We as His followers, can best imitate our Lord by learning to relinquish self reliance and instead relying on God's power which is manifest and effective through His Spirit in us, as we seek to continually be filled with Him (Eph 5:18+) and to walk by Him (Gal 5:16+). I askask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of gloryto make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust himendless energy, boundless strength! It is power which is able to overcome resistance. The shadows of secrecy or reserve on either side will blight a friendship in which all the conditions seem perfectly adjusted. Such activity is a far cry from what God intended and expects the local Church to be. It is a beautiful picture, the heart being regarded as having eyes looking out toward God and all of the spiritual blessings that have their source and supply in God's Beloved Son. QUESTION -Do believers really have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:1920)? Amazing grace! I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened- Physical eyes (or ears) cannot see (hear) these deeper truths. 3:1421). It is a very high honor conferred upon God's servants, that it is said of them, "He shall choose their inheritance." Ezra 9:8 But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. Might (2479) (ischus) (see note by Wayne Barber ischus) refers to power as an enduement. Ischus is the inherent ability which stresses the factuality of the ability, not necessarily the accomplishment. In the NT klesis is used metaphorically of an invitation to enter the kingdom of God by grace through faith. Why? The eyes of our hearts refers to our total inner person, which includes the intellect, the emotions, and the will. Energeia describes Gods power in raising Christ, Paul instructing the Colossian saints that they have "been buried with Him (Christ) in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the (supernatural) working (energeia) of God, Who raised Him from the dead (Note well - Paul says the Holy Spirit is God and He was the the One Who "raised Jesus from the dead" - Ro 8:11+) " (Col 2:12+). He also gives us the powerthe enablementto practice the truth (Eph. Illustration - Brian Harbour - Back many years ago, a young boy accompanied his father and mother as they took the wagon into town for supplies. The first phrase of verse 18 is literally, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened. I understand it to be explaining in more specific detail Pauls words in verse 17, that God would give us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the true knowledge of Him. To know these spiritual truths, God must open our eyes. It conveys the idea of effective, productive energy, rather than that which is raw and unbridled. According to Jeremiah 9:2324. There is no way for sinful men and women to find their way into Gods presence unless He reveals Himself and appears to us. I make the best my goal; The Kleronomos is one who has been given a kleros, the inheritor. Many Old Testament texts speak of Israel as Gods chosen portion or inheritance. Proud member If not, why not? Someone has so well said, "God was not satisfied in possessing suns and stars; He wanted sons and saints." By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. He does not ask God to give them what they do not have, but rather prays that God will reveal to them what they already have. Hoehner introduces the last section of chapter 1 -Paul prayed that they might know God more intimately in order to comprehend three things. Spiritual enlightenment doesnt come through self-effort or introspective meditation but through Gods Holy Spirit. He desires that they be aware of the spiritual dimension. Harold Hoehner points out that "The NEB, NASB, and NIV state another request: I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. The hope of his calling.--(See Ephesians 4:4.) Says a good divine, "It is one of the greatest glories of the Church of Christ, that our mighty Maker, and our Friend, always chooses our inheritance for us." Understanding that you have already received grace upon grace (John 1:16), abundant life (John 10:10), and everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) gives you confidence that Gods future grace and resources will be more than sufficient (2 Cor. Maybe youre saying, Is that ever true! Nothing can separate you from His love (Rom. (The 365 Day Devotional Commentary). The wealthy devoted their treasure to the cause, and all classes sacrificed everyday amenities for troops in the field. God miraculously did them both simply by speaking the Word of Truth as Hebrews 11:3+ testifies. One argument against taking it this way is that it becomes almost a repetition of the first part of the prayer, to know the hope of His calling. The better we truly know the "hope of His calling", The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He sees fit and then calls us into a field of service that utilizes those gifts (1 Corinthians 12:111). From this Verse - Robert Morgan -The Boxer and the Businessman (From This Verse). In Ephesians6, Paul uses a memory devicethe armor of a Roman soldierto help the Ephesian believers remember the resources he has already discussed in his letter (vv. Zina21 March 3, 2023, 9:29pm 10. Nahum We have been called by grace, to glory. It is exclusively a Pauline word used only to describe superhuman or supernatural power, whether of God or of the devil. 19:11; Ezek. Paul is "struggling" to say what cannot be said. 26:20; Num. He prayed that they might be enlightened so that experientially they might truly possess their possessions! This was even Paul's desire expressed so powerfully in Philippians writing that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (Php 3:10+). When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. It grows even taller when he prays that we would know the glory of Gods inheritance in the saints. Start for FREE. In hours of weakness they drew on God's power; in those of suffering, on his patience; in those of misunderstanding and hatred, on his vindication; in those of apparent defeat and despair, on the promises that gleam over the smoke of the battle, as the Cross before the gaze of Constantine; in death itself, on the life and immortality which find their home in the being of Jehovah. It is said that for many years, he lived on crackers and milk because of stomach troubles caused by worrying about his wealth. ESV and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. Why? Moth and rust cannot consume, nor thieves break through to steal. -- when His heart shall be fully satisfied in His inheritance, for His glory shall be perfectly manifested in the saints. Either way you interpret this phrase, whether we are heirs to a vast fortune in heaven or whether we are Gods special inheritance (both are true), the application is the same. Ephesians 1:18-19 The Message 15-19 That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for youevery time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. Salvation is not a joint project, where we teamed up with God to bring it about. In short, Paul prays for our position in Christ to become our practice in Christ. We need to go back and read the manual carefully, asking God to give us His wisdom and understanding. Rather, if we are the called according to Gods purpose, then we know that He is actively working all things together for our good, both in time and in eternity (Rom. Hoehner adds that "Paul is not saying that the power is available at moments of belief, but rather he is stating that the power is available to believers. (Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary), Wiersbe -The very power that raised Jesus from the dead is available for our daily lives! I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, Consequently, they constantly strive for material things and are continually caught up in carnal pursuits. 1:1819). How wonderful to know that each moment of the day God is working within you in such a way. How you perceive your spiritual resources dictates how you live. 4:15). The former is given by knowledge as well as by madness or rage; but strength comes from nature and a healthy state of the body. Ischus is inherent power or force. Is this not every believers great challenge and need?! Having been enlightened rests on the observation that you cant see in the dark and implies that the addressees used to live in mental darkness but that at conversion they were transferred into the realm of mental light, so that now they can see what the Spirit reveals to them (Eph 4:1718; Eph 5:8; Colossians 1:13). SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING: to eidenai (RAN) humas tis estin (PAI) e elpis tes kleseos autou: Romans 5:4-5 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. by Theodore Epp - Ephesians 1: 19-23 The Scriptures frequently refer to God's power as it relates to the believer. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. It is Christs coming to take His own to be with Himself. It is an amazing thought (which calls for an appropriate response) that as believers in Christ we are no longer our own but that we belong to God. The riches of His glory refers to the abundant, preeminent glory of God as displayed in His saints. The salutation is in Eph 1:2, which is common to all his epistles: and in Eph 1:3, is the thanksgiving to God, as the God and Father of Christ, for spiritual blessings in Christ in general; and then he proceeds to particulars, and begins with election, which is represented as an act of God the Father, as of particular persons, as done in Christ, and from the foundation of the world, the end of which is perfect holiness and love, Eph 1:4, and which is further illustrated under the name of predestination; the blessing which that is an appointment to, is the adoption of children; the moving cause of it, is the good pleasure of the divine will; the instrumental cause, or means, is Christ Jesus; the end with God is for himself, Eph 1:5, and which, in the next verse, is explained of the glory of his grace; to which grace, acceptance with him in Christ is owing; and which is another spiritual blessing, or a branch of election and predestination, Eph 1:6. Ephesians 2:7+so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Thus, it seems that the author is saying, "I know that you are saved, that you have had the blinders of the devil removed; because of this, I can now pray that you will fully understand and see the light of God's glorious revelation." We are not in heaven yet; but we are as safe as if we were. (Ibid), Life Application Study Bible- The world still marvels at the power of the atom, yet we belong to the God Who created atoms and the entire universe. Thus, His possession is located in the saints. He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. How can we begin to fathom a prayer like that? 5:2) and motivate you to godly living (1 John 3:3). Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural. Note that Paul writes to living saints (not dead ones), people who have put faith in Christ. All rights reserved, Life Application Study Bible: New Living Translation, Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company, Complete Biblical Library - Incredible Resource, Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. The knowledge that Paul is praying for includes an intellectual grasp of the truth, but it also grips our emotions and brings our will into greater submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ. 1:911; Col. 1:912), we discover the blessings he wanted his converts to enjoy. Living in the light of Your goodness 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. That's why Calmen was disappointed when her aging teacher responded with a handwritten note that said, "I was aware of the fact that you were intelligent, but I never thought that someday I would be reading articles from your pen in the newspaper."
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