Ephesians 1:15-23

This is one of the fabulous prayers of Paul recorded in His letters.  Paul gives thanks and makes request for the believers at Ephesus.  It is a prayer that we should pray for believers today.

          Paul begins with thanksgiving (v15-16).  He is thankful for the faith and love of the believers at Ephesus.  You may remember from 1 Cor. 13:13 these are 2 of the 3 qualities God looks for in a church: faith, hope and love.  It is the one that is missing (hope) that is the primary concern of the requests that follow.

          Paul addresses his prayer to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (v17).  He goes to the top!  The same one Who is the source of our blessing (v3) is the source of what we need to enjoy that blessing.  He is the Father of glory because He is the glorious Father.  But in addition, glory is what the sons of God will experience when they are in His presence (e.g. Rom. 8:18).

          Using 3 phrases Paul prays that God would enable His children to know Him more deeply.  He prays for the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him, and for the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.  Paul is praying for deep, practical knowledge (wisdom, insight), not merely the enlargement of our brains.  

          What is it we will see if this happens?  It is that we might have a deep and practical understanding of the spiritual blessings previously referred to in v3-14.

·        v18: that you may know what is the hope of His calling.  The calling is to be holy and blameless before Him in love.  You may not immediately see the hope in this calling.  You may think that to be holy and blameless is very difficult.  But this prayer enables us to see that this is what God made us for.  Any other calling (i.e. to be unholy and guilty) is hopeless, is a destiny that knows only death and judgment.

·        v18: that you may know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.  This prayer enables us to know His provision for us as sons of God.  The cost of our calling is funded by the rich grace of God made available in Christ.  Many Christians live their lives in spiritual poverty because their eyes have not been opened to the wealth of their Father.

·        v19-23: that you may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.  There is also power for this calling.  How much power you ask?  It is the same power God exhibited in Christ when ...

o   v20: He raised Him from the dead.

o   v20f: He seated Him at His right hand above all that seems important.

o   v22-23: He made Him Lord over all things and Head of the church.

          The exaltation of Christ above all demonstrates the great power of God.  Nothing in heaven or on earth can thwart His purposes.  We need to know this deeply and practically so that His purpose can be realized in us as well.

          Why not repeat this prayer for yourself, and then for your church, and for your children and grandchildren?  You will be praying God’s Word.