Tag Archive for Ephesians 3:14-19

Filled to All the Fullness of God

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-17, 19, NIV)

Ephesians 3:14-19 is a beautiful passage of scripture that has long intrigued me, especially that last phrase. The concept is grand, but what does it really mean to be filled with “all the fullness of God”?

In Christ, all the fullness of God dwells bodily, and you have been made full and complete in Him. (Colossians 2:9-10, para.)

What could it mean to me—to you—in practical, daily terms to be completely filled with God himself? We know that He is always present, not only with us, but in us, in an intimate and holy way.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you…?(1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV)

You have experienced that presence. What if we learned to look to Him, to trust Him more simply and constantly, to realize His presence and rest in it completely and always?

Imagine the wonder of hearing Him speak to you in wisdom and love. Imagine the wonder of knowing His will.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV)

When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.(John 16:13, NIV)

Imagine Him speaking His words from your lips.

Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11, NIV)

Imagine dreaming His dreams, envisioning what He has planned for His people.

I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. (Joel 2:28, NIV)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.(1 Corinthians 2:9-10, NIV)

Imagine being sufficient for every challenge, empowered by God’s own strength.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.(Zechariah 4:6, NIV)

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV)

Imagine the pleasure of having His own character growing and developing within you, naturally, daily.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

Consider what it would be like to be free forever from the bondage of your sin.

Now that you have been set free from sin…the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:22, NIV)

And imagine being wrapped in His perfect peace.

The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NIV)

These blessings are not someday and far away. They are all in Christ, and He is present. These blessings are not vague and abstract. They are practical and life-oriented. They are for talking, thinking, reacting, and doing.

They are not by struggle or superior intellect, not reserved for the elite, not beyond anyone’s grasp. They are available for all who will daily, simply trust the God who is with us right now.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us…with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3, NIV)

Almighty Holy Father,
You do not abandon us to
our puny self-improvement schemes and
our stumbling efforts.
Your gift to each of us and
all of us is
the mighty life of Jesus Christ,
accessible by simple faith.

Hymn: Holy in Me

The Father Shares His Fullness

Luke 11:5-13; Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 2:9-10

We parents are weak and limited in so many ways.
Though we love our children,
there is much we simply do not have and
thus cannot give them.
Yet we gladly pass on to them whatever we can.
But more importantly, day by day,
without even thinking about it,
we share with them all that we are.

Father, You are the perfect parent,
infinitely greater than all that the best human parent
can even aspire to be.
All that exists is Yours,
so there is no limit to what You can give Your children.
You are complete and perfect in Yourself,
so there is no limit to the gifts and graces You can impart to them.
And You are perfect in love.
No selfishness ever taints or limits Your giving.
You joyfully, unreservedly share with Your children
all that You have and
all that You are.

Almighty God, You share Yourself with us!
You fully incarnated
Your pure and perfect Son
in our human flesh
so that through Him,
we might share in You.
You breathe into us
Your own Spirit,
Your own
holy,
boundless,
eternal life
that we might be filled forever with
all the fullness of God Himself.

Praise to You, magnificent Father,
infinite in greatness,
infinite in goodness,
infinite in love!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Fullness of God
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Complete Your Love in Us

Father, You are love.
As You immerse us in Yourself,
You immerse us in love.

Your work in us begins in love.
When we were far away and
walking the other direction,
Your love patiently,
sacrificially
drew us near.

In the heavenly places,
in the power center of all reality,
You blessed us abundantly in Your Son Jesus Christ.
You lavished on us eternal gifts
beyond our understanding.

You rooted us in love.
You planted us in
the rich soil of Your boundless goodness.
As we grow in love and
grow in You,
we bear the fruit of love,
nourishing the needy hearts all around us.

As You began Your salvation in love,
You will complete it in love.
You will come to us again.
You will take us fully to Yourself.
We will forever be
Your chosen people,
Your holy temple,
Your glorious bride.

Praise to You, Father!
As we trust and obey You,
complete Your love in us.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Love Has Brought Us Near
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