Experiencing Our Identity and Power in Christ

 

Summary

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 is a powerful invitation to move beyond simply knowing about God to actually experiencing the fullness of our identity in Christ. The heart of this passage is not just about understanding theological truths, but about living them out as a daily reality. Paul reminds us that, as the people of God, we are not merely individuals who have received forgiveness, but a community filled with the very power and presence of God, unleashed for His purposes in the world. Our faith is not just a ticket to heaven or a cultural label—it is a call to participate in God’s ongoing work, empowered by His Spirit.

The foundation of this identity is rooted in the gospel: we have been adopted, redeemed, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Paul draws on Old Testament imagery—kingdom, family, temple—to show that what was once limited to buildings and bloodlines is now fulfilled in the church, the living body of Christ. The presence of God is no longer confined to a temple; it dwells in us, His people. This is not a distant or abstract truth, but a lived reality meant to transform our lives and our communities.

Yet, many of us feel a disconnect between what we believe and what we experience. We may know the promises, attend the services, and say the right words, but still feel spiritually dry or distant from God. Paul’s prayer addresses this gap. He prays that we would be strengthened with power through the Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ would dwell in our hearts—not as a temporary guest, but as a permanent resident. This strength is not something we muster up by trying harder; it is received by trusting and relying on the Spirit within us.

Paul also prays that we would be rooted and established in love, experiencing together with the church the vastness of Christ’s love—a love that surpasses knowledge. This is not just an intellectual exercise, but an invitation to wrestle with the magnitude of God’s love and to know it intimately, so that we are filled with all the fullness of God. We are called to stop living as spiritual beggars, asking God for scraps, when He has already given us everything in Christ. Our response is to receive, to trust, and to live out this identity in the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God in every generation.

Key Takeaways

- The church is not a building or a weekly event, but the living body of Christ—God’s people filled with His power and presence, sent into the world for His purposes. This identity is rooted in the gospel and is meant to be our daily reality, not just a theological concept. When we minimize church to a service or a social club, we miss the depth of what God intends for us. [15:35]

- True spiritual strength does not come from our own abilities, achievements, or resilience, but from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul’s prayer is not for us to try harder, but to be strengthened by relying on the Spirit within us. Christ’s presence in our hearts is not fleeting; He takes up permanent residence, offering us a source of strength that endures through every circumstance. [20:22]

- Experiencing the fullness of our identity in Christ requires both wrestling with the magnitude of His love and knowing it intimately. Paul invites us to “grasp” the dimensions of Christ’s love—how wide, long, high, and deep it is—and to move beyond head knowledge to a lived, daily experience of that love. This is the sustaining power behind our faith. [27:18]

- God’s power and generosity far exceed our expectations or imagination. Too often, we approach God as if He is stingy or annoyed by our needs, when in reality, He is the Father who longs to give us all He has. We must stop living as spiritual beggars and start trusting in the immeasurable riches He has already given us in Christ. [32:59]

- Our response to this truth is not to strive, but to receive—to kneel before God, open our hearts, and allow His Spirit to work these realities into our lives. As we do, we become a people who not only know about God’s love and power, but who embody and share it with the world, bringing glory to God in every generation. [34:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:26] - Opening Prayer
[02:22] - The “Full Bars, No Connection” Analogy
[03:22] - The Gap Between Belief and Experience
[05:22] - Our Gospel Identity in Ephesians
[10:12] - Paul’s Prayer: The Heartbeat of Ephesians
[15:35] - Minimizing the Church’s Identity
[18:25] - Moving from Knowledge to Lived Reality
[19:07] - Spirit-Empowered Strength
[20:22] - The Source and Permanence of Our Strength
[25:02] - Christ’s Love: The Sustaining Power
[27:18] - Wrestling with and Experiencing Christ’s Love
[30:15] - God’s Immeasurable Power and Generosity
[32:59] - Living as Spiritual Beggars
[33:35] - Responding to Our True Identity
[34:22] - Closing Prayer and Celebration

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Experiencing the Fullness of Our Identity in Christ
*(Based on Ephesians 3:14-21 and the sermon by Gideon Mangus)*

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### Bible Reading

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)
> For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21, what does he specifically ask God to do for the believers?
2. What Old Testament images does Paul use to describe the church’s identity, and how does he say these are now fulfilled in the church? ([05:22])
3. In the sermon, what does the word “dwell” mean when Paul prays that Christ would dwell in our hearts? ([20:22])
4. What does Paul say about the love of Christ—how does he describe its dimensions and our experience of it? ([27:18])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul emphasize that the church is not just a building or a weekly event, but the living body of Christ? How does this change the way we think about church? ([15:35])
2. The sermon mentions a “gap” between what we believe and what we experience. What are some reasons people might feel this gap in their spiritual lives? ([03:22])
3. Paul prays that believers would be “rooted and established in love.” What does it look like for a church community to be rooted in Christ’s love, both intellectually and experientially? ([27:18])
4. The sermon says that God’s power and generosity “far exceed our expectations or imagination.” How does this truth challenge the way we approach God with our needs? ([32:59])

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon describes how easy it is to minimize church to just a service or a social club. In what ways have you been tempted to see church this way? How can you begin to see and participate in church as the living body of Christ? ([15:35])
2. Paul prays that we would be strengthened by the Spirit, not by our own efforts. Where do you usually look for strength in your daily life? What would it look like to rely more on the Spirit’s strength this week? ([20:22])
3. The sermon talks about Christ taking up “permanent residence” in our hearts, not just being a guest. Are there areas of your life where you treat Jesus more like a visitor than a resident? What would it mean to invite Him into those areas? ([20:22])
4. Paul invites us to “grasp” and “know” the love of Christ, both in our minds and in our experience. When was the last time you truly wrestled with or experienced the depth of Christ’s love? How can you make space for that this week? ([27:18])
5. The story of the prodigal son in the sermon illustrates how we sometimes approach God as if He is stingy. Do you ever find yourself “begging God for scraps” instead of trusting in His generosity? What would it look like to live as someone who has already received everything in Christ? ([32:59])
6. The sermon says our response is not to strive, but to receive and trust. What is one practical way you can “kneel before God, open your heart, and allow His Spirit to work these realities into your life” this week? ([34:22])
7. How can you help others in our church community move from just knowing about God to actually experiencing the fullness of their identity in Christ? ([18:25])

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray Ephesians 3:14-21 over one another, asking God to make these truths a lived reality in your lives and in your church.

Devotional

Day 1: Our Identity as the People of God
The church is not just a building or a service, but the very people of God, filled with His power and presence, and sent out for His purposes in the world. This identity is not something to be minimized or reduced to a social gathering or cultural club; it is a magnificent calling to participate in God’s movement and mission. As recipients of the gospel, we are adopted into God’s family, made citizens of His kingdom, and built into a spiritual house where the Holy Spirit dwells, making us the focal point of God’s activity on earth. [07:40]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Reflection: In what ways have you viewed church as just a service or social event, and how might embracing your identity as part of God’s people change your expectations and engagement this week?


Day 2: Strengthened by the Spirit’s Power
True strength for the Christian life does not come from our own abilities, resources, or determination, but from the indwelling Holy Spirit who empowers us from within. This strength is not fleeting or dependent on our circumstances; it is rooted in the permanent presence of Christ in our hearts. We are called to rely on and trust in the Spirit’s power, not to strive in our own strength, knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us and sustains us daily. [20:22]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV)
That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love...

Reflection: Where are you tempted to look for strength apart from God, and how can you intentionally rely on the Spirit’s power in a specific area of weakness today?


Day 3: Rooted and Established in Christ’s Love
The sustaining power behind our spiritual strength is being deeply rooted and established in the love of Christ, experienced together with the church. Paul invites us to both wrestle with the vastness of Christ’s love—how wide, long, high, and deep it is—and to know it intimately, not just intellectually but as a daily, lived reality. This love is not something we graduate from; it is the foundation and fuel for our lives, meant to be experienced in community and to transform us from the inside out. [27:18]

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)
...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Reflection: How can you take time today to “stare at the love of Jesus” and let the reality of His love for you sink deeper into your heart?


Day 4: God Can Do Immeasurably More
God is not limited by our imagination, requests, or expectations; He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us. Too often, we approach God as if He is stingy or annoyed by our needs, but He is a loving Father who delights to give us all that He has—His Son, His Spirit, and His fullness. We are invited to trust in His abundant generosity and to approach Him with bold faith, believing that He desires to work powerfully in and through us. [32:59]

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)
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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have limited God by your expectations, and how can you pray boldly for Him to do “immeasurably more” today?


Day 5: Receiving and Living Out Our Full Identity
Moving from simply knowing about our identity in Christ to actually experiencing it as a lived reality requires us to receive what God has promised and to respond in faith. This means opening our hearts to the Spirit’s work, allowing Christ to take up permanent residence, and letting His love and power shape our daily lives. As we do, we become the people of God—filled with His presence, rooted in His love, and unleashed for His purposes—bringing glory to Him in our generation and beyond. [34:22]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to move from knowing about your identity in Christ to actually living it out in your relationships, work, or service?

Quotes



In chapter one, he says that you've been predestined to adoption. You've been redeemed by the blood of Christ. You have been marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit that gives you hope and power to those who believe. Then in chapter two, he takes that big concept and he fleshes it out on a personal level. He says, you were once dead. Now you've been made alive. You were once ruled by the passion of your flesh. Now you've been saved by grace and you've been set apart for good works that God has prepared in advance for you to do. [00:05:32] (33 seconds)


Here's what Paul is saying right here. Paul is saying, man, you have accepted Christ. The sin, the guilt, the shame, that's been nailed to the cross. You have been given and entrusted and indwelt. his spirit and what you need to understand now church in Ephesus is that that spirit in you is your source of strength in the world understand what he's saying that spirit that God has placed in you is your source of strength in this one have strength in the world understand the spirit that God has placed inside of you understand the riches of the inheritance you have. [00:20:10] (39 seconds)


The secret strength of the Christian is the spirit of God alive in your life I've got a question for you where do you look for strength we look for strength in so many places look for strength in in our IQ and our degrees and our ability to be successful to make money and our relationships our family and our kids and our resilience and independence our ability to do it on our own man all of that fades economies fail jobs let us down relationships don't work out loved ones pass away then even we get run down and burn it so far I'm constantly reminded of how weak I am. [00:21:33] (56 seconds)


Paul doesn't list five steps for feeling strong Paul doesn't let's hear my five steps for tapping into that inner strength he actually doesn't give you any information on how to do anything that word there he prays in the passive voice that it's not active he says I pray that you would be strengthened here's what he's saying living in this strength is a matter of relying and trusting not trying and doing it is a matter of trusting more not trying harder we're gonna know what your strength is in this world it's not you it's not your ability to be crafting or cunning it is a spirit in you working to sustain you. [00:22:47] (49 seconds)


Jesus Christ is not renting space in your heart. He's not just passing through. When it says that he would dwell, he is taking up permanent residence. This strength isn't coming or going. It's not just for a moment. It is the daily reality that you live in. Want to know where your strength comes from? It comes from the fact that when Jesus said, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age, that wasn't just a nice sentiment to pacify you. That was a promise. And you know how you can trust a promise? Knowing the one giving it. [00:24:32] (35 seconds)


Paul's first step here is this, wrestle with the magnitude of Christ's love. How wide is it? Wide enough to cover all of our sins. How deep is it? Its depth is incomprehensible. How high is it? It goes up to the highest heaven. How long is it from...eternity past to eternity future he invites us to wrestle with the love of christ but that's not it the second thing he prays for is that we would not just wrestle with it intellectually but that we would know it intimately he says i pray that you would know the love that is beyond knowledge how does that work how do i know something that's beyond knowledge the word for know there isn't talking about the intellectual it's talking about experience that you would experience this love intimately that it wouldn't just be a head knowledge but it would take root in your heart that you would experience this love as a daily joy that you would rely on this love as a daily reality that we really would taste and see that the lord is good. [00:28:05] (80 seconds)


What is the sustaining power behind the spirit strength in your life it is the believer's personal experience and knowledge of the love of jesus we cannot graduate graduate from the love of christ. [00:29:33] (16 seconds)


Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in christ jesus throughout all generations forever and ever amen man that prayer is so beautiful it was also so extremely dense so extremely theologically rich so deep. [00:12:16] (31 seconds)


He addresses this to the god who is able to do immeasurably more paul uses immeasurably paul uses this really rare adjective and it what it is it is the biggest comparison he can think of and what he's trying to get across is that the gap between what god can do and what we could ever ask him or imagine is so big so grand it's laughable that is the power of the god that we serve the one who can do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine inconceivably more. [00:30:36] (38 seconds)


How often do we come to God like that? Like his strength is limited. Like his love is fading. Like he would be stingy with his grace. Like he would, like the power of the Holy Spirit isn't inside of us. How often do we go around begging for a dime when our heavenly father says, I'm here to give you it all. I've given my son. I've given my spirit. It's yours. [00:32:59] (36 seconds)


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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
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