” That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love…” – Ephesians 3:17
LIGHT FOR NOW: Christ dwells in every believer through the Holy Spirit, but there is a difference between Christ being present in us and His life being given increasing influence over every area of our hearts.
One of the beautiful prayers of Paul is found in Ephesians chapter three. He prays: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith”. At first glance, this may sound confusing. Were the Ephesian believers not already Christians? Had Christ not already come to dwell in them? Yes! So why was Paul praying that Christ would dwell in their hearts? The answer lies in the depth of the word Paul uses. The word translated “dwell” comes from the Greek word katoikeo. It carries the idea of settling down, residing permanently, and making oneself completely at home. Paul was not praying that Christ would occasionally visit their hearts. He was praying that Christ would increasingly make Himself at home in every part of their lives. There is a difference between having someone in your house and allowing that person access to every room.
A guest may sit in the living room but never enter the bedroom. He may be present in the house but not have access to every space. In the same way, Christ lives in every believer. But many areas of our lives may still remain closed to His influence; our thoughts, our ambitions, our relationships, our finances, our emotions, our habits, and our private decisions. Christ is present, but are we allowing Him to make Himself at home? This is the heart of spiritual growth. The Christian life is not about bringing Christ into us again and again; He already lives in us. It is about increasingly yielding every area of our lives to His lordship. When Christ is allowed to dwell freely in the heart, His character begins to influence everything. His love changes how we treat people. His wisdom changes how we make decisions. His peace changes how we respond to pressure. His purity changes how we handle temptation. His humility changes how we relate to others. His compassion changes how we see people. The life within begins to affect the life without.
Paul then says: “That ye, being rooted and grounded in love…” Notice the imagery; rooted, grounded, a tree needs roots, a building needs a foundation. In the same way, the believer’s life must be established in the love of God. Christ does not take fuller expression in a heart dominated by fear. His life flourishes where the believer becomes deeply established in the Father’s love. Many believers struggle to yield to God because they secretly fear Him. They imagine that surrendering everything to God means losing everything good. But the more we understand His love, the more freely we trust Him. Love makes surrender possible. When you know the heart of the One leading you, you will not be afraid to follow Him. This is why Paul prays that believers would be able: “To comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge…”
There is a love beyond natural understanding. A love so vast that the human mind can never fully exhaust it. And yet, we are invited to experience it. The more deeply we know the love of Christ, the more His life becomes freely expressed through us. Paul concludes this prayer with an astonishing statement: “That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God”. This does not mean that a finite human being becomes equal to the infinite God. Rather, it speaks of the believer being filled with all that God intends to communicate and express through the life of Christ. What a thought! The God who is infinite chooses to make His life known through human beings. But this expression increases as we yield ourselves to Him. So today, do not merely be conscious that Christ is in you. Ask yourself: Is Christ at home in me? Is He influencing my thoughts? My speech? My relationships? My decisions? My private life?
The more every area is surrendered to Him, the more freely the Christ-life within finds expression without. You do not need more of Christ in the sense that He is only partially present. You have received Christ. But Christ desires more room in your yielded life. Let every door open. Let every room be surrendered. Let Christ make Himself at home. For the One who lives within you desires to be seen through you. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: Take a few quiet moments today and examine the different areas of your life. Identify any area you have been reluctant to surrender to Christ, and consciously yield it to His love, wisdom, and lordship.
CONFESSION/PRAYER: Father, thank You that Christ lives in me. Today, I yield every area of my heart and life to His influence. Let Christ make Himself completely at home in me. Root and ground me deeply in Your love, and let the life of Christ increasingly shape my thoughts, words, choices, and relationships, in Jesus Name. Amen.
For More Light; get the message, “Understanding Salvation” by Dr. John Linus
QUOTE: Christ is already in the believer, but spiritual maturity is seen as every room of the heart increasingly becomes a place where He is at home.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3:14-21; EVENING: JOHN CHAPTER 14:15-23
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 