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Written by Rob Barkman for “Settled In Heaven Ministries”  @  http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/

View original web site here:

http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2014/03/07/sihs-think-on-these-things-ephesians-316/

“Reflections Of His Grace”

“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

The Gracious Equipping For Service:

Ephesians 3:14-21

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. 

In this text, Paul is requesting through prayer, that the Lord would equip the Ephesian saints with the necessary tools to be faithful in their service to Him.

A very basic outline of this section of Scripture which is Paul’s prayer for the Lord’s equipping of the saints:
I.        Paul’s prayerful/submissive attitude in prayer – 14
II.        Paul’s recognition of The Father’s authority over His family – 15
III.        Paul’s request for spiritual strength in the inner man – 16
IV.        Paul’s request for Christ inhabiting their hearts – 17a
V.        Paul’s request for love to be their foundation – 17b
VI.        Paul’s request for their comprehension of the love of Christ – 18-19a
VII.        Paul’s request for spiritual filling – 19b
VIII.       Paul’s acknowledgment of His great abilities – 20
IX.        Paul’s desire for the Lord to be glorified – 21
X.        The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13

EXPOSITION:

Paul’s prayer continues …

(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;

That he would grant you, 

Paul begins a series of requests for the enabling of the Ephesians for faithful service, these will include:
1. spiritual strength
2. Christ in their desires
3. a foundation of love
4. understanding of Christ’s love
5. totally controlled by God

Please notice the word “grant” it originates from a Greek word that means simply “to hand over”, “to deliver”, to yield to” or “to give to”.  In other words, these are things that the Lord must “bestow upon” us because we do not naturally possess them within us.

according to the riches of his glory,

These differing gifts to us come from His abundance of valuable items (riches) that bring praise and honor to Him (his glory).  Again, this is emphasizing to us that these things do not find their origin in us, but come from a gracious Lord.

Why does He give these enabling graces to us?  So that He would be honored and praised in two ways:
1.  These enabling graces would allow the recipients to better serve Him and bring glory to His name.
2.  These enabling graces in the lives of the recipients would be seen by others who would praise Him for His works on behalf of their spiritual brethren.

to be strengthened with might 

The word “might” is from the Greek word “dunamis” from which we get the English word “dynamite”.  This word is used to describe the ability needed to perform a naturally impossible task.   Dynamite is a great example of this principle…  dynamite can be used to clear away rocks in a mountain that normally could not be broken up and destroyed by the hand tools of men.

Paul was saying that when we serve the Lord in the midst of persecution and other types of opposition we would naturally fail and fall far short.  However, through the intervention and empowering of the Lord in our lives, we are able to remain faithful in our service to Him.   Paul’s desire was for the Ephesians to be empowered (strengthened) with the ability to go beyond their natural abilities and perform that to which they were called (might).

“He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”   (Isaiah 40:29-31)

In the midst of very difficult circumstances in life Job sought to remain faithful based upon his understanding of this type of strength…  (Job 23:6)  “Will he plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.”      

Job understood God does not use His power to work against His people, but He uses His power to enable His people to remain faithful in the midst of great trials and opposition.

by his Spirit 

How was this “dynamite” power given to the Ephesian Christians?  This is given by the intervention of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

in the inner man;

The strength that Paul is describing is not physical strengthening of the body.  Paul is referring to receiving spiritual strengthening of the new (inner) man that desires to faithfully follow the Lord (Roms 7:22-23, Col 3:9-11) …

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

APPLICATION:

When we seem ready to faint and go no farther, the Lord’s gracious intervention will bring renewed peace, power and faith to our troubled souls.  May we continue to faithfully serve Him, knowing He is at work in our hearts and lives enabling us to continue in our service to Him.

May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!  

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