December 23, 2024

CHRISTLife — TwentyFive: Filled

cl filled

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly
than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

To me—THIS—is the epitome of being “filled.” For oh-so-many reasons…let’s take this passage apart—attribute by attribute—and look at each of these ways in which we are filled. Not only here in Ephesians chapter 3 but also in other Scriptures are these images of how God sees us reiterated. Remember: I AM who God says I am!

I am strengthened with power through His Spirit in my inner being (verse 16)
Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength

I have Christ dwelling in my heart through faith (verse 17)
John 14:23
If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;
and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

I am rooted and grounded in love (verse 17)
Colossians 2:7
Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

I can comprehend the breadth, length, height, depth the love of Christ (verse 18)
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I can experientially know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (verse 19)
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced
that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves
but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

It is God’s desire to fill us with the fullness of Himself.  Through the passage above (Ephesians chapter 3) we see how He works that through the Christ in us.  Through the indwelling Spirit, we can begin to understand these things that ‘surpass’ our knowledge.  And because He is able to do ”far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us!“

In and through Christ Jesus, we have been filled!  Filled with all of this…and more! Here are more truths about who we are in Christ!  Please feel free to add more below in the comments!

As for me, however, I am filled with power
by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage,
Micah 3:8

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak
the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.
Acts 4:31

….And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19

Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:11

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.
Colossians 2:9 and 10

Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness,
amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge and
competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.
Romans 15:14

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

These beautiful Scriptures are my prayer for you (and me, too)…
The God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 1:9

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11