Ephesians Lesson 7 Paul s Second Prayer For The Ephesians Eph. 3:14-21 The Hidden Mystery of The Gospel Now Revealed 1. The hidden mystery of the gospel now revealed Eph. 3:1-5 2. What is this mystery? Eph. 3:6-7 3. By grace God gave Paul the ministry of preaching to the Gentiles Eph. 3:8-9 4. Manifold wisdom of God displayed in the church Eph. 3:10-12 5. Paul s imprisonment used for the progress of the gospel Eph. 3:13 2 Introduction Introduction God not only desires to forgive us by the blood of Jesus but He also desires to change us into the image of His Son Paul prays for the Ephesians to be strengthened and changed by God s power The same gospel that brings forgiveness also brings change so we can become what God would have us be 3 We are not changed by miraculous, instantaneous working of the Spirit that overrules our will The change occurs over time as we willingly learn, love and apply the gospel In time, our thinking, desires and actions are transformed from being sinful to righteous We should pray for change in ourselves and in others 4 Paul s Second Prayer For The Ephesians 1. Prayer should be directed to the Father through Jesus Eph. 3:14-15 2. For what things did he pray? Eph. 3:16-19 3. God is able to change us through His powerful Word in us Eph. 3:20-21 Prayer Should Be Directed To The Father Through Jesus Eph 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, Eph 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, Eph 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 5 6
Eph 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 7 Col 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Col 1:10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 8 Col 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 1Jn 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 9 10 Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and Christ May Dwell In Your Hearts Through Faith Eph 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, intentions of the heart. 11 12
1Jn 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 1Jn 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 13 2Jn 1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 14 Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Rom 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Rom 8:10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 15 16 Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 17 Rooted and Grounded In Love Eph 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 18
Rooted and Grounded In Love 1Jn 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Be Filled With The Fullness of God Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Eph 1:22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, Eph 1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 19 20 Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 22 Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 23 24
Col 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Col 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Col 3:3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Rom 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 25 26 Php 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; Php 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. To God Be The Glory Eph 3:21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 27 28 To God Be The Glory 2Th 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 2Th 1:12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. When We Fail To Let The Gospel Change Us 1Jn 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 1Jn 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 29 30
When We Fail To Let The Gospel Change Us 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Paul s Second Prayer For The Ephesians 1. Prayer should be directed to the Father through Jesus Eph. 3:14-15 2. For what things did he pray? Eph. 3:16-19 3. God is able to change us through His powerful Word in us Eph. 3:20-21 31 32