The prayers that Paul Prayed - Pt 3

Eph 1:18 “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”

Rom 15:13-14 “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.”

"Hope is the anticipation of a good that is yet to come into our lives."

Here's some background on Ephesians 1:18:

The book of Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul around 60-62 AD while he was under house arrest in Rome. Ephesians is one of Paul's four "prison epistles" along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

In Ephesians 1, Paul begins with a majestic praise of God for the spiritual blessings given in Christ. In verse 18, Paul prays that God may give wisdom and revelation to the Ephesians so they can know God better. Specifically, he prays:

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people"

So what is the "hope of his calling"? Earlier in Ephesians 1, Paul explains part of this hope:

- In Christ, believers have been chosen and adopted as God's children (v. 5)

- In Christ, believers have redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins (v.7)

- God's glorious grace has been lavished on believers (v. 6, 8)

- God's purpose is to bring unity and restoration through Christ (v. 9-10)

Paul wants the Ephesians to fully grasp the incredible, hope-filled calling they have received in Christ. This understanding gives them strength, perspective, and motivation to live for Christ and shine His light. The "glorious inheritance" emphasizes their secure hope and future as God's people.

So Ephesians 1:18 expresses Paul's prayer for believers to comprehend deeply their new identity and future hope in Christ. This brilliant hope enlightens their hearts amidst any earthly circumstances.

In the ancient Hebrew language, the word for "hope" paints a vivid picture that can help deepen our understanding of biblical hope.

The Hebrew word translated as "hope" is תִּקְוָה (tikvah). Interestingly, the root meaning of this word is to "stretch out" or "extend."

This paints a word picture of hope as extending a cord from the present into the future. Biblical hope stretches from the difficulties of the present into the promises of God for the future.

Some key insights from the Hebrew meaning:

- Hope reaches beyond the current moment and grasps onto a future fulfillment. It's active and engaged.

- Hope requires endurance and patience. It's a persistent expectation that resists giving up.

- Hope is founded on God's character and promises, not wishful thinking. It "stretches out" from a firm anchor.

- Hope empowers perseverance. The cord of hope draws us forward during difficult seasons.

So in the Hebrew mindset, hope isn't passive wishful thinking. It's persistent. waiting and reaching forward to what God has promised, even when we can't yet see it. This active hope sustains and motivates us, transforming how we live today.

The Hebrew understanding of hope as an anchor for the soul that draws us into God's future promise is a beautiful picture of biblical hope. One that can inspire and encourage us!

Paul's prayers teach us key ways to be filled with hope:

1. Hope is founded on trusting God in the midst of life's trials.

Rom 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

A. God has a purpose for those who love Him.

- The verse specifies that this promise is for "those who love God." Our love for God is evidenced by our relationship with Him and desire to follow Him.

- God has a specific "purpose" and plan for each person who loves Him and seeks to live for Him. His purpose is good.

2. All circumstances can be used by God for our good.

- The verse says "all things work together." Both good things and bad things will be used by God.

- God has the power to use every circumstance to align with His purpose for our lives. He can work in every situation.

3. God's purpose will prevail.

- In the end, God's purpose will "work together" for our ultimate good. His perfect plan will triumph.

- We may not understand how, but we can trust God's ability to work powerfully even in difficult circumstances.

- Our responsibility is to continue loving and trusting God. His responsibility is to work all things for our good.

In summary, for believers who love God, even painful circumstances can be used to bring about God's good purpose as we place our hope and trust in Him.

B. Embracing the trials activates hope that God is going to bring you through the trials and produce within you greater perseverance than you had in the last seasons

there's something that comes out of surviving that gives us a tenacity and fight and and it has nothing to do with your temperament or how you lash back at people in fact some of the people who have the sharpest tongue have the weakest mind to really be strong is to be left standing when the storm is over Td Jakes

C. Hope give you strength in the midst of the trial all the way until the trial is over

James 1:2-4 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

"Hope is the anchor for the soul, providing stability and strength in the midst of life's storms."

No devil anywhere can successfully stand against the authority of the believer."

2.Hope comes from spiritual insight into God's purpose for our lives.

Faith does not come from striving; it comes from surrender.

A. Hope uncovers the purpose and plans that God has for us

B. Hope is the key to discover a fresh new dimension of God's glory and that is why Paul prayed that we have the confidence and hope

C. The presence of the Lord upon us positions us for miracles

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38

Regardless of the level of faith, Jesus always brought a miracle.

It is illegal to enjoy the presence of the Lord and not conquer something.

D.” Lovers of God have the privilege of enforcing the victory won at the cross against all the enemies of humanity. This, in fact, is a part of our worship expression and Hope

"Hope is the fuel that keeps us moving forward, even when the road is difficult and uncertain."

3. Hope empowers us to persevere with joy, because our future is secure in Christ.

A. Every loss is temporary; every victory is eternal.

One of the great mysteries in life is that bad things do happen to good people. There are losses and setbacks, even for believing believers. One need only look at the apostle Paul’s life to figure that one out—shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, lies, opposition in every city, etc. Yet the march is onward and upward toward the call and purposes of God for our lives. We are not defined by our circumstances. This is the overriding hope for every follower of Jesus. Such moments are reminders that we are not perfect, but are instead being perfected.

this hope actually is the product of his presence nobody looks into the face of God and walks away without hope lessness only reveals the distance between my face and his it grows in the it grows in the space between encounters it grows in the space between awareness of the spirit of God upon my life in my life hopelessness grows when I give my heart to what other people will call Common

B. The Lord said this to me..... everything that I do is in preparation for the eternal plan that I have for your life

Our mindsets should always be set on the eternal (2 Cor. 4:18 “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Eph 3:11 “This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The trying times are the trusting times - trust God!"

C. Live to hear "Well done" from God when you meet Him face to face (2 Timothy 4:8 “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

"Refuse to talk yourself out of God's best - believe!"

Took:

My friends, we have been given a brilliant and unshakable hope in Jesus Christ - a hope that enlightens our hearts no matter what circumstances we face in this life.

Christ has brought us into God's family and opened our eyes to His amazing grace and purpose for our lives. He has secured for us an eternal inheritance that can never perish or fade!

This hope-filled calling gives our lives meaning and direction. It anchors our souls through every storm and trial. When we grasp the riches of our identity in Christ, it transforms how we live each day with joy, courage and purpose.

So will you choose to live in light of this brilliant hope? Will you fix your eyes on the eternal inheritance Christ has won for you? Will you walk in joyful confidence of who God says you are in Him?

Don't waste your lives on lesser hopes that will only disappoint. Don't drift along clueless to your high calling. But pray daily for eyes to see clearly all that God has done for you, and who He has called you to be in Christ.

Let this brilliant hope shine in your hearts every morning when you rise. Let it put a song in your heart throughout your days. Allow it to fuel your purpose and passion for living all out for Christ.

He is our hope today. And He is our hope for eternity. So live boldly as the dearly loved, saved and hopeful children of God that you are! This is our calling. This is our identity. This is our secure future in Christ.

Will you embrace this truth today? Will you live empowered by such a brilliant and unshakable hope? It's my prayer that you will!