25 September 2023 – Filled With The Fullness Of God

Filled With The Fullness Of God

BRD REFLECTIONS:

Ephesians 3 and Psalm 64 (NIV)

(Audrey Ng, Chairperson of Children’s Ministry)

READ

Ephesians 3: 14-21 (NIV)

A Prayer for the Ephesians 

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

OBSERVE:

Paul constantly prayed for the churches he ministered to. In this prayer, he prayed that the Ephesians, who have access to all the riches of God, would have faith and power through the Holy Spirit to know His immeasurable love that surpasses knowledge, and be filled with the fullness of God.

So what does it mean to be filled with something?

• “Filled with sorrow” (Mk 14:19)
• “Filled with anger” (Matt 21:15)
• “Filled with jealousy” (Acts 13:45)
• “Filled with joy” (Acts 13:52)

To be filled with something is to be in its grip, to be consumed by it, to have that thing become the controlling influence over my actions and behavior.

To be “filled with the fullness of God” means that the Holy Spirit has a grip on my life and is controlling my feelings, desires, thoughts, hopes, relationships, words, actions, reactions, calendar, money, etc. God wants to fill me because I was made in His image. 

Paul says that God wants us to be filled with his fullness, both individually and collectively as the Church of Christ, so that He is glorified.

APPLY:

To be filled with the fullness of God, I need to be conscious of and yield to God’s presence and strength: to love and care for others, to submit to His spiritual authority, to have moral excellence and godly character (holiness, righteousness, love).

I love others because He first loved me with a love that surpasses knowledge. It is deeper than the deepest ocean, and higher than the highest mountain.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me with His great power, not my human power.

I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is my earnest prayer. 

DO:

By God’s grace and His Spirit, I seek to be filled with the full measure of God by:

• Praying unceasingly
• Receiving the power, strength and love that the Holy Spirit gives
• Yielding to the mind of Christ

May He fill me and do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine.

PRAY:

Dear Father in heaven, 

By your grace, give me faith; fill me with your Holy Spirit, and with the fullness of God. Help me receive your grace and yield to you. 

Fill each one of us, so that your church will be like you. May we glorify you throughout all generations and be witnesses of how you do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.