WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.400 Please turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 3. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.360 We're going to be reading verses 14 to 21. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.439 You'll find the text printed in your bulletin as well. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:21.839 As many of you know, this year we're going through the promises of God one each month, the first Sunday of the month. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:30.559 So this morning we looked to the promises of God found in the Apostle Paul's prayer in Ephesians chapter 3. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:39.679 Listen to this prayer that the Apostle Paul had for the Ephesians, but also for us here today. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:01:20.879 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:30.000 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. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:37.359 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:38.319 Amen. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.560 Let's ask for the Spirit's help. 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.359 Father, thank you for giving us your word. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.319 Thank you for giving us your Son. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:52.959 Thank you for giving us your Spirit. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.640 Spirit of God, enlighten us. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.680 Open us up to see what you have put in your holy word. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.680 Change us this morning. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.879 By the power of your spirit we pray. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:09.840 Amen. 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:19.680 This new sermon series that started this past September. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:25.039 The theme is praying in and living out the promises of God. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:28.560 And we've been doing that, haven't we? 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:39.039 We've been taking the Word of God into our heart, asking the Lord to teach us, to convince us that these promises are true and that they're for us. 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:42.400 It takes the spirit to believe that. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:55.280 For those of you who are new, and many of you have joined us since last January, we begin every new year at APC, we've been doing this for many years, with a week of prayer. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:57.599 Why do we do that? 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.520 Well, we we have corporate prayer meetings where we come together. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.319 Tonight we're going to come together at 5 o'clock. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:06.560 I hope that you'll join us tonight. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:11.759 And we're going to come together and we're going to begin this new year by asking for God to lead us. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:13.439 We're asking for his guidance. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.719 We're asking for his direction for 2026. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:26.319 We have our ideas, we have our plans, but he wants us to pray and live according to his plans, not ours. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:30.159 We're also going to pray for the Spirit's empowering. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:32.800 Otherwise, we won't do it. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:35.919 This week of prayer. 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:41.039 It's so important in this church that we suspend all the other ministries this week. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.400 No covenant fellowship groups are meeting this week. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:47.840 The children and the teenagers are not meeting this week. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:51.360 That's how important we take prayer. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:54.960 Paul takes it seriously too. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:04:03.439 Our text today is Paul's prayers for the Ephesians and for us, Alexandria people. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:12.080 As Paul closes the gospel of the epistle of Ephesians, the first half, and many of you are familiar with his style. 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:18.959 Generally speaking, the first half of every epistle is about what Christ has done for us. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:26.639 And then the second half of every epistle is how we live out these truths by his power. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.040 The same way here. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:33.759 The first three chapters of Ephesians, get this. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:35.600 There's one command. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:45.839 He's not asking you to do anything, he's asking you to believe that what he tells us about himself is true. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:48.160 What's that one verb? 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:49.439 Remember. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.639 Remembering is important what God has done for us. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:59.360 Remember who you are in Christ. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:04.879 This is our identity, who we really believe ourselves to be. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:09.600 Our practice follows our understanding of our position in Christ. 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:14.000 How we live has everything to do with what we believe. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:15.279 Did you know that? 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:23.759 How you're going to live in 2026 is going to be exactly correspondent to what you believe. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:26.560 It's always that way. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:28.800 We need to preach the gospel. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:33.920 We need to preach this gospel to ourselves every day in this new year. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:41.920 Five times in the epistle to Ephesians, this is one of Paul's favorite sayings in this epistle, especially. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:44.399 Seated in the heavenly places. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:56.399 He says, when you become a Christian, the moment that you pass over from death to life, you are seated spiritually by faith in heaven, the heavenlies. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.879 Five times he mentions that. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:05.439 So my question right now is do you see yourself right now? 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:06.240 What is it? 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:10.079 9.26, Sunday morning, January 4th. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:15.680 Do you see yourself in heaven by faith? 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:26.639 Lifted up, raised with Christ when He was raised from the dead, as you've been raised from the dead spiritually with him, or do you see yourself mainly here on earth? 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.720 Are you an earthly creature? 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:30.720 Do you think? 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:31.600 Do you live? 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:32.959 Do you act? 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:41.040 As though you're seated in heaven, looking down, or as you're on earth, looking up? 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:55.600 I read a Bible commentator years ago who described it as: do you see yourself seated in the top of the Himalayas, looking down over God's creation? 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:03.040 Or do you see yourself at the bottom of the Himalayas looking up and thinking, oh, I could never climb that. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.160 I could never ascend to that. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:12.639 Well, it matters where you see yourself seated. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:20.240 Our view of ourselves, our views of this world has everything to do with where we sit, where we stand, what we see. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:23.439 What glasses are we looking through? 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:26.720 This is an important question. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:32.480 We are now seated in the heavenlies by faith in the finished work of Christ. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:39.120 That's what Paul is saying, verse after verse in the first three chapters of Ephesians. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:45.839 As Paul considers all that Christ has done for us, he can't help but break into a doxology. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:47.680 We see that in his prayer. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:49.439 Praising God. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:53.600 So what is Paul's prayer? 00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:07.199 In a sentence that we would see our exalted status, specifically the love of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that we would be transformed. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:10.079 That's quite a prayer. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:12.560 The definition of transformation. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:24.800 It is a profound, often gradual process, a significant change in our character, our mindset, and our identity. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:45.600 Moving from an old self to a new, more evolved version, driven by growth, new experiences, overcoming challenges, affecting our beliefs, our behaviors, and how we relate to the world. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:47.600 That's quite a definition. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.360 This is about transformation this morning, we're looking at. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:10.639 For this reason, Paul says in verse 14, I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family on earth is named. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.240 We are just a speck of his whole family. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.039 We're an important speck. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:19.519 We're part of his family. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:32.480 But do you sometimes just does a hair stand on the back of your neck when you think about all of God's people all over the world worshiping him in every language? 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:34.960 Right today. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.279 This is how great he is. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.159 This is what he's doing throughout the kingdom that he's building. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:52.080 Paul says, I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family on earth is named. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:53.679 So he's literally kneeling. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:55.440 Do you know where he's kneeling? 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:56.879 He's in prison. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:09:59.519 He's in Rome. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:05.039 I wonder if I or you were in prison, if we would be praying these kind of prayers. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.039 What kind of prayers would we be praying? 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:08.879 Would we be self-absorbed? 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:09.919 Would we be self-focused? 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:10.960 Oh, this is horrible. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:12.240 I've lost my freedom. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:12.960 I've lost this. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:13.679 I've lost that. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:15.039 That's not him. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.559 He says, I've got you on my mind. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:21.120 And I'm praying for you. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:23.759 And this is the kind of prayer I'm praying. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.159 He's kneeling out of gratitude. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:30.240 He's kneeling in humility in prison. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:33.919 This is how Paul prays for other Christians. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:36.720 Is this how we pray for ourselves? 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.399 Is this how we pray for others? 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:40.320 This is how we're going to pray tonight. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.159 You come and pray with us. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:47.440 This is how you're going to learn, maybe, maybe you're going to learn how to pray in a different way in 2026. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.960 It's important how we pray. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:56.000 Does this seem like a selfish prayer? 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:57.759 Quite the opposite. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:08.960 The more we pray, this kind of prayer is going to make us more effective in God's service and it's going to make us more helpful to other people if we pray this kind of prayer. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.000 Let me break this down. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:13.200 I've been saying this for 35 years here. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.960 But there's always people, new come people coming. 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.799 And there's still people who've heard it again and again, and the penny hasn't dropped yet. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.519 The penny hasn't dropped. 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.519 Oh, may the penny drop this year. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:33.360 Is it there are two kinds of prayer Jack Miller taught me? 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:35.120 Two kinds of prayer. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:43.919 There is what we call maintenance types of prayers that most Christians and most churches are, that's what they're focused on. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:44.960 Maintenance. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:47.360 Praying for the status quo. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.360 Lord, just give me enough. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:53.679 Lord, just give me enough. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:54.720 Give me enough money. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:55.759 Give me enough health. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:56.879 Give me enough family. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:57.840 Give me enough friends. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:11:59.679 Give our church just enough. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.399 Can we please make our budget this year? 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:06.399 That's not the way we pray here. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:13.519 Maintenance types of prayers are focused mostly on our physical needs. 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:20.639 They tend to be short prayers, they tend to be mechanical prayers, often focused on our needs inside the church. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.759 We're not looking out, we're not looking up. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:25.919 What's the second kind of prayer? 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:29.360 Jack called it frontline kingdom-centered prayers. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:41.120 Outward-focused, kingdom-centered prayers for our spiritual growth, for our growing faith, for our city, for our world, for God's glory. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:43.919 Not just preserving the status quo. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:48.399 We're praying for our repenting hearts. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.960 I think we talked, we looked at this like three years ago as we began the new year. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:13:02.240 One of my favorite phrases from African tribe in East Africa. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.759 It was about 70, 80 years ago. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:08.480 I read this and I just can't forget this. 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:13.759 Always repenting, always rejoicing. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.559 That's a beautiful way to live. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:22.559 Always saying, God, show me, show me what's getting in the way of my love for you. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:25.519 Show me what's getting in the way of my not living for you. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.639 Always repenting, but always rejoicing. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:32.480 Not some glum, despondent person. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:43.039 Always rejoicing because the Holy Spirit is showing you more and more what you have in Christ Jesus, who you are in Christ Jesus. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.679 That's all I want to pray. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:48.639 Praying for our gospel transformation. 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:53.360 We pray these kinds of prayers because only God can bring about these kinds of changes. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.320 Did you hear that? 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:55.519 That's true. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:14:02.399 We pray these kinds of prayers because only God could ever get you to pray this way. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:05.600 Only the Holy Spirit could get you to pray this way. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:17.120 Otherwise, you're going to fall back to your default of praying and living a shrinking little life that's mostly focused on yourself. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:20.159 No, that's not for you. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.840 That's not for me. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:25.200 Transformation comes through prayer. 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:29.120 Do you see in the text this is exactly what Paul's praying for? 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:34.240 Second point, transformation requires Holy Spirit empowering. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.240 Look at verse 16. 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:47.679 I pray that out of God's glorious riches, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.960 What a beautiful truth this is. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.799 There he is on his knees in prison. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:57.519 Thinking about you. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:11.840 I pray that out of God's glorious riches, you know, God's got a bigger bank account than any of us put together, right? 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:15.440 Think of God's treasure chest. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:22.240 Think of all the riches in his treasure chest, his vast wealth and inheritance. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:25.679 He says, I want to give you this. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:27.600 Here, take some. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:29.120 Take some. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:31.200 Are we? 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:34.159 Do we actually believe this? 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:42.080 I pray that out of God's glorious riches, he may grant you. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:43.679 What does that verb suggest? 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.960 That's a gift. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:47.759 It's not a work, it's a gift. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:53.039 That God will open your eyes to see all the riches that he wants to give you in 2026. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:16:03.600 To be strengthened with power, dunamis, through his spirit in your inner being. 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:05.039 Let's break that down. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:13.519 What he's saying is no outward teaching alone will be sufficient without the inward empowering of the Holy Spirit in your life. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:18.240 Strengthen with power through the Holy Spirit. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.960 The only way you get this is by the Holy Spirit. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.399 This is not natural to any of us. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:27.360 We don't work it up ourselves. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:38.720 It comes down from the Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see these things, to give us energy and power to live out these things. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:42.639 Three things that Paul prays for specifically in this passage. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:44.559 First of all, the Spirit's power. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.639 Secondly, Christ's indwelling. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:49.840 And thirdly, fullness, the fullness of God in us. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.120 But right now we're thinking about the Spirit's empowering. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:17:06.640 But Paul really prays for one thing primarily, that we may receive power to know intimately Christ's love for us and his presence in us. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.279 Isn't that what we all need? 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:22.640 To know more intimately, the presence of Christ and the power of his love, that is not a selfish prayer. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:26.400 Oh. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.720 John Kelvin put it like this. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:37.440 He argues in his institutes that Christ's gifts for his people are not experienced by many Christians. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.039 Do you hear that? 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:42.000 Most Christians miss all this. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.640 Don't miss this. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:51.920 Most Christians don't really believe that this kind of treasure God offers his people. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:58.880 He says, this enjoyment, he says, can happen only through communion with Christ. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:03.279 And listen to this phrase: the secret energy of the Holy Spirit. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:05.279 Have you ever heard that phrase before? 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:07.440 This is what Calvin taught. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.599 Only through the secret energy of the Holy Spirit. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:26.160 For the word of God is not received by faith as if it flits about in the top of the brain, but when it takes root in the depth of the heart, we will not settle for an informed mind without an engaged heart. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.599 That's his prayer. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:31.200 That's what he's asking. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:40.319 Happens through communion with Christ in the secret energy of the Holy Spirit, by which we come to enjoy all of his benefits. 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:43.279 Calvin wasn't the only one that understood this. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:51.519 Listen to Martin Luther, who knew that sometimes the Holy Spirit begins immediately to preach to you. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:54.160 Sometimes he doesn't, though. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.119 He doesn't always do this. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:59.200 John Owen, the Puritan, chimed in on this. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.359 He says, sometimes we don't. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:05.279 No matter what we do, we simply don't concentrate or we don't find our thoughts. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:14.480 Our thoughts don't become big and affecting, but rather we find ourselves in our prayer time even feeling bored and hard and distracted. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:22.240 Then Owen goes on to say, we must turn to God and make brief, intense appeals for help. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:27.599 Sometimes that's all you will do in your time with God that morning or afternoon. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:33.839 Sometimes the very cries to help to concentrate the mind and soften the heart seem distant. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:48.480 Owen writes, when after all the preparation you do, you find yourself yet perplexed, not able to consist or persist in spiritual thoughts, say, God help me. 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:51.519 God give me these desires. 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:54.160 I don't have these desires. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:59.599 Out of your treasure chest, would you give me these riches? 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:01.839 Would you give me the want to? 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.480 This is what it looks like. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:15.119 Luther goes on to say he calls prayer, praying believers to essentially keep a lookout for the Holy Spirit. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:16.960 Do you live like that? 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.240 Do you keep a lookout for the Holy Spirit? 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:28.799 If as we are meditating or praying, an abundance of good thoughts all of a sudden come to us, we ought to disregard all the other petitions. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:29.759 In other words, what do you say? 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:30.720 Let me paraphrase. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:37.680 Don't just, in your prayer time at home, don't just bring your list, like a laundry list or a grocery list. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:50.160 Don't do this in some mechanical way as a ritual because you're trying to be good, a good Christian, and so you're going to say your prayers. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:51.200 Let me paraphrase. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:54.160 What he's saying is, don't just come saying your prayers. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:03.920 Come saying, Holy Spirit, please show me everything that Christ has given me. 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:07.440 Please show me, open me up to your glory. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:11.759 Show me new sights of your beauty, Lord. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:16.799 Awaken my dead heart, awaken my sleeping heart. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:24.960 And then when the Holy Spirit does that with that secret energy, forget your list. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.599 Forget your list. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:38.000 You'll come back to your list. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:42.799 Do you know what I'm saying right now? 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:45.519 Have you ever experienced this in your prayer life? 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:51.519 Where the Holy Spirit just overwhelms you and Jesus looks so beautiful to you. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:56.400 That is not about finishing your list. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:02.240 This is how he wants us to pray. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:05.200 That's what Luther is saying. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.880 That's what Kelvin is saying. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.640 That's what John Owen is saying. 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:14.240 Sometimes an abundance of good thoughts come to us, and all of a sudden we're lifted up. 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:18.400 The Holy Spirit Himself preaches here. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.680 This is Luther's words. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:22.640 The Holy Spirit himself preaches to you here. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:27.599 And one word of his sermon is better than a thousand of our prayers. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:28.559 Amen? 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:29.920 Yeah. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:36.160 One word of his sermon is better than a thousand of my prayers. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:38.079 You know what this is about? 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:43.279 This is about learning how to pray in the Spirit. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.480 That's what this is about. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:50.960 Have you ever started learning that yet? 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:54.000 Or are you just mostly saying your prayers? 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:59.680 Oh, friends, this is Paul's prayer for you. 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:05.519 Can you imagine how different your life is going to be if you start praying this way? 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:10.960 With a growing faith, with a repenting heart, living for the glory of God? 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:13.200 You're going to be different. 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.039 I'm going to be different. 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:20.480 By the grace of God. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.599 By the grace of God, I'm different. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:28.640 I'm not the same pastor that called me 35 years ago. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:32.160 I'm not the same preacher that called me 35 years ago. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:35.440 I'm not the same husband. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:38.160 I'm not the same father. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.440 I haven't arrived. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:46.160 I'm certainly not perfect, but I've been transformed. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:49.200 And this is how I've been transformed. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.519 This is for you too. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:54.160 Oh, I wish you would believe that. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:56.799 This is not just for clergy. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:07.440 This is for every man, woman, and child that dares to take the promises of God to heart, to pray in, to live out. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:12.720 The Puritans used to talk about prayer as oiling the wheels of the soul. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.839 I like that. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:20.640 This kind of praying is oiling the wheels of our souls. 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:25.440 The powerful appropriation of divine power. 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:28.559 Which brings us to the last point. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:32.319 Transformation works from the inside out. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:34.160 Let's go back to the text. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:38.400 I pray that you may be strengthened through the Spirit. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.519 Where? 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:41.519 Look at it, right? 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.279 Where? 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.279 In your inner being. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:52.480 God wants this truth to go to the heart of your heart. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:57.359 He doesn't want any of us to paint by numbers Christianity. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:02.480 He doesn't want any of us to get caught up with just doing things mechanically, ritually. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:09.920 He wants these truths to grab us, awaken us, empower us. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.920 Verse 17. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:18.480 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:25.440 That word dwell means to settle down and take up residency and to get more comfortable. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:29.119 The indwelling of Christ is a thing of degrees. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.799 That's how theologian, Princeton theologian Charles Hodge put it. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:36.400 The indwelling of Christ is a thing of degrees. 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:41.759 This is what we call theologians call sanctification, growing in Christ. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:46.640 That we so sense the love of Christ. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:47.759 Think about it. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:50.640 Let's go back to the prayer, just right? 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:57.200 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you being rooted and grounded in love. 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.559 Notice what he does. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:00.720 Paul is always fixing metaphors. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:02.480 He's the master of this. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:09.519 Rooted, a botanical reference, our roots, that your roots in Christ would go down deeper. 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.880 That's what he's saying. 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:17.759 My prayer is that your spiritual roots will go deeper into the soil of your life. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:22.240 And then he says, grounded. 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:24.880 Now it's an architectural reference. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:29.039 A firm foundation so that you're unshakable. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:34.720 What would it look like to be unshakable in 2026? 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.240 I want to be that. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:41.440 I want to be unshakable. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:46.000 So that I'm not up and down all over the waves. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:56.240 That the indwelling of Christ is taking root in me more and more. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:59.279 To comprehend with all the saints. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:00.160 Do you see this? 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:02.000 This is a communal prayer. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:10.240 This is not just, this is not God saying, okay, all you super spiritual people, this is for you. 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:13.119 He's saying, no, this is for all Christians. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:18.480 This is a communal prayer to grasp with all the saints. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.519 Let me put it like this. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.640 This is what grows a church to be healthy. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:36.559 A healthy church is not just a few people who are super spiritual, who really know how to pray, who really believe God's word, who really know God's word. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:44.559 There's a few in your church that are like that, and all the rest are just like, yeah, we're, you know, we're glad to be along for the ride. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:46.240 That's not a healthy church. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.160 This is a healthy church. 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:55.599 That with all the saints, we all of us are after this. 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:58.720 Because the Spirit is doing a new work in us. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:01.440 This is a healthy church. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:06.160 To comprehend with all the saints. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:09.839 Let's camp out on that word for a moment. 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:11.519 To comprehend. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.799 I don't think that's the best word. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:18.000 I actually prefer the NIV translation. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.440 To grasp. 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:25.440 He doesn't mean by comprehend, just understand in your mind. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:27.519 That's not what he's saying. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:30.640 Apprehend, I think, is a better word. 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:33.440 But I think grasp is the best word. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:35.920 And that's what the Greek word can mean. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:37.680 To grasp. 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:39.839 To grasp what? 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.920 Let's go back to it. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:47.920 That you may have strength to grasp with all the saints what? 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:56.480 The breadth and the length and the height and the depth of the love of Christ. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:00.319 Man, that's a beautiful prayer. 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:03.279 That's a beautiful way to live. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:07.599 To actually believe that Jesus loves you that much. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:14.160 And to know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:17.920 Let me come back to this word grasp in the Greek. 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:31.920 It's a word that was used in Paul's day of an army that would break through the walls of an enemy city and wrestle down the enemy, rob them of their possessions, taking what they had. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.640 Now, if you're if you're still with me, you're wondering, what in the world does that mean? 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:42.480 In this context, how does that apply to prayer? 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:44.240 I'm glad you asked. 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:45.839 Let's break it down. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:55.839 So that we ask the Holy Spirit to help us wrestle down these truths so that they take possession. 00:29:56.240 --> 00:30:04.480 Here, Paul says, meditating on God's love until it hits you in powerful ways, but it only happens with the Holy Spirit's empowering. 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:08.160 He's praying, may it catch fire. 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:11.759 Did you pray that in 2026? 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:20.640 May the love of Jesus catch fire in your heart. 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:22.720 That's a bold prayer. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:26.000 Would you dare to pray such a bold prayer? 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:28.160 Oh, I pray you will. 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:31.680 But you're going to need the Holy Spirit to do it. 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:34.799 You're never going to get there without the Holy Spirit. 00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:42.559 Imagine, this is an example that I heard Tim Keller say one time. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:45.759