The Book of Ephesians Pt. 24 Paul's Prayer for Strength and Believers to be Grounded in God's Love.

Paul did not want the Ephesians to act rashly due to his imprisonment. 

Ephesians 3:13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Sometimes it is hard to remember that this epistle is a letter written to a church while the Apostle Paul was in prison. So far, Paul has given us in depth teaching about one glorious truth after another, to show us the splendor of being "in Christ." He ends the section we studied in our last post with a brief note of encouragement. 

The word "wherefore" connects back to what Paul previously said to us. He desired that they not faint because of his troubles and trials. The Greek words indicate that Paul did not want the believers in Ephesus to engage in any civil unrest because he was in prison. 

The word "tribulation" means being squeezed under great pressure. Paul counters their dismay over his circumstances by telling them that it is glory for the apostles to suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ.

The proper posture in prayer. 

Ephesians 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

The apostles had a unique connection to the Lord Jesus Christ from the time that He called them to follow Him. They saw His mighty works and heard His powerful teachings. They witnessed His love and compassion for all people as well as His refusal to compromise the truth of God's Word. They saw the excruciating death of Christ on the cross and the glory of His resurrection. They received the Great Commission from their risen Lord and watched Him ascend to the Father in clouds. 

All of the things that Jesus promised to them came to pass. They did suffer for His name's sake but the Spirit of God came upon them as they witnessed for Christ. God used these men to write the New Testament scriptures. 

Paul no doubt encompassed all of these thoughts as he said "For this cause." The cause of Christ, the care of His church and the glory of God led Paul to pray. 

The words "bow my knees" are worthy of reflecting on for a moment. Paul shows us a proper posture for prayer by kneeling down on his knees. 

Paul prayed while on His knees.

Ephesians 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Paul kneeled down on his knees in prayer. This was his pattern based upon what he knew from other men of God praying in the Bible.

Acts 20:36  And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. 

He was passing by Ephesus at an earlier time in his ministry and did not have time to visit the church, but he did seek out the elders. Paul gave them many warnings, exhortations and encouragement and when he concluded, he prayed. Paul again kneeled down on his knees as he prayed.

Solomon kneeled in prayer. 

2 Chronicles 6:13  For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 

King Solomon took many years to complete the Temple of God in Jerusalem and when it was finished he dedicated it to Jehovah. All people were in Jerusalem for the dedication and when King Solomon prayer, he too, kneeled down on his knees. 

Daniel kneeled in prayer.

Daniel 6:10-11  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 11) Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 

Daniel served God when taken to Babylon with the rest of Judah. Daniels pattern of prayer was to open his window and kneel down on his knees as he prayed. 

Stephen kneeled in prayer.

Acts 7:60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The martyr Stephen preached one powerful sermon to the same people who crucified Christ and when he was done, they were filled with madness. They took him out and stones him to death. Right before Stephen died, he kneeled down on his knees and interceded to the Lord on behalf of those who stoned him.

Jesus kneeled in prayer. 

Luke 22:41-42  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ also demonstrated the same pattern when He prayed to His Father in heaven. He kneeled down on His knees. 

Thus, I think it is good for us to remember the proper posture in prayer when we are able to kneel before the Lord of Glory as we pray.

Prayer is addressed to our Father in heaven.

Ephesians 3:14-15  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

Paul prayed to our heavenly Father, the Father of Jesus Christ. This is a prayer for believers who are born again, regenerated by God's Spirit and adopted into the family of God. All believers are Christians in God's household, members of His family. 

Spiritual strength for our new man in Christ. 

Ephesians 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

Paul's first petition was for all believers to be strengthened with spiritual strength, not physical strength. The power of God is limitless and Paul knew that believers in each generation would face both physical and spiritual trials, troubles and tribulations. 

The indwelling Spirit of God brings that strength to us when we need it the most. This is strength for our new man, our inner man. We still have our "old man" who is connected with our physical body, but that old man is no longer our true self. The inner man was created when the Spirit of God regenerated us and placed us "in Christ." Our inner man is our true self and is connected to eternal life in Christ. 

Paul prayed that our inner man would grow in spiritual strength. The word "might" means we receive a growing spiritual strength that leads to moral power and excellence in our soul. This strength brings to us a renewed mind as we are transformed into Christ's likeness day by day. This is also connected to ongoing sanctification that Paul frequently writes about. 

Rooted and grounded by faith.

Ephesians 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

This text connects to the teaching of Jesus. The Lord taught His disciples that when He returned to the Father, He would not leave them alone. He would send them another Comforter, the Holy Spirit. In that text, Jesus said "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you."

John 14:15-18  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

Jesus made it clear that we express our love for Him by keeping His commandments. His prayer for the Father to send His Spirit was answered on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It is the Spirit of God who dwells in us, but it is through the same spirit of God dwelling in us that Christ comes to us. 

We know and experience Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God. John Calvin in wrote of Christ in us that "It is not enough that He be on the tongue, or flit through the brain: the heart is His proper seat." 

The word "rooted" is the idea of a tree being properly transplanted into the soil and its taproot going down deep, seeking water and nutrients. The word "rooted" means having a solid, stable foundation. 

Colossians 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Paul used similar words in writing to believers at Colosse. Believers have an ongoing need to continue in our faith, growing in the Lord, and being changed into His image. The word "grounded" is the same as in Ephesians 3 and Paul added the word "settled" which means becoming fixed and immovable in our faith.  

The basis of being rooted and grounded is love. The love of God for us and our love for God. It also includes love as the fruit of the Spirit. Saul of Tarsus (Paul) used to hate Christians and Christ but when he was born again on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) he experienced the love of God for him. It flowed into Paul's heart and flowed out through him as he ministered to all the churches. 

We need to know the love of God for us and in us. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-13  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6) Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7) Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8) Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13) And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

This is the great chapter in the New Testament where love is defined. It begins with negative examples (verses 1-3). Love is called "charity" in this text. 

Love is longsuffering and kind.

Love is not jealous over what others have.

Love does not push itself to the forefront like the world does.

Love is puffed up with knowledge. 

Love is not unseemly, selfish, easily provoked, and does not think evil thoughts.

Love rejoices in the truth.

Love bears all things when people do wrong; believes all things that God says; hopes for all God's promises to be realized and endures all things knowing that this world is not our home.

Love is enduring because it is founded upon the love of God for us in Christ. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We learn about the proper posture in prayer that we should have. Kneeling before God is an evidence of humility in the life of believers. However, true humility begins in the new heart from God and we must be on guard against a pretentious piety if we knee in prayer. 

We need to follow Paul's example and pray that the Spirit of God will put Jesus Christ on display so that we might experience more joy, peace and hope. 

We need to pray that the Spirit of God will strengthen our inner man. The culture and all its chaos presses in on us every day and if we lack strength, we will succumb to sin. 

Last, we must pray that the love of God will be more abundantly shed abroad in our hearts by His Spirit. We must ask to better understand the love of God for us and that He might fill us with His love. We need His love in order to love God and love our fellow man. 

May the Spirit of God have His way in us this day.

Bob