I have long loved the prayer found in the third chapter of Ephesians. Either I have never read it in the Amplified version or it bloomed with new meaning for me today (such a wonderful aspect of the living nature of Scripture!). Either way, I wanted to share it with you. It spoke to me today in terms of identity: the living God desires to fill and flood me with Himself–how do I get fooled into thinking that a self-determined identity (and is there really such a thing?) could be better than THAT? This passage is long in this version, and there is so MUCH in here, but my prayer is that you find a particular verse or even a phrase that speaks to your soul.

“For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, … May he grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of0 the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]–To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).”

Want to read this passage in a different version? Click here to see this passage with the AMP, NLT, and the NIV side by side.