In Eph 3:7-8 Paul was made a minister to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.  Then in v.14 he prayed for the Ephesians that God would receive glory in the church.  God should receive glory in the church. 

But how?  By his saints being filled with all the fulness of God, Eph 3:19

By the Spirit’s might – Eph 3:16.  This is spiritual strength in your inner man.  Your flesh will never have the strength to do what the Spirit of God can do in you.  Zech 4:6, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts”.

Jud 14:6 the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson when he rent the lion. Jud 15:14 the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson when he loosed the cords and bands.  We know when Samson was finally captured that the strength was the strength of the Lord and not his own strength.

Micah said, “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin,” Mic 3:8.

In Jesus earthly ministry he was strengthened by the Spirit of God.  The Spirit of the Lord was upon him… the spirit of might, Is 11:2.  In Paul’s ministry, Rom 15:19, Paul preached with mighty signs and wonders by the Spirit of God.

The Lord wants us to witness by the might of the Spirit in our inner man.  The might of the Spirit in us is not only for witnessing, but also for us to accomplish the many things you see in Eph 4.

By Christ’s love – Eph 3:17-19.  When Christ dwells in your heart by faith, you can be rooted and grounded in love.  You can know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.  And when you have the love of Christ, you are able to comprehend the dimensions of the household of God.  In other words, when we comprehend the household of God, then we go, give and pray to reach all of those places where there are people still yet to believe.  Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.  

Margaret Springer, by being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, worked among the tribes of what is now Papua, Indonesia.  She risked her life to lead cannibals to the Lord.  Knowledge would have said, “Don’t go”.  But the love of Christ said, “Go”.  Dr Wayne Sehmish, in Thailand, says, “When you get their heart, then you get their ear”.  He says of Paul’s writing in 1 Cor 13, we’re a zero not a hero without charity.

By God’s power – Eph 3:20.  God’s power is seen in the preaching of the cross and the gospel.  Rom 1:16 the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.  1 Cor 1:18, the preaching of the cross is to us which are saved the power of God.  1 Cor 1:23-24 we preach Christ crucified.. the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  In 1 Cor 2:4-5 Paul said, “my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God”.  Because we have believed the gospel, this power worketh in us. 

Conclusion: God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, weak things to confound the mighty.  He chose base things and weak things and things that are not that no flesh should glory in his presence, 1 Cor 1:27-29.  He wrote, “Therefore, let no men glory in men,” 1 Cor 3:21.  In 1 Cor 1:31 he wrote, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord”.

We can witness and preach the gospel to anyone to whom the Lord sends us.  It’s his might that strengthens you, and his love that compels you, and his power that saves them.  Therefore, we can do this and bring God glory in the church.

For more information on this passage see the Sunday School lesson Paul’s Five Prayers for the Whole Family.