Strength in Christ
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:14-19
The need for spiritual strength. It is not always something we recognize. Our human nature often leads us to seek strength from within ourselves, relying on our own effort, abilities or resilience. We may try to mask our weakness through performance or productivity, yet we realize sooner or later that no matter how hard we try, we need a strength greater than our own.
In Ephesians 3, Paul speaks of a strength that can only come from God, when his Spirit dwells among believers through faith in Him. This strength is not simply for endurance or perseverance, but so that believers may live lives rooted in Christ, knowing His love and filled with His fullness.
In verse 16, Paul prays that God will strengthen the believers in Ephesus in their “inner being”. This is significant because the believers in Ephesus lived in a culture obsessed with power, status and spiritual influence. Many had come out of pagan worship and now faced pressure and opposition as followers of Christ. Rather than praying for their circumstances to change, Paul prays for inner, Spirit-given strength.
Like the believers in Ephesus, we live in a world filled with pressures, distractions, and demands that can leave us drained and tempted to rely on ourselves. We are finite, fallible, and limited in our understanding and endurance, even in our faith.
Practically speaking, many of us know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by the responsibilities of daily life. Between work, family, relationships, and personal struggles, it is easy to feel stretched thin and incapable of carrying everything on our own. Paul’s prayer reminds us that true strength does not come from our own effort, but from God Himself. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In our weakness, we are invited to depend on the Lord and receive strength through His grace and power, so that we may be able to complete the things He has called us to.
Paul’s prayer is important because it shifts our focus from outward circumstances to the unseen work of God within us. True spiritual strength begins in the heart as Christ dwells in us through faith.
The passage then explains further what spiritual strength is needed for, and the answer may surprise us. Paul says that believers need strength in order to comprehend and know the love of Christ and to be filled with all the fullness of God.
This reveals just how vast God’s love truly is. In verse 18, Paul describes the love of Christ as having “breadth and length and height and depth.” His love is immeasurable and beyond human understanding. Verse 19 goes even further, saying that the love of Christ “surpasses knowledge.” In other words, God’s love cannot be grasped by intellect alone.
Although God’s love is not something we can easily understand fully in our minds, we are invited to experience Him fully as we are strengthened in Him. We get to know God in a way that is beautifully relational - as a loving Father who draws near to His people. And this love we know and experience is one we get to share with all the saints, a people brought together by the reconciling power of the Gospel. The same strength that fills us personally also binds us communally, making us one body rooted in Christ’s immeasurable love.
So how do we receive this strength? And how does it impact our lives?
Paul explains to us that strength comes through the Spirit as Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Those who place their trust in Jesus are rooted and grounded in His love. This love transforms our hearts and minds, enabling us to remain steady even when life feels uncertain.
To be rooted in Christ means that our lives are anchored in something deeper than our circumstances. The strength God provides sustains us through trials, pressures, and times of weakness. His love produces lasting fruit in our lives for His glory and for the good of others.
Paul ultimately points believers to the fullness of God. In Christ, we are made complete. Our deepest need is not greater ability, achievement, or self-sufficiency, but Christ Himself.
As believers, we are not called to carry life in our own strength. We are called to depend on the One who strengthens us by His Spirit, roots us in His love, and fills us with His fullness.
And this is not a strength we keep to ourselves. The same love that strengthens us personally also draws us into community with one another. Through the reconciling power of the Gospel, we are united as one family in Christ.
In weakness, in busyness, and in uncertainty, we do not rely on ourselves, but on God who provides the strength we need.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily held by everyone at Christ City Church.