Allowing God's Power To Work In Us Series

Subject: “Allowing God's Power to Work In Us”

Text: Ephesians 3:14-21

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” NLT

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” KJV

Introduction: Paul’s first visit to Ephesus lasted about three months. Paul successfully plants the church at Ephesus, It is recorded in Ac 18:19-21. The work he began on this occasion was carried forward by Apollos (Ac 18:24-26) and Aquila and Priscilla. On his second visit, early in the following year, he remained at Ephesus for "three years," for he found it was the key to the western provinces of Asia Minor. Paul called it, "a great door and effectual" was opened to him (1Co 16:9), and the church was established and strengthened by his diligent labors there (Ac 20:20,31). From Ephesus as a center the gospel spread abroad "almost throughout all Asia" (Ac 19:26). The word "mightily grew and prevailed" despite all the opposition and persecution he encountered. The text has been called “Paul’s prayer for spiritual growth.” The text speaks to the issue of allowing God’s Power to freely work in us to make us what we ought to be.

On his last journey to Jerusalem Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, then transported and imprisoned at Caesarea (Acts 21:17-26:32) The trial at Caesarea set Paul on a journey to Rome. Paul remained Caesarea as a prisoner for 2 years. His trip to Rome was an adventure filled with trouble, trials, and finally a shipwreck. Paul left from Caesarea and sailed to Sidon, Myra, and Fair Havens on Crete, where the ship underwent extensive repairs. he stayed until after the Day of Atonement. Sailing west until he was shipwrecked on the Island of Malta, where he stayed 3 months. When Spring came, he sailed to Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli, finally arriving in Rome, where he was imprisoned for 2 more years. Now as a prisoner in Rome, Paul writes to Ephesians from the calm season of his imprisonment, far from the noise and turbulence, the conflict and strife that marked his earlier ministry. Paul looks out on the church, seeing it as powerful, but divided. He understands the function Jewish believers, to whom the gospel was first revealed and the function of the Gentile believers in God's plan for the restoration of all humanity. Paul knew that God loves the whole world and has positioned this body of new believers, both Jews and Gentiles to impact the world. In the epistle, Paul desires these new believers to understand their new identity in Christ, he writes the book of Ephesians.

So, in Chapter 1, Paul describes the Father God love for His creation, his children and his relationship to His Son, Jesus Christ. Then he moves to describe the Son’s love and commitment to the Church. After clearly establishing our connection with God as His children, the relationship between God and the Son, Jesus Christ, Paul set out to describe the Church’s new position in Christ. The apostle prays the church would discover and experience all the revelation and spiritual enlightenment God can give.