God’s Power Strengthens
Ephesians 3:14-21
Know – what the Word says
Main idea of the passage: Paul prayed for the believers to be strengthened, to know God, and to experience the fullness of life that comes from that.
Explanation: Paul ends this elaborate argument that he’s been presenting in the first three chapters of Ephesians by saying that unity, community, and freedom come only through love, and love comes only through power, and power comes only by being filled with the full measure of Christ. When we do that, His power is unleashed in our lives to view people as He views them, and treat people as He treats them. His love reigning in the believer’s life is the only thing powerful enough to overcome our suspicions, prejudices, and the division that so easily creeps into our lives.
Live – what the Word says
Main application of the passage: Believers are empowered to love as they seek the strength and power that comes from knowing Christ alone.
Application: The love that overcomes cultural and traditional barriers can only come from the power of God working in us as believers. Paul is clear in his prayer that for us to be strengthened by the power of God, we must first be filled with Christ. He must dwell in us and work through us. Do your prayers consistently tend toward asking for God’s power, favor, protection or provision in your life, or do they focus on having the fullness of Christ dwelling in you? As believers, we must first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and once we are filled with Him, He will empower us to be what we should be.
Rogers– Lessons by Bucky Rogers, minister to students at Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church, Moore, since 2006. Rogers, originally from Cleveland, Tenn., is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and Southern Seminary.