Paul's prayer for the saints; "to be filled with the fullness of God."

Eph 3:14-21 NRSV  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  (15)  from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.  (16)  I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,  (17)  and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.  (18)  I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  (19)  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  (20)  Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,  (21)  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians is such an important letter in Paul's repetoire. It more clearly than any other book in scripture presents the absolute sovereignty of God in redemption, salvation, and reconciliation. Of first importance is the fact that God chose "us" in Christ before the foundation of the world. I have emphasized this fact over and over on this blog as it shows that God's purpose in creation was redemption. He goes on a few verses later to explain that it is to the praise of God's glorious grace. God wants to be praised for his grace. Why? Because He in His infinite wisdom and knowledge understands that it is His glorious grace that will supernaturally promote love for Him in our inner being. The mode He uses for this is the power of His Holy Spirit that indwells the believer to reinforce the truth of his grace and the good news concerning it.

Paul's prayer, posted above, asks God to give us saints the power to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ's love for us. It is in this comprehension that we will be filled with the fullness of God. Being filled with the fullness of God means being filled with the fullness of His Holy Spirit. I find it interesting that Paul states that it is a knowing that surpasses knowledge; to know beyond knowledge, what can that mean? It is a knowing that exists within every fiber of being and not just in the intellect. That my friend is the fullness of God. When we hear the gospel of God's grace, the Holy Spirit enables us to know the love of Christ beyond knowledge. It becomes who we are! As I sit here writing this I am filled with this fullness and overwhelmed and overjoyed with the peace that it brings.

It is so easy to forget it, and it can be ever so fleeting if one does not hear the gospel of grace rehearsed over and over. This once again is the reason that Paul determined to know nothing among the Corinthians, and for that matter, I believe to know nothing among all the groups he encountered in his ministry sojourn, except Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, risen, and seated at the right hand of majesty on high. It is precisely why all saints need to hear the gospel clearly articulated each and every time they assemble. Not just as an afterthought in the alter call, but as the main substance of the meeting. The reason is that it is the way in which the Holy Spirit refills our tanks so to speak. It is the gospel message and no other that fills us with the fullness of God.

Let me finish with my prayer for the saints. I pray to the Father in Glory that evangelical Christianity will be awakened from its lethargy and error, and will be certain to proclaim to all the saints at each and every meeting the gospel of God's grace that they may comprehend the love of Christ in its entirety and thereby allow that love, so rich and so freely given without condition, to transform them by being filled with the fullness of God's love, and that this love might transform their inner being into an instrument of God's love in the earth!