A Note from Michael Gossett
The Fullness of Christ Through Prayer
What if I told you that the greatest power available to the Christian life is not found in strategy, charisma, or even influence, or big budgets, but instead in humble prayer before the throne of grace?
This is not hyperbole. This is what scripture teaches throughout and it is the very heart of Paul’s intercessory prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. This section of Ephesians serves as the crescendo of spiritual clarity in which the apostle pleads for believers to know the transforming strength of Christ dwelling in them through faith. This passage is not a mere benediction, but it is a theological summit from which we look upon the inexhaustible riches of God’s grace and the immeasurable greatness of His power for those who believe (Ephesians 1:19). Here, the doctrine of union with Christ comes to life, rooted in the language of prayer, and bursts into doxology.
Prayer and Posture: Humility Before the Throne
Paul opens this section with, “For this reason I kneel before the Father” (v. 14). This small phrase carries a significant weight that cannot be overlooked. Kneeling was not a common Jewish posture in prayer. Standing was really most common. Kneeling was reserved for moments of exceptional reverence and desperation. Solomon knelt at the dedication of the Temple in 2 Chronicles 6:13. Jesus fell to the ground in the garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:35. Paul himself kneels with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:36.
Here, kneeling is not a cultural detail of the day, instead it is a tangible posture of the heart. It is a visible confession of who we really are before the Creator of the universe. It is a clear declaration of dependance before the Self-Sufficient One and a declaration of weakness before the Omnipotent One. Our access to God is not based on presumption but on the grace and mercy of God. We do not storm the throne as if we are entitled to the King’s ear. Instead, we kneel, knowing we approach a holy God through the mediating work of Christ alone.
Thomas Watson, the great Puritan, reminds us, “When we come to the throne of grace, we must bring the broken heart, not the bold face.” Prayer is not about spiritual swagger—it is about spiritual surrender.
Desperation that Leads to Strength
Paul continues by saying, “I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit” (v. 16).
You and I cannot miss this progression. Paul moves from humility to power. God is the one who strengthens the broken, not the boastful. The “inner being” is the soul of our personhood where thoughts, desires, and affections reside. This strengthening is not cosmetic or circumstantial. It is spiritual fortitude forged in the furnace of communion with God.
This truly is echoed in Paul’s words to the church at Corinth. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” The outward man is continually growing frail, but the inward man flourishes through the means of grace, and what is chief among those means? Prayer.
Rooted in Love – Immersed in Christ
Paul then prays in verse 17, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” and that believers may be “rooted and grounded in love.”
To be rooted is clearly a botanical metaphor that implies growth, stability, and nourishment. To be grounded is architectural, which implies structure, permanence, and integrity. John Calvin wrote often about the believer’s union with Christ and would often emphasize the blessings of salvation, justification, sanctification, adoption, and glorification which all flow from this union with Christ. Paul’s imagery reinforces this. To be rooted in Christ’s love is to be grafted into the living Vine of Christ as Jesus taught in John 15:5. To be grounded in Christ is to be built upon the only sure foundation as described in 1 Corinthians 3:11.
Notice the audacity of Paul in this prayer. He does not merely ask for doctrinal clarity or blind obedience. Instead, Paul prays that the saints would know the length, width, height, and depth of Christ’s love. These dimensions defy human comprehension. In the words of “Wicked” they are “defying gravity” itself. In other words, to know what surpasses all knowledge or human intellect.
How is this possible?
Only through spiritual immersion. If you were to take a bottle to the beach with you, you can fill up that bottle and have part of the ocean that you could take with you. But only by submerging the bottle into the ocean do you fully experience its vastness. We do not merely hold Christ in us; we are submerged in Him. This is the dual reality of Colossians 1:27 that says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ… Christ lives in me.”
The fullness of Christ’s love is not for casual observers but for deep-rooted disciples whose lives are nourished by constant communion with Him.
Expecting the Extraordinary
Paul concludes his prayer with a doxology. Verse 20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”
This is staggering. Not only is God able, He is able beyond all measure. He is not limited by our petitions or imaginations. As John Newton once said, “Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring.”
Paul’s encouragement is not wishful thinking but is Christ-centered certainty. The same Spirit that raised Jesus now resides in every believer. The mission of the church, the growth of each soul, and the sanctification of the believer is not based on the requirement of innovation but intercession.
Prayer is not the prelude to the work; it is the work. And somehow, through the prayers of broken people, kingdom impact is unleashed through the church.
To the Ephesian believers, Paul reminds them that the ultimate purpose of this power is not comfort, personal success, or self-glory, but the glorification of Christ in the church for every generation. True revival is not measured in numbers, but in kneeling hearts and God-glorifying obedience.
The Power of Prayer in the Life of the Church
In many ways, we are tempted to substitute programs for prayer, activity for adoration, and noise for nearness. But Paul reminds us today that if we want to experience the power of Christ in our lives, we must kneel in prayer.
The Puritans called prayer “the breath of the soul.” Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer pulls the rope below the great bell rings above in the ears of God.” Samuel Chadwick warned, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying.”
My prayer for us as a church is that the Lord would not allow us to fall prey to prayerless Christianity. My prayer for us as a church is that we would not be so overprogrammed that we would “program” out what is needed most. We can have great attendance, great budgets, and great programs (which we do), but apart from being a people of prayer, it is powerlessness disguised as progress.
Today, let us fall to our knees like McKinley did in the White House, like Paul did in prison, like Jesus did in Gethsemane. Not because kneeling earns merit, but because it expresses our absolute dependence on God’s sovereign grace.
Where do you start? Start with the Lord’s prayer. Pray through the Lord’s Prayer concentrating on every phrase. Pray through the 10 Commandments, pray the words of Psalm 23, pray the words of Psalm 73, pray often, pray humbly, pray bold, pray expectantly, and pray unhurried.
How can I pray for you?
Every morning I pray for you and our church family. If you send an email to pastor@gabc.org with your prayer requests, I commit to praying for you by name. I want us to be a people of prayer. I want us to be a house of prayer. Let it start now, and let it start for His glory. And let’s watch expectantly for God’s intervention.
This Sunday at Green Acres:
Have you grown tired of religious routines? Have you ever felt like your church routines or disciplines feel more like a burden than a blessing? Do you ever wonder if there is more to Christianity than going through the motions? I have!
Jesus did not come to simply stitch Himself onto your old life. Instead, Jesus came to give you a brand-new life and a brand-new identity. We do not believe the gospel is about empty religion, but about a real relationship with Christ Himself. The kind of life that is full of joy, purpose, and freedom.
If you are longing for something new or missing out on this type of life, then this Sunday is for you. If you are looking to go deeper in your relationship with Christ, then come and discover what it means to walk in the newness of life in Christ. We will save a seat for you!
Come to worship at Tyler or Flint at 9:30am or 11:00am and Español at 11:00. We also have Connect Groups, which are essential for your growth in Christ, that meet at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am. Come and join us!
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett