Ephesians Prayer: Bigger Glory, Bigger Power, Bigger Love

Heart of the Prayer

  • Paul prays for believers to receive power through the Spirit, strengthened with power, and to do so “according to the riches of His glory” (enlargement language).
  • The aim is that power enables Christ to dwell in believers' hearts through faith; believers are rooted and grounded in love.

Aims of the Power (Why the request?)

  • The Father would give power so that Christ may dwell in their hearts and love may take deeper root.
  • Power is linked to the glory of God; the greater God’s glory, the greater the power available to believers.
  • Questions to consider: How glorious is your God? Where do you enlarge His glory?

Enlarge Glory and Love (How the prayer expands understanding)

  • The glory of God expands power; the more glorious God is perceived, the more power is available.
  • The believer is invited to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, enabled by the Spirit to grasp its breadth, length, height, and depth.
  • The weight of understanding (glory) enables us to bear and comprehend the depth of God’s love.

The Places to Enlarge Glory (Where to look to grow in love)

  • The manger: God shows up in humility and presence.
  • The cross: greatest display of sacrificial love.
  • The tomb: the risen Christ, alive and actively loving.
  • The present-tense love: Christ dwelling in you continues to work, reshaping you toward God’s purposes.

The Results: Power at Work in Us

  • God is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think, according to the power at work within us.
  • The effect is moving from a bigger view of Christ’s love to praying bigger prayers and living more boldly for God’s glory.

Practical Response (Two-pronged prayer and life shift)

  • Prayer 1: According to the riches of your glory, strengthen me with power through the Spirit.
  • Prayer 2: Show me how big your love is for me; dwell with us, Jesus.
  • Call to unroot from false foundations and build a life on the love of Jesus.
  • If you haven’t followed Jesus, consider this week as a moment to begin following Him.

Encouragement and Challenge

  • 1 John 4:4: Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
  • The one in you is bigger, mightier, and more powerful than any opposition; this should shift your life toward bold, love-filled action that makes God look glorious.
  • wake up, embrace God’s big glory, power, and love, and live in a way that testifies to others.

Reflective prompts

  • What foundations in your life need to be unrooted to build on God’s love?
  • How can you respond in faith this week to trust the Spirit’s power and the magnitude of Christ’s love?