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Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20, NASB1995).
The Apostle’s Prayer in Ephesians chapter 3 is The Prayer Warrior’s Prayer.
I once heard my Bible college professor say, “Charles Spurgeon is the preacher’s preacher.” He was a pastor of a Baptist church in England a century ago and known as the “Prince of Preachers.”
I wrote about this prayer yesterday (Interruption #767). Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 teaches nine lessons needed for our prayers to be answered, “far more abundantly beyond what we ask.”
Two of those lessons were written about in yesterday’s Interruption (#767): 1. Submission and 2. Understanding Our Heritage. I talk about three more below.
3. Understand True Wealth
That God will grant you (answers) according to the riches of His glory (v. 16).
Realize that we pray according to our view of wealth.
I live in a city described as having a “spirit of poverty.” If we pray according to the resources that we can see, we will pray with a spirit of poverty, never reaching our full potential in praying.
We must learn to pray from the wealth of God’s glory.
If we get online today and notice that our bank account has 10 dollars, our spending will be different than if we see one million dollars. God’s glory, when seen, changes the faith of our decision-making…
From 10 dollars to one million dollar requests.
4. Strengthened With Power
Be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man (v. 16).
When the Apostle Paul writes “be strengthened” he means that we have the power to prevail!
Of the nine secrets of abundant praying in Ephesians 3:14-21, I get the most peace from this verse. No matter the difficulties that I face, when I walk in submission to Jesus I have a heritage of victory.
I repeat in my prayers, “I can prevail! I will prevail!” This is my pep talk that I pray over and over during the most difficult circumstances. I prevail because of the power of the Spirit working through me.
I can prevail, I will prevail. We can prevail. We will prevail. Amen.
5. Christ In Our Hearts
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (v. 17).
Consider this teaching: the creator of the universe dwells in your heart.
The Greek word for “heart” is used about 200 times in the New Testament but is never used to refer to what is thumping in your chest right now. The word defines the center of our spiritual life, the core of our being, and the mainspring of our attitudes.
Christ came to die … not for our physical body that wastes away … but for our hearts.
He dwells in our hearts.
I’m tied in knots mentally when I imagine Christ in my heart. How does this happen? Jesus isn’t physically living inside of us but His Spirit dwells within us. Because the Spirit is spirit – there is a Presence that those of us who walk in the Spirit can sense.
Nine lessons of Ephesians 3:14-21.
I often think too much about a topic. I’ve never written a four-part set of Interruptions. I will finish lessons six through nine in the next two Interruptions.
I want to pray with confidence for answers beyond what I can imagine. I need powerful prayer in my life today. I believe that you do too!
The Prayer Warrior’s Prayer!