January 25, 2016

                                                                   
January 25, 2016

Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV) ¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,

Paul gave us an example in praying for fellow believers. Some believers make it a practice to pray the very words that the Spirit gave Paul to pray for people on their heart. You might try it.

He told the Ephesians that he kept on asking. He didn't just pray it once, but continued to plead with God for these things. His first request was that they be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. This isn't just general wisdom, or revelation of things to come, but wisdom and revelation to know Jesus better. That is the real need of every believer. Knowing Jesus better means maturity. As we see Him more clearly, we are changed to be more like Him. That does not come simply from study. It comes from the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. You can read the same passage a thousand times, but until you listen to the Spirit's speaking through it, you will not see anything new of Jesus. The Spirit always points to Jesus and reveals Him in a greater way to us. Are you learning more about Jesus? This was Paul's first request and chief concern.

Then he prayed that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened to know the hope to which He had called them, the glorious inheritance in the saints. The hope, the glorious inheritance in us, is our transformation into the likeness of Christ. Why would God call us His inheritance? In another passage Paul wrote, "Christ in you, the hope of glory", and "I labor in travail until Christ is formed in you." God looks forward to the final product. Will you see that in your brothers and sisters, and especially in those who irritate you?

Last, he prayed that we would see the incomparably great power that is for us, changing us into His image. It is resurrection power!

Consider: Resurrection power is at work in you!