

Paul not only what them to hear or read about Jesus, but he wants the church to hold onto, to cling to Jesus. He wants the church to not only have an idea in their head of who Christ is but to know the width, depths, the heights, the lengths of who he truly is and how He loves us. When we know of this love not just in our head or minds but in our hearts it transforms us. If more than love that comes to live in our hearts but His Spirit, and with His Spirit in us we can’t help but love others and share in this love that He has for us. We have to tell others of this love. We can’t contain this love because it is too great, too big, it’s like a love we have never experienced before. Christ does not just give us a piece of Him or a little head knowledge, NO! He fills us with the fullness of God. Our bodies can’t contain Him and that why we are to love and not hate, we are to build up and not tear down. It’s who we are because of Him in us. In Christ we have all we need. Has He made Himself known to you and have you recieved Him as your Lord and savior? Now is the time to do that because tomorrow is not promised and if you have now is the time to share Christ with those who don’t know Him because tomorrow is not promised.

A Christian never has to worry about not having enough spiritual resources to go through the trials of life. If he or she prays for spiritual strength and spiritual depth, he will be able to grab hold of it—to cling to Christ—all the resources of God's love and grace is found in Christ. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).

And what is the result of all of these spiritual resources?

5. Paul Prays for the Power to work in the church for God’s glory

5. Pablo Oro Por el Poder de Dios Obre en la Iglesia por la gloria de Dios

20 Al que puede hacer muchísimo más que todo lo que podamos imaginarnos o pedir, por el poder que obra eficazmente en nosotros, 21 ¡a él sea la gloria en la iglesia y en Cristo Jesús por todas las generaciones, por los siglos de los siglos! Amén.

God's Spirit has an everlasting effect on His children—His power is at work in our lives. This power works in us, in the inner man (Eph. 3:16) He gives us strength to persevere. Philippians 2:12-13 He is at work in us. These verses go well together, so be sure to read them this week along with the others on you outline. It is the Holy Spirit who releases the resurrection power of Christ in our lives. The One who lifted Christ from death to life now lives in all who believe.

Closing

Paul prayed while he suffered and he prayed for others

We as believers should pray for others in their suffering and also pray when we suffer. Don’t focus on your problems or the difficulties in life, but go to the Father with them. Put your eyes on Him.

Do not wait in doing this. The Father wants to hear from His children. We have access to the father always. Go to Him.

In our weakness we can always remember that we have the Spirit in us and even when we don’t have the words the Spirit in us will pray on our behalf. In Him we will find our strength.

Seek the Lord daily in His word and in prayer. He wants us to know Him intimately. He wants a deep and cemented relationship with us one where we are rooted in Him.

When you are struggling with understanding the word or you feel like your losing your grip pray to Him. Ask for help and also go to the word and not just to read it , but study it, memorize it, meditate on it, apply it, and share it with others.

Don’t forget that we all have the Spirit of the Lord in us. He is always working in us. His power is what strengthens us to do the impossible and He does that so that we praise His name and make His name known. The work He does in us and through us is for His praise and glory not ours.

As a church united as one in Christ we can do this together and even when things get difficult we can encourage one another and help build up the church.

Let’s pray!