The Messenger 13
Introduction
Paul’s intercession for the saints, once we give more attention to it, highlights the importance of prayer and those things that make for effective prayer. But it does more than that. The contents of that prayer also help us to see the depths of what God has purposed for those whom He has called. Read through the contents of that intercession again and then remind yourself: this is what God wants me to know; this is what God wants me to experience.
In our previous reflection I briefly touched on the reason why Paul was interceding for the saints. Let me remind you of what his motive was in making those specific requests to God: “…..that you (the saints) may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). There it is – “that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.”
God’s ultimate intention for your life
Think about that because it certainly presents an interesting challenge to everyone reading that passage in Ephesians. If being filled to the measure of the fullness of God expresses God’s ultimate intention for your life and mine, then we face a very pressing challenge here. We need to ask ourselves whether there is anything that exercises a greater priority over our life than God’s purpose for us. Is there anything we are not prepared to face in our life and have God deal with that He may take us forward towards that goal?
Think about your answer very carefully. If you and I are going to be effective in our witness to the power and reality of the Gospel in this world, it is not just what we say but what we are that matters. All our words can in a moment be undone by a life that contradicts what we say. How you and I behave when the pressure is on; whether we really care about people; whether we actually live out the Gospel in our daily life; what comes out of our mouth when we are confronted with a difficult situation; what kind of habits control us; whether we can be people others can trust – that is what tells others about the Gospel we believe in. It is not just our words.
This purpose to Paul’s intercession for the saints can become a real turning point for our life. Even Christians, sincere Christians, need from time to time to face up to something in their life that needs changing if they are not to lose their effectiveness as a witness for Jesus.
I want to invite you to give some serious thought to that phrase in Paul’s prayer – “that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.” To understand just what Paul is meaning here it may be helpful to begin by discovering what he did not mean. Paul is not implying that it is possible for us to be filled with the measure of the fullness of God in the sense that we become like God in every way. That would be impossible for it would imply that everything that is true of God would be true for us as well. Dr DM Lloyd-Jones in his book “The unsearchable Riches of Christ” puts it in perspective for us:
It has been traditionally the custom in the teaching of Christian doctrine and theology to say that the attributes of God can be divided into two groups. Certain attributes of God are incommunicable; they cannot be communicated. But certain other attributes are communicable. The vital distinction between the two groups provides us with the key in understanding of our phrase , ‘that ye might be filled with the fullness of God.’
Think about what Dr Lloyd-Jones has written and you will begin to see that it makes sense. God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), present everywhere (omnipresent), is eternal, having neither beginning nor end, alone is worthy of worship, is creator creating everything from nothing, is unchanging. None of these qualities can be communicated to us. In that sense we cannot be like God. On the other hand God is holy, God is love, love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the qualities of God that can be communicated to us. In that sense we can be like God. In fact not only can we be, we should be.
How does God communicate those qualities to us? In Galatians 2:20 Paul sums up the secret of the Christian life. “Christ” he says “lives in me.” The implication of that is quite startling when you consider Paul’s statement against the background of Colossians 1:19 and 2:9. But if Christ already lives in the believer why then does Paul pray that the saints may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God? It can only be, surely, because all those communicable aspects of Christ’s nature need to be worked into our nature so that more of Jesus and less of self is seen in us. Potential needs to be turned into reality if we are to be “transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
As we have seen on several occasions during these Reflections, communicating those qualities of Jesus with the believer is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. But as I have also mentioned many times during our journey through these chapters of Ephesians, there are some things that only God can do and there are some things God requires us to do. It is the work of the Spirit to work into our nature the communicable qualities of Jesus, but it does require our co-operation and obedience (Ephesians 5:18). Be filled with the Spirit – literally, let the Spirit have His way in your life – is not an option. It is a command.
If I look back over the years something I regret the most are the many times I have tried to do things for God and for the Kingdom without waiting on the Spirit for His confirmation, His direction, His timing. In my natural enthusiasm I have simply ploughed ahead. Sometimes I have had to fall flat on my face before I realised I was trying to do God’s work my way. Sometimes there may have been a measure of success, but how clear it has become to me that it was never according to God’s measure.
If we are going to see more of those communicable qualities of God being reflected in our own life; if more of Jesus and less of ourselves is what marks the life we live, then relying on the Holy Spirit is not an option. It is a command.
I want to close with some words of a hymn by Frances Havergal. Let me encourage you to make it your prayer to God right now.
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
If you have a question or a comment about this series please feel free to write to me, Brian, at
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