Main Reference: Ephesians 3:17

Paul wrote Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome. It wasn’t his first time suffering for the gospel, as the Ephesians knew. They knew his story and had seen some of the persecution first-hand. After taking time to remind his friends of who they were in the gospel, Paul picks up his prayer where he left off in chapter 1. Living as a subject of the one true King requires the power of the Holy Spirit. Since he knows that his own persecution might weaken or discourage them, he prays now for spiritual strength. 

We can pray for others to know the same spiritual strength to live as Christians in the world. Paul’s teaching reminded the Ephesians of Who God is and who they are in Christ. They—and we!—belong to Him. Because we are part of the riches of his glory, we benefit from the riches of his glory. We are God’s people, so we have all the kingdom’s resources at our disposal. But we need to be reminded, which is a key work of the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26). This spiritual strength helps us to endure, whether we are suffering or see others suffer. We basically pray to be transformed, which begins inside (see Mt 23:26). What God makes of us will enable us to carry Christ with us into the world, as we’ll see in the rest of the verse.