Anchored In Love - Week 5

I want to talk to you today from the title anchored in love Anchored in love and I subtitled this message today a powerful prayer. I Want to read you today a prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 3 this prayer if you've read it before like I have You probably haven't read it with the full weight that it deserves When I read this prayer, I recognize this is a prayer that shouldn't just be for the Ephesians This should be a prayer that we should pray over our own lives This should be a prayer that we should pray over the lives of our children This should be a prayer that we pray over our loved ones over our church over our city It is a powerful prayer and if we grasp it We will see the impact That this prayer is supposed to have on us as A church as a body and as Christians who have a new identity in Jesus. I Want to read this Paul says this in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 14 He says for this reason I kneel before the Father From whom every 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 Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and Deep is the love of Christ and to know the love that surpasses knowledge That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God Then he ends with this now to him who was able to Do a measurably more than all we ask or imagine According to his power that is at work within us to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus Throughout all generations forever and ever Amen When I look at this prayer it's talking about the impact the potential power of

Christ's love Here's the thing when it comes to Christ's love and when it comes to be anchored in love. Here's the thing It is both a reality and a revelation I'm explaining it. It's a reality and a revelation. Most of us live in a reality that has not been made real to us yet Most of us don't understand that when I say we being anchored in love is a reality. We are all here because of his love It's a reality that we live whether or not we realize it yet or not It's a reality the fact that we are Breathing today. We are here today. The Bible says this it's because of his great love that we are not consumed It's a reality that each and every one of us sitting in these seats living It's the reality that you know, what perhaps the only reason why you're not dead or in jail right now It's because of his great love for you It's a reality that the only reason why you didn't get caught when you should have got caught was because his great love for you It's his great love that says listen. I show my love for you in this way that while you were yet sinners I died for you This is when you had no Thought about his love This is when you without doing your own thing Jesus said some of us think it's because of our smarts Some of us think it's because of our money Some of us think it's because of our giftings or our talents or our abilities God said no, no, no, no, don't get it twisted The only reason why you are still here right now right now is because my love is holding you It's a reality But for some of us it has not been revealed to us yet you can be living in a reality totally oblivious And Paul says this he says I pray I pray That this love he said he says I get on my knees and I kneel before the father from which every family on heaven and on Earth derives his name That this father that we all come from he says this I don't just want you to be Stuck at being held by love. I want you to move into being rooted in love

Some of us cut ourselves short just just just being held by it He said you know what I pray that god gives you that his spirit comes and give you power So that christ may dwell in your heart and you will be rooted and established in his love Not just held by it But that his he comes and he makes his love so real to you in your heart that he begins to occupy spaces in your heart And that love will begin to root you And establish you Not just hold you But change you and here's what happens when when this love comes and christ dwells in your heart. He says You get adopted into this family Your identity changes you are now in this family and this It's through the context of this family It's through the context of this community that you will go from not just being held not just being rooted But to grasping his love for you He said I want you to be able to grasp his love but you cannot grasp his love living in isolation You cannot grasp the depths of his love living in isolation There are some things that god wants you to experience that you can only experience in the context of community Now I know you've been coming to church for a long time and community sounds cliche But community to god is anything but cliche in community there's power And community think about this The things that paul lays out here He shows that even this work this supernatural work of god is done in a communal sense This supernatural work of god. Look what he says. He says for this reason I kneel before the father That's god the father. He says I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you through the power through his spirit And your inner being so he said there's a role that the father plays There's a role that the spirit plays and then he says so that christ may dwell in your heart So he said this work is a communal work The father plays a role the spirit plays a role the son plays a role

And this work that starts as a communal work continues as a communal work What have you been trying to accomplish independently that god said you will only experience in the context of community Community Some of you that's why even the the call that we made earlier for the host This is why we do this. This is why it's important It's not just because we want everybody to get together and eat snickers together Sometimes that's just where it starts But what we know is that listen my life changed when I begin to get in community My life changed when I when I stopped running out of church every sunday just to get in my car and not know anybody When I begin to make friends when I begin to talk to people when I begin to sit and eat with people You can't even become the person god wants you to become without being next to some people Because I don't know about you But how many of you ever been in community you ever been around some people and they just hard to love You get around some people and people will get on your nerve You get around people and people just say some dumb stuff You get around people and people People will really test your patience You get around people and people will really test your ability to be christ-like Some of us have some theology and our theology only works when we're not around people I love this this college course that I remember before it was called live theology lived theology Some of us know everything about the bible, but the minute you get around somebody it don't work And god is like that's because some things you need to work out in the context of community And as you get around people I'll start this is why the bible talks about iron sharpens iron Some of us are walking around dull because we are around nobody And he said the only way you're going to live out your full potential and fulfill your purpose Is if you get around the body of christ the way I called you to be around Or you could continue to struggle on your own and wonder why nothing is happening It's in the context this is why even during the 75-day journey

We have an intentional part in there about being intentional about being in community. It's not it's not it's not it's not for the heck of it It's not for the heck of it It's not It's because we know when you get in there, there's this power in there, there's something It's not for the heck of it it's not for the heck of it that God wants to do in you. It's not about being intentional He will teach you how to love. He'll teach you how to love. He'll teach you how to be patient. You'll be tested, but you'll come out better. He says, you get around people, he said, together with all the Lord's people, he said, then you'll begin to grasp how high and how wide and how deep and how long is his love. This love is hard for us to wrap our mind around. I don't know about you, but when I get to the beach, I like to walk to the, I don't go all the way to the middle of the ocean because I can't swim. If y'all like me, I go like right till I get about here and then you get that wave that kind of like drag, I'm like, I got to move back, this is getting a little too crazy, but and if you can teach me how to swim, I'm open. It's going to take a lot of work, it's going to take a lot of patience, but I'm open. I'm open. But it never ceases to amaze me when I, when I get to the ocean and I begin to look out, my mind just starts to wonder, I don't know if it's just me because I can't swim. Maybe people who can swim think different, but when I'm looking out, I'm like, man, when does this thing stop? I'm looking out and I'm like, I just try to say, I'm like, I can't, I can't see how far it goes. I wonder how deep this thing goes. I wonder how long this thing is.

This like, I love this quote that says this, and this is what helps me to understand just a little bit more about God's love. There's a quote that says, who we are is the material from which we create. Who we are is the material from which we create. Who God is, is the material from which he creates. So that means if that's true, the only one who'll be able to create something as boundless and as wide and as deep as an ocean is somebody who already has that in them. You can't get a regular Joe Blow to create that because that's not in them. When I look at the ocean, perhaps God painted it, made it as a picture for us. You know, blues clues, and he leaves a little handprint. It's like a clue, a clue. Maybe when you look at the ocean, it's just a clue as to how deep God love goes. Maybe when you look around all creation, you can start to see signs of just how amazing this God is. This boundless, this infinite God, doesn't it shock you, or doesn't it blow you away that it seems like every month they come up with a new planet that they done found? Or you found another one? I was just watching, I was in the gym the other day, and the screen came up, they like a new sea creature has been found. I'm like, another one? Perhaps it's signs of a God whose love is just boundless and it's infinite, and we cannot wrap our minds around it, but Paul says, he says, together with all the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and how long and how deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, listen to this. He said that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. He said the only way you'll be able to be full of love is to be able to grasp his, once you start to grasp it, then you're able to be full, the same fullness that I just talked about, the how far and how wide and how deep, he said, you can experience that internally. He said, I'm praying that you will begin to be filled with all the fullness when you look around, all the fullness of God that's impossible for us to contain.

He said, it's possible for you to experience the boundlessness of his love and to be full. But I love how Paul is this, because it's as if Paul recognizes this is no easy task. He says, if Paul recognizes, like, man, I know it's possible, but it's not possible on human strength. So what does Paul say? He says, 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. He said, if you are going to grasp this, if you are going to be rooted in his family, if you are going to be full of his love. going to need supernatural power. You're going to need a power that that allows you listen to this to love the way he's called you to love. Perhaps you've been trying to love on your own strength and perhaps that's why it's not working. God will allow you to get into situations that you will continue to bump your head until you have to bow your knee. And when you bow your knee like Paul did he said for this reason I get before the father. I'm going to give you some context to the scripture Paul is talking to the Ephesians and during this time the Ephesians have this long-standing battle between the Jews and the Gentiles and they're going back and forth in his history this decades this centuries of division and Paul is like but all of you have now been made new in Christ. So in a way you living in this reality, but you're not living like your identity has changed. How could you be Christian? How could you be made new but still not live like it? I suggest to you that it's not only a problem for the Ephesians. It's a problem for the Americans.

How could you be Christian and have this new identity is still not be living in the love the way Christ called us to live in love. This is one of those things where let it apply where it may apply. I get so tired. I get so tired. Every day on social media something else new pops up racism pops up again things begin to pop up and I just watch Christians. I'm not even concerned with non-christians. I'm looking out at Christians. Who God has called us to respond to things not on our own strength. Can I suggest to you that perhaps some of the issue perhaps all we see no change is because we are trying to do something that requires God's power in our own strength. How many of us are trying to fight and trying to post and weaponizing scripture? To try to prove our own point. God said I never called you to do it this way. He said here's what I called you. There's a purpose and it's potential that I put on the inside of you. And if you get my power behind that you will begin to see change to where it needs to be seen. But the issue is we get confused. The enemy allows us to think I was smart and I guess in our talents is to try to argue people to death. It's to try to outsmart them out logic them out scream them guys like no, no, no, no, no, no. Have you tried out praying them? Have you tried getting on your knees and say God in order the only

thing that's going to change the world is your love. It's a supernatural love that cannot be understood. Are you not tired of looking throughout the course of history and seeing nothing changing because everybody's trying to do it on their own strength. Remember when I said God would allow you to continue to bump your head until you decide to bow your knee. And not just one person. Perhaps he's waiting for all of his people to come into this realization. Together as a community as people who have been marked and identified as Christians as believers as people who have a new identity in Christ to say, you know what we're going to start moving in the power that is available to us. A power that comes from heaven a power. That's not earthly power because you got a lot of people calling things power. That's not power. And we move so carnal minded. This is why I love our pool. He comes to his knees and he prays he says. I pray that out of his glorious riches. He may strengthen you with power through his spirit and then he comes later. He said and I pray that you being rooted in establishing love may have power together with all those people and then he goes to the end. He says now him who was able to. do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine according to his power. Talking about leaving a clue.

He said if you want to see change, if you want to experience this limitless love, you're going to need prayer. You're going to need people. And you're going to need power. And you can't get to the power without the people in the prayer. I am what would it look like if we all decided to say God? I'm not fighting on my own strength no more. God, I'm not going back and forth with people on the internet no more. God, I love the song. This is how I fight my battles. Because our battle was not against flesh and blood. How many of us how can Rufus? I'm done. You can play. How do we continue to fall for the same trick and think we are fighting against flesh and blood? I'm talking to Christians. When will you give up fighting on your own efforts and do as he said when my people win my people? When perhaps he's just waiting for when his people who are called by his name who he has marked. It said this one is mine. Perhaps he's waiting for those people to come together. And get on their knees and pray for a fresh outpouring of his spirit that'll give us power to live and move the way he called us to live and move. And then the world will look. And know that we are Christians not by how many scriptures we know.

Not by how long we're able to fast. Not by whatever we could quote but by our love. A love that's only attainable on our knees to his spirit giving us power. Family, we have to pray for a fresh outpouring of the spirit of God to be able to deal with the challenges of today. Now, I know it's something some people may not want to hear. Because we so used to fighting. Some of us feel like we have no purpose if we don't fight. Jesus said I have called you to fight. But how have I called you to fight? Some of us are fighting the wrong way. Some of us are taking up the wrong battle. If your fight does not begin on your knees, you fighting from the wrong place. I'm gonna say it again. If your fight does not begin on your knees, you are fighting from the wrong place. We are fighting from the wrong place. Would you go to God? And would you get on your knees and say God? There's some strongholds that need to fall. There's some things that need to break. I can't do it on my own. But as Paul said, but I know one who could do it. To him who was able. I can't get them to get it God. But to him who was able, I can't get them to fall in line God. But to him who was able, I can't get them to fall in line. I can't get them to fall in line God, but to him who was able to

do immeasurably more than all I can ask or think. I tell people, I tell you this all the time. I never come up here and preach something that God hasn't made real to me first. All this week. I'm on my knees and I'm praying. God, would you give me a fresh outpouring of your spirit? So I have the power to do your will. I can't do it. It's on my own. I don't want to do this on my own. My natural tendencies make me want to lash out. My natural tendencies. Y'all don't want to see my group chat. Is that too real? At what point do we die to ourselves and say God have your way? If you hear you feel you need a fresh outpouring of his spirit so that you will have power to move in love the way he called us to move in love for real. Could you do me a favor? Could you just raise your hand? If you say I want a fresh outpouring of your spirit so that I can move in power. I'm tired of moving under my own strength. Heads bow eyes closed. Heads bow eyes closed. Brendan is going to sing this song. And this song is asking God, God would you allow your spirit to fall fresh on us? Would you allow your spirit to fall fresh on us? God, your people who come to you today and asking you God, would you allow your spirit to fall fresh on us?

And fill us. So that we can have the same power that raised Christ from the dead be at work within us. If you're in this room and you just want to get on your knees and say, God would you fill me with your spirit? Could you do me a favor, no looking around, just come run to this altar. Just come on up. And you can stand if you need to stand, you can kneel if you need to kneel. You can lift your hands if you need to lift your hands. But I want you to come to the altar as we come together as a family, as Christians and say, God would you allow your spirit to fill me up? Brendan, you can start it. Come on all the way up, come on up. It's only through his spirit. Thank you, Jesus. Come on. No need to do it alone anymore. Come on up, come on up, come on up. Come on. The song says fall fresh, fall fresh. Come on. Thank you, Jesus. Come on, cry out to God in your own way. Cry out to God in your own way. Say, God, I need you. I need your spirit. See, fall fresh. Thank you, Jesus. Would you fall with your spirit? Would your spirit fill us, God? I want to give some more time. Because there are still some more people who need to get up here, get on your knees and ask God to fill you with his spirit. So I'm going to give a little more time.

Holy Spirit, fall fresh, fall. Come on, can we sing that? Sing, fall fresh on me. Sing, fall fresh. Sing, fall fresh on me. Sing, fall fresh. Come, Holy Spirit. God, we need you. We can't do this without you. Sing, fall fresh. Sing, fall fresh on me, God. Fall fresh. God, we need your spirit. Would you fill us, God? Would you fill us, God? Would you fill us, oh God? Would you fill us, Lord God? Fill us up, oh God. Beyond measure, Lord God. Fill us till our cup runs over, Lord God. Till we're able to move in your love and move in the power that you called us to move in, God. God, I'm reminded even when you poured your spirit out. On the day of Pentecost, you told them, do not leave until his spirit comes. You told them, do not leave. Do not go out there and try to do anything on your own power. Do not open your mouth. Do not try to pray for anybody. Do not do anything until your spirit comes. Father God, it's with that desperation, Father God, that we say we need your spirit, God. God, we can't do this life without your spirit, Father.

We can't talk without your spirit. We can't love people without your spirit. We can't make any change without your spirit. Father God, would your spirit come and fill us, Father? There's some dark places that will remain dark until we show up in power. There's some areas in your life that you will remain addicted in until you open up and allow his spirit to come dwell in there. There are some things that will only be broken when his spirit is allowed to go. Would you open up your heart and allow his spirit room to come in? Fall fresh, God, fall fresh on me, God. Sing fall fresh. Holy Spirit. Sing fall fresh. Fall fresh. Sing fall fresh on me. Fall fresh on me. Fall fresh, God. Fall fresh. We need your spirit, God. Holy Spirit. Fall fresh on me. Come on, continue to pray. Just lift it up to him one more time. Whatever it is you need, wherever you need power, wherever you need strength, wherever you've been trying to do it on your own strength, ask for his spirit right now. Ask for his power right now. Ask for his strength to show up. Thank you, God. Oh, God, we thank you. Fall fresh.

Oh, God. Sing on me. Spirit. Darkness flees in his spirit. Demons run in his spirit. Chains are broken in his spirit. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Come on, sing that out, Brendan. Sing that out. Sing darkness. Sing darkness. What? Come on. Come on, sing it out, Brendan. Come on, one more time. Sing it louder. Come on. Sing darkness fades. Darkness fades. Come on. Come on. Sing louder. Sing louder one more time. Darkness fades. Sing demons flee. How worship was made for Jesus. One more time. One more time. Sing darkness fades.

And demons flee. How worship was made. We thank you, Jesus. Sing father. Fall fresh. Fall fresh. Thank you, Jesus. Father God, we thank you one more time for your spirit that you have made readily available to us. To give us power, to give us strength, to give us wisdom. To be able to operate. To be able to operate in a way that we don't leave here today the same. Father God, may our eyes have now been opened to the things that we may have not realized before. Father God, help us not to go out and try to do things in our own strength that you've started in your spirit. Help us to understand, God, that what you have started, you are faithful enough to complete. You will see it through, but it's only by the power of your spirit. When some of you go home today, even this week, I want you to open up that scripture. Ephesians 3. I want you to pray it over yourself. I want you to pray it over your kids. I want you to pray it over your family. Pray it over your loved ones. I believe what God is going to do is going to start with his people in this humble position.

God, we thank you again. We love you. We rely on you. Can we put up this scripture one more time? For this reason I kneel before the father from whom every family in heaven on earth derives his 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 Lord's holy people 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 to imagine according to his power, that is at work with us. Send us to Him, be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus through our all generations, forever and ever and ever. Amen. Be blessed. We will see you next week.