Paul s Prayer for the Ephesians Ephesians 3:1-1 Ephesians 3:1-1 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 0 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 1 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Philippians 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Colossians 1:9-1 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 1 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Outline I. The Posture of the Prayer (vs. 1) II. The People of the Prayer (vs. 15) III. The Petitions of the Prayer (vv. 16-19) I. The Posture of the Prayer (vs. 1) Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I kneel before the Father. A. Bowing the knee represents submission. A. Bowing the knee represents submission. 1
B. Bowing the knee can also represent the intensity of prayer. Chronicles 6:13 Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. Mark 1:35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Acts 0:36-38 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. A. Bowing the knee represents submission. B. Bowing the knee can also represent the intensity of prayer. C. Bowing the knee represents deliberate prayer. I. The Posture of the Prayer (vs. 1) II. The People of the Prayer (vs. 15) Ephesians 3:1-15 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Revelation 1:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. Ephesians 3:15 From whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Ephesians 3:15 From whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. John 1:6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
People of the Prayer Ephesians 3:1-16 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. I. The Posture of the Prayer (vs. 1) II. The People of the Prayer (vs. 15) III. The Petitions of the Prayer (vv. 16-19) Ephesians 3:16-19 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. A. Petition 1 Endowment Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Zechariah :6 So he said to me, This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. What is This Inner Man? Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Matthew 13:9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. Revelation :7 3
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation :11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Psalms 3:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Acts 17:7 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. Matthew : Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 1. The inner man was where man s reasoning process went on. Revelation :, 6 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. James :17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn t do it, it is sin for them. A. Petition 1 - Endowment (vs. 16) B. Petition Enthronement (vs. 17) Ephesians 3:17 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:17 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Genesis 18:1-5 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 He said, If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.
5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way now that you have come to your servant. Very well, they answered, do as you say. Biblical Illustration Negative Genesis 19:1- The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. My lords, he said, please turn aside to your servant s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning. No, they answered, we will spend the night in the square. Poem If Jesus Were to Come to Your House If Jesus came to your house would you meet Him at the door with arms outstretched and welcomed, or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in, or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they had been? Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? Could you let Jesus walk right in or would you have to rush about? I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two, would you go on right on doing the things that you do? Would you go right on saying the same things that you always say? Would your life continue as it does from day-to-day? Would you take Jesus everywhere you planned to go, or would you maybe change your plans for just a day or so? Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends, or would you hope that they stay away until the visit ends? Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on, or would you sign with great relief when at last He was gone? It might be interesting to know the things that you and I would do if Jesus came and person to spend some time with you. Revelation :, 6 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. Proverbs :-5 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, 5
5 or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. I Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. I Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. Thessalonians 3:1 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Titus 3:9-11 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. Matthew : Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. I Peter : Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. Romans 1:1- Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Ephesians 5:-9 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 3 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 6
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 5 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 6 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 7 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 8 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 9 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 7