United in Prayer: Day 11

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:14-21

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God desires that his church would become healthy and strong, filled with the fullness of Christ. But, often, we are the ones who hinder God’s work in our own lives and our own churches. God calls us to come out of our comfort zones to walk according to his ways, but we’ve become comfortable. We don’t want to move away from what we’re used to doing. It feels unnatural to us. So, when God calls us to experience the fullness of Christ in a new way, we focus more on what we are afraid we cannot do instead of trusting that God will do a new work in us!

We allow our fear of what might be to stop the possibility of what God could do! To experience the fullness of God, we have to be willing to move away from our comfort zones. We have to be willing to put ourselves in situations that feel risky to us. When we take steps of faith out of our areas of comfort, it forces us to put more trust in God. And as we learn to trust God more, the roots of our faith will grow deeper into Christ!

God desires that we would be filled with him and that, through his Holy Spirit, we would be empowered to show the world Christ in us! He desires that we would experience the depths, widths, heights, and length of his love in new and powerful ways. And when we take that leap of faith, when we step out of where we are comfortable, God is able to do more than our wildest dreams could imagine for the Kingdom!

Today, consider sharing a big, God-sized dream you have with someone. Pray together that God would work through you to accomplish your dream for the Kingdom.

Prayer for Strengthening Churches:
Mighty God, praise you that you are a God of infinite love and power. Forgive us for not walking in the fullness of Christ as you desire for us. Holy Spirit, fill us anew and help us to grow in knowledge of Christ and in allowing you to work in us in mighty ways that are beyond our own strength or imagination to show your love to the world.

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If you've enjoyed this excerpt from our United in Prayer guide and would like to join us for our 21 Days of Prayer, we invite you, your church leaders, pastors, staff and congregation to unite with us. To access all of our resources and let us know that you are praying with us, click here: converge.org/21-days-united-in-prayer