Paul has been imprisoned for the mystery of Christ, which is the breaking down of the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile. Now he begins to pray, “For this reason…” For what reason? You have to go back to 2:19-22. He is kneeling before the Father because Gentiles have now been grafted into the heritage of the Jews, and together they are growing into being “a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

He identifies the Father as One “from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name”, to show that the blessing that he will ask from God is able to be received by everyone. What is the blessing? He is asking that the Father would strengthen the believers with power or might in the inner man. This power flows from the “riches of His glory”, which is the beauty and power of the God who has lived forever.

The Father wants to strengthen our “inner man”, which is our soul or spirit, through the power of the Spirit. Paul does not pray for external realities, but is concerned about the inward state of the church’s life in God. He wants them to experience God in their emotions and thoughts. I believe the power that he is talking about here is faith. I say that because in verse 17, Christ dwells in our heart through “faith”. The reason that the Father wants to strengthen us is in order for Christ to dwell in our hearts. The Father is looking for “many sons of glory” and so He strengthens us to be transformed into His image (Rom. 8:29). This manifold wisdom of God will be made known through us to the powers and principalities. We will be like Him!