Prayers in the Bible

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians/Power

Review:  Today we will be talking about Paul’s prayer in Eph. 1:15-23 and dealing with his final petition.  Paul has been asking God to help the Ephesians know God better. He has prayed that the Father would give the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and revelation in order to help know Him better.  Paul has also asked that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened so that they would know three things.  Can anyone remember the first two?  Right, the hope to which God has called them, and the glorious inheritance that is theirs in Christ.  Paul’s final petition for the Ephesians is that they may come to know God’s power. 

Scripture: Eph. 1:15-23

God’s Power:  We want to examine closely verses 18 and 19 and then break down the adjectives Paul uses to describe God’s power.  Verse 18 starts out, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know… His incomparably great power for us who believe.” It is imperative first that we realize that the enlightening of the eyes of our heart is not something we can accomplish for ourselves humanly speaking.  This is an act of God, only He can do that for us. So we are asking God to do for us, and others what we cannot do for ourselves.  Now let’s look at how this passage describes God’s power.

God’s Power 

What is the first word Paul uses to describe God’s power? His, we must never lose sight of the fact that the power we want to know and experience more and more is God’s power. Stop for a moment and think, why do people want power; ask yourself, why do I want to experience this power.  If we were honest with ourselves we would have to admit that we want power so we can use it for our own ends, to help us accomplish things, to further “our” agenda.  But if this is how we want to use God’s power we will have to ignore the fact that it is His power, for His purposes and His agenda. 

Incomparably Great

These two words in their original Gk. are very interesting.  The word incomparably, “Huperballo” means to attain a degree that extraordinarily exceeds a point on a scale of extent, to go beyond or surpass.  The second word, “megethos,” means, greatness; a quality of exceeding a standard of excellence.  There is nothing here on earth that compares to this power; it exceeds anything we can imagine. 

Power

The word used here is the Gk. Word “dunamis,” a word from which we get our English word dynamite.  It carries the meaning of, miraculous power, by implication, miracle power, strength, mighty work.  It is spoken of God, the Messiah, and great power of God meaning His mighty energy.  It implies the greatness, omnipotence, and majesty of God.  It is also spoken of a person or thing in whom the power of God is manifested. 

For Us

How does this power relate to us?  How do we experience it in our everyday lives?  Why do we need this power?  In order to more clearly understand this question we will have to examine Scripture.

A)  Eph. 3:20 tells us, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us…”Because God lives in the believer His power is at work within him or her.  That means that His power is at work changing us from the inside out and that His power also flows through us to accomplish His purposes.  What exactly is that power doing in us?  Phil. 1:6 says that God is doing “a good work in us.” In Gal. 4:19 the Apostle Paul says that he is experiencing the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in the believers of the Galatian church. God’s power is at work in us because He is changing us to become more and more like Christ as we die to self and respond to the work of His Spirit in us.

B) In 1 Cor. 2:5 Paul talking to the Corinthian believers says, “… so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power”.  The word rest carries the meaning, resting upon something, being dependant on it for ones origin and continual existence.  So our faith finds its source in God’s power, but it is also sustained by God’s power.  Since we cannot live the Christian life without faith and faith rests in God’s power it is to our great advantage to become more and more familiar with this power.

C) 1 Pet.1:3-5 tells us that through faith we are, “shielded by God’s power.  Eph. 6:16 exhorts us to,” take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” In our spiritual journey we may lose sight of the fact that we as believers are in a spiritual warfare.  The day you gave your life to Christ you became an enemy of Satan and his evil forces and they are constantly warring against you. God’s power protects you by shielding you through your faith, extinguishing the lies that Satan launches at you.

D) Lastly we need to come to a clear understanding that God’s power, that power we need so desperately, is not some intergalactic force, or some kind of unexplainable energy source but is actually a person.  In 1 Cor.1:23 were Paul is again talking to the church he says, “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” As we come to know Christ we gain a deeper understanding of the power of God in our lives; an experiential understanding that only comes through relationship. 

Conclusion: Let’s recap as we close our time together. 

·     God enlightens the eyes of our hearts

·     The power we are praying for is God’s power, for His agenda and purposes

·     God’s power is greater than anything we can imagine, it exceeds every power we know

·     God’s power is miraculous, it lives in us and flows through us

·     God’s power is, for us. It enables us and flows through us to create Christ likeness

·     Our faith rests in God’s power

·     We are shielded/protected by God’s power

·     This power is Jesus Christ living in and through us

This has not been an exhaustive study of the power of God.  Scripture is loaded is more helpful information to assist you in your faith journey.  Since I gave you a handout last week, and there are two more parts to that handout I thought it better not to overload you with too much material.  If however you would like to learn more about God’s power come and talk to me and I will do what I can to help you.