Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul’s Prayer: Knowledge And Power

we're gonna be looking at Ephesians chapter 1 verses 15 through 23 and the message I'm entitled tall's prayer for knowledge and power I'm hoping before we come to the end of this passage something's in awaken inside of your heart as you begin to think about praying this prayer for yourself let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your love and grace and mercy and Lord we're so grateful for all that Jesus has done for us and Lord even as this particular passage points out lord I pray that you would fill our hearts with wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Lord I pray that you will open the eyes of our understanding and that Lord we would begin to understand all that we have all that we are all that were promised in Jesus and so Heavenly Father I pray for that person who tonight is facing some profound difficulties some extreme challenges Lord they might have physical issues or financial issues or family issues lord I pray that by your Holy Spirit you will speak to them and you will comfort them you will remind them Lord that they can trust you and so father we commit this time to you and we pray these things in Jesus name Amen Ephesians chapter 1 beginning in verse 15 it says 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 that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all Paul opened this chapter describing our blessings in the Father our benefits in the son our belongings in the Holy Spirit in verses 1 through 14 remember we learned that we are blessed in verses 1 through 3 chosen in verse 4 adopted in verses five and six redeemed and excepted verses seven and eight sealed and sanctified in the holy spirit verses 9 and 10 Jesus sacrificed himself on our behalf that we could praise God in verses 11 and 12 in Christ we are the beneficiaries of on imaginable riches so Paul's song of praise gives way to a prayer for knowledge and power and understanding for the believers who are in Ephesus Paul knew that in order for the believers in Ephesus to recognize their vast spiritual resources in Christ they needed to know God in an ever-increasing wisdom and revelation and then connect the resources to the person and the work of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit Guinness writes faith does not feed on thin air but on facts and the simple fact is that the believers growth and maturity is linked to knowing God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit so Paul's prayer for the believer in Ephesus is that they would grow in the knowledge of God in order to appreciate who they are in Christ and what they have in Christ by the way if you read Paul's prison prayers here that we just read Philippians chapter 1 verses 9 through 11 Colossians chapter 1 verses 9 and 12 in all three of those instances the focus is never on material things or material provisions but rather on spiritual things and spiritual perception maturation the perception of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit or as worn wears me wisely puts it quote he does not ask God to give them what they don't have but praise that God will reveal to them they already have that's amazing now when we say that though does don't be discouraged don't think for a moment that you can't pray for your loved ones that you can't pray for health that you can't pray when you're disconnected that's not what the passage is is basically pointing to but I want you to understand this passage in its context let me do that by relating a story that Warren wears be shared long ago he tells the story of William Randolph Hearst I don't know if you know that name but he was the newspapers are who was instrumental in Billy Graham's early ministry he owned a chain of newspapers and when Billy Graham was first starting out on on ministry he just basically gave his editors two words puff Graham in other words cover him cover where he's at cover what he's doing Hearst had invested heavily in California real estate he had treasures from all over the world I don't know if you've ever been to Hearst Castle it's one of those magical places that if you said to yourself if I had a magic Genie and I could just imagine a place where I could live and what it would be like and and the riches that it would contain you would come up with Hearst Castle well he found a description of a valuable treasure and he thought to himself that he had to have it and so he sent one of his agents out with the task of finding it and purchasing the treasure and after months of research and tracking down the item he discovered that mr. Hearst already owned it it is was in one of his vast vaults that's amazing he was looking for something that he already possessed he wanted earthly treasure we long for treasures and heaven in Christ we want Christ's character we want victory over sin we want the power to overcome temptation we want the power to overcome depression or addiction we want an attitude of worship and Thanksgiving we want to serve the body of Christ we have the promises and the provisions of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit all the treasure is yours remember in verse three read it again blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies you'll notice in your text places is italicized that means it's not in the original text the translator just uses that as a place so that you understand the context in Paul's prayer for the Saints in Ephesus he asks that they would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him in verse 17 that they would understand their wonderful future that God has promised them in verse 18 that they would comprehend the greatness of God's power in verses 19 and 20 that they would begin to understand and embrace Christ's Authority in verses 23 through 23 so look again at verse 15 grow in the knowledge of God he says therefore which again harkens back to verse 1 through 14 in light of everything that you've already studied and understood I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for the Saints Paul begins by pointing out their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for the Saints so again when Paul uses the term therefore it's on this account that's what that means based on what I've already said and on this account and so when he says when I heard of your faith he's not just simply talking about belief in Jesus he's not just simply knowing the facts about Jesus and saying I understand that you've heard about Jesus and and that you understand that he lived and he died and he came back to life he's not talking about that simple faith he's also talking about not just simply what you believe but he's also talking about the walk of faith which is demonstrated by love so when he says after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for the Saints he's talking about the kind of faith that results in love demonstrated by love and he uses that very very familiar Greek term agape which speaks of God's love God's selfless love two things mark the Christian and the true church love for Jesus and love for the Saints I think that there's a loyalty towards Christ that doesn't always result in love and care and affection for one another this is the kind of loyalty that says I love Jesus but people give me the creeps I love Jesus but I'm not very fond of human beings I was listening to my friend Dennis Prager and he says I despise humanity and he says but I have a real fondness for people for individuals some people are willing to live a life of isolation or seclusion like the Desert Fathers they detach themselves from friendship and fellowship church isn't a priority fellowship with the Saints doesn't really matter to them they say they love God they're not fond of human beings necessarily they may not even be aware that there earlier to love the Brethren is a sin the Bible makes it clear that we can't really love the Lord Jesus unless we love one another John makes that pointed observation in 1st John chapter 4 verses 20 and 21 where it says if someone says I love God and hates his brother he's a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen how can he love God whom he has not seen and this commandment we have from him that he who loves God must also love his brother again Paul writes in Philippians chapter 2 verse 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded having the same love being of one Accord of one mind when Paul uses the term the same love it means love towards all some say you know I love the person of the Lord or or they'll say I love that person in the Lord here's what here's what they were this is how that translates I hate their guts but I know that God wants me to care about him we mouth the word absent any sense of affection or commitment towards that person but real faith in the Lord Jesus coupled with knowledge results in real love towards others not just some sort of spiritualizing of the word love john macarthur writes to truly love a person in the lord is to love as the lord loves them genuinely and sacrificially unquote and by the way sound theology is never supposed to serve as a substitute for love well I believe the right things I read the right Bible and I believe the right things know according to the Bible you got to have you have to have right doctrine and right practice one of the great tragedies of the New Testament is that the love that Paul commends towards the Ephesians right at the beginning of this chapter he says I've heard about your faith and I've heard about your love it ends in tragedy because that love begins to wane and then it eventually dies in Revelation chapter 2 verses 2 & 4 if you just turn there just for a second some of you are very familiar with that passage of Scripture I should have marked it but in Revelation chapter 2 verses 2 and 4 he says to the people that he remember at the beginning he says to the Church of Ephesus write and then in verse 2 he says I know your works I know your labor I know your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil and you've tested those who say they're apostles and they're not you've found them liars and happened and you have persevered and you have patience and you have labored in my namesake and you haven't become weary nevertheless I have this against you you left your first love and so is it possible that you can start out right and end up wrong a loveless faith in the end winds up being no faith at all and so look what it says in verse 16 he's talking about a love and a faith and the knee begins to pray for them he says I don't cease to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers so Paul thanks God for the Saints in Ephesus and so right from the start here's where you should land on the text you should say Oh Paul prays his life is a life of prayer Paul prays he understands the power of prayer Vance have no rights quote we carry the checks on the bank of heaven and never cash them at the window of prayer we lie to God in prayer if we do not rely on God after prayer I like that the way I would put it is the moment you pray you acknowledge that you can't and God can the moment that you say Lord I can't do this but you can you begin to understand the power of prayer and then in verse 17 look look as he begins to pray that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and the revelation of the knowledge of him Paul begins his prayer by referencing the god of our Lord Jesus Christ as the father of glory in this brief statement Paul makes it clear that the father is not the son and that the father and imparts the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him well really the real difficulty in the passage when he says that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the difficulty lies in the reference to him is it a reference to the father is it a reference to the son is it a reference to the Holy Spirit whatever it means it means that the knowledge of God is the highest kind of knowledge so let me point something out to you very quickly according to the Bible typically we pray to the Father in the name of the son well does that mean you can't pray to Jesus no we know that Paul prays to Jesus we also know that Steven in acts when he's getting ready to be killed he lifts up his head to heaven and he says Lord Jesus into your hands I commit my spirit Stephen prays directly to Jesus the Bible talks about prayers to the Holy Spirit in the Holy Spirit setting aside Paul and Barnabas for the work of the ministry can we pray to the Father yes can we pray to the son yes can we pray to the Holy Spirit yes we normally pray to the Father in the name of the son and so Paul prays and he prays for the knowledge of God now this is important because the Atheist doesn't believe in God the agnostic doubts the existence of God but certainly believes that there might be a God but they can't really know for sure Paul has met God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ the sad truth for the unbeliever is that they can't know hardly anything about God they can know literally what's available through general revelation the unbeliever or the make believer can look around the world and they can go hey I think that there is probably a God I don't have a good explanation of why there's a universe and I can't explain the Sun in the moon and the stars Paul wrote to the Romans and he described the consequences when people willfully reject the knowledge of God people aren't content simply didn't to deny God they create an idol it says in Romans chapter 1 in other words when people deny God that doesn't mean they have no God they simply invent a God that serves as a substitute inside of their heart so when Paul prays and he prays for the Ephesians and he says here's what I want you I'm praying that God would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the more we know about God the more satisfying is our life and so when he asks that the father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him true wisdom about God comes from the revelation that God has given about himself later the writer of Hebrews would say God spoke in times past through the prophets but he has in these last days spoken to us by his own dear son and so for for you and for people that you know if they ever ask you the question what's the best way for me to get to know God the right answer is get to know Jesus when you know Jesus you know God and the more we know God the more satisfying is our life and the more of God isn't simply and so here's where I want to go with this knowing more about God isn't just ammunition to defeat our enemies it's nourishment to feed our friends don't get me wrong I'm one of those people who want to know and I want to know everything as I was praying today I just became very frustrating to me that I don't know every about everything and the Lord reminded me that I'm not God and and that I I can trust him to make the right choices and decisions and that I don't need to know everything about everything but I do need to know something about the most important thing that can be known how can we know God how can we know Jesus and so he continues to pray to understand the wonderful future that God has promised to you in in verse 18 he says that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints now Paul Lynx's prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation remember knowledge is knowing something wisdom is known is knowing what to do with that information knowledge is knowing something wisdom is knowing what to do with the information that's been given to you so he links the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of God to having our eyes opened enlightened several years ago I learned that the British used the term torch the way we use the word flashlight two different words the same meaning torch flashlight what do they have in common they both shed light what else do they have in common they both dispel darkness and so when he talks about the eyes of your understanding being enlightened he's using the Holy Spirit as a type and a picture of that which brings light that which dispels the darkness it is the Holy Spirit who brings light to the Word of God so the Holy Spirit is the spirit of wisdom the holy spirit is the spirit of Revelation so when we talk about the spirit of wisdom and revelation in a very real sense we're using two other words as titles for the Holy Spirit the Bible teaches that the natural man can't receive the things of the Spirit because they're spiritually discerned the human mind apart from God cannot understand the things of God so the Bible teaches that our minds are darkened and soiled by sin and this prompts me to say one other thing you all have unbelieving family and friends don't trust their understanding of God don't accept their statements in this sense the most naive child who knows and loves Jesus has more spiritual understanding than the most profound unbeliever let me repeat that the Christian has more spiritual information than the smartest unbeliever when you read the statements by unbelievers about God in Christ they should not be your go-to person when it comes to understanding the things of God in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 it says but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they're spiritually discerned so the Holy Spirit is the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him so we need the Spirit of God to enlighten us that means shed light on the Word of God and the things of God Paul's prayer is that the Holy Spirit would reveal God's true from God's Word and then give us wisdom and knowledge on how to apply those truths to our life so the Holy Spirit enlightens the heart of the believer literally the verse reads the eyes of your heart being enlightened wears me writes quote we think of the heart as the emotional part of man but in the Bible the heart means the inner man and includes the emotions the mind and the will the inner man the heart has spiritual faculties that parallel the physical senses the inner man can see psalm 119 18 in John 3:3 see in the spirit here Matthew 13 9 remember he who has ears to hear let him hear taste Psalm 34:8 Oh taste and see the Lord is good and smell Philippians 4:18 2nd Corinthians 2:14 you are a fragrance or think about the your fragrance for those people who are perishing aren't you glad the Bible uses the word fragrance and not odor so so InTouch in acts 17 27 so again when we think about seeing hearing tasting smelling touching and the inability to see and understand spiritual things is not the fault of intelligence but of the heart the eyes of the heart have to be opened by the Spirit of God we sing the song open the eyes of my heart Lord open the eyes of my heart so that I can see you so Paul prays that you may know what is the hope of his calling remember hope in the Bible is a fixed certainty so here hope is synonymous with that which is certain so it isn't like oh I hope I get a bicycle for Christmas or I hope I get a harley-davidson for my birthday where it may or may not happen we use the term hope with the expectation that we may or may not get something here Paul is using it that we are certain of his calling and what is his calling what we've already learned in verses 1 through 14 you're saved you're chosen you're adopted you're accepted you're going to heaven you're not going to hell it should inform you every single day when you go to Burger King you should be smiling so that people look at you and they go what in the world are you smiling about you go I just realized it should surprise you every day Paul told Timothy about his holy calling Paul also talks about your calling you've been called out of death from what to life you've been you've been called out of darkness into light at the end of verse 18 what are the riches of his glory or what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints this is an unbelievable passage the reference here isn't to our inheritance we learned about our inheritance in verse 11 remember in him we have obtained an inheritance we have our inheritance in Christ here in this passage at the end of verse 18 it's God's inheritance in the Saints this is maybe one of the most amazing and humbling truths in all of the Bible God considers us to be his treasure in the early church when the Romans came and they were persecuting the Christians and they thought that the Christians were accumulating gold and silver the emperor said to leader of the church give me your treasure and they said come back tomorrow and we'll give you you we'll give you our treasure and there were the blind and the lame the widow and the orphan and the poor he says where's the gold and silver he says I thought you asked for our treasure these are our treasures I've always been fascinated by what people value I've always been fascinated by what makes something so valuable to so many people but I'm even more amazed even speechless that God finds me and no offense you valuable God looks at you and you are his treasure in our culture we value fame and fortune and favor a person's position or possession or power brings glory Paul says that were God's possession and that we glorify Him this is interesting the Bible teaches that God will glorify himself in us based on what based on what he's invested in us and what exactly has he invested in us Jesus he sent Jesus Jesus has lived and died and come back to life God deals with us not simply according to our past he doesn't deal with us according to our sin the Bible says he hasn't dealt with you according to your iniquity he hasn't rewarded you according to your sin he doesn't deal with you specifically just about your past or even your present Paul says that he invests in us and then he speaks to us about our future in Christ let me give you an example God in the Old Testament speaks to Gideon Gideon is terrified and then he says to get in the Lord is with the thou mighty man of Valor judges 6:12 the Lord tells Peter thou art Simon you shall be called kepis or Cephas a rock here's gideon terrified Gideon you have courage Peter you're a rock but wait a minute he's wishy-washy inconsistent this is shocking God characterizes Gideon and Peter not exactly for what they are but for what they will be and he sees it as a certainty so here's part of what Paul is saying as as crazy as this sounds it's right there in the text you're gonna be glorified in him and then he's gonna be glorified in you Paul brings this up to motivate us to live a life of dedication separation to Christ Paul's prayer in effect is imagined and praying this and Heavenly Father I wish that you could I wish they could see themselves the way you see them that's what he's praying that through his eyes of love not simply through the lens of what you used to be or what you've done or your failures but what you will be in Christ and so Paul's prayer is that you are his treasure and you are his wealth and then he says to comprehend the greatness of God's power in verses 19 and 20 look what it says and that and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he were in Christ pause let's catch up with the text understand you're God's treasure comprehend God's great power now the reason why this becomes important is particularly when you're praying and you go god I'm hurt I'm sick we're in trouble we have needs we're having difficulties Wiest translates this and what is the super abounding greatness of his inherent power to us who are believing ones as measured by the operative energy of the manifested strength of his might which might was operative in Christ when he raised him out from among the dead and seated him at the right hand in heavenly places how powerful is God this is the God who took Jesus and brought him back to life and raised him from the dead and then set him in heaven where he seated at the right hand of God his power it's the Greek word Dunamis according to the working it's the Greek word in ur gaya which we get the word energy from mighty power it's the Greek word Kratos which was used to describe the the incredible might and power of inanimate objects like when a volcano explodes or when continents move or the ocean swallow up a continent is it's talking about intrinsic power Paul speaks of a divine eternal powerful resource but what good is any of it if you don't access it if you don't tap into it john d rockefeller was America's first billionaire but do you realize he drank milk and ate soda crackers because he was so sick to his stomach worrying about his vast wealth he hired a person to guard his door he had people surrounding him because he was always afraid that someone was gonna take his wealth he was wealthy and he was miserable and then he started giving away as well and you know what happened the moment he started giving away as wealth he could sleep through the night he began to eat real food again he began to enjoy his life in direct proportion to the amount of money that he gave away happiness contentment began to flood his life here's part of what Paul is saying you have unspeakable resources in God through Christ the power that Paul speaks about is most clearly seen in the text concerning the resurrection of our Lord Jesus now remember in the Old Testament people measured God's power by his creation you would walk outside and say look at the Sun and the moon and the stars or look at God's ability to deliver his people out of Egypt God's power is still seen in creation and miracles but the awesome power of God is seen in Christ's resurrection from the dead but what does this mean Paul is convinced that the power of God in Christ is a sufficient power that God raised him from the dead in history and in reality and because he raised him from the dead in history and in reality this is a power that's available to us in reality he says apprehend the place where Jesus holds authority look at verse 2 at the end of verse 20 and verse 23 when he raised him from the dead seated him at his right hand in heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the age to come when Paul is writing these words Nero is the emperor in Rome he literally tears down a vast portion of Rome that's made out of wood and he rebuilds part of it in marble he sets aside himself 10 acres let me just put it in perspective for you 50,000 square feet is an acre he creates a palace that's 10 acres long and here's what he says when he builds his palace finally I can live in a house like a real human being yeah we laugh how much room do you have to have now Paul writes this Jesus is far above every principality and power and might in Dominion you know he's talking about supernatural beings he's talking about angels and demons he's also talking about human beings he's talking about that Jesus has all authority over every being he says and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all and all again what's pause Paul prays you're God's treasure verse 18 comprehend God's power verse 19 Christ's authority in heaven and earth right now and as far as you dare to think into the future Jesus is going to be in control of thing so you're thinking I'm concerned about North Korea Jesus is in control of everything I'm concerned about the world events Jesus is in control of everything I'm control concerned about health and other issues Jesus is in control of everything when God raised Jesus from the dead God seated Jesus at the right hand in heavenly places verse 3 verse 10 verse 20 note what Paul has is going to do throughout this chapter Jesus is in heaven verse 3 he's in heaven and verse 10 he's in heaven in verse 20 he's in charge he is if I be sick may be so bold he is large and in charge he's raised far above think carefully all wickedness and evil Jesus is raised above everything temporal Jesus is raised to the place which is eternal Jesus is promoted to the place of supreme authority executive control he's far above every rule verse 21 no physical rulers on earth their spiritual rulers and spiritual realms can compromise Christ's sovereignty or authority let me just put it as bluntly as I can Jesus is subject to no one that's what Paul is saying no physical rulers on earth in heaven can compromise his sovereignty so this verse speaks of the absolute supremacy of Jesus and this is the practical application that Paul gives in the prayer all believers that's you are in Christ's Church that's his body Jesus is the head over everything Paul says he's the head over the church he is the living thinking ruling connection between himself and his body that's you that's you have you ever experienced a head injury traumatized a concussion in a physical or a natural sense the head controls the body if you injure part of the head you handicap or limit the body's ability to function Jesus is our spiritual head he can never be traumatized he can never be hurt he can never be taken advantage of Christ is our head through the Holy Spirit were united to him and because through the Holy Spirit were you were United to him were united in his resurrection were united in his ascension were united in his exaltation and so Paul is going to take this to its logical conclusion and say you're in heaven at this very moment heaven isn't just simply a place where you're gonna go when you die in a very real sense you're there now the power of the Holy Spirit is available to all Christians who believe in what Jesus has done for them grace supplies the wealth but it's faith that lays hold of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge and understanding that provides the instruction of how to utilize your wealth you probably heard the story of this woman named Henrietta Greene she took her son - it's not a hospital it was like a clinic for very very poor people and he lost his leg she would save little scraps and pieces of stove she wouldn't take her son to a real doctor when she died they discovered that she had over 5 million dollars you know it's interesting me about that again here's a person who has this unbelievable wealth but she is so stingy that she wouldn't even use it to save her own son Paul's prayer for the Saints in Ephesus is that they would live in Christ unmatched power so we're gonna pause for a moment and I'm gonna give you some instructions by asking you a question do you want to live in Christ's unmatched power then here's what I'm gonna suggest that you do then pray Paul's prayer pray that prayer tell me about your faith in Jesus say I'm gonna tell you about my faith in Jesus and then you show your love for the Saints so it be so this is not remember this is how the prayer begins people who who are people of faith and people who love each other become candidates who get to participate in the prayer if you have faith in Jesus and you love each other pray that the father will glorify that that the father of glory will impart the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of both the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit pray that the eyes of your heart will see the light and the hope of his calling and the riches of his inheritance that's you that you're his true pray that you'll comprehend God's power and then apprehend God's authority that is in heaven and earth in this present world and then in the future world over the years I've been given special privileges to teach at different schools across the country including at Columbine High School I was a first responder at Columbine and I have a standing invitation from the principal and the teachers and every once in a while I'll go there and I'll teach their advanced placement classes most people in our community are familiar with how the tragic shooting affected our life and the nation but a recent visit to Columbine too reminded me of another school tragedy that took place a long time ago just after World War two you see Columbine isn't the worst tragedy that's ever happened in the United States school tragedy it happened in a little town called a Taska Texas there a fire claimed the lives of 263 children the Itasca residents had neither the drive or the resources to rebuild their school the nation was at war the resources were scarce for everyone but by the end of the war there was new hope and the residents plan to rebuild their school the fire wasn't forgotten so in the design of the of the new school they installed the finest sprinkler system technology that was incorporated into every area every section of the school and when the project was complete people came from everywhere to see the new school and the new sprinkler system parents sent their children to class with confidence secure in the knowledge that this school would never ever be destroyed again by fire and claimed the lives of their children just seven years later the town had grown and and already the school needed to be enlarged and his workmen began correction they discovered this appalling fact the sprinkler system the best that money could buy had never been connected it was never attached it should give you the creeps you should shudder but most Christians live with a similar disconnection this is Paul's point at this prayer you've been given everything you've been given unmatched power through the Holy Spirit power for prayer power for life when we accept Jesus as Savior we have access to the person who created the heavens and the earth and that raised Jesus from the dead there was an American with an English gentleman who is watching Niagara Falls and the world wind and the rapids and he said to his friend come I'm gonna show you the greatest unused power in the world he was talking about the at the foot of Niagara Falls and he says this is the greatest unused power in the world and he said not so my brother the greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the Living God how do you know if you're connected to this power are you growing are you praying are you changing now let's go all the way back to the top has your faith changed you and is it noticed by the way you love each other and that you care for one another God's power is best demonstrated in weakness in doubt and difficulty that might surprise you because if God is allowed trial in your life it's almost certainly so that you'll connect with the power and admit your own lack of power and say God you're the one who can help my head you're the one who can help my heart you're the one who can walk with me into the future Charles Haddon Spurgeon once implored his congregation with these words he said quote dear brothers and sisters go home and never ask the Lord to make you strong in yourselves never ask him to make you anybody or anything but be content to be nothing and nobody next ask that his power may have room in you and that all those who come near you may see what God can do by nothingness and nobody Ness he said live with this desire and then glorify God you know what he's saying do you feel inadequate good this means you've taken your first step to tapping into God's strength and power and the Holy Spirit because the moment that you concede I can't it's a confession profession and an expectation that he can my challenge to you go home pray this prayer see what happens you ready let's pray Heavenly Father Lord there's only one thing that I desire and that that is that you would be glorified Lord I want your power your grace and your mercy your anointing your favor Lord we know that we judge and we evaluate things by this world standard bike hoots and hollers and cheers and lights and camera and action lord I pray that instead of an eloquent tongue you would give me favor instead of riches of this world that Lord I could understand and apply the riches that had been supplied to us in Jesus and so again Lord I pray for these men and women I pray that you'll use them in remarkable ways I pray that they would grow not just simply in the knowledge of you Lord but that they would grow in power and it would be evidenced by their work the way their life has changed and by the evident love that they have for one another and so again Lord we we pray that we'll take this time but Lord instead of being all upset over our weakness and our difficulty in our setbacks that we would use them as an opportunity to trust you and depend upon you and rely upon you in every way whether we're facing physical or financial or relational difficulties and so Lord again I I commit these men and women to you and I pray these things in Jesus name and all the saints said and guess what we're done with the first chapter but there's gonna be way more let's stand

Channel: Calvary South Denver

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Keywords: Calvary Chapel, Gino Geraci, Christianity, Bible Study, Calvary South Denver, Calvary CSD, Ephesians, Church, Apostle Paul

Id: nUbxe7Xv8Mw

Length: 58min 20sec (3500 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 24 2017