Power Prayers!

Power Prayers!

Text: Eph 3:14-21

Christianity is a supernatural religion.

That means it depends upon Supernatural Power for every benefit it pursues. True Christians confess their spiritual bankruptcy and pursue the power of God without which they are helpless.

Marvin Olasky interviewed John Piper.

Olasky: The Minneapolis Paper describes you as a fiery preacher with strict Christian morals. How would you describe yourself? ……

Piper: ”I am a needy sinner dependent upon God’s grace.”

Christians with this mentality never presume upon God’s power.

This was the secret of Puritanism. Puritanism was a movement of revival in 17th century Church of England. At the time,England had 10,000 pastors. Of those, only 2,000 were Puritans, yet those2,000 Puritans transformed English society, setting it on a trajectory that would make it the world’s dominant power in the 18th and 19th centuries. What was their secret? The 2,000 Puritans pursued spiritual power while the other 8,000 pastors presumed that they had God’s power. They were content to do ministry through human effort alone.

To the Puritans Christianity was a supernatural religion. To the other 8,000 it was a natural religion.

John Rogers,a Puritan preaching at Dedham, England in the 1620s is a good example. At the end of the sermon heurged his 500 hearers to not neglect their Bibles. “Thomas Goodwin, who was there, told John Howe…the entire churchfull of people dissolved intears, and Goodwin himself ‘when he got out…was fain to hang a quarter of an hour on the neck of his horse weeping before he had power to mount; so strange an impression was there upon him, and generally upon the people.”[1]

By contrast, D. A. Carson describes what Christianity looks like when we quit pursuing God’s power.

“By and large we are better at organizing than agonizing? Better at administering than interceding? …Better at entertainment than worship? Better at theological articulation than spiritual adoration? Better—God help us!—at preaching than at praying?” [2]

PAUL WAS CONVINCED that Christianity was a supernatural religion. Today’s text proves that. It is a prayer for spiritual power.Paul felt his desperate need. Therefore, he prayed to God the Father to send his power to the Ephesian church. Why? So that they wouldknow the love of Christ, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God the Father.

Spiritual power causes illumination and the glory of Christ is always the subject illuminated. Therefore, illumination always produces spiritual growth and maturity.

Illumination is God’s grow lamp. (Picture).

To turn on the floor lamp in my study I need to plug into electrical power. To turn on God’s lamp so that it shines in our hearts we need to plug into God’s spiritual power. Spiritual good only happens—i.e. conversion or sanctification—to the degree that we do.

The context of Paul’s prayer is very important. Ephesians divides into two parts. The first three chaptersteach doctrine. The main idea in these three chapters is God’s plan for the fullness of time to sum up or unite everything in Christ (1:10). God plans to accomplish through his church, his body, through which he plans to fill all things. The second half is practical application of that important teaching.

At the end of the doctrinal section, and before the practical application section, is this amazing prayer. Paul knows that these lofty goals are not possible apart from spiritual power.

Paul asks God for Spiritual Power!

Billboard!

A.A Description of Spiritual Power

The Greek word translated power in this prayer is Dynamis, and it appears twice.

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

20 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

When the Bible talks about power it is often in the context of miracles, prophesy, supernatural knowledge, etc.

But the most important kind of spiritual power is the power that opens the reality of God’s goodness, love, and greatness to the human heart. Theologians call this illumination. Again, it is God’s grow lamp. If we get power for miracles, but don’t get power for illumination, the spiritual gain is zero. But, if I get illumination but don’t get miracles the gain is immense.

God’s Powerfeeds on Bible knowledge. Wood in the fireplace is not helpful without fire. Knowledge is the fuel that the fire of God’s power consumes.

God’s power lights biblical knowledge, making it useful. Without illumination the knowledge is useless.

Anecdote: OT professor who lived with is girl friend and then encouraged her to get an abortion.

Here are some biblical examples of this kind of inward spiritual power.

1.Power toEvangelize

People travelled 2 days by donkey across the desert to hear John tell them that they were sinners. Why? The presence of spiritual power.

(Luke 1:17) "17 and he [John the Baptist] will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”"

Spiritual power explains Paul’s success in Thessalonika

(1 Thessalonians 1:5) "5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.."

Paul came to the Corinthians determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Why? So that their faith would not rest on human logic or persuasion, but on God’s power.

(1 Corinthians 2:5) "5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

2.Power to Hope

Earlier in Ephesians Paul prays specifically for spiritual power to promote hope. Without God’s power it is impossible to really hope.

(Ephesians 1:18–19) "18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."

(Romans 15:13) "13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

3.Power to Persevere .

(Colossians 1:11) "11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,"

(1 Peter 1:5) "5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed."

4.Power For Godliness

19 “And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you [the church, you all] may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Being filled with all the fullness of God is a byproduct of knowing the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. You can only know this by the power of illumination.

In addition, “the fullness of God” is an amazing expression. What would it be like to be filled with the fullness of God? The next chapter gives us a hint, and it is corporate.

(Ephesians 4:13) "Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

If all of this is true, Christianity is an amazingly SUPERNTURAL religion. By that I mean natural human effort alone cannot produce it. Unaided human effort cannot explain it. Unaided human effort cannot experience it. It is a byproduct of supernatural power working through human agents.

B.the Need for Spiritual Power

Spiritual Power is the great need of GCF. Why? You cannot grow in godliness without it. That is becauseillumination motivates us, and our great need is motivation.

We blame our sins and failings on double-mindedness or a lack of self-discipline. But, the average Christian does not experience repeated failure and discouragement because he or she lacks self-discipline. The problem is motivation. We lack motivation. In fact, we will be self-disciplined to the degree of our motivation.

The sluggard is well disciplined at reclining on the couch and watching football (or movies) 24X7. That is because we are exceedingly self-disciplined at doing what wewant to do. God’s power changes our wants. It makes pursuing God attractive. Pursuing God becomes something we want to do. Pursuing God replaces our pre-conversion wants. (Never perfectly in this life).

God’s power comes to us through the miracle of illumination. We plug in and God’s grow-light goes on. God, Christ, and spiritual things become increasingly attractive. Our wants change, and we become increasingly single-minded and self-disciplined.

Spiritual power is not just important for personal reasons. It is also important for cosmic reasons. It is needed to grease God’s ultimate purposes and bring them to fruition. That is why Paul concludesthis prayer with an appeal to God’s ultimate end.

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

All of our happiness is tied up in seeing and savoring the glory of God, andGod’s power makes God’s glory real to us.

In summary, Godspower illuminates Christ which in turn motivates us to grow in holiness, and our holiness amplifies the glory of God.

C.The Location of Spiritual Power

16b “He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—

The spiritual power manifests itself in our “inner being.” The “Inner Being” is a synonym for our hearts.[3]

In chapter 1 Paul told us that our hearts have eyes. (1:18) “Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened.”The Bible also tells us that our hearts have ears and that we hear with them.[4]

What does Paul mean by the heart? The heart is the real you. It is who you are when no one else is around. This is where God’s power works. Christianity is a heart religion. God’s power opens the ears in our hearts to see spiritual truth. Our hearts see by hearing.

Piper: “Hearing is the primary way of seeing in this age…seeing the glory does not happen except through hearing the gospel…we must hear what he says in order to see what he reveals…Hearing is the means. Seeing is the goal. The aim of all our hearing of God’s truth is the seeing of God’s glory.” [5]

Sometimes this happens suddenly and spectacularly. However, it is usually a gradual process, like adding rings to a tree.

D.The Signs of Spiritual Power

The fruits of God’s powerat work in the heart are diverse. I want to focus on the first and most important—growing faith in God’s love.

17 so that Christ may dwell in your heartsthrough faith—

When God’s power comes to us it amplifies a true spiritual faith—one marked by conviction and assurance.

(Hebrews 11:1) "1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

God’s poweramplifies the “assurance of things hoped for” (Eph 1:18).

In addition God’s power amplifies “conviction,” specifically the conviction of things not seen. Conviction and assurance always produces action. Therefore, illumination always advances us in holiness.

What is the object of this assurance and conviction? Ultimately the love of God is the object of our assurance and conviction.

17b that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,

We experience the love of God by seeing ourselves in God’s light, and then feeling the love of God toward us despite our unworthiness.

Here is how Paul sums it up the fruit of God’s power illuminating the love of Christ in the Christian life—

(2 Corinthians 3:18) "And we all…beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from theLord who is the Spirit."

E.Application:

Needy people pray for spiritual power. People pray to the degree that they areconvinced that they can’t accomplish God’s work with human strength or energy alone. People pray when they believe that everything that really needs to happen in the Christian life is outside of their control. It depends upon prayer.

People that believe this, and trust God, pray!!!!

People that see Christianity as a natural religion don’t pray.

1.Pray for God’s power.

Teens. Cry out to God for mercy.

Non-Christians: Beg God for illumination.

The Luke Warm and double-minded: God’s power is the tonic. It makes people single minded, focused, and zealous.

Parents: This is your children’s great need. Pray Eph. 3:14-21 for your children.

Married Couples: Pray Eph. 3:14-21 for your spouse. If not married pray this prayer for your future spouse.

Preachers: This is the great need of those who listen.

Congregations:Pray this prayer for GCF. Come to church praying for and expecting a display of spiritual power.

Pray with humility and a deep sense of your need.

Pray confident in his goodness.

Pray with thanksgiving.

Pray with confidence in God’s power. “To him who is able to more than we ask or think…”

1.Pursue God’s Power

New Birth is totally God’s work. But Sanctification is a synergism.

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is at work in you to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13).

Therefore, those who pursue God’s power get it. Those who don’t actively pursue it, don’t get it. We pursue God’s power through the spiritual disciplines—

• Bible Study
• Prayer
• Family Devotions
• The sacraments
• Church attendance
• HomeGroup attendance

2.Conclusion:

Carl Henry: “Revelation...pulses with the surprise of foreign invasions, and opens before us like the suddenly parted Red Sea waters. It stirs us like the angelic hosts who appeared unscheduled to proclaim Messiah’s birth, or overawes us like the rushing mighty wind of Pentecost. The essence of revelation is that God steps out of his hiddenness to disclose what would otherwise remain secret and unknown.”[6]

Read the Text Out loud Together…

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[1] J.I. Packer, In Quest of Godliness, (Wheaton: Crossway, 1990) pg 47-48

[2] Carson, D.A. A Call to Spiritual Reformation, pg 17 (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1992)

[3] Notice the use of “inner being” and “heart” as synonyms for the same location in verses 16 and 17

[4](Isaiah 6:10) "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”"

[5] John Piper, When I don’t Desire God, pg 65 (Wheaton, Crossway, 2004)

[6] Carl F.H. Henry, God, Revelation and Authority, Vol II, (Wheaton, Crossway, 1976, republ 1999) pg 20