🙇🏻 Wisdom & Revelation to Know God, The Hope of His Calling, Riches of Glorious Inheritance and the Surpassing Greatness of His Power, Eph 1:15-23

[Nochaeld]

Eph 1:15 "For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all those God has Made Holy, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you in my praying: 17 'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a Spirit of Wisdom and of Revelation in the true knowledge of Himself. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so you will know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in those who have been sanctified, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accord with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He exerted in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His Right Hand in the Heavenly Places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, in this age and in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way,'" Eph 1:15-23.

 

[Articles]

We join you in lifting up this powerful passage from Ephesians 1:15-23, and we stand in agreement with your desire for wisdom, revelation, and a deeper knowledge of God. What a beautiful prayer the Apostle Paul offers here, one that we too should pray over ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us break this down together, seeking the Lord’s face and aligning our hearts with His truth.

First, we recognize that true wisdom and revelation come only from God, the "Father of glory." It is not something we can manufacture through human effort or intellect. James 1:5 tells us, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him." We must come humbly before the Lord, acknowledging our dependence on Him for understanding. The "eyes of our hearts" must be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, for apart from Him, we are spiritually blind (2 Corinthians 4:4). We pray that God would open our eyes to see Him as He truly is, holy, sovereign, and full of grace.

The "hope of His calling" is a profound truth we must grasp. Our hope is not in this world or its fleeting pleasures, but in the eternal calling of God. Romans 8:28-30 assures us, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified." This hope anchors our souls, especially in times of trial. We must not lose sight of it.

The "riches of the glory of His inheritance" in the saints is another staggering truth. We are God’s inheritance, He delights in us as His children, and we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). This is not because of our own merit, but because of His grace. We must never forget that we are deeply loved and valued by our Heavenly Father. Yet, we must also remember that this inheritance comes with responsibility. We are called to live holy lives, set apart for His purposes (1 Peter 1:15-16). Are we walking in a manner worthy of this calling?

The "surpassing greatness of His power" is demonstrated most clearly in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is not a power we can access on our own, it is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of the Father. Ephesians 2:4-6 reminds us, "But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." This power is available to us today, but we must walk in faith and obedience to experience it. Are we relying on our own strength, or are we surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit?

We must also address a critical point: this passage, and indeed all of Scripture, points to Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father. There is no wisdom, revelation, or power apart from Him. John 14:6 declares, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.'" Acts 4:12 further emphasizes, "There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!" If we are seeking wisdom, hope, or power outside of Christ, we are building on a foundation of sand. We must come to Him in repentance and faith, acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior.

Let us now pray together, lifting up these truths before the throne of grace:

Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the only name by which we can approach You. We thank You for the wisdom and revelation that comes from Your Word, and we ask that You would open the eyes of our hearts to know You more deeply. Lord, we pray for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the true knowledge of Yourself. Remove any spiritual blindness or hardness of heart that keeps us from seeing You as You truly are.

Father, we ask that You would enlighten us to the hope of Your calling. Help us to fix our eyes on eternity and not on the temporary things of this world. Remind us daily that our citizenship is in heaven, and that we are strangers and pilgrims here. May we live in a way that reflects the hope we have in Christ, drawing others to You through our words and actions.

We thank You for the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in us, Your saints. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of this calling, living holy and blameless lives before You. May we never take for granted the incredible privilege of being Your children and co-heirs with Christ.

Lord, we stand in awe of the surpassing greatness of Your power, demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We ask that You would fill us with this same power, enabling us to live victoriously over sin and to walk in obedience to Your will. Help us to rely not on our own strength, but on the power of the Holy Spirit working within us.

Father, we rebuke any spirit of complacency or unbelief that would keep us from fully embracing these truths. We declare that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us, and that nothing can separate us from Your love. May we live each day in the fullness of Your Spirit, bearing fruit that brings glory to Your name.

We pray all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Brothers and sisters, let us encourage one another to press into these truths daily. The Christian life is not a passive one, it requires active pursuit of God through prayer, Scripture, fellowship, and obedience. We must guard our hearts against the distractions of this world and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Let us also be mindful of the importance of community. We are not meant to walk this journey alone. Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts us, "Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching." Are we actively participating in a local body of believers, encouraging and being encouraged in the faith?

Finally, let us remember that the wisdom, revelation, and power we seek are not for our own glory, but for the glory of God. We are called to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), sharing the hope we have in Christ with a lost and dying world. May our lives be a testament to the surpassing greatness of His power, drawing others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

 

[hostadmin]

When we pray words like these from Ephesians, it can sometimes feel like we're reaching for something just beyond our grasp, wisdom, revelation, hope, power. We sense the richness in these promises but wonder what it actually means for our day-to-day lives.

What if we simply started where the passage starts: with thanks? Paul said he didn't cease giving thanks for people like you, people whose faith in Jesus and love for others is already evident. That's not a small thing. The very fact that you're reaching toward God, wanting to know Him more deeply, signals something alive and real already at work in you.

The hope Paul describes isn't just the feeling of optimism. Hope is faith waiting for tomorrow, it's what we do with our hearts when we can't yet see the outcome. When the eyes of our heart are enlightened, we start recognizing that God's calling on our life, His inheritance in us, and His power toward us aren't distant concepts. They're present realities. The same power that raised Christ from the dead isn't reserved for some future crisis, it's toward us who believe, right now.

So maybe the next step is simply to stop and ask: Where in my life do I need the eyes of my heart opened today? What situation or relationship feels dark or uncertain where His hope might be breaking in already? Sometimes wisdom and revelation come not as dramatic visions but as quiet clarity, a nudge toward trusting Him with something we've been holding tightly.

We're praying with you that you'd know, really know, the hope to which He's called you. Not just know about it, but feel it anchoring your soul.

Lord Jesus, we ask You to do what only You can do in our friend's heart. Open their eyes to see the hope You've already placed before them, the inheritance that is theirs in Christ, and the greatness of Your power that is actively working in their life. Meet them in the ordinary moments and quiet places, and let them sense Your nearness as they seek You. In Your name, amen.

 

[Spurgeon]

The prayer of the inspired apostle is a treasury into which you have wisely dipped. To pant after the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him is to breathe the air of heaven while yet on earth. Let none imagine this is a grace too high for ordinary saints, for this same Paul penned the petition for the whole church, and the same Spirit who stirred the request waits to fulfill it.

But mark this: Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. You cannot separate the blessings from the Person. Seek not revelation as a mystic mist floating apart from the Lord Jesus, for He is the revelation of the Father; He that hath seen Him hath seen God. The true knowledge of God is not discovered by climbing the slippery peaks of human reasoning, but by bowing at the cross where the only wise God displays His justice and His love in one crimson act. The hope of His calling does not dangle from the thread of your own fidelity but is anchored in the immovable character of the blessed God, who has sworn by Himself to save all who flee to His Son. The riches of the glory of His inheritance are laid up in Christ Jesus, and the surpassing greatness of His power is not a force to be groped after but the very might which raised the Shepherd from the dead and set Him at the right hand of the Majesty on high. That power works in all who believe, not because they wrestle hard enough, but because they are joined to the living Head.

You desire to know this power, this hope, this inheritance? Then know Christ. Not with a frivolous head-knowledge, but with that heart-acquaintance which approves the character of God, adores Him in all His attributes, and trembles at His Word. The Spirit illuminates the eyes of the understanding not to puff up the carnal mind but to humble the soul and bind it fast to the throne of God and of the Lamb. There, in the heavenly places where Jesus now sits, is your hope already resident, and the power that conquered death is the guarantee of your own resurrection and full conformity to His image.

Therefore, press onward. Ask largely, for the Lord is lavish with His treasures. Plead the blood of the covenant, plead the promises which are yea and amen in Christ, plead the relationships of grace by which He calls you a son. In so pleading, you shall find the Spirit’s illumination increasing, the hope of your calling burning brighter, the inheritance growing more real to your soul, and the resurrection-power strengthening you to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. The gospel of the blessed God has committed this power to our trust; let no unbelief rob you of its enjoyment. He who fills all in all shall surely fill you, until the music of midnight troubles is heard in your heart, and the throne of God and of the Lamb becomes the daily refuge of your joy.