Ephesians 1:15-23

Introduction

Ephesians 1:15–23 KJV 1900

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not 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 unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 1:18-19 are part of Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus.

In the prayer he begins with three requests:

He wants them to have the spirit of wisdom

The first “gift” is, as it were, the first point in a series of actions of which each one may be expressed also as a gift.

He wants the to have the revelation in the knowledge of Him - Jesus Christ.

We need to focus on the facts about God not the impossibilities of the promises being kept. By doing this Abraham gave God the glory - Romans 4:20-21 “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

He wants their eyes of understanding enlightened.

To have rays of sunlight beaming into their minds and hearts for affections towards God’s word.

God granting these three requests creates the foundation for the next three requests - That ye may know (Observational knowledge).

The Hope of His calling - Past

The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints - Future

The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe - according to His mighty power - Present.

The Source and basis of This Power

Ephesians 1:19-23 “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

According to the working of His mighty power - not out of but according to. Not a portion of but proportionate to! If I am a billionaire and I give you ten dollars, I have given you out of my riches, a small portion of my wealth. On the other hand if I give you a million dollars, I have given to you "according to" or more in proportion to my riches. God never gives niggardly to His children but according to the (infinite) riches of His grace!

Therefore, the word “accordingly” says that this exceedingly great power that works in us is proportion to another power source.

Paul did not struggle with where the power came from. The power came from God. But, he did struggle with how to best measure and articulate the basis of the surpassing greatness of the power that works in us.

Paul is now going to show that it is literally “according to the power of the power of his power.” Paul lists a series of three words for power used to describe the standard of the surpassing greatness of God’s power." He used three synonyms to describe the power that is the basis for the surpassing power that works through us.

Working - energeia - effectual energy

Ephesians 3:7 “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.”

Mighty - kratos - (strength), which may also be translated “dominion” (1 Ti 6:16). It speaks of manifested power that it is put in action. The power to rule, control, and exert dominion.

Power - ischus (might), which carries the idea of endowed power or ability. The word stresses the factuality of His indwelling power to do whatever He wants.

This power produced the resurrection of Jesus and the cascading events produced by the His resurrection.

Ephesians 1:20 “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead,

Set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”

Ephesians 1:21 “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:”

Ephesians 1:22 “And hath put all things under his feet,

and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”

The power of God that was wrought, by God in Christ works in me. Look at our Lord’s body in the tomb. Cold, with the coldness of death. Still, with the stillness of death. Slain because of our sins. And then look at our Lord now at the right hand of the Father on high. Glorified in the life that is life indeed. And the measure of the power that is to us what who believe is that mighty power which entered into Jesus Christ and resurrected him from the dead. That power works in every one of us, as I stand before you.

The world still marvels at the power of the atom, yet we belong to the God Who created atoms and the entire universe. With His unlimited power, He also raised Jesus Christ from the dead. God's incomparably great power helps us grow, change, love others. Because God's resurrection power continues to work in us, it enables us to overcome our difficulties each day. There is nothing too difficult for him.

The Intimacy of This Power

A proportion of this power works in us.

Ephesians 1:19 “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”

The word for “power” - Dunamis -

Force

Miraculous power

Effective power

Accomplishes His purpose

Intrinsic or inherited power

Matthew 26:64 “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Exceeding Greatness

Two Greek words

Over, above and beyond

Throw

God's power goes far beyond all other power. The power of Christ applied in the believer’s behalf can't be defeated because the Creator's power exceeds that of the evil created beings, Satan and his minions.

Surpassing greatness.

The power which is really at work in Christian men to-day is in its nature properly transcendent and immeasurable, and passes thought and desire and knowledge

What does this mean

Supernatural power for believers to enable them to live in triumph.

An Example of This Power

Acts 9:12–22 KJV 1900

And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Influenced by the Holy Spirit

Before he was influenced by the Sanhedrin that hated and despised Jesus

Now, he is being influenced by the Holy Spirit that guides him in the truths of Jesus.

Identified with Jesus

His baptism was a public declaration that he no longer identified himself as a Pharisee but one that was in the way and a disciple of Jesus.

His fellow-shipping circle changed

From the Pharisees and Sadducees to the disciples of Jesus.

His messaged changed

Acts 9:1 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,”

Acts 26:11 “And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

Acts 9:20 “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”

Romans 1:4 “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

He continued to grow in God’s word

Acts 9:22 “But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”

Proving - to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. It is the very word that Luke will use in Act_16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. Here Saul took the various items in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and found in them the proof that he was in reality “the Messiah” (ho Christos).

Conclusion

Paul does not pray, “Lord, give them power.” He prays, “Lord, help their spiritual eyes see, and appropriate the power they already have resident within.” The incomprehensible, dynamic power of the resurrected Christ is already in us.

"The greatest power shortage today is not in our generators or our gas tanks. It is in our personal lives. Will Paul’s prayer be answered in your life? Will you, starting today, begin to know by experience God—God’s calling—God’s riches—and God’s power?"