STEP ONE

Pray to Know the Father’s Love

The Bible passage you’re about to read comes from a letter written by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul. Paul likes to use really long sentences, so no shame if you have to read through the Bible passage a couple times!  

Paul prays for many things in these passages, but basically for two main things: 1) that you would know God better and 2) that you would know how much he loves you. Both of these things happen “through the Spirit.” If you want to know more about why God’s Spirit must do this for us, look up 1 Corinthians 2:9-16.  

If we want to get to know God, God must do us the favor of initiating. And you know what? He already did! He wrote the Bible to tell you about himself, and he sent his Son, Jesus, to the world to show us what he is like in a way that we can understand—the Bible calls Jesus “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). God has also proven his love for us, by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, which he did willingly, even with joy, so that we might be cleansed of our sin and able to know God, washed clean of our evil by Jesus’ blood (Romans 5:8; Hebrews 12:2).  

But we need help to understand and to believe God’s love for us. And we need him to keep revealing who he is to us. God reveals himself to us as we read his Word and pray and enjoy him in everyday moments.   

If you’re confused about how the God of the Bible is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you’re not alone! We use the term “Trinity” to describe God being 3-in-1, which is something the Bible teaches. If you would like to learn more about the triune God, just click here. 

BIBLE STUDY

Ephesians 1:17-21

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

(New International Version)

Ephesians 3:14-21

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 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 or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

(New International Version)

ACTION STEP

Take Step One

1. Read the two Bible passages in this step three to five times each.  
2. Each time you read them, pick out something from the prayer and ask God for that in your life. For example, you could say, “Father, I feel weak and tired by all this drama, would you please strengthen me with your power ‘through your Holy Spirit in my inner being’?” 
3. Then, pray that God’s Holy Spirit would show you how much the Father loves you, and would give you deep assurance of his love.