Experience the Power
Ephesians 3:14-21
Ephesians 3:14-15 (NLT)
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, [15] the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
Overwhelmed
By God’s work of grace
Through Jesus Christ
• Upon Calvary’s Cross
• Psalm 71:15
• Isaiah 61:10
Psalm 71:15 (NLT)
I will tell everyone about your righteousness.
All day long I will proclaim your saving power,
for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me.
Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.
Overwhelmed
By God’s work of grace
Through Jesus Christ
• Upon Calvary’s Cross
• Psalm 71:15
• Isaiah 61:10
By God’s perfect plan
Individually crafted
By God’s unfathomable power
Creator of all things
When we consider the majesty of God’s nature and power, should there be any other choice than to bow our knee in prayer and worship?
Ephesians 3:16 (NLT)
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.
The Source of Inner Strength
The Holy Spirit
Indwelling the believer
Providing power
• That Christ may be glorified
• Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8 (NLT)
But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The Source of Inner Strength
The Holy Spirit
Indwelling the believer
Providing power
• That Christ may be glorified
• Acts 1:8
Inexhaustible supply
God is never short of resources
• Philippians 4:19
Philippians 4:19 (NLT)
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
The Source of Inner Strength
The Holy Spirit
Indwelling the believer
Providing power
• That Christ may be glorified
• Acts 1:8
Inexhaustible supply
God is never short of resources
• Philippians 4:19
There is no Holy Spirit “crunch”
Ephesians 3:17 (NLT)
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.
Home is Where the Heart Is
Making Christ at home in your heart
Cleaning house
• James 4:8
James 4:8 (NLT)
Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites.
Home is Where the Heart Is
Making Christ at home in your heart
Cleaning house
• James 4:8
Welcoming Him in
• Revelation 3:20
Revelation 3:20 (NLT)
"Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.
Home is Where the Heart Is
Making Christ at home in your heart
Cleaning house
• James 4:8
Welcoming Him in
• Revelation 3:20
Giving Him free reign
How Deep are Your Roots?
Deep roots ensure health
Provide firm foundation
Provide adequate nutrition
• Jeremiah 17:8
Jeremiah 17:8 (NLT)
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.
How Deep are Your Roots?
Deep roots ensure health
Provide firm foundation
Provide adequate nutrition
• Jeremiah 17:8
Shallow roots provide little sustenance
Limited health
Susceptible to disease or withering
• Luke 8:13
Luke 8:13 (NLT)
The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. They believe for a while, but they wilt when the hot winds of testing blow.
Ephesians 3:18 (NLT)
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 really is.
Experiential Understanding
God’s power brings about revelation
Eyes open to the truth of God’s Word
Eyes open to the reality of God’s presence
Knowing the vastness of God’s love
Experience in the depths
Experience in the heights
Experience in the long journeys
Experience in the droughts
Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Beyond Comprehension
Experiential Knowledge
Paul prayed that they might “know”
• Not head knowledge
• God’s love is beyond comprehension
• The knowledge of experience
The fullness of God
Available to all
• Requires surrender
• Does God have free reign of your life?
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
God’s Aspirations for You
Fueled by His power within each of us
Boundless power
Available power
Are you dreaming God’s dreams
Beyond your imagination
Beyond your abilities
Are you allowing God to fulfill His dreams in you?
Ephesians 3:21 (NLT)
May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
To God Be The Glory
We are filled with His power…for His glory
The praise of our lips
The testimony of our service
The witness of our story
Is God being glorified in your life?
Is God being glorified in our church?
**Powerpoint available upon request