Let’s first read Ephesians 3:14-21 and then we will take a closer look at certain portions of it.
Ephesians 3:14-21 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and
grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be
filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us,
21 Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.
Let’s look at verse 14: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is something that you do intentionally; you bow the knees of your heart to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I was listening to a tape by my pastor from years ago and he was reading from the Psalms as he would in his own private time to teach the people how to read the Scriptures. In reading a verse like verse 14, he would say, “Lord, I bow my knees unto You, Father, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ.” He would meditate on it. Not just the Father of Jesus Christ who was born in a manger 2000 years ago or so, but the Father of the Jesus Christ who is coming forth in our hearts and spirits, the creation that is taking place in us.
That is what this portion of Scripture is all about. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Ephesians 3:15. The whole family of God in heaven and in earth. In other words, the family of God involves those who were here at one time in history and had walked with God and are still with Him, and those who are yet on this earth and are walking with Him now. They are all part of one big family named after Him. One of God’s promises is that God will give you a new name (Isaiah 62:2; Revelation 2:7; 3:12). Everyone in my family takes the name of DuBose, but in this heavenly family, of which God is the Father, everyone takes a new name. I wonder what that name is? Christ?
Let’s look at verse 16 again. That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. Now, this is granted! Grant is a very particular word. It doesn’t mean that you have earned it. It doesn’t mean that you have progressed to a higher order of sonship. It means that it is granted. You haven’t earned it and can’t earn it. This is the grace of God in action. A grant has been made to you. God the Father of His creation grants you to know of the riches of His glory and to be strengthened with might (heavenly or spiritual energies), by His Spirit in your inner man. You are not going to feel stronger or more important; this has nothing to do with you physically, but it has everything to do with you spiritually. It is something you must accept. “This has been granted to me and I accept that. I am strengthened with might by His Spirit in my inner man.” You may feel just as weak as you’ve ever felt, but you are not going by your feelings. You are going by something that you know; this is something God has granted.
Verses 17-18 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints (all the saints who are in this family) what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ…. There is one thing that challenges that. The one thing that tries to keep you from knowing the love of Christ is the love of self. Everything in God seems to be such a paradox as far as the way man thinks. You cannot know freedom, real true freedom in the Lord, until you become a bondservant of the Lord. You cannot know the love of Christ without eliminating self-centeredness. All that the Apostle Paul is speaking of in these verses is granted to all of God’s people, and the majority of God’s people are rejecting it. “I would rather think like I think.” The love of self will keep you from ever knowing the love of Christ which passes knowledge.
…and that you might be filled with the fullness of God. Think about that – He wants you to be filled with all the fullness of God. Can you grasp this? This is a plan that God has for you and He’s granting it to you. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). At the time when you had no worthiness whatsoever, Christ died for you. He loved you when you were completely unlovable, and we are not real lovable even yet, but He loves us. Even in our sinful condition He has granted this to His family that we might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Verse 20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…. We usually have doubts that He can do what we think. But God says that He can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Don’t you think that it might be time to believe in the abilities of God? “Well, I’m not worthy.” I know it, none of us are worthy. He does not say that because you are worthy I am going to do this. It is granted.
…according to the power that works in us. The power that works in us is not in our self-nature. Self hinders the workings of the Lord. That is why He chooses the weak things and the foolish, because in their weakness and in their foolishness they don’t say, “I’ve got wisdom.” That hinders the movings of God right there.
Verse 21 Unto Him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without end.
It has been granted for you to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in your inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you may be rooted and grounded in love and that you may comprehend this with all saints. It is a comprehension that goes beyond individuality. It is not you as an individual suddenly comprehending all this; it is with all the saints. It is in that oneness of realizing that you have brothers and sisters in the realm of Spirit, in that cloud of witnesses that Hebrews 12 talks about. You are moving in oneness with those who have gone on before, but yet their spirits are here and we are all of one family. Do you understand what I am saying? Do not neglect your grant!
Copyright © 2007 by Henry DuBose