Thought I'd Share - Number 2

I thought I would share this devotion I wrote for something else with you on Ephesians 3:16-19.

Verse 16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened (“kratos” meaning ruling power) with might (“dunamis” meaning inherent power) by his Spirit in the inner man.” The word “might” is talking about the power within us, our faith. Paul is praying we will rule with the power of our faith in our inner man, so we no longer have to be a slave to the circumstances of our lives. I think of the song, “It Is Well With My Soul” when I read this verse.

Verse 17 “That Christ may dwell (be at home) in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.” Ask yourself…does Christ feel at home in your heart? I pray God never feels like a stranger or visitor in my heart, but that He is at home in my heart. Rev 3:20 talks about God knocking at our door, but we have to open the door before He can come in and eat supper with us. “Rooted and grounded in love” is referring to the fact that faith cannot operate outside love. Why? Yandian says, “Fear is the opposing force of faith.” 1 John 4:18 “Perfect love casteth out fear.” My opinion is…if we truly believe the Word of God and believe He has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and know in our hearts that He loves us (John 3:16), and have FAITH that He is going to complete the good work He started in us (Phil 1:6), why would we ever fear? When we have fear in our hearts, faith is snuffed out!!!

Verse 18 “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.”
*Breadth (width) – in Greek means “storage space”. God calls us to know the entire width of His Word…not just Spiritual warfare, not just the fruits of the Spirit, not just rapture, but the entirety of His Word.
*Length – Has to do with time orientation. The Bible is divided into seven dispensations (five in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament). Dispensation is like an administration. In the Old Testament each administration begins with grace from God and ends with man’s failure.
Dispensation 1 - Innocence – it began at creation and ended with the fall of man.
Dispensation 2- Conscience – it began with the fall and ended with Noah’s flood.
Dispensation 3 – Human Government – it began with the flood and ended with the Tower of Babel.
Dispensation 4 – Promise – it began with the promise to Abraham and ended with Israel’s capture by the Egyptians.
Dispensation 5 – Law – it began with Moses and ended with the Crucifixion
New Testament
Dispensation 6 – Grace of God, or Church Age – it began at Pentecost and will end with the rapture of the Church.
Dispensation 7 – Millennial Reign of Jesus.
Each time period should be studied, but we need to be very aware of the administration we are in, the Church Age, which is written about in the Epistles.
*Height – Attitude towards God and *Depth – Attitude towards men
Luke 10:27 “Love the Lord your God (height) with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and Love your neighbor (depth) as yourself.”

Verse 19 “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” The NLT says to “experience the love of Christ…” Experience is defined as the ability to personally participate in. God wants us to experience, personally participate, and know His Love “which passes knowledge”. When I read God’s Word and try to truly comprehend that He would have sent His only Son even if I was the only one on Earth, I feel like that Love is too big to know. The word “knowledge” in Greek word is gnosis which refers to man’s knowledge. God’s love for YOU and me surpasses anything we, the human race, can imagine, BUT it is God’s will that we will know that love and experience it everyday.

I have to touch on verse 20 too…it is just too GOOD! “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ASK or THINK, according to the power that worketh in us.” The key to this verse is the word “worketh” which refers to us exercising our faith. Yandian says, “When your faith is being used in prayer, God is able to answer your prayer and not only that but to, “do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or THINK.” Our God loves us so much He wants to give you and me more than we can even think of...BUT we have to have FAITH the GREAT I AM can do it!!!