COMPREHENDING THE MAGNITUDE -- Tomorrow:
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
" . . . strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man . . . " (Ephesians 3:17)
The richness of God's glory cannot be experienced independently of the Holy Spirit. He is the heavenly Liaison who personalizes God, Christ, and the truth, to our hearts. God is too high for us to reach Him through our own strength. Further, Christ is too great to dwell in hearts that are not made strong by the Holy Spirit. Thus, Paul prays that God would strengthen us with Divine might in the inner man by His Holy Spirit, in order that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.
The demands of faith are too extensive to be met in the energy of the fallen nature, or "flesh" -- the "natural man"! The Holy Spirit must impart strength to our "inner man," or Christ will not dwell in our hearts. Those who speak glibly about receiving Christ into our hearts must take this into consideration. Salvation in its fulness is realized when Christ dwells, or resides, in our hearts through our faith.
Whatever one may think of the Holy Spirit, He is shed on us "abundantly" in salvation (Tit 3:5-6). It is "because we are sons" that He is sent into our "hearts," moving us to cry out "Abba, Father" (Gal 4:6). What is more, He is not given to us to make us tingle, fall down, or babble unintelligibly. Rather, He is given to strengthen us so Christ can live within us. Those engaged in a quest to be "slain" in the spirit, do well to seek to be "strengthened with might" by the Spirit, so Christ can dwell within their hearts by faith. Paul nor any other Apostle ever prayed for someone to be struck down by the Holy Spirit. Our text, however, reveals a prayer for such inner strength to be granted to us by the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ Himself might take up permanent residence in us, without that indwelling destroying us.
This marvelous gift does not speak of a one time experience that is marked by time and date. Here, the totality of life in Christ is addressed. Those who are seeking to have an epochal experience with bodily sensations have not seen the Lord as He desires to be, and can be, seen.
Observe, the Spirit will "strengthen" us "with might (power, NASB)." This is the Divine power that raised Jesus from the dead, and is now devoted to the people of God. This is the meaning of Ephesians 1:19-20. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know . . . what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." The greatness of this power causes people to suppose it is beyond them -- but it is not! This is the very power the Holy Spirit uses to strengthen you.
Later in this book, the Ephesians were admonished, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Eph 6:10). This is more than a commandment--i.e., a moral obligation. It is an exhortation to appropriate what has been reserved for you, by Divine appointment.
Paul is within the boundaries of God's will when he thus prays for believers. This is not a pious wish that cannot be fulfilled. It is a reflection of the mind of Christ and the purpose of God!
PRAYER POINT: Father, I do thirst for the strength within that comes only through the ministry of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I ask for, and submit to, the strengthening work of the Spirit.