In Ephesians 3:16, Paul declares that he prays “according to the riches of God’s glory.” While we know prayer is important, many of us don’t know the posture, position, or person of prayer like Paul did.
In this expositional message, Nathan Johnson talks about what it means to pray according to the riches of God’s glory and gives you three important questions that have the potential to deepen and transform your prayer life.
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Key Passage: Ephesians 3:14
Ephesians 3:14-21 – For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 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, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
3 Questions for your prayer life?
1. Do you know to whom you pray?
- Deuteronomy 20:4 – for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
- Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Jeremiah 10:12–13 – It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the wind from His storehouses.
- Jeremiah 32:17 – ‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You …
- Psalm 147:4–5 – He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.
- 2 Peter 1:3–4 – seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
- Hebrews 1:3a – And He [Jesus] is the radiance of His [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
2. Do you know the limit for prayer?
- » The limit of prayer is only limited by the One to whom we are praying
- Ephesians 1:19 – [I pray you would know] what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might …
- Ephesians 3:20 – 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 …
3. Do you know the focus/answer of every prayer? » Jesus
- » What if Jesus was the answer and solution to every need in our lives?
- 2 Peter 1:3–4 – seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
- Ephesians 1:7–8 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.
- Galatians 5:22–23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
A heavenly storehouse of treasure found in Christ is made available to us
- He is love (1 John 4:18)
- He is truth (John 14:6)
- He is our life (John 6:53-54, 14:6, 15:1-5, Heb 13:20, 1 John 1:2, Rev 2:7)
- He is our atonement (Rom 5:11)
- He is our salvation (Matt 1:21, Rom 5:9, 1 John 4:14)
- He is our propitiation (Rom 3:25)
- He is our redemption (Matt 26:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 3:25, Rom 5:9, Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, Heb 9:7, 9:12, 9:22, 1 John 1:7, Rev 1:5, 5:9, 7:14)
- He purges our conscience (Heb 9:14)
- He is our peace (Eph 2:14, Col 1:20)
- He is our reconciliation (Col 1:20)
- He is our righteousness (Isaiah 61:10, Rom 3:22, 2 Cor 5:21, Phil 3:9)
- He overcomes and destroys death and the devil (Heb 2:14, Rev 12:11)
- He is our sanctification (1 Cor 1:30, Heb 10:29, 13:12)
- He is our healer (Exodus 15:26, Isaiah 53:5, Jer 8:22, 1 Peter 2:24)
- He is our boldness and courage (Heb 10:19)
- He is our dwelling (Ps 23, 91:9-10, John 14:23, Eph 2:22)
- He is our advocate (1 John 2:1)
- He is our wisdom (Proverbs, 1 Cor 1:30, Eph 1:8, Col 2:3)
- He is our triumph (2 Cor 2:14)
- He is our holiness and purity (Eph 1:4, 1 John 3:3)
- He is our blessing (Eph 1:3)
- He is our inheritance (Eph 1:11)
- He is our joy (Psalm 16:11)
- He is our goal, aim, race, and prize (Phil 3:14)
- He is our author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:1-2)
- He is our perfection (Col 1:28)
- He is our clothing (Isaiah 61:10, Eph 4:24)
- He is our rock, our fortress, our shield, our protector, our high tower (Psalms)
- He is our foundation and Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16, 1 Cor 3:11, Eph 2:21, 1 Peter 2:4-6)
- He is our head and authority (Eph 1:22-23, Col 2:10)
- He is our holy calling (Eph 4:1-3, 2 Tim 1:9)
- He is our promise (2 Cor 1:20, 2 Peter 1:3-4)
- He is our circumcision (Col 2:11)
- He is our lover of our soul (John 3:16, Jer 31:3, John 15:13, Eph 5:25-27)
- He is our altar, sacrifice, and our high priest (Mark 10:49, Eph 5:2, Heb 3:1, 5:6, 7:27, Heb 9-10, Heb 13:10, Rev 13:8)
- He is the Upholder of all things (Her 1:3)
- He is our Shepherd (John 10:11, Heb 13:20, 1 Peter 5:4)
- He is our daily manna (John 6:33-35, Rev 2:17)
- He is our light (John 1:9, 12:35, Rev 22:16)
- He is our strength (Joel 3:12-16, Isaiah 25:4)
- He is our forerunner and first fruits (Heb 6:20)
- He is our mediator (1 Tim 2:5)
- He is our intercessor (Heb 7:25
- He is our gift (John 3:16, 4:10, 2 Cor 9:15)
- He is our leader, commander, ruler, and governor (Isaiah 55:4, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6)
- He is our deliverer (Rom 11:26)
- He is our judge (Acts 17:31, 2 Tim 4:8)
- He is our portion, our maker, our bridegroom, our husband (Isaiah 54:4, Matt 9:15, Rev 21:9)
- He is our well-beloved (SoS 1:13)
- He is our hope (1 Tim 1:1)
- He is our brother (Mark 3:35)
- He is our helper (Heb 13:6)
- He is our refiner (Mal 3:3)
- He is our example (John 13:15, 1 Peter 2:21)
- He is our teacher (John 3:2)
- He is our keeper (John 17:12)
- He is our restorer (Psalm 23:3)
- He is our resting place (Jeremiah 50:6)
- He is our King (Zech 14:4-9, Heb 7:2, Rev 15:3, 19:16
- He is our Christ, our Messiah (Daniel 9:25, Luke 2:11, Rom 5:21, Col 1:2, 2 These 2:16, Rev 1:5)
- He is our Lord (Rev 17:14)
- He is our all in all (Col 3:11)
- He is our Jesus
In Our Next Study Together …
I invite you to join me on this journey from the book of Ephesians to discover God’s eternal purpose, His plan for your
- The focus of our next study: Ephesians 3:16
- We will discuss what it means to be strengthened with God’s almighty power that Paul talks about in Ephesians 3:16.
- I encourage you to read through Ephesians a couple of times this week and focus specifically on Ephesians 3:14-21.
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About The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series
The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series in Ephesians is a Christ-centered practical in-depth verse-by-verse study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Join NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) as he expositionally preaches from this incredible book – which will help you grow in your faith, gain greater intimacy with Jesus, and understand how to study God’s Word.
Many Christians feel frustrated because they don’t grow spiritually. Deeper Christian equips Christians to understand the Word of God and cultivate a passionate love for Jesus that turns the world upside down.
About NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson)
NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the
Read more about him here.
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