Ephesians 3:14 - 21: The Apostle Paul’s Prayer for the True Believer’s Spiritual Strength:

Paul finishes the 3rd chapter of Ephesians with a prayer for the church at Ephesus and by extension for all believers since. Note that verses 14 through 19 are one sentence. “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 3:1414 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

. Paul addresses his prayer to God The Father. According to commentators and a Greek - English Lexicon the phrase of our Lord Jesus Christ is not included in most manuscripts. Therefore Paul is praying to God The Father as we do today. However, we pray in the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ because it is He Who has given us that access by His death, burial and resurrection.

“Of Whom (God The Father) the whole family (paternal descent, i.e., a group of families, or a whole race, kindred) in heaven (the sky or abode of God) and earth (including the occupants, or a whole race or kindred) is named,” Ephesians 3:1515 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

. “Is named” refers to the fact that God The Father’s Name is above every name everywhere in heaven or earth, see Ephesians 1:17 - 2117 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

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“That (in order that) He (God The Father) would grant (may give) you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;” Ephesians 3:1616 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

. The 3 words “to be strengthened” translate one Greek word that is only used 4 times in the New Testament (NT) and means “to make powerful; make powerful in effect.” So Paul is praying that Almighty God, according to the riches (fullness of possessions, abundance) of His Glory, will give believers might (“might” translates the Greek “dumanis” meaning miraculous, unlimited power) by His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) in the inner man. Every believer is endued and sealed with with the Holy Spirit at the point of truly believing the Gospel:

• “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:1616 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
  
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• “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13 - 1413 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
  
  14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
  
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However, just because today’s true believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling within does not mean he/she always yields to the Spirit. Under the Kingdom Gospel to Israel, those Jews who believed that Jesus was their Messiah were filled with and thus under the control of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus Christ promised them:

• “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:88 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
  
  . They spoke in other languages than their own so that all in attendance could understand in their own language and they were endued with miraculous power, Acts 2:4 - 124 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
  
  5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
  
  6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
  
  7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
  
  8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
  
  9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
  
  10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
  
  11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
  
  12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
  
  . They all sold all they had and worshipped in the Temple in Jerusalem where many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, Acts 2:42 - 4742 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
  
  43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
  
  44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
  
  45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
  
  46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
  
  47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
  
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On the other hand, members of the Body of Christ today are told to “walk in the Spirit” so as not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, Galatians 5:1616 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

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• “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22 - 2522 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
  
  23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
  
  24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  
  25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
  
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The Holy Spirit is with believers today and as they often do not even know what to pray for, He makes intercession for them to God The Father in groanings that they are unable to utter, Romans 8:2626 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

. And the Apostle Paul’s prayer for us is:

• “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted (become stable) and grounded (founded) in love (agape, the highest form of love), may be able to comprehend (perceive) with all saints (all members of The Body of Christ) what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:17 - 1917 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
  
  18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
  
  19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
  
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There is nothing any believer can do in the flesh to have Christ dwell in their heart; He does so by faith alone, Ephesians 2:8 - 98 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

. And the Love of Christ is not something the new believer fully understands upon first being saved. Such understanding comes with the believer’s growth in Scriptures, particularly through the lens of Paul’s epistles. The Lord Jesus Christ is Love Personified. A cube has 3 dimensions; length, breadth and depth. Christ’s Love has breadth, length, depth and height because it is boundless and everlasting. Christ stepped out of the eternal glory of heaven, was born of a woman, was tempted in all ways but lived a perfect sinless life. However, His purpose of coming to earth was to die the most ignominious, painful, agonizing, shameful death imaginable. It’s one thing to say Christ died for our sins, but another to truly understand that The Word of God Who spoke the universe and all in it into existence. He is the One Who made mankind from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him, but He died, was buried and rose from the dead so that all who truly believe are blessed with all Spiritual blessings in the Heavens for eternity as trophies of His Grace, Ephesians 1:33 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

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Paul ends this 3rd chapter parenthesis: “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Ephesians 3:2020 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

. The measure of God’s ability to do is the measure of His power to perform.

“Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:2121 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

. (Or, as the Revised Version reads: “unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.” The ability of God secures the moral perfection of the believer.

• Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:66 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
  
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• “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” 2 Corinthians 9:88 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
  
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(Some statements herein are from “The Complete Bible Commentary” by George Williams.)