“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” (Ephesians 1:15–19, ESV)
In this passage from the New Testament, Paul acknowledges the incredible faith and love of the believers in Ephesus (verse 15). He gives thanks for them and prays for them constantly (verse 16). But he also wants to see their faith deepened through the illumination of the Holy Spirit– “...having the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know...” But what does Paul want these Christians to know?
- “what is the hope to which he has called you” (verse 18)
- “what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (verse 18)
- “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” (verse 19)
So, notice what Paul isn’t praying for. He isn’t praying for health, wealth, or prosperity (the subject of most of our prayers). He isn’t praying for an end to religious persecution or religious liberty. He isn’t even praying for growing churches or more converts. Of course, it’s not wrong to pray for these things, but they weren’t Paul’s primary focus in this text.
Notice his threefold focus:
First, Paul prayed for them to know their hope: “...what is the hope to which he has called you...”
And that’s how we can pray for other Christians as well. Pray that they can have an ever-growing, ever-abounding sense of hope rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Second, Paul prayed for them to know their inheritance: “...what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...”
And that’s how we can pray for other Christians as well. Pray that they can deepen their faith in God’s promises. Pray that they can know the promised Holy Spirit in them as the down payment of their spiritual inheritance until they take possession of it to the glory of God, as we see back in Ephesians 1:14.
Finally, Paul prayed for them to know God’s power: “...and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might...”
So, do you know the power of God today? If not, you start to know it when you see how powerless you are by nature; you are a sinner in the sight of a holy God who can’t save yourself through good deeds or religious ceremonies. But ultimately, you can come to know this power decisively when you experience the love and mercy of God in Jesus Christ who died, shedding his blood for the forgiveness of sins and rising from the dead so that we can have life and joy with God forever.
About Will Stern
Originally from Colorado, Will Stern is the pastor of Hope Presbyterian Church in Garnet Valley. He majored in violin performance for his undergrad and taught violin for a number of years before being called into ministry. He studied theology at Duke University and Westminster Theological Seminary.
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