Ephesians 1:19-23 Power

… what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe … Eph 1:19

Continuing to reveal the content of his extraordinary prayer in the second half of Ephesians chapter 1, in verse 19, we come to the third of three specific requests which the Apostle Paul makes before the throne of God on behalf of the church at Ephesus . Under the general petition that God, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, Paul asks that they might know three things specifically: first, what is the hope of His calling, second, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and thirdly, that which occupies our present meditation, what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Twelve times in the span of verses 19-23, Paul makes reference to power or energy in one form or another. The young Christian believers surrounded by occult powers in Ephesus, in particular the socio-political power of the cult of Diana, had a particular interest in whether the power of God was greater than the powers which they were familiar with. Amidst the powers of heavy persecution and an oppressive world system, the Ephesian Christian might wonder how it would be possible for him to enjoy that which he looked forward to in knowing Christ – the hope of His call and the riches of His inheritance. Paul assures them that God’s power is exceedingly great and sufficient to secure their hope.

Likewise men today face two powers with which they have no hope of contending – one of which, all men are keenly aware, and the other which they ignore or deny. First, the power of death and decay – all men are mortal and they cannot escape death and the ensuing decomposition of the grave. Even as our medical system seeks to extend life, and man tries to fight it, he knows that death is inevitable. We are dust and to dust we shall return. Secondly, though he may attempt to deny it, man is fallen, and as such he cannot escape the power of evil and Satan. It is impossible for man to not sin: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God … in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Rom 6:23, Ephesians 2:2). But that which is impossible for man, God has done in Christ. He alone lived the perfect sinless life, never breaking the holy law of God. And although He died, God arrested the natural process of decay of the grave, and raised Jesus from the dead to a new, immortal and glorious life which no man has yet experienced.

This was the first part of the display of God’s power over death and the grave. Then Paul goes on to tell how God seated Him at His right hand in the 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. This is what some call “Realized Eschatology,” principles which will come to pass completely at the return of Christ which are in place already in the life of the Christian church. With Christ’s priestly work completed on the cross, we now live in an epoch whereby His lordship over death, sin, Satan, is being worked out. Today, right now, Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand. There is no authority greater than His; no principality can thwart His purpose; no might or dominion can prevent His advance. He rules and reigns over all things – human and angelic – in this age and the age to come. All of the power and might and authority and rule, which Christ has, is not solely for His own glory, but is for the sake of you and I in His church! Imagine it … security from the powers that molested us … freedom from the fear of death, the grave, and hell … victory over the inevitable darkness of sin that would otherwise have surely overcome us … confidence that the King of kings and Lord of lords nourishes and cherishes His body!

This exceedingly great power of God was demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus, and so, on the basis of our union with Him, our resurrection with Him. This same power put all things under His feet – all of His enemies subdued, and likewise, by implication all evil is now under our feet as well! In these astonishing verses of Scripture, is the exalted portrait of Christ and His church, which Paul prays that we should know. May God open our eyes to see this in order that we would stop living below the level of our privilege.

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Judges 7:9-25 Trumpets and Pitchers

And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. Judges 7:21

God had met the need of His dear servant Gideon, by giving him a third assurance or sign of victory. The Lord instructed Gideon to take his personal servant and sneak down to the Midianite camp. Gideon needed this reassurance, for the sight of the overwhelming enemy was frightful, disconcerting, and unsettling. They were camped together as thick as locusts and had innumerable camels. Courageously, Gideon and his servant snuck close enough to overhear a dream being discussed by two enemy soldiers, probably sentries. One soldier had dreamed about a round loaf of barley bread that came tumbling into the Midianite camp, striking a particular tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed. The two enemy soldiers themselves interpreted the dream as meaning their defeat by Gideon. The round loaf of barley bread represented the small army of Gideon that was to strike and destroy the army of the Midianites.

Overhearing this dream, Gideon immediately knew that the enemy army would collapse – be overturned and overthrown by the miraculous power of God. Victory was assured. As soon as Gideon could reach a safe distance, he fell prostrate upon the ground, giving thanks to God and worshipping Him. He then returned to camp and aroused his 300 soldiers, assuring them that the Lord had given them the victory. We often need our faith strengthened. We need God to help our unbelief, our distrust. We need extra strength to face some trial or temptation when the pressure has us in a vice, squeezing us ever so tightly. The pressure may be coming from some problem or difficulty, trial or temptation such as sickness, loss of job, persecution. On and on, a list could be made of problems, trials, and temptations that regularly put pressure upon us. But the point to see is this: God will strengthen us, meet our need, and deliver us through the trial or temptation. He met Gideon’s need, and He has met the need of every believer down through the centuries who have called upon Him for help. God is always proven faithful; and He will be faithful to us, overcoming the pressure and meeting the needs of our hearts. God will strengthen our faith, enable us to stand strongly and to march through life victoriously.

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Ephesians 1:18 The Hope of His Calling

… 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, Eph 1:18

As we have been studying the content of the Apostle Paul’s remarkable prayer, we have seen that the primary concern of his prayer, is that the Father would grant to the Ephesian Christians, a greater measure of the Spirit’s presence and power, particularly in the realm of His ministry of revelation of the Truth of God. Of all of the facets and ministries of the Holy Spirit, the one that Paul focuses on in this prayer, is the Spirit’s particular ministry of illumination of the mind and heart of the believer. Paul prays this because he knows that it is by the means of a more accurate, enlarged, spiritually perceptive view of divine Truth, that Christians grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. God has ordained that the sanctification of His people advance in the context of revealed Truth (Jn 8:31-32, 17:17, 2 Th 2:13, Ja 1:21). There is no valid sanctification apart from Truth, and Truth may be understood only as it is illuminated to the believer, by the Spirit of God (1 Co 2:6-10).

So Paul prays that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened that you may know what is the hope of His calling. He does not pray that they might obtain the hope, but he assumes that they already have the hope. Before being called by God, one description of every human being, found in Ephesians 2:12 is: having no hope and without God in the world. The mark of every unconverted man is that he is without hope; the mark of a converted man (along with, as we have already seen, faith and love) is hope. Our text reveals that the source of that hope is the calling of God (see also Eph 4:4); that the substance of that hope is the consummation of redemption – the inheritance of the saints; subsequent verses reveal that the means by which the hope is realized, is the power of God.

You, I, and every single human being that ever lived, are in one of two groups: either you have hope because you have been called, or you have no hope because you have not been called. Which group are you in? To answer this question you must know what the “call” of God is. Toward that end, this week do a word study on the word “call,” “calling,” or “the called.” See how the word is used in various contexts in Scripture. Compare how it is used in a generic manner (as in Mt 22:43, Lk 1:31, Mt 2:1, 25:14 and Rom 1:1) to how it is used to refer to a summons or invitation from God to partake in the blessings of salvation through the Gospel (Matt 22:1-14, Mk 9:13). Then contrast this use to the manner in which the call, calling, or called, is used in the epistles (for example Rom 8:28-30, 11:29, I Cor 1:24-26, Jude 1, and Rev 17:14). Such a study should produce in you greater hope, as you make your own calling sure.

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Judges 7:1-8 One Too Many

The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her… Judges 7:2

Gideon needed his faith strengthened by God, and God had marvelously strengthened it. But now God was going to really put Gideon’s faith to the test by issuing a shocking demand. He demanded that Gideon reduce his army from 32,000 men down to only 300 soldiers! Imagine 300 untrained men engaging in battle against 135,000 trained soldiers who comprised several mobile companies or camel-riding divisions. This was most certainly a test of Gideon’s faith. As the 300 set out, the army of Gideon hastily marched and camped beside the spring of Harod. The horde of Midianites was just four miles north, camped in the Valley of Jezreel. Surely the enemy was bound to know about the mobilization of the Israelite forces, but they did not consider the Israelites a serious threat.

But why did God want the army reduced? To prevent boasting and teach that God alone gives victory and conquers the enemy of His people. Under the right circumstances, it is humanly possible for 32,000 soldiers to defeat an army of 135,000. But with 300, all grounds for boasting had been removed. The battle had to be won by an act of God through a miracle. When soldiers win a battle, the credit often goes to the soldiers, and they boast in their victory without any regard to God’s presence and sovereignty. But when a victory is due to a clear miracle, the glory goes to God and to God alone. The Israelites needed to learn that God alone could give them victory and conquer the enemies who stood in opposition to them entering the Promised Land.

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Ephesians 1:17 Wisdom, Revelation, Knowledge

… 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. Eph 1:17

As the apostle Paul writes to the church at Ephesus , we find him thankful for the genuine work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of his fellow Christians there. One might think that there is nothing left to pray for people who have received every spiritual blessing. Yet despite his unceasing gratitude for them, Paul is yet not satisfied with their spiritual condition – so he asks for that which would be befitting of a mature Christian. He does not ask for them to be converted, as the fruit of faith and love has already been demonstrated in their midst. Neither is it for them to receive some second blessing that he petitions God for. Nor does he pray for them to increase more and more in their interest in God and heaven. But the main thing he prays for is that they would appreciate to the fullest possible extent the implications of the blessings which they have already received in Christ.

No matter how old one is physically, once a person is born again, they are a child spiritually. They begin a new life in which there is change into the image of Christ from glory to glory. As a result of the continuing grace of God, the new Christian grows in wisdom and understanding. This occurs through what the Scripture calls knowledge. So Paul here prays for that which is the highest and best thing he could pray for; the essence of Paul’s prayer for them is that they might know (v. 18). The knowledge which Paul prays for is not merely knowledge as the Greeks understood it – as wisdom and understanding – but according to Hebrew thinking, knowledge was experiential. There is no other knowledge that is higher than knowing God himself. And such knowledge is impossible apart from revelation. In other words, unless God reveals Himself to man, knowledge of Him cannot be attained. So Paul asks God to grant them the spirit of wisdom and revelation toward the end that they might know Him.

As faith is the first mark of Christian conversion, it can be said that knowledge is then the first mark of Christian discipleship. Though one must careful stating things in this way, as there is no division between conversion and discipleship – every Christian is of necessity a disciple. Think of it in light of natural birth and the ensuing life – in the same way a baby is born once and then lives and grows as a process, so a Christian is regenerated once (at the new birth) and then lives and grows (sanctification). Knowledge of God then is progressive and ever increasing in the disciple’s life.

Cross References: John 17:3, 2 Cor 3:18, 5:17, Eph 3:14-19, 4:11-16, Phil 1:9, 3:7-11, Col 1:9-10, 2 Pet 3:18

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