EPHESIANS EXTRA #13
PRAYER FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS
G1840 ἐξισχύω exischýō, ex-is-khoo’-o; from G1537 and G2480; to have full strength, i.e. be entirely competent:—be able.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
G4137 πληρόω plēróō, play-ro’-o; from G4134; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.:—accomplish, × after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
Once again Paul knows how to pray for fellow believers. Notice he prayed that the Ephesians would be given the strength and competence to understanding something that is beyond human ability to grasp— the love of Christ. We can only come to God’s grace when His Spirit calls us, and we are only able to understand the depth of His love as He empowers us to do so. Then Paul prayed that they would be crammed full of God.
When I (Susie) was teaching middle school, I often prayed that God would give my students the ability to even begin understanding how much the Lord loved them. One day an illustration popped into my brain (wonder where it came from), and I asked my students to imagine themselves creating a Playdough™ world and people that would really come to life. They would be like a god to those people. I wove the story of their created world for awhile and then asked them to imagine that the people ceased to believe they were real and taught their children that there were no such things as kindly giants that created them. I described a rebellion in Playdough™ world. Then I asked them if they would be willing to become a Playdough™ person and die for their rebellious creatures. Suddenly the light came on in a 6th grader’s head, and he said, “Miss Hale! God created us from clay. We are the Playdough™ people, and Jesus did come into our world to die for us!” The room was silent for a moment as this truth sank in. I thought this would be the highlight of our week in Bible class.
However, the next day we read the verses above. I asked the class if anyone could explain what they meant. A student raised his hand and said, “Isn’t that what God did for us yesterday? He put that story in your head to help us all understand his love.” What a teachable moment supplied by the grace of God! I know those students were being given a firm foundation of biblical truth, and I now pray that they are continuing to be filled with all God’s Spirit has to offer them.
Father, help us to pray powerfully for fellow believers as Paul did. We pray the verses above for our family and friends and ourselves right now. Help us to grasp your love and be filled to the brim with your Spirit.