Ephesians 3:17-19
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Application: 

The Greek word for “dwell” means to make yourself at home. That’s what we tell people when they come to visit. However, we don’t mean that we want them roaming the entire house and rummaging through our closets. 

But if you desire spiritual power, Jesus must be free to truly reside in your heart. He should have access to every room. He wants to tidy up and organize the messy closets you’ve been hiding. If you wish to realize all that God has for you, Christ must be the Lord of your heart. It’s the Spirit’s responsibility to infuse Jesus’s life into those who are trusting Him for it. This makes life spiritual, not merely moral.

Paul prays we may be rooted and firmly established in love (3:17). He wants us to be like plants with deep roots, like a building with a solid foundation. He wants our love for others to go deep.

Paul wants us to know “the length and width, height and depth” (3:18) of the love of God in Jesus Christ—a “love that surpasses knowledge” (3:19). 

Paul desires that we experience the reality of Christ and God’s work in our lives, which is limitless. He prays that we will have an increased spiritual capacity so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God (3:19). If you dip a thimble into the Pacific Ocean, you’ll get a thimble’s worth of ocean. That’s it. Your container is full. While many Christians seek a tanker full of blessings, they possess only a thimbleful of relationship with the Lord. Understand that God wants to expand our spiritual capacity so we can comprehend His love alongside other believers and be filled with His fullness. God will only give us as much of Himself as we can handle. He will not waste the manifestation of His glory on vessels that are unprepared to contain it.

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1224–1225.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write or post articles that glorify God. I invite you to view this post as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have posted is true. Always consult your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be grammatical or spelling errors. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.

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