A Dream- Big Prayer for Frontier Church

In Ephesians 3, the apostle Paul prays a prayer that feels almost too big to believe. He asks God to strengthen His people “with power through his Spirit in your inner being” and that they would “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,” so they may be “filled with all the fullness of God.”
That is not a small prayer.
Fort Worth pastor Jim Essian calls this a dream-big prayer and points out that Paul’s prayer centers on two powerful themes: strength and love. Essian writes, “Deep in your very being, I want you to be strong in the Spirit.” He also reminds us that “Paul wants you to experience God’s love, not just know that it exists.”
That is a word for us.
On the Huberman Lab podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman explains that muscle growth requires stress, tension, and challenge. Muscles do not grow stronger by being left alone. They grow when they are exercised, stretched, and rebuilt.
The same is true spiritually.
God strengthens His people as they step into obedience. Faith grows when it is exercised. Courage grows when we share the gospel. Compassion grows when we pray with hurting people. Endurance grows when we continue serving even when we are tired. Love grows when we open our lives to others.
At Frontier Church, we are praying dream-big prayers because we believe God has called us to reach new frontiers with the gospel. But that calling requires spiritual strength.
We need the courage to invite our neighbors.
We need the boldness to share our faith.
We need the compassion to pray with people.
We need the endurance to serve faithfully.
We need the love of Christ to move from something we know about to something others experience through us.
So perhaps the next step is simple: exercise the muscle.
Invite a family to church.
Pray with someone who is hurting.
Share your story.
Serve at VBS.
Volunteer at Upward Sports Camp.
Welcome a guest.
Take one step of faith.
God is able to do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
And often, He strengthens us as we go.
— Pastor Travis Young