Chrysostom
Beloved of All
It is good to pray with you in the words of Ephesians 1:17 to 21, and I join my thanks to yours for this request.
The apostle prayed this way because he yearned for the whole church and never ceased to give thanks and make mention of believers in his prayers. He asks the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, to give a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, with the eyes of the heart flooded with light. As we have learned, he wants us to understand two great things that become three in our experience. First, what is the hope of His calling, the good things laid up for us. Second, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, the inheritance of the kingdom and numberless good things He has promised. And third, what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
That power is the same power by which He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, both in this age and in the age to come. It is not limited to the resurrection alone but far exceeds it, for by that same strength He has drawn us to Himself when we were estranged, forgiven our sins, and poured His Spirit into our hearts. To know this is not only to know about God, but to be strengthened inwardly by His Spirit to grasp the breadth and length and height and depth of His love and to stand firm in trials.
So I pray for you as Paul prayed, that the Father of glory will give you that spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened to know more deeply the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance among His people, and the exceeding greatness of His power at work in you who believe, the same mighty working which He accomplished in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. May He keep you in faith in the Lord Jesus and in love toward all the saints, and may you grow in knowing Him more each day.
We thank God for you and ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who was raised and exalted and who upholds all things by the word of His power.
The apostle prayed this way because he yearned for the whole church and never ceased to give thanks and make mention of believers in his prayers. He asks the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, to give a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, with the eyes of the heart flooded with light. As we have learned, he wants us to understand two great things that become three in our experience. First, what is the hope of His calling, the good things laid up for us. Second, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, the inheritance of the kingdom and numberless good things He has promised. And third, what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
That power is the same power by which He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, both in this age and in the age to come. It is not limited to the resurrection alone but far exceeds it, for by that same strength He has drawn us to Himself when we were estranged, forgiven our sins, and poured His Spirit into our hearts. To know this is not only to know about God, but to be strengthened inwardly by His Spirit to grasp the breadth and length and height and depth of His love and to stand firm in trials.
So I pray for you as Paul prayed, that the Father of glory will give you that spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened to know more deeply the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance among His people, and the exceeding greatness of His power at work in you who believe, the same mighty working which He accomplished in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. May He keep you in faith in the Lord Jesus and in love toward all the saints, and may you grow in knowing Him more each day.
We thank God for you and ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who was raised and exalted and who upholds all things by the word of His power.
