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The Book of Ephesians part 2 – Week 38 / September 16th
Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesian Believers
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not
cease to give thanks for you, making mention of
you in my prayers……”
Ephesians 1:15-23
In the first fourteen verses of chapter one of his book to the saints at Ephesus Paul sets forth the eternal purpose of the Triune God for the salvation of the world. This purpose is thus discharged by the Father who planned it, the Son who accomplished it and the Holy Spirit who applies it. It is a redemptive initiative that restores humankind to a place far greater that it fell from in Adam and in that we are now given an inheritance that makes as joint heirs with Christ. No longer do we tend the garden as now we are destined to rule over it.
For Paul this redeeming work is so complete and powerful that those who embrace it are the recipients of a Divine power that can overcome anything that is not God-like in their lives. This being so we are back in Heaven already and the recipients of every spiritual blessing in Christ. We will work this out in time but we have to understand the nature of the power that is available in Christ to transform us. Much of Christianity today is occupied with what we get because of our being in Christ whereas the emphasis that Paul wants us to have is that which God gets from our being in Christ. There is little preaching about this today even though we should know it because when Jesus’ died the veil in the Temple was split from the top to the bottom and not from the bottom to the top. The message is clear: The cross opened up for God a way back into man. In the Book of Ephesians Paul wants us to explore what this means. This invitation to explore God’s riches in Christ will begin with his prayer for the people of God.
1. A prayer for revelation V17
Having heard that they have turned to Jesus and have exercised saving faith in His finished work on the cross, Paul prays that they may receive a spirit of revelation and wisdom that will enable them to understand more accurately what all this means. As I have stated above, understanding what we get is easier than understanding what God gets from us. Our carnal hearts always tilt toward the soulish and sinful pursuits of life and more so if we can “grab” these “under spiritual cover.” Christian television is too often woefully carnal in that far too much of it is concerned with financial wealth and physical prosperity. That which passes as God’s blessings is shameful and too often also blasphemous in that it is done in Jesus’ name. A day of judgment is coming! We need a spirit of revelation and wisdom in the knowledge of Him.
2. A prayer for understanding V18
God’s people must understand God’s inheritance in them! This is the major issue facing those who have been saved by Christ. Our Father in Heaven wants to see His likeness reflected from the mirror of our souls. The strength of this likeness in us tells Him that we love Him, are thankful for His grace in Christ, are determined to please Him and that we are moving toward the goal of being co-rulers with Him. This is His inheritance in us!
3. A prayer for strength V19-23
Too often the believer lives at a level that is less than God intended for him or her because they too easily give in to their sinful habits and failings. They have not understood the incredible power that resides in them by Jesus Christ and therefore they fail time and time again. It’s like someone trying to dislodge a huge bolt with a spanner that is too small and weak even though they have the right spanner in the same tool box. It has to do with their minds or choices; meaning choose the big spanner not the small one! You already have it so just use it! Later on in this Epistle, Paul calls upon the believers at Ephesus to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. (Ephesians 4:22-24) That is, choose the power of God that will overcome anything on earth and in heaven. This is challenging because it removes our excuses about why we keep on pursuing our bad habits, sins and addictions.
In the final analysis Paul is telling us that Jesus, by His atoning work, effectively overcame every power on earth and in heaven. His redemptive death on the cross took the keys of death and hell away from the Devil and thereby it restored saved humankind to a destiny that will see it take dominion over the earth in the age to come. The kingdoms of the earth, with all their “Babylonian pomp and ceremony and perceived power” will fall and capitulate and thus declare Jesus Lord of all. It is this power that lives in us!
Paul prays that you will see this and understand it with the eyes of your heart!
Malcolm Hedding
©Malcolm Hedding Ministries
2013Devotional