Gò0dNews for Men
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Me In Christ by Phil Wade
phesians 3:14-21, “For this reason I bow my knees to
Paul is writing this prayer in prison not knowing
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom
whether the day he wrote this prayer would be his last.
the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that
Unlike us, we spend most of our time praying for what we
He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to
want and what we need. He wasn't praying for protection,
be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner
wasn't praying for freedom or mercy. In fact, his prayer had
man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
nothing to do with what he wanted God to do for him, but
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able
what Paul wanted God to do “in” him and in the church.
to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ
Paul's first prayer was not for health or wealth. It was for inner strength and power. It is not coincidental that
which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” There is a two-word question that is fun to ask at parties or group settings. The question is, ''what if?'' I want to pose some ''what if'' questions to you today: 1. What if the church believed God the way he deserves to be believed? 2. What if the church obeyed God the way he demands to be obeyed? 3. What if the church loved God the way he desires to be loved?
was the first thing he prays. Because unless we are daily,
I personally believe the church would look radically
continuously strengthen by the holy spirit, you cannot walk
different than it looks today. I personally believe the world
with God, work for God, witness for or even worship God
would look at the church radically different than it does
the way you should. You see, God doesn't need our power
today. And I believe the church would radically look at God
to live for him, because we don't have any. We need his
and the world differently than we look at them today.
power to live through us.
For many, I just do not see the transformational power of God at work right now in some people who claim
I challenge you to do something. The next thirty days, every day ask God to:
to follow him. I absolutely believe God is still at work,
• Strengthen you with His spirit,
but where? So how do we showcase the power of God
• Load you with his love,
transforming people's lives more?’' I believe the answer to
• Fill you with his fullness
this question is found in this prayer in Ephesians 3. If we
• And persuade you of his power.
would begin to pray to God for the things in this prayer and
You watch not just how God can change your
transforming power of God unleashed in our lives and in churches like we have never seen before.
12 // April 2021
circumstances, but how God can change you. And then watch what God will do with all of it. About The Author
believe God for the things in this prayer, we would see the
Pastor Phil Wade and his wife Keli have two children and five grandchildren. His passion in returning to Rome is to give back to Rome the investment they made in him as he served as lead Pastor of Northside Church since 2012.
