(2Chr 7:14) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble

themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive

their sin, and will heal their land.

Paul’s SECOND Prayer for the Ephesian Church

Future Insight: (Rev 2:3) I am also aware that you have persisted

steadfastly, endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown

weary. (4) But (However) I have this against you: You have departed from

your first love!

14) For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15) from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named.16) I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17) that Christ may dwell in

your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love,

18) you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19) and thus to know the love of Christ that

surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

• Paul’s Authority in Prayer… … I kneel before the Father, 15 from

whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named.16 I pray that according to

the wealth of his glory…

(Phil 4:19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in

glory by Christ Jesus.

1.) That Our Lord will Give you INNER STRENGTH!

(Inner strength comes from resistance)

(16b) he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his

Spirit in the inner person,

2 Cor. 4:16-18 … 16) Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being

renewed day by day. 17) For our momentary, light suffering is producing

for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

“Our light suffering is producing … Godly glory!”

QUESTION: How does that happen and how will we know it happened?

TRUTH: 18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary,

but what cannot be seen is eternal.

• Let’s restate that verse … We do not look at what we see as the finished

product, we trust who is at work that He will finish what He has begun and it

will be GREAT! (Phil 1:6)

2.) That our relationship with Christ would … GROW IN FAITH(17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts

through faith,

• DWELL – ‘take residence in” • HEARTS- “in the core of who you are” • FAITH- “that the only way this can

occur is through Faith in Christ”

TRUTH: The only way that CHRIST JESUS can dwell in our hearts is by placing our faith on Him and His finished work of redemption!

QUESTION: How do we know that we are growing in faith?• We are passionately PURSUING

Christ! (Relationship)• We HUNGER for His Word!

(Fellowship)

• We are OBEDIENT to His teachings! (Obedience) • We are TRUSTING Him in all things;

both those that seem good and those that are difficult! (Trust)

3.) That the LOVE of CHRIST would grow deep in our hearts!

(17b) … so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 18 you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height

and depth, 19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,

TRUTH: God wants for all of us to know the greatness of His

love, every part of it!

QUESTIONS: • What is the WIDTH of His Love?

His love that was demonstrated on the cross extends back to my past and covers my sin! His love is so wide that I cannot

get away from its care for me! (Psalm 139)

• What is the LENGTH of His Love? His love is longsuffering so that none who will respond to Him will perish but all can have ever lasting life! (Romans 2:4 … The Grace of God that leads to repentance)

• What is the HEIGHT of His Love? No barrier is too great that will hold back the LOVE OF GOD through Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:39)

• What is the DEPTH of His Love? His love is so deep it would pull a lost soul from the clutches of hell itself!

4.) That we will be filled with His Presence!

(19b) … and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may

be filled up to all the fullness of God.

In Christ dwells all of God that you need!(Col 1:19) For God was pleased to have

all his fullness dwell in the Son

TRUTH: Unless you truly seek to know the LOVE OF CHRIST JESUS you will not realize the great need to be

filled to overflowing with His presence! In His presence is where

the perfect Love of God is revealed!