Praying for Inner Strength and Spiritual Growth

Devotional

Day 1: Praying for Inner Strength

Description: Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 emphasizes the need for inner strength through the Holy Spirit. This strength is essential for comprehending the vastness of Christ's love and being filled with the fullness of God. By praying for inner strength, we are asking God to fortify our hearts, souls, and minds, enabling us to stand firm in our faith and effectively share the gospel. This inner fortitude is not something we can muster on our own; it is a divine gift drawn from God's limitless storehouse of grace. As we pray for inner strength, we are better equipped to withstand spiritual attacks and remain steadfast in our faith. [07:11]

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: What specific area of your life do you need God's inner strength to help you stand firm in your faith today?

Day 2: Reverence in Prayer

Description: Paul's act of bowing his knees before God in Ephesians 3:14 is a powerful demonstration of humility and reverence. In our modern context, this reverence can be expressed through our actions, attire, and attitudes, both in public and private. Reverence in prayer is essential for a deep and meaningful relationship with God. It involves recognizing the holiness of God and our own need for humility. By approaching God with a heart of reverence, we align ourselves with His will and open ourselves to a deeper spiritual connection. [16:04]

Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

Reflection: How can you incorporate a greater sense of reverence in your daily prayer life, both in your physical posture and in your heart attitude?

Day 3: Proclaiming and Praying Together

Description: Paul couples his proclamation of the gospel with fervent prayer, highlighting the importance of both in effective ministry. This combination is essential for spreading the gospel and ensuring that our actions are always undergirded by prayer. By increasing both our prayer life and our efforts to share the gospel, we can more effectively make Christ known. This approach not only strengthens our own faith but also impacts those around us, as we rely on God's guidance and power in our ministry efforts. [37:06]

Colossians 4:2-4 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."

Reflection: Who is one person you can pray for today, asking God to open a door for you to share the gospel with them?

Day 4: Raising the Standard of Prayer

Description: We need to elevate our prayer life to a higher standard of reverence and scriptural alignment. This involves recognizing the holiness of God and our own need for humility. By aligning our prayers with God's Word, we enrich our spiritual lives and grow in Christlikeness. Raising the standard of our prayer life means being intentional about our prayers, seeking to honor God in every aspect, and allowing His Word to guide our petitions and intercessions. [38:46]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to align your prayers more closely with Scripture and elevate the standard of your prayer life?

Day 5: Praying for the Inner Being

Description: It is crucial to pray for the inner being—our heart, soul, and mind. This holistic approach to prayer helps us to be renewed and strengthened in our faith. By praying for inner strength, we support one another in standing firm against spiritual attacks and growing in our relationship with God. This type of prayer focuses on the transformation of our inner selves, enabling us to live out our faith more authentically and powerfully. [41:49]

2 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."

Reflection: In what ways can you pray for the renewal and strengthening of your inner being today, and how can this impact your daily walk with God?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into Ephesians 3:14-21, focusing on Paul's prayer for the Ephesian church, which emphasizes the need for inner strength to make Christ known. This prayer is a profound example of how we should pray for ourselves and others, not just for external circumstances but for inner spiritual fortitude. Paul prays for the Ephesians to be rooted and grounded in love, to comprehend the vastness of Christ's love, and to be filled with the fullness of God. This prayer is not just for the Ephesians but serves as a model for us to follow in our own prayer lives.

Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 is complemented by his other prayers in Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1, which also focus on spiritual wisdom, understanding, and strength. These prayers highlight the importance of praying for the inner being—our heart, soul, and mind—so that we can stand firm in our faith and effectively share the gospel. Paul himself was a prisoner, yet he saw his imprisonment as an opportunity to further the cause of Christ. He encourages us to adopt a similar perspective, seeing our trials as opportunities to glorify God.

We also discussed the importance of reverence in our prayer life. Paul’s act of bowing his knees before God is a powerful demonstration of humility and reverence. In our modern context, this reverence can be expressed through our actions, attire, and attitudes, both in public and private. We must strive to live out our faith boldly and visibly, just as Paul did, despite opposition and false accusations.

Furthermore, we explored the concept of praying for inner strength through the Holy Spirit. This strength is not something we can muster on our own; it is a gift from God, drawn from His limitless storehouse of grace. By praying for inner strength, we are asking God to fortify our hearts, souls, and minds, enabling us to withstand spiritual attacks and remain steadfast in our faith.

In conclusion, Paul's prayers serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of praying for inner strength and spiritual growth. As we emulate his example, we can expect to see our prayer lives enriched and our faith deepened, enabling us to make Christ known more effectively.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Praying for Inner Strength: Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 emphasizes the need for inner strength through the Holy Spirit. This strength enables us to comprehend the vastness of Christ's love and to be filled with the fullness of God. Praying for inner strength helps us to stand firm in our faith and effectively share the gospel. [07:11]
2. Reverence in Prayer: Paul's act of bowing his knees before God demonstrates profound reverence. In our modern context, we can express this reverence through our actions, attire, and attitudes, both in public and private. Reverence in prayer is essential for a deep and meaningful relationship with God. [16:04]
3. Proclaiming and Praying Together: Paul couples his proclamation of the gospel with fervent prayer. This combination is essential for effective ministry. We should strive to increase both our prayer life and our efforts to spread the gospel, ensuring that our actions are always undergirded by prayer. [37:06]
4. Raising the Standard of Prayer: We need to elevate our prayer life to a higher standard of reverence and scriptural alignment. This involves recognizing the holiness of God and our own need for humility. By aligning our prayers with God's Word, we enrich our spiritual lives and grow in Christlikeness. [38:46]
5. Praying for the Inner Being: It is crucial to pray for the inner being—our heart, soul, and mind. This holistic approach to prayer helps us to be renewed and strengthened in our faith. By praying for inner strength, we support one another in standing firm against spiritual attacks and growing in our relationship with God. [41:49]
### [41:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:11] - Introduction to Ephesians 3:14-21
[02:18] - Paul's First Prayer in Ephesians 1
[03:26] - Prayer for the Colossian Church
[05:33] - Making Paul's Prayers Our Own
[06:24] - Paul's Reverence and Intentional Prayer
[07:11] - Praying for Inner Strength
[09:20] - Paul's Imprisonment and Opposition
[11:36] - False Accusations and Perseverance
[13:38] - Raising the Standard of Prayer
[16:04] - Reverence in Prayer
[19:13] - Living Out Loud for Christ
[22:22] - Praying for Our Children
[24:37] - Fathers Praying for Their Families
[26:36] - The Family's Identity in God
[29:24] - The Spirit Imparts Strength
[31:00] - God's Limitless Storehouse of Grace
[34:02] - Praying for Inner Strength
[37:06] - Proclaiming and Praying Together
[38:46] - Raising the Standard of Prayer
[41:49] - Praying for the Inner Being
[46:21] - Paul's Daily Concern for the Churches
[49:17] - Misconceptions About Prayer and Sickness
[52:19] - God's Greater Purposes in Sickness
[54:12] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Paul pray for in Ephesians 3:14-21 regarding the inner strength of the Ephesian church?
How does Paul demonstrate reverence in his prayer according to Ephesians 3:14? [16:04]
In Colossians 1:9-14, what specific qualities does Paul pray for the Colossian church to possess?
What is the significance of Paul referring to himself as a "prisoner of the Lord" in Ephesians 3:1 and 4:1? [09:20]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize the need for inner strength through the Holy Spirit in his prayer for the Ephesians? [07:11]
How can Paul's act of bowing his knees before God be seen as a model for our own prayer lives today? [16:04]
What does it mean to be "rooted and grounded in love" as Paul prays in Ephesians 3:17? How does this foundation impact our spiritual lives?
How does Paul's perspective on his imprisonment serve as an example for how we should view our own trials and challenges? [09:20]

Application Questions

Paul prays for inner strength for the Ephesians. Reflect on your own life: In what areas do you need to pray for inner strength through the Holy Spirit? How can you make this a regular part of your prayer life? [07:11]
Paul shows profound reverence by bowing his knees in prayer. How can you incorporate more reverence into your own prayer practices, both in public and private settings? [16:04]
Paul couples his proclamation of the gospel with fervent prayer. How can you ensure that your efforts to share the gospel are always supported by prayer? What specific steps can you take to improve this balance? [37:06]
Reflect on a recent trial or challenge you have faced. How can you adopt Paul's perspective of seeing trials as opportunities to glorify God? What practical steps can you take to shift your mindset in future challenges? [09:20]
Paul prays for the Ephesians to be "rooted and grounded in love." Identify one relationship in your life where you can work on being more rooted and grounded in love. What specific actions can you take to strengthen this relationship?
How can you raise the standard of your prayer life to align more closely with scriptural principles? What changes can you make to ensure your prayers are more reverent and aligned with God's Word? [38:46]
Think about someone in your life who may be struggling spiritually. How can you pray for their inner being—heart, soul, and mind—to be strengthened? What specific prayers can you offer for them this week? [41:49]

Sermon Clips

1. "It takes an element of holy boldness to share the gospel and even to make disciples to continue in Christ, and Christ emboldens us by the power of the Holy Spirit to do that. Today I want to speak to you about inner strength to make Christ known." [01:11] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "I pray that as you are talking and building up one another in Christ, that you're just overwhelmed by all that what God is doing, and that you also would bow down and just start praying on the spot. Because this is something that has happened to the Apostle Paul." [06:24] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So Paul's prayers here lead us to acknowledge that we need to pray for people inwardly. And perhaps we're accustomed to taking prayer requests and praying for the sick and praying for those who are going through struggles and trials in this life, and that's great. But I want to show you today from the text that we need not only just to pray for people on the outward level and circumstantially, but pray for them inwardly to be strengthened by God in all of these different ways." [07:56] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We must be reverent. We must be reverent. We must be reverent. Paul's reverence for God, is seen by the fact that he mentions that he bows his knees. And this is intentional reverence. I believe that Paul actually bowed down at this point. And personally, you can differ with me. That's fine. That's a little nuance. It doesn't really matter. Most importantly, what really matters is that the posture of his heart was reverent before the Lord." [16:04] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If the Muslims can bow down towards Mecca, three, six, eight, ten, however many times, a day that they do, then folks, I think that we need to live out loud in such a way that we are making Christ known. If the Jehovah's Witnesses can be on campus at UCF as well and hand out their literature, then Christians had better be giving the answer as well." [19:42] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "If you would get behind the scenes and pray deeply and pray for the brethren, I think that evangelism and discipleship is something that needs not only to have a prayer warrior who is doing the preaching and the evangelizing and the discipling, not only should that person be prayed up, but according to Colossians chapter four and verse three, we need to have people praying for us." [20:57] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Don't we need to pray for our children to be able to have the inner strength to say no to evil? Don't we need to pray for our children to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be able to be Christians, mere Christians, Christianity? I think so. I think that we need to have spiritual prayers for people to be strengthened inwardly, to know the love of Christ, to be filled with the fullness of God as this prayer demonstrates." [22:42] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Fathers, listen. If your children do not see a very consistent life in Christ, inwardly, they will feel that you may not be the real deal and it diminishes your influence. It diminishes Christ in their minds. And so, we must be one's fathers. Listen to me. You must pray with your wife and children. You must pray in your private homes." [23:57] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Proclaiming and praying, go together. So Paul is both proclaiming the gospel publicly. He's proclaiming the gospel by writing the Ephesian epistle. He's proclaiming the gospel, but he has intentionally coupled that with prayer. And so we need to be a people of prayer who couple both proclaiming and praying." [37:06] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Raise the standard of prayer to a standard of scriptural reverence. And then pray for people's inner strength to be strengthened in a way that is glorifying to the Lord." [52:19] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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