Ephesians 1:15-23 (Part 5)

(Audio: English)

SUMMARY: In Ephesians 1:15-23, the Apostle Paul expresses his gratitude for the faith and love of the Ephesian church. He prays that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that they may know Him better, and that their hearts may be enlightened to understand the hope to which they have been called. He also prays that they would understand the power of God that is at work in them and the greatness of His love for them. Finally, he prays that they would know the fullness of Christ, who is the head of the church and who fills all things in every way. Paul emphasizes the importance of both spiritual power and ethical relationships in the Christian life.

In Ephesians 1:17-19, Paul prays for the spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians to know God better. He emphasizes the importance of dwelling in the spiritual realm and having insight into the deeper things of God. He also urges Christians to hunger for a revelation and desires to flow in God's intended will for their life. The ultimate reason for desiring wisdom and revelation is to know God better and move in sync with Him. Paul also highlights that the eyes of the heart need to be enlightened to know the hope, riches, and power of God's promises. He compares the transformation of a poor boy who discovers he is a prince and needs reprogramming to enjoy and dispose of his inheritance to the transformation of a Christian's mind to have access to the abundance, prosperity, and power of God's Kingdom. Christians need to expect great things from God, work hard, and invest in staying close to the Father and the principles of the Kingdom.

The speaker believes that God wants to form warriors in people, and that God has never given him anything easily. He has to work hard for everything, but he knows that it comes from God. He experiences God's attention to detail in his life, both in blessings and in discipline. He encourages others to cultivate a sense of entitlement to God's goodness, not because of anything good in themselves, but because of Jesus in them. He prays that God will open the eyes of people's minds and hearts to see His good intentions for their lives.

Let’s go to the Letter to the Ephesians, you know, that we’re studying this letter as we go and I’ve been out of the scene for about three weeks, three Saturdays.

I know Stephen covered two of those Saturdays, and what was the last passage that you covered on? What was the…. One, fourteen or so? That’s what I thought. I wasn’t sure if you’d gone any further than that, but in any case, I decided, this is such a good passage, I’ve loved this passage for so many years, beginning actually on verse 15, that I thought ‘well, if he’s preached on it, probably I didn’t get to hear what you had preached so we’ll probably, either reinforce some really good things or I’ll preach on something very different and then, you’ll get a different perspective.