You bend the knee with this inspired prayer, and rightly so, for the power we seek is not in the posture of the body alone but in the pleading of the soul. We must know that the foundation of our power with God must always lie in the love and tenderness of God. He is susceptible of pity, yes, He is Tenderness itself. And there is a conquering power in faith, because faith pleads the promises of God! Thus, we draw near, not in our own merit, but in the riches of His glory, asking for that which He has already pledged to give.
To be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, oh, what a necessity this is! The Spirit of God must work this, for natural depravity is an opposing force; men are set upon their sins, and love not the things of God, neither will they hearken to the voice of mercy. The miracles of grace are never unnecessary freaks of power; they have a practical end. The same may be said of the promises of God. It is essential to our salvation that every one of us should receive the Spirit of God. And when He comes, He begins a work He will never leave, carrying us from strength to strength until we stand complete in Christ. If you have not the Spirit of Christ, you are none of His.
And here is the glorious result: that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. This is Christ in the heart, true religion, which is the power of God and the wisdom of God. It is not a mere doctrine you have tasted, talked about, or sung concerning. To be directed into the love of God is quite another thing from all that we can be told. We come, when taught of the Spirit, to enter into the love of God by seeing its central importance; that it is the source and center, fountain and foundation of all our salvation. Being rooted and grounded there, we are on the highway to holiness. Love to God constrains us; it makes us courageous, bold, and truly free. The one who really loves the Lord, when tempted to sin, cries, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Every act of sin arises out of the decline of love, but perfect love to God leads to a perfect life with God.
Then the prayer soars to comprehend with all saints the dimensions of a love that surpasses knowledge. This is no notion for a select few; it is for all the saints. But we must be taught of the Spirit to know it, for the most enlarged intellect must fail to compass it. This love is a marvel of marvels, a miracle needing the fullness of the Deity. What is the width and length and depth and height? It is a fullness which it were impossible to survey, much less to explore, a fullness of grace to pardon, to regenerate, to sanctify, to preserve, and to perfect. A fullness of comfort in affliction and guidance in prosperity. It is the love that spared not the Son, the love that says to the returning prodigal, "This my son was dead and is alive again." O child of God, your questionings of Divine love are grievous to your Father. Let your soul swim in this sea of love and say, "My God, I love You!"
And what is the end of it all, but to be filled with all the fullness of God? The Father has stored up all fullness in Christ, and it pleased Him that in Him should all fullness dwell. This is not an intermittent spring but an inexhaustible fountain. In Christ, you are rich to the fullness of riches! Get up to the high places and realize for yourselves the fullness of God in Christ Jesus. Do not insult the fullness of Christ by thinking that you are full enough yourselves, for when you come to Christ, God meets you, and a treaty of peace is made. You have only to ask of Him, and He will give you that which is yours already. God grant us grace to believe that today we can have all the blessing of a true revival, for of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
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. The completion of our salvation, the deliverance of our body from the bondage of corruption, is wrapped up in the personal resurrection and quickening power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He who changes our vile bodies to be like His glorious body, to Him be glory. And this glory is in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Christ personally is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Glory be to Him, for it is of His fullness we have received.