Ephesians 3:14-21
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. – Ephesians 3:20
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The Apostle Paul was a man whose life was completely transformed by the gospel.
On the road to Damascus, where he was travelling to arrest Jesus’ followers, Paul encountered the risen Christ. From that moment onward, his life was never the same. His entire direction and purpose were radically changed (Acts 9).
Paul knew deeply that it was Jesus Christ, through the gospel, who had reconciled him to his Creator God. In his former life, he had fiercely persecuted the church. Yet in Christ, he became a new creation. The old had passed away, and the new had come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In yesterday’s devotion, Paul reminded us that God’s purposes in the gospel are far greater than we often imagine.
Yet many of us stop at simply receiving the gospel. We gladly accept Jesus as the Saviour who rescues us from our sins. Intellectually, we acknowledge that He should also be Lord of our lives. After all, He is our Creator, and only when He takes the helm of our lives can we truly live according to God’s design. However, what we know in our minds and how we actually live are often not the same. The gift of salvation is only the beginning.
When Paul took leave of the Ephesian elders, he declared: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)
For Paul, fulfilling the calling he had received from Christ was more important than his own life. The gospel had so transformed him that everything else became secondary. His life stands as a powerful testimony to the life-changing power of Christ. It is from such a life that the prayer in today’s passage flows.
In the original Greek, Ephesians 3:14-19 is one long, carefully constructed sentence. Paul begins with a central request and then builds upon it with a series of interconnected phrases. The spiritual progression is remarkable: kneeling before the Father, being strengthened in the inner person, Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, being rooted and grounded in love, and finally grasping the immeasurable dimensions of Christ’s love. Each step leads naturally to the next.
Yet beyond its structure, what shines through most clearly is Paul’s deep pastoral affection and earnest intercession. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he longs for believers to experience the immeasurable riches of God, the vast love of Christ, and the fullness of God’s grace. His prayer is overflowing with spiritual passion and genuine concern.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (vv. 14–15).
In Jewish tradition, standing was the common posture for prayer. By choosing to kneel, Paul expresses profound humility, surrender, and earnest dependence upon God. At the same time, he makes a powerful declaration: every family on earth and every heavenly host derives its existence, identity, and purpose from the Creator Himself.
Paul’s prayer also reminds us that only those who are strengthened by the Holy Spirit and ruled by Christ in their hearts can become truly “rooted and grounded in love.” It is then that believers are able, together with all the saints, to comprehend “what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of Christ’s love.
Christians should remember that no one comes to know the love of Christ merely through acquiring knowledge, nor can anyone fully grasp it apart from the fellowship of God’s people. It is within the body of Christ, alongside fellow believers, that we experience and discover together the love that “surpasses knowledge” (vv. 17–19).
Paul concludes with one of the most majestic doxologies in Scripture: “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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (vv. 20–21)
His words remind us of the limitless possibilities found in God. For those of us who often think too little of Him, this is a needed correction. God’s power and purposes far exceed our expectations and imagination.
Reflection:
Paul tells us in verse 21 that God’s desire is to receive glory “in the church and in Christ Jesus.” The church exists to glorify God through Christ. Are we, like Paul, deeply concerned that God receives the glory He deserves through our lives and through His church?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, thank You for Your faithful servant, Paul. Thank You for preserving this heartfelt and powerful prayer for believers. Forgive us for the poverty of our prayer lives and for our weakness in interceding for others. Renew our hearts and give us a fresh desire to seek You in prayer. Teach us to care deeply about Your glory being displayed in Your church and in our lives. May Christ dwell richly in us, and may we grow to know more fully the immeasurable love of Christ. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Please click to read passage
The Apostle Paul was a man whose life was completely transformed by the gospel.
On the road to Damascus, where he was travelling to arrest Jesus’ followers, Paul encountered the risen Christ. From that moment onward, his life was never the same. His entire direction and purpose were radically changed (Acts 9).
Paul knew deeply that it was Jesus Christ, through the gospel, who had reconciled him to his Creator God. In his former life, he had fiercely persecuted the church. Yet in Christ, he became a new creation. The old had passed away, and the new had come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In yesterday’s devotion, Paul reminded us that God’s purposes in the gospel are far greater than we often imagine.
Yet many of us stop at simply receiving the gospel. We gladly accept Jesus as the Saviour who rescues us from our sins. Intellectually, we acknowledge that He should also be Lord of our lives. After all, He is our Creator, and only when He takes the helm of our lives can we truly live according to God’s design. However, what we know in our minds and how we actually live are often not the same. The gift of salvation is only the beginning.
When Paul took leave of the Ephesian elders, he declared: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)
For Paul, fulfilling the calling he had received from Christ was more important than his own life. The gospel had so transformed him that everything else became secondary. His life stands as a powerful testimony to the life-changing power of Christ. It is from such a life that the prayer in today’s passage flows.
In the original Greek, Ephesians 3:14-19 is one long, carefully constructed sentence. Paul begins with a central request and then builds upon it with a series of interconnected phrases. The spiritual progression is remarkable: kneeling before the Father, being strengthened in the inner person, Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, being rooted and grounded in love, and finally grasping the immeasurable dimensions of Christ’s love. Each step leads naturally to the next.
Yet beyond its structure, what shines through most clearly is Paul’s deep pastoral affection and earnest intercession. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he longs for believers to experience the immeasurable riches of God, the vast love of Christ, and the fullness of God’s grace. His prayer is overflowing with spiritual passion and genuine concern.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (vv. 14–15).
In Jewish tradition, standing was the common posture for prayer. By choosing to kneel, Paul expresses profound humility, surrender, and earnest dependence upon God. At the same time, he makes a powerful declaration: every family on earth and every heavenly host derives its existence, identity, and purpose from the Creator Himself.
Paul’s prayer also reminds us that only those who are strengthened by the Holy Spirit and ruled by Christ in their hearts can become truly “rooted and grounded in love.” It is then that believers are able, together with all the saints, to comprehend “what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of Christ’s love.
Christians should remember that no one comes to know the love of Christ merely through acquiring knowledge, nor can anyone fully grasp it apart from the fellowship of God’s people. It is within the body of Christ, alongside fellow believers, that we experience and discover together the love that “surpasses knowledge” (vv. 17–19).
Paul concludes with one of the most majestic doxologies in Scripture: “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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (vv. 20–21)
His words remind us of the limitless possibilities found in God. For those of us who often think too little of Him, this is a needed correction. God’s power and purposes far exceed our expectations and imagination.
Reflection:
Paul tells us in verse 21 that God’s desire is to receive glory “in the church and in Christ Jesus.” The church exists to glorify God through Christ. Are we, like Paul, deeply concerned that God receives the glory He deserves through our lives and through His church?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, thank You for Your faithful servant, Paul. Thank You for preserving this heartfelt and powerful prayer for believers. Forgive us for the poverty of our prayer lives and for our weakness in interceding for others. Renew our hearts and give us a fresh desire to seek You in prayer. Teach us to care deeply about Your glory being displayed in Your church and in our lives. May Christ dwell richly in us, and may we grow to know more fully the immeasurable love of Christ. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.