My Prayer For You - Part I
“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.”
—Ephesians 3:14-19
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I need something more”? Whether it’s a new job, a better relationship, or simply more joy in life, we’ve all experienced moments when we need a little extra.
In these verses from Ephesians, Paul offers a prayer that can provide us with much fulfillment and plenty of blessings. In fact, this second intercessory prayer given by Paul is my prayer for each of you who support this ministry both prayerfully and financially. I want you to know how important you are to the work of God and how crucial your support is to the kingdom. Never take for granted what you do for the Lord. Even though we will feel the pressures of life every now and again, I pray that these six requests, these prayers, will bring comfort to your soul.
FIRST: HOLY SPIRIT STRENGTH AND POWER
My first request for you is that you will gain an expanded awareness of God’s power and that God will strengthen each one of you through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The only way to experience God’s holiness and righteousness is through the power and person of the Holy Spirit. God possesses extraordinary might, and He is able to impart this to His people through the person of the Holy Spirit to the inward man.
It must be understood that the power and work of the Holy Spirit is not automatic; it depends on two things: faith in the cross of Christ and the baptism with the Holy Spirit. These open the door to both the gifts of the Spirit (relating to our work for Christ) and the fruit of the Spirit (relating to our spiritual growth).
I pray that you will gain an expanded awareness of God’s power and be strengthened through the person of the Holy Spirit, which will produce holiness and righteousness and empower you to live a holy life unto God.
SECOND: THAT CHRIST DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH
My second prayer for you is for the complete indwelling of Christ in your hearts and lives. I desire that Christ would settle and make a permanent dwelling in your heart, because the more that Christ is present, the more control the Holy Spirit will have in your life. Of course, this is done entirely by faith in Christ and the cross exclusively. Faith in Christ and the cross is a condition that is a must; without your faith anchored in the finished work of Christ, then neither the spiritual life nor the indwelling of Christ can exist.
Understand that this goes beyond the simply acknowledgment that the presence of Christ in us brings us strength, as true as that may be. I am praying for something greater! I pray that those who support this work will have a deeper experience of God’s closeness through the indwelling Christ and the ever-growing experience of Christ exercising His lordship and reign over every area of your lives.
THIRD: BE ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE
My third prayer for you highlights the outcome of the Holy Spirit’s strengthening and the permanent presence of Jesus Christ in your heart, which leads to a deeper fellowship with Him. Love is the foundation on which everything is built. Experiencing God’s love transforms us from the inside out and enables us to grow in our faith and become more like Christ. Love is also the foundation of our relationship with God. Through His love, we can experience the fullness of His grace and mercy.
The term rooted connotes a secure and deeply rooted settlement. Using this word, Paul is praying for a more profound experience of God’s love that will result in a lasting sense of that experience and understanding. Paul wants to ensure that his readers are firmly established, so they will not be swayed by life’s challenges or misled by false teachings. Being rooted and established in this love goes beyond an emotional connection or a sense of closeness to God; it refers to a deeper and deeper growth in communion with God through Christ. This is my prayer for you—that you will be firmly established in Christ and the cross, that life’s challenges will not sway you, that false teachings will not mislead you, and that you will experience a closeness to God and a deeper growth in communion with Him through Christ.
This article will continue in the June issue of The Evangelist magazine.
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