A Life of Holy Intimacy A Life of Holy Intimacy and Power, Part 1and Power, Part 1

The Secret to Having The Secret to Having the Fullness of God in the Fullness of God in

Your LifeYour Life

Why this series?Why this series?

Not wanting to waste any of the rest Not wanting to waste any of the rest of my lifeof my life

Desire to be a “master builder” in Desire to be a “master builder” in God’s KingdomGod’s Kingdom

Want to build an unshakable faith Want to build an unshakable faith able to withstand persecution and able to withstand persecution and see through the cares of the worldsee through the cares of the world

This is where God led me when I This is where God led me when I sought Him about what He valuedsought Him about what He valued

Detailed study of EphesiansDetailed study of Ephesians

Working on an Working on an “inspirational “inspirational commentary”commentary”

WowGod.orgWowGod.org

Ephesians 3:16-21 (NIV)Ephesians 3:16-21 (NIV)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. God.

Ephesians 3:16-21 (cont.)Ephesians 3:16-21 (cont.)

Now to him who is able to do Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I pray that... he may strengthen you with I pray that... he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner power through his Spirit in your inner

being... (Eph 3:16)being... (Eph 3:16)

Paul is praying that we Paul is praying that we be made strong from be made strong from the inside outthe inside out

What it looks like: built What it looks like: built up and encouraged, up and encouraged, resulting in peace, resulting in peace, confidence, boldnessconfidence, boldness

Recognize who we Recognize who we really are in Christreally are in Christ

... so that Christ may dwell in your hearts ... so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph 3:17a)through faith. (Eph 3:17a)

"Dwell" gives the impression of "Dwell" gives the impression of permanence – not sometimes there and permanence – not sometimes there and sometimes notsometimes not

Jesus promised believers in John 15 that Jesus promised believers in John 15 that He would dwell in us – a contradiction He would dwell in us – a contradiction here?here?

No, most of us get distracted in life, and so No, most of us get distracted in life, and so practically are not aware of God's practically are not aware of God's presence in our livespresence in our lives

Inner strength (v 16) helps us be able to Inner strength (v 16) helps us be able to focus on Christ in usfocus on Christ in us

I pray that you, being rooted and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love... (Eph 3:17b)established in love... (Eph 3:17b)

"Being rooted and established in love" relates "Being rooted and established in love" relates to John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He to John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...”gave His one and only Son...”

Many of us treat the Good News as if it covered Many of us treat the Good News as if it covered the sins of our past, but now we have to get to the sins of our past, but now we have to get to work, be good, do good works, so that we don't work, be good, do good works, so that we don't lose our salvationlose our salvation

Good News: start by depending on the love of Good News: start by depending on the love of God, walk by depending on the love of GodGod, walk by depending on the love of God

You can't make God love you more by You can't make God love you more by impressing Him, nor can you make Him love impressing Him, nor can you make Him love you less by doing bad thingsyou less by doing bad things

I pray that you, being rooted and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love... (Eph 3:17b)established in love... (Eph 3:17b)

Working hard to please God leads to Working hard to please God leads to burnoutburnout

My burnout for God and how God rescued My burnout for God and how God rescued me (if time permits)me (if time permits)

Brennan Manning, “Ragamuffin Gospel” Brennan Manning, “Ragamuffin Gospel” and “Ruthless Trust”and “Ruthless Trust”

Robert McGee, “Search for Significance”Robert McGee, “Search for Significance” Neil Anderson, “Victory Over the Neil Anderson, “Victory Over the

Darkness” and “Bondage Breaker”Darkness” and “Bondage Breaker”

... may have power, together with ... may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide all the saints, to grasp how wide

and long and high and deep is the and long and high and deep is the love of Christ... (Eph 3:18)love of Christ... (Eph 3:18)

Paul runs out of words to describe how Paul runs out of words to describe how immeasurable God's love for us isimmeasurable God's love for us is

It actually takes God giving us the power It actually takes God giving us the power to even begin to understand His loveto even begin to understand His love

...and to know this love that ...and to know this love that surpasses knowledge... (Eph 3:19a)surpasses knowledge... (Eph 3:19a)

Amplified Bible: "[That you may really Amplified Bible: "[That you may really come] to know [practically, through come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]"knowledge [without experience]"

Some say that we should focus on loving Some say that we should focus on loving God more, not on what He will give us or God more, not on what He will give us or do for usdo for us

Here we see the focus is on experiencing Here we see the focus is on experiencing and understanding God's individual and and understanding God's individual and specific love for each of us personallyspecific love for each of us personally

...and to know this love that ...and to know this love that surpasses knowledge... (Eph 3:19a)surpasses knowledge... (Eph 3:19a)

There can be many There can be many revelations of His love revelations of His love that leads to increasing that leads to increasing understanding and understanding and acceptanceacceptance

Sometimes we feel like Sometimes we feel like God loves us because we God loves us because we "snuck in" to His family "snuck in" to His family by believing and by believing and receiving the Good Newsreceiving the Good News

Truth is God knows us Truth is God knows us very well, and He very well, and He delights in usdelights in us

Parable about the tree that did not Parable about the tree that did not bear fruit (Luke 13:6-8)bear fruit (Luke 13:6-8)

I used to think that we were the tree in I used to think that we were the tree in that parable, and it was saying that if we that parable, and it was saying that if we didn't bear good fruit, we might get ripped didn't bear good fruit, we might get ripped out of the Kingdomout of the Kingdom

Now I think that we are the soil and the Now I think that we are the soil and the tree is our beliefs. If our beliefs don't bear tree is our beliefs. If our beliefs don't bear good fruit, rip them out and replant with good fruit, rip them out and replant with the right seeds.the right seeds.

Pulling the tree out can feel like a real Pulling the tree out can feel like a real shaking of the foundations of our lives. shaking of the foundations of our lives.

This is God's loving action in us to help us This is God's loving action in us to help us get beliefs that will bear fruit.get beliefs that will bear fruit.

I learned about God’s unconditional I learned about God’s unconditional love when my son was bornlove when my son was born

Blessed with a daughter, too!Blessed with a daughter, too!

— — that you may be filled to the that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. measure of all the fullness of God.

(Eph 3:19b)(Eph 3:19b)

What does the fullness of God look like?What does the fullness of God look like? Peace and joyPeace and joy Confidence that God will come throughConfidence that God will come through Others attracted to the Jesus they see in Others attracted to the Jesus they see in

meme Power as I respond to God's leadingPower as I respond to God's leading

How knowledge of God’s love leads How knowledge of God’s love leads to fullness of God in usto fullness of God in us

Mike Bickle says that you only love God as much Mike Bickle says that you only love God as much as you know that He loves Youas you know that He loves You

When you know you are loved by God no matter When you know you are loved by God no matter what, you can relax, be who God made you to be, what, you can relax, be who God made you to be, and be willing to try new adventuresand be willing to try new adventures

Foundation of the Christian life: God is incredibly Foundation of the Christian life: God is incredibly in love with you!in love with you!

If you build on a different foundation, it will If you build on a different foundation, it will crumblecrumble

Interpersonal difficulties arise because other Interpersonal difficulties arise because other people get in the way of my getting the approval I people get in the way of my getting the approval I need -- but God already approves of meneed -- but God already approves of me

Cannot bear good fruit if it is not in good soil of Cannot bear good fruit if it is not in good soil of being loved by Godbeing loved by God

If God is the one who gives us If God is the one who gives us revelation of His love, what do we do?revelation of His love, what do we do?

Mentally agree that He is deeply in love Mentally agree that He is deeply in love with uswith us

Desire to know God’s love for usDesire to know God’s love for us Able to block God’s revelation if we do not Able to block God’s revelation if we do not

agree with our minds and willagree with our minds and will Luke 11 says that if we persistently ask Luke 11 says that if we persistently ask

and seek, God will surely answer, and seek, God will surely answer, particularly in regard to things related to particularly in regard to things related to the Holy Spirit -- the One who give us the Holy Spirit -- the One who give us revelationrevelation

[He] is able to do immeasurably [He] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at according to his power that is at

work within us. (Eph 3:20)work within us. (Eph 3:20) Why is this verse after the verse on Why is this verse after the verse on

knowledge of the love of God and having knowledge of the love of God and having the fullness of God?the fullness of God?

It is through His fullness in us that He is It is through His fullness in us that He is able to do incredible things through usable to do incredible things through us

Let the verse sink in: He can do in and Let the verse sink in: He can do in and through us more than we ever imagined through us more than we ever imagined possible!possible!

What we learnedWhat we learned

God wants us to receive an experiential God wants us to receive an experiential revelation of His love for us personallyrevelation of His love for us personally

There can be many revelations of His love There can be many revelations of His love that lead to increasing understanding and that lead to increasing understanding and acceptanceacceptance

That the fullness of God will be in us as we That the fullness of God will be in us as we increase in our awareness of God’s loveincrease in our awareness of God’s love

With the fullness of God in us, God is able With the fullness of God in us, God is able to do amazing things in and through usto do amazing things in and through us

Our part in receiving a revelation of God’s Our part in receiving a revelation of God’s love for us is to intellectually believe that love for us is to intellectually believe that is what He wants and persistently ask Him is what He wants and persistently ask Him for it. God delights in saying “Yes”!for it. God delights in saying “Yes”!