Being Empowered to Love and Honor Our Family
I. THE CALL TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S LOVE
14 I bow my knees to the Father...16 THAT He would grant you…to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the
inner man, 17 THAT Christ may dwell [release His presence] in your hearts …THAT you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- 19 to know
[experience] the love of Christ which passes knowledge; THAT you may be filled with all the fullness of God [life destiny].
(Eph. 3:14-19)
A. The truths in this passage equip us to honor our mother while at the same time equipping mothers to succeed in motherhood.
These will cause us to relate to our loved ones in a different spirit. We ask Jesus, “Who is my mother, grandmother, and/or wife to You?
Dads, one of the greatest gifts you can give your wife is to see her and your children through God’s eyes and then teach them to do the
same.
B. This is a prayer to enlarge our spiritual capacity to experience more of God. Paul presented an essential 4-fold progression of how
we grow in God. This is seen in the four times he uses the word ‘that’ designating four stages of increase in our spiritual capacities by
receiving more from the Spirit. This prayer provides us with a pattern for pursuing the deep things of God.
C. Paul describes receiving more revelation of God’s love for our personal lives (v. 17) and then speaks of its impact in empowering us
to love others (v. 18). We cannot comprehend how God sees and feels about others until we are grounded in the understanding of how He
sees and feels about us personally. Only then are we equipped to enter the fullness of His purposes for our life.
D. The heart hungers to be rooted in God’s love (v. 17). This is the very thing which empowers us to love Jesus, ourselves, and others
more and to overcome rejection, shame, and loneliness.
II. FOUR STAGES OF GROWTH NECESSARY TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S FULLNESS
A. Stage #1: Asking for strength to sustain godly choices enlarges our capacity to experience more.
B. Stage #2: Jesus’ active manifest presence dwelling on our heart enables us to feel God’s love.
C. Stage #3: We receive a new ability to comprehend how Jesus sees and feels about others.
D. Stage #4: We are equipped to fulfill the fullness of God’s purposes in each season of our life.
E. Wrong thinking, sinful desires, and the lack of connecting with God’s presence hinders our heart from feeling deeply just like smoke
hinders our eyes from seeing clearly. Purity does not cause us to earn God’s love, but it positions us to receive more by increasing our
spiritual capacity.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Mt. 5:8)
III. STAGE 2: EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE: ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE
17 THAT Christ may dwell in your hearts [manifest presence on our mind and emotions]…THAT you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend… the love of Christ. (Eph. 3:17-19)
A. The Father desires that we experience Jesus’ manifest presence dwelling in our heart (mind and emotions). God’s presence
dwelling in our heart refers specifically to receiving revelation of God’s love for us to such a degree that we are rooted and grounded in it.
The word “dwelling” speaks of a continual experience of His presence in contrast to an occasional sense of it.
B. Jesus’ activity in our heart convinces us that God loves us. To be rooted and grounded in love speaks of the ability to enjoy God’s
love so that we see and define our life through the lens of God’s love. Jesus is formed in our heart as He manifests His presence in us
more.
19 My children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you… (Gal. 4:19)
C. This speaks of being anchored with a solid foundation in understanding God’s love. Paul used an agricultural (rooted) and
architectural (grounded) metaphor to emphasize this. Both a root system and the foundation of a building exist below the ground so that
more can be added to the plant or building.
D. The more we experience in God, the more our spiritual capacity increases to experience even more. Each stage of spiritual maturity
equips us for the next one. What we do in our relationship with Jesus affects our spiritual capacities to see and feel more and to be used by
God more.
25 For whoever has, to him more will be given… (Mk. 4:25)
E. The revelation that we are beautiful to God even in our weakness causes us to open our spirit to more of God and run to Him
without shame or fear of rejection or failure. Each virtue in our life starts out in seed form. They are desires in our heart before they are
formed in our character. The revelation that God enjoys us through each season equips us to overcome Satan’s accusations.
17 God, who…calls those things which do not exist as though they did... (Rom. 4:17)
F. God’s primary method in changing His people is to reveal how much He loves and cherishes them. However, He does this in
response to those who diligently search for more insight on His love.
G. When Israel was attacked, Gideon hid in fear in the winepress (Judg. 6:11-12). An angel said, “O mighty man of valor.” The Lord
saw in Gideon seeds of courage that he was not fully operating in. He named Gideon according to what he would be in the future. Jesus
called Peter “the rock” or the unmovable one (Mt. 16:18) knowing that he would deny Him. Jesus saw the seeds of stability in him.
H. We were created to need the assurance of being loved and enjoyed by God. Our spirit craves this. The enemy wears down many
with accusations and condemnation. He wants us to feel like hopeless hypocrites and failures who God has given up on so that we give up.
Many spend their emotional energy fighting the fires of condemnation and worthlessness. This takes much energy to manage, preventing
us from going deep in God, because we are preoccupied with shame.
I. A woman prayed to love her neighbor as she loved herself. The Lord told her, “Your problem is that you despise your neighbor
because you despise yourself.” It takes a lot of energy and space on our “emotional hard drive” to despise ourselves and thus others. Love
and joy takes much less energy.
J. Secure people with a happy spirit walk in deeper measures of love by intentionally pursuing the understanding of God’s love. The
greatest thing you can do for your children is to go deeper in God.
K. Mothers with confidence in God’s love will relate to their children in a very different spirit. One of the greatest things a mother can do
for her children is to take time to grow in the revelation of God’s love. An essential part of succeeding as a mother and grandmother is to
cultivate a vibrant spirit in God.
L. Parents often do not always rightly interpret the budding virtues in their children because they cannot see it in their own life. They
see their failure instead of their budding seeds of dedication and greatness. Give voice to God’s love for your family instead of the enemy’s
lies against them.
IV. STAGE 3: NEW CAPACITIES TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEART: EXHILARATED IN LOVE
17 THAT you…18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- 19 to know the love
of Christ which passes knowledge… (Eph. 3:17-19)
A. There is a dimension of God’s love that we can experience in relation to God’s love for all the saints—for others. It is the ability to
see and feel about others as God sees and feels about them. We can see people in a new supernatural way based on the revelation of
how God sees them.
16 From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him
thus no longer. (2 Cor. 5:16)
B. We are most alive and live in the most powerful way when we can see others like God does; when we do not see people through the
lens of our pride, ambition, or lust, nor distracted with fear, envy, competition, or jealousy. We are on the outlook for the interests of others
and God’s destiny for them.
3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the
interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)
C. The human spirit is a treasure to God. Through the lens of His love we see diamonds everywhere we look. Jesus saw “diamonds” as
He walked on earth. Jesus saw people as no other man did.
17 “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD…, “On the day that I make them My jewels.” (Mal. 3:17)
D. The glory of our life, as well as the life of others, is hidden from our eyes. The Spirit will help us see the beggar as He does. Jesus
saw the thief on the cross as one who belonged in paradise (Lk. 23:43).
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
(Col. 3:3-4)
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of
glory. (1 Sam. 2:8)
E. The most glorious miracle is the ability to see others more like God does. To see more of their value, destiny, dignity, and greatness
and to see their weakness through the lens of God’s patient love. As we deeply celebrate other people and their ministries, it opens our
heart to feel so much more of God’s heart and to be free of the dominance of the negative emotions of jealousy, fear, competition,
hoarding, and self-protection. This life of love liberates us so we can enjoy life with an open hand (Lk. 6:38).
F. Jesus sees like no other man sees. Love sees the big picture in people’s lives. The one who loves the most will see the most.
Imagine a lifestyle with this supernatural preoccupation of love. The storm of being self-absorbed—preoccupied with ourselves—keeps us
from really seeing others.
G. The width of God’s love is enough to embrace each person and nation and to encompass us in each difficulty and failure. The
length of God’s love speaks of reaching far beyond our sin and lasts forever. The depth of God’s love speaks of the depths in which Jesus
descended to redeem us. The heights of love speak of the measure of exaltation that we receive in reigning with Him (Rev. 3:21). God’s
love passes knowledge and, thus, requires supernatural aid to understand and experience it.
H. Who are your children in God’s eyes, in the seasons they make you proud and when they disappoint you? Honor heals families and
dishonor divides them. Encouragement is to put courage in their hearts.
13 But encourage one another daily… (Heb. 3:13, NIV)
V. STAGE 4: THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S BLESSING IN EACH SEASON OF LIFE
19 THAT you may be filled with all the fullness of God [of our destiny]. (Eph. 3:19)
A. The full destiny for our life will only be released as we live in agreement with His leadership and love. God knows that it will not turn
out well for us or others, if He gives us too much of our inheritance before we are ready to use its resources to promote love for Jesus and
people instead of self-promotion.
B. Since July 2007, I have prayed for supernatural help to establish a context in KC to “house 10,000 children as a part of the IHOP-KC
family” by establishing orphanages, foster homes, and by adoptions.
VI. STAGE 1: PRAY FOR STRENGTH TO SUSTAIN OUR CHOICES TO OBEY GOD
14 I bow my knees to the Father...16 THAT He would grant you…to be strengthened [renewed] with might through His Spirit in the inner
man… (Eph. 3:14, 16)
A. Jesus promised to release His manifest presence on those who seek to live in 100-fold obedience.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me…he will be loved by My Father [experience His love], and I will
love him and manifest Myself to him... (Jn. 14:21)
B. Sin damages our hearts and blocks our ability to see and feel. Wrong thinking and sinful desires cloud our heart like smoke in our
eyes. We ask the Lord to strengthen our heart in specific areas. For those who want all that God will give the human heart, there is no
substitute for obeying God. God waits on us to ask Him for help or strength to sustain our choices for righteousness.