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Revival starts at the level of individual consecration, surrender and spiritual growth. This passage in Ephesians 3 provides some awestriking insights into the process and nature of personal revival.

Revival is a very personal thing. It is about new life. It’s about consecrating our lives to God and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit He promises.

In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, Paul pens what is among the most beautiful prayers in all of Scripture (Ephesians 3:14-19). Its depth of doctrine and profundity are staggering. There are four specific requests in this prayer which each reflect a vital aspect of Christian spiritual growth. Then, Paul finishes with a heart-warming doxology (Ephesians 3:20-21) of the power and benevolence of God.

Firstly, Paul requests that the Ephesians be strengthened in their inner being. The ‘inner being’ is our spiritual self. As with our physical body, the spiritual self can often experience fatigue — a kind of spiritual exhaustion in the face of relentless opposition by the evil one (2 Corinthians 4:16). But God doesn’t just give us a nudge in the right direction every now and then. Nor does He simply encourage us like a team coach. No. He is willing to help us by strengthening us ‘according to the riches of His glory’ through the power of His Holy Spirit. This is not some mediocre power; this is the overwhelming power of God!

Secondly, Paul asks that the Ephesian Christians might become a dwelling place for Christ. The English translation of this verse obscures its profound meaning. When we are born again, Jesus comes to reside in our hearts (John 14:23). However, this passage speaks of so much more than mere ‘residence’. It could be more literally translated that Christ will ‘make His home in your hearts’. The particular word connotes a settling down or making of a permanent residence in something. As William MacDonald notes, ‘it is not a question of His being in the believer, but rather of His feeling at home in there!’ It is a prayer that we would give Christ the master key to ourselves — letting Him feel right at home! Paul also notes that Christ’s Lordship over us will correlate with a greater experience and foundation in love. We will be ‘rooted and grounded’ in love.

Paul’s third request is a strange one. He specifically asks that the Ephesians would have the ability to comprehend all of the dimensions — width, length, height and depth — of Christ’s love. Note two things about this. Firstly, Paul qualifies that the comprehension of Christ’s love occurs ‘with all the saints’. Secondly, however, he specifically highlights the dimensions of Christ’s love — its extent. Paul knows that Jesus’ love surpasses full knowledge; he knows that it is too much for any one of us to grasp. Consequently, he prays that we — collectively, all of the saints — can begin to understand its awesomeness.

Finally, Paul hopes that the Ephesian believers might be ‘filled with all the fullness of God’. The Greek would be better translated ‘filled unto all the fullness of God’. As we experience the Spirit’s strengthening power and Jesus’ indwelling presence, and as we begin to comprehend Christ’s love, we will move ever closer towards — ‘unto’ — God’s fullness or presence in us.

Paul concludes his prayer with a soul-inspiring doxology — a hymn of praise to God. In it, he reminds us that God is fully able — and willing — to accomplish all of the things for which Paul has prayed. In a glorious understatement (which seems like an overstatement to us), Paul pyramids descriptions upon descriptions, words on words, adverbs on adverbs in an effort to plumb the depths of God’s power. God is…

• Able
• Able to do
• Able to do what we ask
• Able to do what we think
• Able to do what we ask or think
• Able to do all that we ask or think
• Able to do above all that we ask or think
• Able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think
• Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think

(Concept from The Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald)

Paul’s language — and ours — ultimately fails to describe God’s superabundant power.

Imagine that kind of power and blessing at work in your life! Thankfully, you don’t have to imagine it. As Paul reminds us, God is able to do these things ‘by the power at work within us’ (emphasis added), strengthening us, growing us, changing us.

We don’t have to imagine anything. God is already at work!

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Photo by Ali Karimiboroujeni.