Because God has made Himself known, Paul bows his knees before the Father. He is the one who created and names every family in heaven and on the earth. Paul continues to pray that the Father would grant the saints to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. The Father does this according to the riches of His own glory, not ours.

What does it mean that we are strengthened in our inner man? Paul clarifies. Being rooted and grounded in love, we may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge. Paul is teaching doctrine, so knowing doctrine is good. Knowing about God is good. Knowing history and the narratives of the Old Testament are good. It is good to memorize Scripture, but these are not Paul’s prayer here. He prays that the saints may comprehend something that is beyond mere knowledge—the love of Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can teach Christ’s love to each saint. As we learn the love of Christ, we are strengthened in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. The more we comprehend the love that surpasses knowledge, the more like Christ we are. This is, according to Paul here, what it means to grow in the faith—to, through faith, have Christ in us. I spent so much of my own life seeking knowledge, I am taking a long time to comprehend the love of Christ. Perhaps it is something that just takes much sanctification for most of us to comprehend. We must learn it from the Holy Spirit. As we comprehend the love of Christ, we are filled up to the fullness of God.

Paul, again, proclaims glory to God alone. Paul has just prayed for the saints. He trusts that God is able to answer his prayer far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or even think (even if we forget to pray). He answers prayer abundantly according to the power that works within us, that is the Holy Spirit. To Him be the glory in the church. To Him be the glory in Christ Jesus. To Him be the glory to all generations forever and ever. Amen.