I have been praying Ephesians 3:13-21 for my children recently and some others- it is a wonderful passage. Verse 13 is addressed to the “weary” or some translators say to those who are “losing heart, giving up, exhausted, emotionally, spiritually,” physically. To become discouraged. We might say “throwing in the towel.” It is in the present tense. He is praying they would not lose heart, become weary -Don’t let this be your response to my tribulations, Paul is saying. The word for “tribulations,” speaks of crushing pressures. In the new Testament it is used for outward difficulties but also emotional stress. It speaks of that which weighs down the spirit.
The Greek word for “weary,” “Ekkakeo,” also carries another idea, it means to turn cowardly and give into the evil that is around them. It is written to those who are ready to quit like a runner who crosses the finish line who is about to collapse from “exhaustion,” weariness, and this because they see the sufferings, troubles of Paul. They loved him. And Paul loves them and recognizes and acknowledges their love and concern for him and he reaches out to them from his suffering and he prays for them! Even in his suffering, he looks out and is taken up with concerns, needs of others!
Though he could not be with them because he was imprisoned, he does what he can, which is a great moment for us to pause and realize, we may not be able to be with someone due to distance, or circumstance to do what we wish we could, but we can do what we can in the circumstances we find ourselves in. We can PRAY. We can REACH out and Tell them we are thinking of them, we are aware of their situation and we are PRAYING…for THEM! Paul was not taken up with what he could not do, his confinement, unfair treatment, but was taken up with his LORD and…the welfare of…OTHERS. And this is evident in Paul writing to the believers and communicates specifically his prayer for them, for the family of God for their “spiritual welfare,” that they would not become discouraged, and lose heart and quit. He prays for them to be…
1. – INWARDLY STRENGTHENED-
with the Power of the Holy Spirit… to strengthen the believer inwardly, to trust, energize, empower, persevere with joy and hope. As a “weary” athlete needs to be invigorated and replenished, the “inner man” of the believer needs the constant strengthening to continue to press on in love, loyalty, faith and obedience, turning from known sin to love for Jesus Christ. His Word as a steady diet, to take in and obey and submission and dependence upon the Holy Spirit to control our thinking, doing and feelings -Yielding to the Spirit of God, to the Word of God, He will strengthen the inner man to press on in spiritual maturity!- {Read Eph 1:19-20; Acts 1:8; Rom 8:5-6}
2. – CHRIST AT HOME IN THEIR HEARTS, BY FAITH –
At conversion the Lord Jesus came into a believers life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. -{Read John 14:23 } As the believer is Inwardly strengthened by the Holy Spirit through submission to the Word of God and dependence, the Lord Jesus is not merely “resident” but “presiding” over the life and is comfortable- “at home” in the life of the obedient believer. As we are yielding to God’s Word and dealing with sin and “throwing” it off like a dirty garment and replacing with attitudes and actions of love, He is more at home in a persons life. Where a tolerance of known un-repented sin grieves Him. He is at home in our heart by faith, as we continue to trust and submit every area of our lives to His Authority to rule over us.
3. – COMPREHEND THE LOVE OF GOD –
Paul continues that “ you be rooted and grounded in love.” What does this mean? As we are inwardly strengthened by the Holy Spirit, nourished on His Word in obedience to and reliance upon Him, He enables, enlightens us to understand His Love FOR and TO us. Christ is more and more at home in our heart as we yield in obedience to Him, trusting Him and as we do so the FOUNDATION OF OUR LIVES IS- LOVE!! We become rooted and grounded in the Love of God- and HE- HIS LOVE is made manifested To and THROUGH us! I remember hearing a story about a Christian mom who had her own young daughter in the back seat of the car with her friend. Her daughter was being unloving and her mom tried to remind her ,”..you have Jesus in your heart.” To which her little friend very innocently responded based on her observation, “She must have got a bad jesus!”– Are some of us based on the observations of others – by our attitudes and actions-poor testimonies because of our lovelessness and we too have got “a bad jesus!”– Love is to be the hallmark we are His -{Read John 13:34-35}
** Love is an attitude and action of Selflessness and Selfless Giving- {Read John 3;16; Phil 2:5-9; 1 John 3:16-18}
Sin is an absence of Love.
The “love” of the world lasts only as long as it is “getting” something back or is “offended”- then it stops. God’s love and the worlds love are incompatible. God’s love lives to sacrificially GIVE. The world’s “love” lives to “GET.” He places in our hearts His love to assure us He continually loves us – {Read Rom 5:5} and enables us to love Him and others. It is His “GIFT” to His people through the Sacrificial GIVING of His Son.
4. – “KNOW EXPERIENTIALLY THE LOVE OF CHRIST;”
The word, “KNOW” means to know experientially, not merely intellectual or factual- the love of Christ… but to know personally, intimately, the reality, to know by “experience” the “Love of Christ.” “Knowing” His love for the “weary” soul is imperative to encourage and strengthen and infuse hope- the certainty that no matter what pressures, internal or external the “love of Christ” is greater! His love “surpasses all understanding” because it does not originate with humans but with GOD! And so we pray and ask Him to reveal His love to this hurting servant of His, wounded perhaps, weary and losing heart. I have often prayed “Lord, do something to show them you Love them that they may experiential know.” Does the Cross Of Christ not demonstrate shout His Love? YES! But there are times the soul is so down, so weary His personal intimate touch is what is needed to rejuvenate the weary one.
* These are but a few “thoughts” to encourage you and perhaps pray for yourself or a loved one who is “weary…losing heart…ready to give up..*
So Ephesians chapter 1 is full of the blessings “In Christ” – but part of the background is written to “the weary:”- it has been a prayer I have prayed for years for various “weary” ones…perhaps you can think of someone today who is “weary,” “losing heart,” “ready to give up,” – and you can be part of their spiritual growth and care for them as you come before God and ask Him to…
1. Inwardly Strengthen them by the Holy Spirit
2. Christ be at Home in their heart to Preside over them
3. Comprehend His love as their foundation.
4. Know experiential His love for them.
PRAYING FOR HIS GLORY;
To Him who is “able to do exceeding more than we can THINK or ASK…to Him be the GLORY…” -{Eph 3:20-21}.
As we pray this we pray ACCORDING TO HIS REVEALED Will and for His GLORY…Today Pray for God’s glory in a “weary” one’s life. Miles may separate you physically from them, but Heaven unites you to them through your prayers for them- for His Glory…
I Prayed it for you this day…would you NOW, be so kind as to pray it for someone you know?