THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS

Passage: Ephesians 3:14-21

Key verse: 17

NIV

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel(A) before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches(B) he may strengthen you with power(C) through his Spirit in your inner being,(D) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts(E) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted(F) and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,(G) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep(H) is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge(I)—that you may be filled(J) to the measure of all the fullness of God.(K)

20 Now to him who is able(L) to do immeasurably more than all we ask(M) or imagine, according to his power(N) that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.(O)

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Footnotes
  1. Ephesians 3:15 The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater).
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom (A)every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to (B)the riches of his glory (C)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit (D)in your inner being, 17 (E)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being (F)rooted and (G)grounded in love, 18 may have strength to (H)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and (I)height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ (J)that surpasses knowledge, that (K)you may be filled with all (L)the fullness of God.

20 (M)Now to (N)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (O)according to the power at work within us, 21 (P)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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Footnotes
  1. Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts (14-17a)

Paul had one prayer topic for his sheep. It was that Christ might indwell them (Jn 15:5). Believers are different from non-believers because Christ dwells in the hearts of believers. He is the source of our new life. He is the fountainhead of real love. How is it that Christ dwells in us? Christ comes in when we invite him in. He dwells in our hearts by faith. He strengthens us in our inner being by the power by his Spirit.

2. Power to grasp the dimensions of love (17b-21)

If Christ dwells in us, we are rooted and established in his love. Christ's love is sacrificial. He loved us and gave himself for us on the cross. When we repent of sin and receive his mercy and forgiveness, his love comes in to fill our hearts. His love is wide enough to include all people; deep enough to forgive and heal the worst sinner; long enough to stretch from the beginning of history to the end; high enough to reach up and touch the very heart of God. How can we know love that surpasses knowledge? By knowing and loving Jesus, who loved us first.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, come and dwell in me.

One Word: By faith, Christ dwells in me