Ephesians 3:14-21
Fullness of God
Paul was in prison while writing this letter to the Ephesian church. He writes, “For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father…” What did he pray for? He prayed that the Ephesians would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and be filled with the fullness of God (3:19). What a massive prayer! Paul wanted for the Christians nothing less than the experience of God’s fullness.
The Christian life is not meant to be mediocre. “Joyless Christian” is an oxymoron. A Christian is to live with unexplainable joy and peace that comes from being filled with God’s fullness. This happens when we are rooted in Christ’s love and are growing in our comprehension of the incomprehensible–“what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (3:18). God desires to pour all of himself onto his people to fill our cup to the brim. This doesn’t mean we won’t experience pain, sorrow, or suffering. But it does mean that we will somehow be marked with joy and peace that surpasses knowledge (Phil 4:7) by the power of God’s Spirit in our inward being.
Prayer and the Word
How do we experience the fullness of God? By Prayer and the Word. For this, Paul got on his knees in a prison cell. Then how much more should we be on our knees? Just as bread and water give us physical energy for our bodies, when Christians ground their lives in prayer and the Word, they will be strengthened by the Spirit and grounded in the riches of Christ’s love for sinners. Do you feel that your faith is boring and joyless? Get on your knees, ask for the fullness of God and fill your mind and heart with God’s Word.
Practical Tips
First, set a specific time and a place to do your daily prayer and reading of God’s Word. See it as a meeting you scheduled with God. Then, show up and be there because God will be.
Second, start small and build up. Start with 10 minutes per day, that’s less than 1% of your whole entire day. Survey shows people spend on average 2 hours 23 minutes per day on social media. Your relationship with God deserves at least 10 minutes a day!
Third, read a passage and then pray. If you pray without the Word, you can easily get distracted and have very little to say. Let the Word cultivate your mind and heart before prayer, and let it guide you. I recommend using “Today” daily devotional. https://today.reframemedia.com/
Fourth, come out to Gospel Community. We learn to pray and to study God’s Word together with all the saints.
Fifth, keep a journal of prayer lists and thoughts your want to jot down during prayer.
