One author says that, “the love that motivates us is the power that drives us.” When the love within us is corrupted then the power that drives us will produce corruption. When what we love is rotten then the fruit of our lives will be rotten.
What we need is to be connected to a life-giving power source. We need to pray that our Heavenly Father would help us to believe in his power and fill us with his power and help us to live from the deep reservoir of his power.
That’s what Paul prays for in Ephesians 3:14 – 21…
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in Heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
We have an identity crisis…
Our identity crisis is rooted in our unbelief of God’s identity. Hasn’t this always been Satan’s aim? Isn’t this what Satan ultimately wanted in the garden? Isn’t that why he questioned Eve regarding what God had really said? Satan will spend a little time getting you to question and doubt yourself but Satan’s end game has less to do with you and far more to do with God. Satan isn’t at war with you per se. Satan is at war with the God that lives inside of you if you belong to God. It’s God’s glory that Satan wants to steal not yours.
So if Satan can convince you that God isn’t a loving God he wins. If Satan can convince you that God isn’t a joyful God, or a peaceful God, or a patient God, or a kind God, or a good God, or a trustworthy God, or a gentle God or a God who’s in control then he wins. If Satan can keep you in the dark regarding the nature of who God is, and what God has done, and what he is doing, and what he will do for you, then Satan wins. You’ll live your life in the dark. You’ll live your life in low-production mode. You’ll live your life in weak mode. You’ll live your life without power. You’ll live a fruitless life.
Verse 16 of our passage is like a goldmine for learning about the power of God. The Ephesian believers were no different than us. They were human too. They would question their identity in Christ. They would struggle with believing whether or not God is as good or as powerful or as loving as they thought he was. And because of this they would struggle with temptation and sin. What the Ephesians needed was to be connected to true power and true power comes from God. But what do we mean when we say that our power comes from God?
#1. Your power comes from the riches of God’s glory…
Paul prays that you and I would receive power “according to the riches of God’s glory.” The riches of God’s glory will never run out. The riches of God’s glory are unlimited. They are endless. But how do you make the riches of God’s glory seem tangible in such a way that it empowers you to live with endurance? The riches of God’s glory are made tangible in the work of God in creation and in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Your power comes from the riches of God’s glory.
#2. Your power is granted to you from God…
Paul prays that God would “grant you to be strengthened with power”. He doesn’t pray that God would loan you the power you need. He prays that God would grant you or freely give you the power you need to be strengthened. God’s power isn’t a loan that you pay back with interest. True power from God is a grant that he gives to you and it’s absolutely free. It costs you nothing. It’s a one-way infusion or investment of the power of God to strengthen you when life is coming against you.
The people we meet in Scripture were not extraordinary people. David and Daniel and Paul were not extraordinary like Superman or Thor or Ironman or the Hulk. They were ordinary people just like you and me. They struggled with weaknesses and sin and temptation. The ordinary people in these stories aren’t the hero. The real hero is the extraordinary God who granted these ordinary people the power to endure opposition with supernatural strength. Your power is granted to you from God.
#3. Your power comes to you through God’s Spirit…
Paul prays that God would strengthen you“with power through his Spirit.” As we just learned, the Bible is full of people who struggled with believing in the power of God. But, what drove these weak and fearful men and women, who were inconsistent at best, to change the course of their lives, and become witnesses of the power of the gospel, even in the face of death? The answer is, the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the source of true dynamite power in your life. The Holy Spirit can connect you to the life-giving presence of God himself. The Holy Spirit can tune your heart to God’s heart in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit can help you serve the people you come into contact with. Your power comes to you through God’s Spirit.
#4. Your power comes from the Spirit within you…
Paul prays that you and I would be strengthened by the power of the Spirit “in your inner being.” True power comes from within you but it doesn’t begin with you. Broken people, no matter how strong they are, will always have a breaking point. But God is all-powerful. God is not broken. God doesn’t have a breaking point. God created everything, he split the waters, he kept people safe in fires, he fed people with manna, he destroyed the enemies of his people, he shut the mouths of lions and he used persecuted people to do powerful things. And that same God gave his very own Spirit to dwell within you.
If that same Spirit lives inside of you then what will come out of you? What does the life of a Spirit empowered person look like? Could it be the fruit of the Spirit? What would happen if you began to believe that the Spirit of God is actually loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, trustworthy, gentle and in control? Wouldn’t you begin to live what you actually believe? Don’t you actually live what you believe anyways? If you believe in a weak God you will live in weakness. If you believe in a powerful God you will live with the evidence of the power of God in your daily life. Your power comes from the Spirit within you.
Conclusion…
The cross and the empty tomb of Christ is the place where all the power of God becomes the most tangible. In the cross and the empty tomb of Christ we see God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control on display in full power. Do you believe in this God? Do you really believe in this God when you are lonely or when you are afraid or when you feel insignificant or when you are angry? What does the fruit of your life prove about the God you believe in?
Pray that the presence of the living God within you would produce the fruit of his presence through you. Your power comes from the riches of God’s glory. Your power is granted to you from God. Your power comes to you through the Holy Spirit. Your power comes from the Spirit within you. You need to pray that your Heavenly Father would help you to believe in his power and fill you with his power and help you to live from the deep reservoir of his power.
Application Questions and Prayer…
- What caught your attention as you listened to this sermon and read this study guide?
- Where do you feel the least powerful right now? Where have you experienced weakness and sin recently?
- What is the hardest thing for you to believe about God’s power right now? What does this say about what you believe about God’s character? Which part of God’s character do you question the most?
- What other aspects of God’s character (that weren’t listed in this sermon) do you struggle with believing?
- Where does God’s Word speak truth into your struggle with believing in the power and character of God? How can you apply these truths to your life? What creative ways will you preach these truths to yourself?
- Spend some time praying for each other.