Paul's Prayer for the Church - June 20, 2021

by Pastor Chuck Ryan

Paul’s Prayer for the Church

 

Text: Ephesians 3: 14-21

 

Thesis: “Prayer is the Key to Power” Pray that God will give you the power to grasp his love for you and his enormous ability to provide your every need!

 

1. The family of God, both residence of Heaven and earth, derive their name from God the Father. (vs 14-15)

 

1. Our name (more than a title) comes from God’s name.
2. We are revealed as “Saints” of God!

• “To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 1:1a)
• “Saint- a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death.”

1. Paul envisions believers of both heaven and earth as one.

• “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of

witnesses,” (Hebrews 12:1)

 

1. Paul prays “out of God’s glorious riches”. (vs 16)

 

1. Paul comprehends the enormity of God’s storehouse of blessings.

• “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32)

 

1. Paul’s twofold prayer for us:

 

1^st- To be strong in the Lord and not weak in the faith. (Read vs 16-17)

 

2^nd - To have the power to grasp the love of Christ for us and not weak minded.

(Read vs 18-19)

• “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

 

“God Loves You!”

 

III. Paul’s Faith in God is enormous as well. (Read vss20-21)

• He (Jesus) replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Mathew 17:20)

1. The measurements of God’s blessings are greater than what we can even ask for or imagine!
2. It is impossible to ask God for more than He can provide.

 

“God Can Do Anything but Fail!”