A Prayer for Power

1. A Prayer for Power

I once sold a computer on eBay. I had carefully cleaned and tested it, and a buyer was travelling several hours to collect it. Just before she arrived, I decided to test it one final time. I pressed the power button—and nothing happened.

In my panic I assumed the computer had broken. Eventually I discovered the problem: the sockets upstairs had tripped. The computer was perfectly fine; it simply had no power.

The Christian life can feel a bit like that. We know the blessings God has given us in Christ, but living wholeheartedly for Jesus can be a struggle. We live in the “now and not yet”: we have been adopted, forgiven and given the Holy Spirit, yet we have not experienced the fullness of what God has promised.

So how do we find the strength to live faithfully now? Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14–21 is a prayer for power.

2. A Prayer to the Source of all Power

Paul is very clear about where this power comes from. He prays that God would strengthen believers “with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (v.16).

The power to live for Jesus comes from God. It is the same immeasurably great power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19–20). And Paul asks God to make that power active within us.

But what does this power do?

a) Power to Renovate

Paul prays that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (v.17). The word “dwell” describes taking up permanent residence, not making a fleeting visit.

When Christ makes his home in us, renovation begins. As Richard Coekin puts it, “When the Spirit of Christ moves in, he gradually redecorates everywhere.” The selfishness, fear, immorality and idolatry that once marked our lives are gradually to be replaced with love, hope, purity, kindness and worship.

This should lead us to ask: How is the renovation going?

Can you see real changes in your life? Are you becoming more honest, patient, compassionate and Christlike? Paul knows these Christians already belong to Christ, yet he still prays for their transformation. We need to pray the same prayer—for ourselves and for others.

b) Power to Appreciate

Paul also prays that believers would have the strength “to comprehend… the breadth and length and height and depth” and “to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (vv.18–19).

The Christian life begins with God’s love, but Paul wants us to grasp its extraordinary dimensions.

His love is wide: it welcomes people from every tribe, tongue and nation.

It is long: God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

It is high: he has raised us from spiritual death and seated us with Christ.

It is deep: our redemption came at the cost of Christ’s blood.

John Owen puts it beautifully: “We must learn to think of his everlasting gentleness and compassion.” And Chrysostom captures the paradox of Paul’s prayer: “Although the love of Christ lies above the reach of all human knowledge, yet shall you know it, if you shall have Christ dwelling in you.”

God’s love is greater than we can ever fully comprehend, yet we can genuinely know and enjoy it.

Paul’s great concern in these opening chapters of Ephesians is not simply what we should do, but how we should think. Know God’s plan. Remember his grace. Understand the place of the church in his purposes. Meditate on the love of Christ.

And pray for the Spirit’s power to transform you and help you grasp that extraordinary love.

For God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (v.20).

So, with Paul, we can say:

“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

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