Live Out Loud – Our PRAYER May 12, 2007
Ephesians 4:14-21
Funny: I can only begin to imagine the strange requests that God hears. I recently heard about a lady who had a parrot that she taught to be spiritual and so the parrot would always say, “Awwk! Let us pray. Let’s pray.” She met a guy who also loved, but he was a little rough around the edges. He also had a parrot that he taught to say, “Awwk! Let’s kiss.” As it would happen, these two got married and as they set up their house they introduced their parrots. The sweet, spiritual parrot said, “Let’s pray. Let’s pray.” The other parrot said, “Let’s kiss. Let’s kiss.” The first parrot said, “Praise God my prayers have been answered.”
Note: I’m thankful for answered prayer. I’m thankful for unanswered prayer too. Did you know that when we pray, God answers our prayers either yes, no, or wait.
Recap: As we continue our study in Ephesians today, we are going to look at a remarkable prayer Paul offered to God on behalf of the Ephesian Christians.
Trans: After five weeks of laying a doctrinal foundation, today we begin the journey toward the practical. As we make this transition it is important to understand two things. (1) Our faith is built on a solid foundation of truth; and (2) Our faith is meant to be practiced in the abundance of God’s grace.
Insert: This truth reminds me of a book by Richard Kiyosaki entitled, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The book is about what the rich teach their kids about money that instills in them a sense of power and confidence that the poor and middle class don’t share. They live in the promise and hope of blessing. As I think about this book, I am reminded of the number of Christians who are living as if they’re poor when in actuality – we serve a God who has made us rich. When you consider the amazing power and grace we have w/in us as a result of the finished work of Christ on the cross, it is astounding how many believers live in spiritual poverty unaware of what is truly inside and above them.
Trans: Paul recognized that the Ephesians’ were struggling in their understanding of who they were and what they had access to in their God. So after laying the foundation of our marvelous faith, Paul begins the transition to the practical by offering a powerful prayer to God on their behalf.
Trans: While the content of this prayer this prayer is important, I want to focus our thoughts more on Paul’s approach to prayer. See, I’m convinced that most churchgoers have a wrong idea of prayer. I say this b/c of the prayers I heard and b/c of some of the prayers I’ve offered – and Biblically speaking, I find that we’re utterly selfish and consumed w/ ourselves rather than being consumed w/ the will of the Father.
I The POSTURE of Prayer
Text: 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…
Story: I recently attended a funeral service where the pastor literally fell on his face stretched out on the floor. I discovered later that it was considered by many in that particular denomination as the only acceptable way to pray.
Note: Is there a correct posture of prayer? YES! But it has nothing to do w/ body position and everything to do w/ heart condition.
Trans: You don’t have to kneel or fall prostrate on your face when you pray, but you do have to humble yourself before the Lord. In fact, in the Bible there are several different postures for prayer. David sat before the Lord in prayer. Abraham stood. Ezra bowed down and prostrated himself. The point is simple - the only correct posture for prayer is that you humble yourself before the Lord and trust in Him w/ all your heart. (see Ps. 51)
Point: Prayer is a heart condition not a body position. It is more important that we learn to bow our H.E.A.R.T. than it is we bow our heads.
A Bow to H – HONOR
Note: Bowing our hearts is first and foremost an act of respect and reverence for who God is and what He has done. In giving God His rightful place in our lives we are making certain that we do not think more highly of ourselves that we ought to think.
Insert: Two weeks ago at the Wachovia Championship on the PGA Tour, Michael Jordan was partnered w/ Tiger Woods on Wed. for the Pro-AM. ESPN reported a funny incident where Tiger, the most popular golfer on the planet, was awaiting M.J.’s arrival. Suddenly, an older woman w/ a camera started screaming, “Michael, Michael! Over here! The marshal standing next to the woman and said, “Excuse me ma’am, that isn’t M.J. He’s still on his way over.” The woman replied, “Well then, who is he?”
Point: The most critical element of prayer is knowing who God is and second knowing who you are – then realizing that He is God and your not.
B Bow to E – ENTREAT
Note: B/c He is God and able to rule and reign in our lives, we next bow our hearts to beseech His favor, blessings, and will. We bow to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness and to ask for His favor upon our lives.
Verse: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive; and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock. Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more then will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Mt. 7:7
C Bow to A – ADORE
Note: Next, we bow our hearts to worship God and to tell him that we love Him. In bowing we show the sincerity in our hearts for the one we love.
Insert: Men, do you remember the day you proposed. For most of us, we knelt before our wives to ask for their hand in marriage. Why? It wasn’t for tradition sake, it was b/c we wanted our wives to know the sincerity of our hearts – that we adored them. We bow before God to adore Him.
D Bow to R – RELENT
Note: Bowing our hearts is an act of surrender and submission. It is recognizing there is a higher authority over us.
Insert: In the Paul’s day, the Roman Empire required every citizen annually to go to the local magistrate and say, “Kaiser estan kurios,” meaning “Caesar is lord.” This is why so many Christians were burned at the stake and fed to the lions, b/c they refused to bow their knee to anyone but Christ.
E Bow to T – TRUST
Note: We bow our hearts in total dependence upon God believing that He will accomplish His good and perfect will in and through our lives. So as we pray, we pray believing and trusting in the answers He provides.
Trans: So as you pray, whether you bow or kneel, you must humble your heart.
Story: When Joni Erickson Tada was 17, she broke her neck in a diving accident leaving her paralyzed and a quadriplegic today. You’ve likely seen her paintings where she puts a paintbrush in her mouth and paints beautiful scenes. What you might not know is that she is a delightful Christian who speaks at many Christian conferences. Recently she was at a conference where one of the speaker asked everybody there to get on their knees before God, and everybody went to their knees except of course, Joni. In commenting on the night she said it broke her heart and she literally wept b/c she couldn’t go to her knees. She prayed a prayer that night. “Jesus. I can’t wait for the day when I will rise up on resurrected legs. The first thing I will do is to drop on grateful, glorified knees to worship you.”
II The PLENTY of Prayer
Text: I pray that out of His glorious riches…
Trans: It would be real easy to brush right those eight words, but they contain a very significant truth that we must not miss – Our God is not an impotent impoverished God – He is the author and sustainer of everything. His coffers are endless. Secondly, and I love this, He is not stingy or miserly – He gives abundantly out of His abundance.
Insert: I hear so many prayers that believe God CANNOT! Listen carefully – God CAN! Just b/c you can’t or won’t, don’t project your faithless and selfishness upon Him. He gives good and precious gives – and He gives generously and abundantly to those who trust in Him.
Verse: My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Ph. 4:19
Insert: George Mueller, a pastor from England and a man of faith, was once on a ship coming to America that he might preach in New York City. As the ship approached Newfoundland, it was immobilized for 3 days b/c of fog. As each day past, Mueller realized that he was in danger of missing his engagement and he felt it was God’s will for him to be there. Knowing the ship’s captain was a Christian, Mueller went to the bridge to encourage the captain. He said, “Captain, I must get to New York City. I can’t be late for this speaking engagement.” The captain said, “Mr. Mueller, I understand your desire to be there, but we can’t move. We can’t go forward in this fog or we might collide w/ another ship or on the rocks – we have to wait until the fog lifts.” They’d been in the fog for 3 days when Mueller asked the captain if he’d be willing to go below w/ him to ask God to remove the fog. He could tell by the man’s expression that although he was a Christian, he wasn’t used to praying for things like that. The captain said, “Sure, Mr. Mueller. I’ll pray w/ you.” So, they went below deck. Mueller got on his knees and prayed, “God, I really think you want me to speak in New York City and so I ask you to remove this fog so this ship can proceed. Thank you, God, that you have done this – in Jesus’ name. But when the captain began to pray, Mueller stopped him saying, “No, captain, don’t pray.” The captain said, “Why not?” Mueller said, “For two reasons – One, you don’t really believe God will remove the fog, and two, I believe he has already removed it.” They went up on the bridge the sky was clear and the ship got underway—and George Mueller made his speaking engagement.
Trans: Our God is a god of plenty and He longs to bless those who trust in Him. Now I’m not saying that He will always lift the fog, or slay your Goliath, or part your Red Sea, but He will always be God.
III The PETITION of Prayer
Trans: Now the question is – What are we to pray? Paul gives us a clear answer. He prays to be strengthened w/ power, to be rooted in love, that we might be filled w/ the fullness of God.
A STRENGTHENED with Power
Text: … to be strengthened w/ might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;
Word: strengthened (krataiōthēnai) aor. pas. – Not strengthened through self effort, but strengthened by an outside source that we continually live under the influence of – the H.S.
Note: From Oprah to Dr. Phil, we’re told that we can strengthen our inner man through positive thinking and self-discipline, but the inner man isn’t about personal power and productivity – it is about having a life yielded to the H.S. who God deposited in you at the point of salvation.
Note: This is the great challenge of the Christian life – living under the influence of the H.S. Most of us live flesh-driven Christian lives – that is, we live the best we can for God under our own power. But this isn’t the way God set up the Christian life.
Quote: If God took the H.S. out of this world, most of what we Christians are doing would go right on and nobody would know the difference! Wiersbe
Trans: Paul prays as we should that the H.S. would reign in our lives so that Christ might dwell in our hearts.
Word: dwell (katooikeo) to inhabit a house. Not just inside us, but at home.
Quote: Until the Spirit controls our lives, Jesus Christ cannot be comfortable there, but only stays like a tolerated visitor. MacArthur
Insert: One of my favorite booklets is My Heart Christ’s Home, by Robert Munger. This booklet pictures the Christian life as a house, through which Jesus goes from room to room. In the library, which is the mind, Jesus finds trash and all sorts of worthless things, and proceeds to throw out and replace w/ His Word. In the dining room of appetite He finds many sinful desires listed on a worldly menu. But in the place of such things as prestige, materialism, and lust He puts humility, meekness, love, and all the other virtues for which believers are to hunger and thirst. He goes through the living room of fellowship, where He finds many worldly companions and activities, through the workshop, where only toys are being made, into the closet, where hidden sins are kept, and so on through the entire house. Only when He has cleaned every room and closet w/in us can He settle down and be at home.
B ROOTED in Love
Text: …that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend w/ all saints what is the wide, and long, and high, and deep is the love of love of Christ.
Word: rooted – like a tree whose roots sink deep into the soil of faith, hope, and love – we’re given everything we need in Christ to stand firm for His glory.
Note: I immediately think of Sequoia National Park. Did you know that those huge trees have a unique root system? Each tree’s roots are woven in w/ the neighboring trees so that literally they hold one another up.
Note: We are rooted in God’s love – not our own human love, but God’s unconditional agape love. This is not a love we manufacture, but a love that He gives us. It is a love that we cannot comprehend that nourishes our spiritual lives, empowers our ministry lives, and gives us abundant life.
Word: established – an architectural term referring to a building’s foundation.
Point: Paul’s point is simple – if you want to go high for Christ, you have to go deep. We pray for depth so that we can weather the storms of life and remain faithful to the will of the Father.
C FILLED with Fullness
Text: …and to know this love which surpasses knowledge – that you might be filled to the measure w/ all the fullness of God.
Word: filled – fully occupied and totally consumed or dominated.
Truth: To be filled w/ God requires that you are empty of self.
Insert: Several years ago I was in Zermatt, Switzerland skiing. We had arrived early to ski and didn’t think much of lodging only to come off the slopes that day to find that every hotel and hostel were full – No Vacancies. And despite all of our efforts, there was not a room in town, so we had to pack up and drive 3 hours back to Grindelwald to a friend’s apartment. When a place is full – it’s full - OCCUPIED.
Note: When the building of your life has reached maximum capacity, when every seat in the arena of your life has been occupied by God, when there’s no vacancy for the enemy or anything that opposes God, you’re full of Him.
CONCLUSION
Note: Paul prays a remarkable prayer on behalf of the Ephesians. This prayer serves as an encouragement and model for us today mapping the posture, plenty, and petition of our prayers. Likewise, it offers us a formula for discovering the fullness of God by seeking to be strengthened w/ the H.S. power, rooted in love, that we might be filled w/ God’s fullness.
Story: J. Wilbur Chapman used to tell a true story of a man who after years of estrangement from his family had become so destitute, dispirited, and distraught was reduced to begging for a living. One day, desperate for help, he touched the shoulder of a man disembarking from a train. “Mister, can you spare a dime?” When the man turned around, the beggar was shocked to see that it was father. He cried out, “Father, do you know me? Do you recognize me?” W/ tears in his eyes, the father threw his arms around his son and said, “At last, at last, I have finally found you! My son, I will give you a dime, I will give you everything I have! It’s all yours!
Note: This is like us. We go around tapping the world on the shoulder begging for a dime, when our heavenly Father wants to give us everything that He is and everything that he has. Why are we content to scrounge for crumbs when we’ve been invited into His banquet hall? Why do we settle for the emptiness of this world, when he’s blessed us w/ the fullness of His grace?
Text: Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world w/out end.
RESOURCES
Sermons: David Dykes – Series in Ephesians
Jeff Ward – Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Books: Max Anders – The Good Life
John MacArthur – Commentary on Ephesians
