Paul s Prayer: Knowledge And Power Ephesians 1:15-23 Introduction

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1 Introduction Paul opened the chapter describing our blessings in the Father; our benefits in the Son and our belongings in the Holy Spirit (vv.1-14). We are blessed (vv.1-3); chosen (v.4); adopted (vv.5-6); redeemed and accepted (vv.7-8); sealed and sanctified in the Holy Spirit (vv.9-10). Jesus sacrificed Himself on our behalf that we might praise God (vv.11-12). In Christ we are the beneficiaries of unimaginable riches! Paul s song of praise gives way to a prayer for knowledge and understanding and power for the believer s in Ephesus! Paul knew that in order for the believers in Ephesus to recognize the vast spiritual resources they had in Christ, they needed to get to know God in ever increasing wisdom and revelation; and connect their resources to the person and work of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. Os Guiness writes; Faith does not feed on thin air but on facts. The simple fact is the believer s growth and maturity is linked to knowing God in Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul s prayer for the believers in Ephesus is that they would grow in their knowledge of God in order to appreciate who they are in Christ and what they have in Christ. If you read Paul s prison prayers (see here vv.17-23; and Philippians 1:9-11; and Colossians 1:9-12); the focus is never on material things or material provisions but rather on spiritual things and spiritual perception and maturation; perception of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Or as Warren Wiersbe wisely puts it; He does not ask God to give them what they do not have, but prays that God will reveal to them what they already have. Wiersbe tells the story of William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper Czar who was instrumental in Billy Graham s early ministry. Hearst had invested heavily in California real estate and art treasures from around the world. One day Mr. Hearst found a description of a valuable treasure and decided he had to have it for himself. He sent one of his agents out with the task of finding and purchasing the treasure. After months of research and tracking down the item he discovered the item in one of many treasure vaults owned by Mr. Hearst. He was looking for something he already possessed! Hearst longed for earthly treasure! We long for the treasures of Heaven in Christ! We want Christ s character. We want victory over sin. We want the power to overcome temptation; we want power to overcome depression, addiction. We want an attitude of worship and thanksgiving. We want to serve the Body of Christ. We have the promises and provisions of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. All the treasure is yours who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (v.3). In Paul s prayer for the saints in Ephesus he asks that they would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (v.17); that they would understand their wonderful future that God has promised them (v.18); comprehend the greatness of God s power (vv.19-20a) and Christ s authority (vv.20b-23). 1

2 Grow In Your Knowledge Of God (vv.15-17) Ephesians 1:15 23 (NKJV)15Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, Paul begins by pointing out their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints. When Paul uses the term therefore or on this account it refers back to all that we read in verses Faith here is not simple belief in Jesus as Savior but also the walk of faith demonstrated by love! Love is the familiar Greek term agape. Two things mark the true Christian and the true Church; love for Jesus and love for the saints. I think there is a loyalty towards Christ that does not always result in love for the saints. This is the kind of loyalty that makes you a hermit or a desert Father or a recluse. Some people are willing to live in isolation or seclusion from other human beings. They say they love God but are not very fond of human beings. They may not even be aware that their failure to love the Brethren is sin. The Bible makes it clear that we cannot really love the Lord Jesus unless we love one another. John makes that pointed observation in 1 John 4:20-21; If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. Again Paul writes in Philippians 2:2;...fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. When Paul uses the term the same love it means love towards all. Some say I love that person in the Lord meaning that in real life I hate their guts but have a biblical responsibility to love them in Christ. We mouth the word love absent any sense of affection or commitment towards that person. Real faith in the Lord Jesus coupled with knowledge results in real love towards others; not just some sort of spiritualizing of the word love. To truly love a person in the Lord is to love as the Lord loves him genuinely and sacrificially (John MacArthur Jr. ). Sound theology was never supposed to serve as a substitute for love. We must have both. One of the great tragedies of the New Testament is that love that Paul commends towards the Ephesians at the beginning of this chapter wanes and then dies by the time we get to Revelation 2:2-4. It should serve as warning for us. Jesus rebukes the saints in Ephesus with these words; I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Do we have the courage to ask Jesus if He has something against us? Have we left our first love? Are we full of criticism and deficit in love? Faith and love must be kept in a delicate balance. Fail to love and we risk what happened to the Saints in Ephesus as revealed in the Book of Revelation. A loveless faith in the end winds up being no faith at all. 16do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: Paul thanks God for the saints in Ephesus. Paul prays. His life is a life of prayer. Paul understood the power of prayer. Vance Havner wrote;...we carry the checks on the bank of 2

3 heaven and never cash them at the window of prayer...we lie to God in prayer if we do not rely on God after prayer. 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, Paul refers to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Father of glory. In this brief statement Paul makes clear that the Father is not the Son and the Son is the Father and that the Father imparts the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The real difficulty lies in does the knowledge of Him refer to the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit? Whatever it means the knowledge of God is the highest knowledge. The atheist does not believe in God. The agnostic doubts the existence of God but certainly believes if there is a God you can t really know Him (or it or what). Paul has met God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The sad truth for the unbeliever is little can be known about God (anything of real value) apart from what the Bible tells us. Paul wrote to the Romans and described the consequences when people willfully reject the knowledge of God. People are not content to simply deny God they create an idol. The Bible insists that we must know God personally (John 5:23; John 17:3). The more we know God the more satisfying our lives. The Word of God is not simply ammunition to defeat our enemies it is nourishment to feed our friends. Understand The Wonderful Future God Has Promised You (v.18) 18the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, Paul links His prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation and knowledge of God to having our eyes enlightened. Several years ago I learned that the British use the term torch the way we use the word flashlight. Two different words same meaning both shed light. Both dispel darkness. This is what the Holy Spirit does the Holy Spirit gives light on God s Word. The Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation. The Bible teaches that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit for they are spiritually discerned. The human mind apart from God cannot understand the things of God. The Bible teaches that our minds are darkened, soiled by sin. We need the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds so that we can understand the things of God. In I Corinthians 2:14 Paul writes; But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 3

4 The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him. We need the Spirit of God to enlighten us (shed light on the Word of God and the things of God). Paul s prayer is that the Holy Spirit would reveal God s truth from God s Word and then give us wisdom and knowledge to apply these truths to our lives. The Holy Spirit enlightens the heart of the believer. Literally the verse reads; The eyes of your heart being enlightened. Wiersbe writes; We think of the heart as the emotional part of man, but in the Bible, the heart means the inner man, and includes the emotions, the mind and the will. The inner man, the heart, has spiritual faculties that parallel the physical senses. The inner man can see (Psalm 119:18; John 3:3), hear (Matt. 13:9; Heb. 5:11), taste (Ps.34:8; 1 Peter 2:3), smell (Phil.4:18; 2 Cor.2:14) and touch (Acts 17:27) and The inability to see and understand spiritual things is not the fault of intelligence but of the heart. The eyes of the heart must be opened by the Spirit of God (TBEC Vol. 2p.15). We sing Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart so I can see you. Paul prays that you may know what is the hope of His calling. Hope in the Bible is a fixed certainty here hope is synonymous with that which is certain and so that you may know what certain in His calling. The word is also important for it is a reference to those who are called out for a fixed reason or purpose. Paul constantly reminds the saints that we are called by God by grace; Paul told Timothy believers have a holy calling; we have been called out of darkness into light. (18b) what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...the reference here is not to our inheritance (v.11) but rather to God s inheritance in the saints!!! This is an amazing and humbling truth. God considers us to be part of His riches! I have always been fascinated by what people value. But I am amazed speechless that God finds us valuable. In our culture we value fame fortune favor. A person s position or possessions or power bring honor or glory. Paul says that we are God s possession and we must glorify Him. This is interesting. The Bible teaches that God will glorify Himself in us -based on what He has invested in us. God deals with us not simply according to our past or our sin but rather in our present and future in Christ. God speaks to Gideon when Gideon is afraid and says The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor (Judges 6:12). The Lord told Peter, Thou art Simon but you shall be called Cephas a rock. Gideon will have courage. Peter will be rock. You will be glorified in Him and He will be glorified in you. Paul brings this up to motivate us to a life of devotion and dedication to Christ. Paul s prayer in effect is I wish you could see you the way God sees you. Through His eyes of love; not simply through the lens of what you were in the past or seem to be in the present (versus what you really are) but what you will be later in Christ. You are Christ s wealth you are Christ s treasure. 4

5 Comprehend The Greatness Of God s Power (vv.19-20a) 19and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20which He worked in Christ Understand you are God s treasure. Comprehend God s great power. Wuest translates this; And what is the superabounding greatness of His inherent power to us who are believing ones as measured by the operative energy of the manifested strength of His might which (Might) was operative in the Christ when He raised Him out from among the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. His power According to the working Mighty power dunamis energeia kratos Paul speaks of a divine, eternal powerful resources but would good are these resources unless we access them? John D. Rockefeller was America s first billionaire. But he drank milk and ate soda crackers because his stomach was sick worrying about his vast wealth. He rarely slept through the night and posted an armed guard at his door. He was wealthy and miserable. It was only when he began to give his wealth away that he started to sleep eat and enjoy his life. He lived to be an old man. The power that Paul speaks about is most clearly seen in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. In the Old Testament people measured God s power by His creation and by the miracles recorded in the deliverance of the people of Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. God s power is still seen in creation and in miracles. But the awesome power of Christ seen in His resurrection from the dead. But what does this mean? Paul is convinced that the power of God in Christ is sufficient for all. Jesus rose from the dead in history, in public in reality. Apprehend The Place Where Jesus Holds Authority (vv.20b-23) when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 5

6 Paul prays you are God s treasure (v.18) try to comprehend God s great power (v.19) and Christ s authority in heaven and earth right now and as far as you dare think into the future (vv.20b-23). When God raised Jesus from the dead, God seated Jesus at His right hand in the heavenly places (v.3; v.10; v.20). Jesus is raised far above all wickedness and evil; Jesus is raised above everything temporal, Jesus is raised to that place which is eternal, Jesus is promoted to the place of supreme authority and executive control. He is far above all rule (v.21). No physical rulers on earth or spiritual rulers in spiritual realms can compromise Christ s sovereignty or authority. Jesus is subject to no one. These verses speak of the absolute supremacy of Christ. This is the practical application. All believers are in Christ s Church His Body. Jesus is the Head over all things and Head over the Church. Jesus is the living, thinking, ruling, connection between His body and Himself. Have you ever had an experience with a head injury? A concussion or head trauma? In a physical or natural sense the head controls the body. If you injure part of the head you handicap or limit the body s ability to function. Christ is our spiritual head. Through the Holy Spirit we are united to Him. That means we share His resurrection, His ascension, His exaltation. The power of the Holy Spirit is available to all Christians who believe in what Jesus has done for them. Grace supplies the wealth but is faith that lays hold of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge and understanding that provides instructions in our use of the wealth. Conclusion Paul s prayer for the saints in Ephesus is that they would live in Christ s unmatched power. Do you want to live in Christ s unmatched power? Then pray Paul s prayer. Tell me about your faith in Jesus and then show me your love for the Saints. Pray that the Father of glory will impart the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of both the Father and the Son and the Spirit. Pray that the eyes of your heart will see the light and know the hope of His calling and what are the riches of His inheritance in the saints -you are His treasure. Pray that you will comprehend God s power and apprehend Christ s authority in Heaven and earth in the present world and in the future world. Over the years I have been given special privileges to teach at Columbine High School at the invitation of its Principal and teachers. Most people in our community are familiar with how the tragic shooting affected our lives and the nation. A recent visit to Columbine reminded me of another school tragedy that took place long ago. Just before WWII the little town of Itasca Texas suffered one of the worst school tragedies in the history of the nation. A fire claimed the lives of some 263 children. The Itasca residents had neither the drive or the resources to rebuilt their school. The nation was at War and resources were scarce for everyone. But by the end of the 6

7 War there was new hope and the residents planned to rebuild their new school. The fire was not forgotten. In the new design the finest sprinkler system technology was incorporated into every area and section of the school. When the project was complete, people came from everywhere to see the new school and the new sprinkler system. Parents sent their children to class with confidence, secure in the knowledge that a school fire would never claim young lives in Itasca. Just seven years later, the town had grown, and already the school needed to be enlarged. As workmen began construction, they discovered an appalling fact. The best sprinkler system their money could buy had never been connected. We shudder. Many Christians live their lives with a similar disconnection. They are disconnected from Christ s unmatched power available through the Holy Spirit. Power for prayer. Power for life. When we accept Christ as Savior we gain access to the power that created the Heavens and the Earth the power that raised Jesus from the dead. An American with an English gentleman was viewing the Niagara whirlpool rapids when he said to his friend; Come, and I will show you the greatest unused power in the world. And taking him to the foot of Niagara Falls said, there is the greatest unused power in the world! Ah not so my brother was the reply. The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God. How do you know if you are connected to this great power? Are you growing? Are you praying? Are you changing? Has your faith been noticed by your love? God s power is best demonstrated in weakness, in doubt and difficulty. Has God allowed trial in your life? To connect with God s power you must admit your own lack of power. You must allow God s Holy Spirit and God s Word to be your awesome provision. Charles Haddon Spurgeon once implored his congregation: Dear brothers and sisters, go home and never ask the Lord to make you strong in yourselves, never ask Him to make you anybody or anything, but be content to be nothing and nobody. Next ask that His power may have room in you, and that all those who come near you may see what God can do by nothings and nobodies...live with this desire, to glorify God. Do you sometimes feel inadequate? Good. This means you have taken your first step to tapping into God's strength and power through the Holy Spirit to live a life of victory and joy! 7