For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church (ekklesia) and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21
Can you see the number of times Paul references the Holy Spirit? And what should be His work within us? And the importance of the love of Jesus that is to be implanted, grounded, comprehended, through also His divinely implanted faith in our ‘inner’ being? What happens to us when we don’t receive His love into those ‘inner’ places within us — but it just remains an intellectual concept in our minds only? Can we experience Him in ALL of our being, spirit, soul, and body? Do you ever realize the ‘power’ of the Holy Spirit working within you? How would you describe it? Is it ONLY a mental concept for you? Have you seen Him work within the spiritual realms (supernatural) with you? It could often be called a ‘miracle’. Have you seen any of those in your life? Have you asked Him about them? Has He taught you about them and explained then to you? Do you know what the work of His divine love is doing in you right now? How is it changing you now? Have you sensed Him beyond just your mind?
The adventure with God is WAY more exciting and real than … religion. What the Pharisees and the rest of the world had was religion. Paul understood this deeply in a life experiential way, because he met Jesus on the road to Damascus and also was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. (Acts 23:6) Paul could easily play the ‘Pharisee’ game with them, because he was so well educated in their system. But now Paul had a REAL relationship with the King of Kings. Oh ..the difference! Talk about being a ‘thorn’ in the side of the Pharisees and Sadducees (just like Jesus). And if you become a walking ‘epistle’ of God like Paul — you too could very well end up being a thorn in the side of religion today.
We are to become the ‘message’ of God. We are to become spiritually mature enough that the ‘message of God’ IS the messenger … which is us! Smith Wigglesworth once said, “Read it through, write it down, pray it in, work it out, pass it on! The Word of God changes a man until he becomes an epistle of God.” That’s the work of the Holy Spirit in a person! Is the Holy Spirit working on your character and the deep roots in your soul? Is He asking you to change? In what ways? Can you specifically name them? Have you written them down? Have you taken seriously the work the Holy Spirit is trying to get into you? What level of importance do you have for this relationship with the Holy Spirit? How much time and focus do you give it? Do your actions betray or confirm your belief or words?
Paul’s heart was spilling out all over in that prayer for the Ephesian ekklesia (assembly) family. Paul’s heart was being infused with the revelation and power of the Holy Spirit as he prayed. Have you ever experienced that too? When the Holy Spirit comes in like a flood, and the glory of God overwhelms you, and your words don’t really seem like yours but His? That’s being immersed and infused in the inspiration, revelation, and power of the Holy Spirit!
Do you ever ask the Holy Spirit what He is praying for? Do you ever want to pray along with Him? Or do you just ask Him that He do what you want? Self focused or Holy Spirit focused? That’s what the end of Paul’s prayer is about. Being in line with the will and plan Jesus has for all the generations, which includes little ol’ us. If we learn to pray WITH the Spirit of God — then we will SEE His power at work within us and around us, for God’s glory.