Spirit Empowered And Faith-family Centered Believers

Bible Passage: Ephesians 3:14-19

Paul’s prayer for the believers contains three sections

I. That God the Father might strengthen the believers with power through the Spirit in their inner person (verse 16)

1. The expression “might be strengthened with power” implies that the believers need a special enablement that they presently lack-“power” is the ability or capability for action in conformity to the Gospel
2. Power for such actions and attitudes for believers comes from the Holy Spirit
3. This power is needed for communal, social, and public life
4. The Holy Spirit might influence the behavior of the faith-family
5. In other words, the Spirit will bring about transformation in the communal, social, and public life of the believers
6. That Christ might dwell in their hearts through faith (verse 17-18)
7. It is a metaphor to mean “centrality of Christ” in the faith-family
8. And it would mean that Christ rules over the believers
9. Consequently, the community will be rooted and grounded in love, which was lacking

II. That they might be able to grasp the width, length, height, and depth of

1. The faith family (how they were saved and being formed as a community)
2. The love of Christ toward them which surpasses human knowledge

III. That the believers might be filled into the fullness of God (verse 19)

1. Completeness and abundance
2. Like sponge that can hold any more water
3. Participation in the divinity

Take Away

Desire to be Spirit-empowered and faith-family centered