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Spiritual Retreat 2018 : The Prayers of the Apostle Paul : Session 5

14 July 2018

SPIRITUAL RETREAT
Theme: “The Prayers of the Apostle Paul”

G. A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE SECOND PRAYER OF GREAT INSIGHT
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

Continued from Session 4

2. “That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” Ephesians 3:16

a) That
i) Praying with a sense of purpose/ goal
ii) In humility, submitting everything to the Lord in prayer
b) He would grant you
i) Submission to the Lord
ii) That He might grant/ give
c) According to the riches of His glory
i) Basis… the glory of the Lord
ii) The riches of His glory
d) To be strengthened
i) The word “strength” is the same as the promise the Lord gave His disciples (Acts 1:8)
ii) Strength further defined as “might”
e) Through His Spirit
i) Note the consciousness/ awareness of the role and ministry of the Spirit
ii) He is the One who will finally empower and strengthened with the might of the Lord
f) In the inner man
i) In contrast to the “outer man” (the flesh)
ii) Real strength is in the inner being of an individual

3. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love”
(Ephesians 3:17)

a) Christ the Lord is the main focus (the main thing)
b) He must make His habitation with us
He must dwell in our hearts/ make His home in our hearts
c) Through faith…
Faith must be consciously employed
d) Rooted
i) Plant imagery employed
ii) Deep root system needed
e) And grounded
i) Imagery of a building
ii) This is a reference to the foundation of the building

4. “May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, the length and depth and height-
To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God”
(Ephesians 3:18-19)

a) May be able
i) Comprehension not to be taken for granted
ii) Appropriate humility is always of utmost important
iii) May be able… focusing on the ability to master of the thing taught
b) To comprehend
i) To obtain understanding (Cf. Romans 9:30)
ii) Something within grasp
c) With all the saints
This should be “common understanding”
d) The love of Christ
i) Breadth/ width
ii) Length
iii) Depth
iv) Height
These speak of physical dimensions.
e) Which passes knowledge
i) The love of Christ may be known in a concrete sense
ii) But cannot be limited in any human confines
iii) It is way beyond mere human knowledge
f) Filled with the fullness of God
i) This is virtually incomprehensible
ii) It is beyond mere human description
iii) Filling… an awesome concept
iv) Filled with the fullness of God Himself (prophets of old… apostles of Christ)

5. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us
To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever, and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21)

a) Doxological element
i) Giving glory to God
ii) Giving glory that is due
iii) Giving God all the praise that is due to Him
b) For all that God has done and will yet do for His children and the Church
i) He is able to do exceedingly abundantly
ii) Above all that we ask
iii) Above all that we are able to think
c) The power of God who works within us
i) That power of God which brings salvation
ii) That power of God that continues to work within every believer

H. AN EXAMINATION OF OUR PRAYER LIFE

1. Honesty and candidness needed

2. Check the following against Paul’s example of practising prayer: –

a) How personal?
b) How real?
c) How consistent?
d) How deep?

I. PRACTICAL STEPS TO TAKE

1. Strengthening our relationship with God

2. Deepening our faith

3. Developing our understanding of prayer

4. Practising deep-praying as a spiritual discipline