The Plea for Spiritual Growth

I. THE REQUEST FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH (Ephesians 3:14-16a)

A. The Character of Prayer (Ephesians 3:14-15)

1. The need for a cause—“For this cause” (Ephesians 3:14)
2. The reverence of prayer—“I bow my knees” (Ephesians 3:14)
3. The recipient of prayer (Ephesians 3:14-15)
a. His association to the Son (Ephesians 3:14)
b. The saints’ association to Him (Ephesians 3:15)

B. The Beneficiary of Prayer (Ephesians 3:16a)

1. You (Ephesians 3:16a)
2. Your (Ephesians 3:17)
3. Ye (Ephesians 3:17)
4. Ye (Ephesians 3:19)

II. THE FOUR STEPS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH (Ephesians 3:16-19)

A. Strengthened with Might (Ephesians 3:16)

1. The origin of the might
a. From God—“That he”
b. An act of His will—“would”
c. Given by grace—“grant”
d. Given from His storehouse—“according to the riches of his glory”
e. Enacted by His Spirit—“by his Spirit”
2. The effect of the might
a. Strengthened with might
b. In the inner man

B. Dwelling of Christ (Ephesians 3:17)

1. The person of dwelling—“Christ”
2. The place of dwelling—“dwell in your hearts”
3. The means of dwelling—“by faith”

C. Spiritual Comprehension (Ephesians 3:17-18)

1. The prerequisite of comprehension (Ephesians 3:17)
a. Rooted and grounded
b. In love
2. The progression of comprehension (Ephesians 3:18)
a. The breadth
b. The length
c. The depth
d. The height

D. Filled with the Fulness (Ephesians 3:19)

1. The prerequisite—“to know the love of Christ”
2. The depths—“which passeth knowledge”
3. The permissive—“filled with the fulness of God” (Colossians 2:9)

III. THE GLORY FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH (Ephesians 3:20-21)

A. The Ability Meriting Glory (Ephesians 3:20)

1. The extent of God
a. Exceeding
b. Abundantly
c. Above
2. The expressions of man
a. Ask
b. Think
3. The means
a. According to the power
b. That worketh in us

B. The Recipient of the Glory (Ephesians 3:21)

1. The place of the glory—“in the church”
2. The person of the glory—“by Christ Jesus”
3. The perseverance of the glory
a. Throughout all ages
b. World without end