Strengthening Your Inner Being

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Introduction:
The preacher says that one of the greatest challenges we face as Christians today is that we have not truly found a God who is big enough for our needs. The God that many of us rely on is too small, limited by our doubts and fears, almost as if He isn’t the real God of the Bible.

God’s Power and Sovereignty
The God of the Bible is not a distant, powerless figure. This same God chose the Israelites, guided them, and demonstrated His power throughout history. He is the God who can transform lives and change the course of humanity.
The Riches of His Glory:
In Ephesians (3:16), Paul prays that God, according to the riches of His glory, may grant us to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in our inner being
(Ephesians 3:16). This prayer emphasizes the need for us to recognize the vastness of  God’s resources and to understand that His Spirit dwells within us, empowering us to live victoriously.

A Look Back at Ephesians 1:
Paul begins his letter with a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession. Here, Paul prays for the believers to have wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, to
understand the hope of their calling, and to comprehend the immeasurable greatness of His power toward those who believe.

The Prayer for Strengthening:
As we return to Ephesians (3:14-16), Paul continues to pray for the Ephesians, asking that they be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit. The preacher highlights the significance of this prayer, noting that Paul is not merely asking for physical strength, but for spiritual fortitude—a deep, inner strength that comes from being rooted in the love of Christ.

Being Deeply Rooted in God:
In Ephesians 3:17-18, Paul prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend the vast dimensions of Christ’s love the breadth, length, height, and depth. The preacher emphasizes that for us to truly know our identity in God, we must be deeply rooted in His love. It is this understanding that enables us to walk in the fullness of our calling. The preacher uses the example of Peter and
John entering the temple in Acts (3). When a man asks them for money, Peter responds, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” This miracle is a powerful illustration of what it means to know our identity in God and to act in the
authority that comes from being filled with His Spirit.
Comprehending the Fullness of God’s Love:
Paul’s prayer in Ephesians (3:19) is that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. The preacher explains that to be filled with God’s fullness is to experience His love, His power, and His presence in every area of our lives. It is to be so saturated with God’s Spirit that our lives reflect His glory and His grace in all
that we do.
God’s Abundant Power:
Finally, the preacher focuses on Ephesians (3:20-21) where Paul proclaims that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Conclusion
Paul’s desire is for the Ephesians—and for all of us—to be blessed, strengthened, and filled with the fullness of God. Paul prays:
1. If you are feeling empty, may God fill you with joy.
2. If you are feeling weak, may God fill you with strength.
3. If you are feeling lost, may God be the rock on which you can cling.
Paul’s heartfelt prayer is that we would all experience the abundant blessings of God, knowing the depth of His love and the greatness of His power. May we know that the ability of the God we serve, confident that He is more than enough for every need we face.