We need not pray for power to evangelize, to witness the gospel to others. He has called us to a completed righteousness and to the completed redemption of our bodies. Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (NASB: Lockman). I feel now that I want to serve God, if He can use me, instead of making the goal of my life the making of money. But prayer meetings often slip to the bottom of attendance records. Believers already have that power. It means to attain a degree that extraordinarily exceeds a point on a scale of extent. You have given us freedom (You set us free), I have resurrection power living on the inside (You set us free) What a battle He had in us before we would be won! It refers to a degree which exceeds extraordinary and thus excels. Jesus healed by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38); cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit (Mt 12:28); was resurrected from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:11+); and was seated at God's right hand in the heavenly places through the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:19, 20+). And not just barely free, either. (Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary), Wuest renders it "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." To summarize, Paul prayed that we would come to know God more intimatelyin order that we might know the wealth of His glorious inheritance in the saints. You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. That there are diversities of gift is manifest; and there always will be a vast difference between those who have five talents and those who have two, in the amount of work done for the kingdom of God. But then we cant figure out why this stupid product doesnt work right! Thus, it seems that the author is saying, "I know that you are saved, that you have had the blinders of the devil removed; because of this, I can now pray that you will fully understand and see the light of God's glorious revelation." These three words describe it as energetic, inherent in God, and able to overcome resistance respectively. I cannot understand how this can be, but I know that God has an inheritance even in me. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, ", Ephesians 1:19 (note) and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Jesus, You have given us freedom For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. Now, I'm no longer bound by sin and darkness As you face this new day, do so with the confidence that you are one of Gods elect. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, One day our Lord will come again, and we shall all be changed to see Him as He is and to be like Him. As we step into the lifts which are attached to so many factories and offices, and expect them to bear us upward, never doubting for a moment that they will do it if only we keep in the line of their ascent; so, if we would keep in abiding fellowship with the Holy Spirit--i.e., if we would not wilfully step out of the range of his blessed help--we should find ourselves mounting with wings as eagles, and going from strength to strength. YouVersion uses cookies to personalize your experience. The possessive pronoun shows that it is Gods inheritance.Because of His choosing, redeeming, adopting, and sealing us, we are his possession. Lehman Strauss-Paul requests for the saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ that they might know three things:(1) The hope of His calling. God has called us, but to what purpose? (Matthew 13:31-32) He used the mustard seed to teach His disciples an important lesson about faith and victory. Note that while most versions render this as a prayer for "enlightenment," the fact is that Paul uses the perfect tense for photizo which describes them as having been enlightened in the past with continuing effect. Luke ", It is power. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. In the Mississippi River, right? Throughout the Old Testament, the verb know and the noun knowledge refer to intimacy and relationship, not simply a cognitive understanding of the facts. It was everlasting power. How wonderful to know that each moment of the day God is working within you in such a way. They sigh at the foot of cliffs they cannot scale. Paul accomplished his work for the Lord through the strength the Lord supplied, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me (Col. 1:29). What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? After the service, he drove to nearby Hollywood and stopped his car in the shade of a eucalyptus tree in Franklin Park. his incomparably great power for us who believe. Such a glorious hope inspires to holy living and to a hatred of all that is of this world. He, she, it, they, them, same. I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ. (cf Dt 32:9+) And thats what we are. Therefore, whereas the hope that was produced by his calling looked back to the past, his inheritance in the saints will be fully realized in Christs coming to get his saints." Thus here Paul is emphasizing Gods power that already saved us rather than the power that He gives to sustain us. I have total trust in You. The salutation is in Eph 1:2, which is common to all his epistles: and in Eph 1:3, is the thanksgiving to God, as the God and Father of Christ, for spiritual blessings in Christ in general; and then he proceeds to particulars, and begins with election, which is represented as an act of God the Father, as of particular persons, as done in Christ, and from the foundation of the world, the end of which is perfect holiness and love, Eph 1:4, and which is further illustrated under the name of predestination; the blessing which that is an appointment to, is the adoption of children; the moving cause of it, is the good pleasure of the divine will; the instrumental cause, or means, is Christ Jesus; the end with God is for himself, Eph 1:5, and which, in the next verse, is explained of the glory of his grace; to which grace, acceptance with him in Christ is owing; and which is another spiritual blessing, or a branch of election and predestination, Eph 1:6. 3. the mighty power by which he energizes them.[71]. It is a beautiful picture, the heart being regarded as having eyes looking out toward God and all of the spiritual blessings that have their source and supply in God's Beloved Son. The riches of His glory refers to the abundant, preeminent glory of God as displayed in His saints. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might. ), "What I do you do not realize (eido- know beyond a shadow of a doubt) now, but you shall understand (ginosko- understand by your experience) hereafter. Calling here refers to Gods effectual callingthe calling that redeems the soul. He argues (p. 391) that Pauls object in this section is to give the saints assurance and certainty in their faith. (Click to read more about your inheritance in Spurgeon's Sermon A Wise Desire based on Ps 47:4). A ministry that is College-trained but not Spirit-filled works no miracles. 15:13). (ED: AKA AS NOT "ABIDING IN CHRIST!" After all, what good is it to have wealth if you are too weak to use it? God's Word promises riches Thus we are His portion or inheritance which He will finally and ultimately possess throughout eternity. (Back to the Bible), Choose Book of Bible to Study Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. Setup Size: 8.9 GB. Even the ancients considered the heart to be the very center of a person -- the center of knowledge, understanding, thinking, wisdom. In summary, Paul is praying for one of the things these believers need to fully understand and to deeply realize -- the hope of God's calling. Writing to the Thessalonians, Paul reminded them, Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1 Thess. 6:14; 16:5f, 9, 15, 17, 19, 30; Ruth 2:1; 1 Sam. But glance first at Ephesians 1:17-18. 19:8; 2 Ki. (Ibid). . That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. He let us in on that mystery. This inheritance will be fully realized in the future. MacArthur makes an interesting assessment commenting that "One cause of immaturity in the church at Corinth was reliance on feelings above knowledge. The discoveries youll make, the understanding you will glean, the gifts of praise, the expression of even frustrated prayer will affect you for the next zillion years. It is possible to excel in mechanics and fail in dynamic. Heavenly Father, I pray that my heart would be flooded with the marvellous light of the gospel of grace. which is the true and proper fountain of man's salvation. The NET Bible is similar translating it ""since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened". They are also his by conquest. Our dear Father "has blessed (past tense - it is a completed act!) (Ref), Wiersbe - He is talking about divine dynamic, eternal energy, available to us! I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened- Physical eyes (or ears) cannot see (hear) these deeper truths. Psalm 18:28 For You light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness. The difference that obtains between Christians is not one of grace, but of the use we make of grace. No, not at all. You have given us freedom! His call now is to all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus to showcase to our world Gods mercy, grace, and salvation (Hebrews 12:14;Matthew 5:16). 8:3839)! Augustine therefore said truly, "Give what Thou commandest, and then command what Thou wilt.". Try to grasp the scope of that thought, dearly beloved of God! Eph 1:21+ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Jesus used the word in this sense when He said, Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. Ephesians 1:19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Zephaniah There is no mortgage on his estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court (1Co 6:20, Rev 5:9), and the Church is the Lord's freehold for ever. free! 6:4; Heb. 1:4; 2:37; 3:4, 20; 4:1, 13f, 21ff, 30f; 5:7; 7:7; 8:6f, 22, 24; 10:8, 16f; 11:1, 6f, 10, 15, 17, 19, 25, 34; Hos. Proverbs Revival and blessing come to the church when we stop looking at a picture of God and look at God Himself! Eph 3:7+ of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of Gods grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. From a shorter form of kaleo; an invitation. Whatever Thou dost get out of us, Thou must first put in. (2Pe 2:11+). These refer to various kinds of ability ranging from physical/ mental expenditure (Genesis 31:6), sexual potency (Genesis 49:3), or Gods power (Exodus 9:16; 15:6). 1:1523; 3:1421; Phil. When He is seated at the right hand of God, so are we, in Christ. Dr. Hammond thinks it was written about the year 58, and Dr. Lightfoot places it in 59, and the fifth year of Nero. Don't you think it's time all Heaven broke loose? ANSWER -Ephesians 1contains Pauls amazing prayer for the believers in Ephesus. And he prays for you to understand the surpassing greatness of that truth. Zina21 March 3, 2023, 9:29pm 10. It takes far more faith to encounter and endure the battles of the Christian life than it did to trust Christ and be born again. 79)? They worship a lie (as do all cults who have exchanged the truth of God for the lie of Satan - cf Ro 1:25+). Setup Type: Offline Installer / Full Standalone Setup. Every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure (I John 3:3). 5:19 = making melody with your heart to the Lord; Eph. God has an inheritance. He finally disembarked his troops from a lack of support at home. Paul saw fit to teach simple believers, many of whom were slaves, the great doctrines of Romans and Ephesians and his other letters. The end of which is, that those predestinated, redeemed, and adopted ones, should be to the praise and glory of God, Eph 1:12, and who are described as such, who first trusted in Christ upon hearing the Gospel; and after they had believed in him, were sealed by the Holy Spirit, said to be the Spirit of promise, Eph 1:13, and who is also spoken of as the earnest and pledge of the saints' inheritance, and who will continue so until all the people of God are redeemed from the grave in the resurrection morn, which will also issue in the praise and glory of God, Eph 1:14, and now on account of all these blessings of predestination, adoption, redemption, calling, and the sealing of the Spirit; as also, because of their faith in Christ, and love to the saints, these believers were possessed of, the apostle gave thanks, and continued to give thanks to God in his prayers to him, Eph 1:15,16. Long before he laid down earths foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. When this heaven and earth shall have passed away and a new heaven and earth shall have come, God's child, the redeemed sinner made a saint in Christ, shall abide forever. Mark 12:30+ and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. In Philippians 3:21 Paul states that the Lord Jesus Christ "will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the (supernatural) exertion (energeia) of the power that He has (KJV - according to the working whereby He is able = dunamai in present tense = continuously able) even to subject all things to Himself (Php 3:21+), The surpassing power which God's Spirit uses in continually energizing our supernatural life (Php 2:13-note), in ministering to our spiritual needs, is in accordance with, commensurate with His infinite, immeasurable divine energy.