SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HERTS

Passage: Ephesians 3:14-21

Key verse: 17a

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)

Read full chapter
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.

Read full chapter
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 two prayer topics for his Ephesian brothers and sisters. In his prayer, Paul revealed two very important aspects of Christian life. The first prayer topic was that God may strengthen the Ephesian Christians through the Holy Spirit. When they had the Holy Spirit, they would come to have Christ dwelling in their hearts, through faith. As Christians we need Christ to dwell in our hearts. This should be one of our prayer topics.

2. Rooted and established in love (17b-21)

The second prayer topic Paul had for the Ephesian Christians was that they may be rooted and established in the love of Christ. The love of Christ is unlike any other love. It is wider, deeper, longer and higher than any love we have ever experienced. We cannot know this love on our own. It isn't like human love. The love of Christ surpasses all human knowledge! To know Christ's love is to know the measure of all the fullness of God.

Prayer: Lord, may Christ dwell in my heart. May I come to know deeply the love of Christ in my heart.

One Word: May Christ dwell in my heart