TOPIC:‌"Prayer and the Christian's Fullness"

                 by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Ephesians 3:14-21

 

"that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19)

 

‌Dr. William G. Scroggie, in his book, Paul's Prison Prayers, writes of this prayer: "Great as have been the other prayers it may not be too much to claim that this one in Ephesians 3:14-21 is the greatest, for it includes them all." He goes on to write: "There is nothing conceivable for the believer, beyond 'the fullness of God.' That brief word goes beyond all that we have ever experienced, and sums up all that we ever may experience." I fully agree with those words.

 

‌This is without double one of the great Scriptures in all of the Bible. It is Paul at his best as he sets forth a series of petitions in the most supreme and splendid prayer ever recorded. In the loftiest of language Paul records his heartfelt passion that we may experience the fullness of God as revealed in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

‌Let us now look at the second of Paul's prayers to the Ephesian Christians.

 

I.

 

‌Think, first of all, the APPROACH Paul DISPLAYS before this prayer. He writes in verses 14 and 15: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named." Let us consider two things here.

 

‌There is the REASON for it - "For this cause..." (v. 15). The NIV has it: "For this reason..." These words are repeated from verse 1 when Paul was about to pray. He broke off before finishing his thought in order to elaborate on the mystery of the church. He now returns to his previous line of thought.

 

‌And what was the reason for this prayer? For the answer we must go back to chapter 2 where Paul brings into contrast what they were once when outside of Christ and what they are now in Christ. They have been changed from slaves to sons, from being dead to alive, and from having no hope to having hope. This caused Paul's holy soul to leap with joyful praise to God. And so he prayed!

 

‌There is the REVERENCE of it - "I bow my knees" (v. 14). The NLT renders it: "I fall to my knees." Paul has been called "the kneeling pastor." It suited him well. We read these words about Paul in Acts chapter 20 verse 36: "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all."

 

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