Paul prayed for us! He was not praying for the material needs of the Body, but for the enablement of the inner man. Paul knew that if the inner man is what he ought to be, the outer man will be taken care of in due time. Take an objective look at your "inner man".
Every fatherhood in heaven and on earth gets its origin and name from the Father (Eph. 3) He is the great Original; every other fatherhood is but a copy. All men are not children of God by nature. Instead they are children of disobedience and children of wrath. As Creator, God is the Father of each man; but as Savior, He is only the Father of those who believe...that are IN CHRIST! There is no such thing in Scripture as the universal Fatherhood of God that saves all men.
Paul prayed for the inner man to have spiritual strength...leads to a deeper experience with Christ, which will enable one to apprehend (grasp) God's great love which will result in being "filled unto all the fullness of God."
3:16 The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life is evidence of salvation, but the power of the Spirit is enablement for living...given to us according to the riches of His glory...we do not need to work something up...the power is sent down. God does not deplete His riches when He gives...He gives according to His riches which are ever abundant and have no end...
The outer man is perishing, but the inner man can be renewed spiritually in spite of the outer decay (II Cor. 4:16-18) Feeding the inner man...reading the Word, praying, worshipping, keeping clean and exercising the senses of loving obedience.
Paul prays for spiritual depth..."dwell", "rooted" and "grounded".
Settle down and feel at home...a deepening fellowship. Roots deep for nourishment and stability...Psa. 1:1-3. Build on a great Foundation...Matt 7:24-29. He is praying that believers might have a deeper experience with Chirst...sustain them during the severe trials of life.
Paul prays for apprehension...v. 18:19a...comprehend and apprehend....TO GRASP! Comprehend -- mentally grasp something; Apprehend -- lady hold of it for yourself! NO Christians has to be concerned about inadequate spiritual resources to meet the demands of life. (Phil.4:13) It is love which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience.
Paul prays for us to experience God's fullness. v. 19B The measure for a Christian is Christ, no other Christians. Don't use the wrong measurement.
WE are complete in Him, but practically we enjoy only the grace that we apprehend by faith. The resources are there. All we need to do is accept them, enjoy them as we claim what He has given!
All the love of God cannot be knows...oceans of love in the great heart of our Father remain that we have not yet experienced. "The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell!"...inexhaustible!!!
Paul in essence says: That you may really come to kow---practically, through experience for yourselfves--the love of Chirst, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience; that you may be filled through all your being unto all the fullness of God--that is may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!...at work within us...He is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all the we dare ask or think--infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams.
v.20-21 Paul seems to want to use every word possible to convey to us the vastness of God' power as found in our Savior. We can't impress God ... As Paul had learned his greatest achievements were but rubbish when compared to God's will for his life. Phil 3:7-8
Don't become enamored with your own plans. The Father knows the big picture and His power far exceeds our limited imagination. "Without Me, you can do nothing." John 15.5
Get your hands on your spiritual wealth by opeing your heart to the Holy Spirit..."ye have not because you ask not" James 4:2
We are given God's power not to magnify self, not to gratify our personal wants, not to dazzle the world, BUT TO BRING GLORY TO THE LORD. You can glory God:
by the way that we worship, by the way we live, by the way we give, by the way we relate.
Where did Paul end up? ON HIS KNEES! May the Lord take you there!
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