In Ephesians 1:15-20, Paul prays for believers in Ephesus to have a spiritual revelation of their position in Christ. It is a powerful prayer because Paul prays from the personal revelation of his own position. He knows that believers have no power without the spiritual wisdom God has given them. He doesn't beg or plead with God to provide the Ephesians with spiritual insight. He knows God has already provided it. Paul prays for them to open their spiritual eyes to what they have received.
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:15-20, NKJV).
This prayer is for us, too. In verses 15-18, Paul prays for us to open our spiritual eyes to what is ours. He prays that God would give us wisdom and revelation knowledge of what we have received in coming to know Christ. Paul knows that without growing in the understanding of our new identity we have no power to stand against the lies of the enemy and have confidence in God's calling.
In verses 19-20, Paul prays for us to understand the power we have when we believe in God. It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. His Resurrection power lives in us. We don’t beg and plead with God from weakness. When we have the spiritual wisdom and knowledge of who we are in Jesus Christ, we pray from His strength. We know that in our weakness, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9) and that His strength and power are ours. We have the confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And we know that if He hears us, we have what we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15).
Have we grown in knowledge of who we are in Christ? Or do we often beg God to give us what we have already received because we don’t have the wisdom to know that it is ours?
Open your spiritual eyes and learn who you are in Christ. Know what Jesus has purchased for you. Renew your mind with God’s Word. His Word is life (John 6:63). Ask God for wisdom and understanding. He gives it generously (James 1:5).
When you know who you are and what you have in Christ, you can pray in the same power that raised Jesus from the dead—believing what the Word of God has promised you.
© 2021 Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2021/09/know-what-is-yours-in-christ.html
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