Text: Ephesians 3:1321

Title: Living for Gods Cause

Introduction: Dont faint (to be weak or fail). Why? Paul said that there is a cause! In the Christian life there is
a cause!
2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Proverbs 24:10
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Paul was concerned about the Christians in and around Ephesus because they were in danger of losing heart.
Perhaps you know what it feels like to lose heart.
Imagine an athlete competing in a marathona foot-race of 26 miles, 385 yards. Now that is an endurance
contest! To run over 26 miles requires an extraordinary level of perseverance. When a runner has been running
for two or three hours straight, knowing that the finish line is still miles away, when his legs begin to turn to
rubber and every breath becomes excruciatingly painful, he knows he must keep running or fail. And when he
finishes, everyone looks at him with admiration and wonder, saying what a great heart hes got!
But when you lose heart, you lose your stamina, your morale, your will to persevere. You come to a place where
you say, Whats the use? Why keep going? I cant make it. And you give up.
That is what Paul fears is about to happen to the Christians at Ephesus. They were about to lose heart and give
up the race. So Paul says to them in verse 13, Dont lose heart. The situation isnt the way you think it is. And
he closes his great morale-boosting message with a prayer, as we see in verses 14 to 19.
For this cause
I.

Paul Surrendered His Willvv. 1416

Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful
in Christ Jesus:
Acts 20:36
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Illustration: I was speaking with one of the men in the church this week. He was speaking of submission
to authority in ones life. He mentioned that some people have the attitude that they will follow as long
as they agree with the decisions. But if they do not like the decision, they will fight it. He wisely
observed, That is not called following. Following is not going along with someone when they are going
the same direction you are. Following is truly following when someone goes a different direction than
you are and you go their direction.

Paul prays for the Saints in Ephesus, that God would grant them strength.
A.

Christ Is the Preeminent Onev. 15

The very act of praying recognizes God as the preeminent One. It recognizes our need, it
recognizes His authority in our lives and our accountability to Him. And so Paul kneels in
humble prayer to God.
Why kneel? It shows a spirit of humility. There are several instances of saints in the Bible
kneeling to pray.
It wasnt customary for the Jews to bow their knees in prayer. We think of kneeling as the
common posture of prayer, but the Jews usually prayed standing upright, with arms outstretched
to God. It was only when something was of deep, intense concern that they bowed the knees or
prostrated themselves before God. That is the position the apostle takes here.
Matthew 6:5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in
the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward.
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.

B.

The Key Is the Inner Manv. 16

Paul asks God to give these Christians strength. He wanted them to live the Christian life from
the inside out and not the outside in!
God is more concerned with our inner man than our outer man. But it is easy for us to get
concerned by our outer man!
Joke: A woman looked in the mirror and said, Oh my, I am gray, wrinkled, fat, and out of
shape. Her husband was standing nearby without saying much, so she turned to him and said,
Cant you say something to encourage me?
He said, Your eyesight is good!
In verse 16 Paul is not talking about the soul. We see a similar passage of Scripture.
2 Corinthians 4:1517
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of
many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is
renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory;
This verse is not talking about the soul. The body and the soul become tired and weary. The Bible
establishes a difference between the spirit and soul.
Word study: The word soul is translated from the Greek word psuche (psoo-khay). We get our
English words psyche and psychology from it.

The Greek word pneuma (pnyoo-mah) means a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by
analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle,
mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christs spirit, the
Holy Spirit. It is also translated as ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.
As we get older, our souls age as well as our bodies. Age and disease affect our minds and
bodies. The soul is subject to brain injury, Alzheimers disease, and physical exhaustion. The
emotions (soul) can grow unstable with age, stress, and trauma. Even the human will, which is
part of the soul, can become tired and we lose the drive and determination we once had in youth.
So the soul is linked with the outer man, which is perishing day by day.
Paul says that we should not lose heart because even though our outer humanity is aging,
decaying, and deteriorating, there is a part of us that can get better, fresher, stronger, and more
vital with each passing day. That is our inner being.
1.

Strength
Paul desired them to have a strength that would keep them going in spite of the
tribulations of verse 13! The spirit is the eternal aspect of man. It does not age.
Paul did not want the Ephesian believers to get discouraged and faint. He desired that
they would keep their spirit!
Turn to Luke chapter eleven where we see the Lord teaching His disciples to pray.
Luke 11:1113
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he
ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
God wants to strengthen our inner man with the fruit of the Spiritlove, joy, peace,
longsuffering, etc.

2.

It is part of His riches (according to the riches of His glory).

He has enough strength for us, but we often rely on our own strength.

Paul says, I will pray that God would grant you to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man.
Why?

II.

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith

So that you would be rooted and grounded in love

So that you would be able to comprehend the love of Christ

Paul Desired for People to Be Savedvv. 1719

Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the
flesh:

A.

Faith in Christ Changes a Life

Once a person trusts Christ, growth occurs and a life is changed!

B.

1.

Rootedfirmly established like a tree

2.

Grounded like a building with a strong foundation

Realizing the Love of God

The temple of Diana was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Philon of Byzantium
wrote: I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian
Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus.
But when I saw the temple at Ephesus rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in
the shade.
Pliny recorded the length of this temple at 425 feet and the width at 225 feet. Some 127 columns,
60 feet in height, supported the roof. In comparison, the Parthenon (the remains of which stand
on the acropolis in Athens today) was only 230 feet long, 100 feet wide and had 58 columns.
According to Pliny it took 120 years to build.
Paul wants us to be consumed by Gods love as the Ephesians were by the temple. The
dimensions of the temple could be measured, but the dimensions of Christs love are
immeasurable.
1.

To comprehend His love

Be aware of how far-reaching it is!

2.

To know His love

Dont just comprehend it; know it, experience it. There is a deep relationship available.
You cannot know it on your ownit passes knowledge.

Do you KNOW the love of God? Do you live in it, do you consider it, do you share it with
others, do you speak of it, do you demonstrate it to others, is your life consumed by it?
III.

Paul Desired for God to Be Glorifiedvv. 2021

Romans 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
A.

His Power (Ability) Is Incomprehensible

The word translated power in verse seven is the Greek word dunamei, from which we get the words
dynamic and dynamite. Do you ever feel spiritually weak? I know I do. Many of us seek strength
through friends or family members. We often wait until there is no one left to talk to before we turn to
the Lord.
Romans 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Word study: The words exceeding and above in verse twenty are both translated from the Greek word
huper. Which is where we get our English word hyper. Who or what do you know that is hyperover
the top?
True victory comes through Christ who loves us and makes us more than conquerorsthrough Christ
we are hyper victorious!
Some Christians are just hanging on. They are limping into eternity. That is not what God intended for
your life! He intended for you to be a conqueror! And you and I can be conquerors through the amazing
power of His love!
B.

His Power Works in Us

The word worketh is translated from the Greek word energeo (en-erg-eh-o) which means to be active
and efficient. It carries the idea of an effectual, fervent working.
Romans 5:20
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound:
Colossians 1:29
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Conclusion: There is a song entitled It Is No Secret What God Can Do. Stuart Hamblen was a popular singer,
songwriter, actor, poet, and radio personality from the 1930s through the 1950s. He was first a hit on radio, but
appeared in films with Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and John Wayne and wrote several chart-topping country
songs. Some have called him radios first singing cowboy.
Billy Graham came to Los Angeles in 1949 for what became an historic evangelistic crusade. Grahams
appearance on Hamblens radio show was arranged as part of the publicity for the crusade. Hamblen was known
for his hard living and drinking, but he warmly welcomed Graham as a guest. It was at that interview that
Graham extended an invitation to Hamblen to attend the crusade and he accepted. Hamblen later contacted
Graham at his hotel and asked to talk. The result was that he surrendered his life to Christ. Hamblens became
the first publicized conversion from the 1949 crusade and contributed to the decision to extend the event, which
lasted for eight weeks.
Hamblen later ran into John Wayne who asked him about the rumor around town that hed changed his ways.
Hamblen told Wayne that it was no secret what God had done for him and that he could do it for Wayne too.
Wayne said it sounded like a song and suggested he write one. The result was one of Hamblens best known
tunes, It is No Secret What God Can Do.
It is no secret what God can do.
What Hes done for others, Hell do for you.
With arms wide open, Hell pardon you.
It is no secret what God can do.
The chimes of time ring out the news,
Another day is through.
Someone slipped and fell
Was that someone you?
You may have longed for added strength,
Your courage to renew.

Do not be disheartened,
For I have news for you.
It is no secret what God can do.
What Hes done for others, Hell do for you.
With arms wide open, Hell pardon you.
It is no secret what God can do.
There is no night for in His light
You never walk alone.
Always feel at home,
Wherever you may roam.
There is no power can conquer you
While God is on your side.
Take Him at His promise,
Dont run away and hide.
It is no secret what God can do.
What Hes done for others, Hell do for you.
With arms wide open, Hell pardon you.
It is no secret what God can do.