Ephesians Ch. 3:1-21

Paul in the first 3 chapters is building, and building. As he begins chapter 3 he continues this letter to the gentiles after letting them know of the unity provided by Christ and they are now part of the covenant promise with Israel, fellow citizens and eliminating the “wall of hostility” and bringing peace. He was writing in order to help these Ephesian Christians, to encourage them in the faith, to establish them, to lead them into the higher heights and the deeper depths of this great salvation, so as begins he tells of his condition as he is writing:

v.1) “I Paul, a prisoner for Christ on your behalf”. (v2-3) Then he digresses and makes sure they know why he is called to them and the authority of his call, and the mystery of the message he brings.

(v4-6) He expands on the mystery and reveals it in v. 6, which is why he is telling them this so they know what has changed and how it has changed. He continues explaining his ministry in (v.7-9) It was not by his own choice but the “gift of God’s Grace that was given to him” to preach to them.

But look at (v.10) “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” What? what does that mean? I don’t want to go off on this tangent again, however with what God has been revealing to me about the supernatural realm, It fits right in on everything else I’m reading in scripture. He has a heavenly family as well as an earthly family and they were supposed to be united (and were for a while) in the Garden of Eden.

Anyway, what God has called us to do here on earth is also so that the “manifold wisdom of God might now be mad know in the heavenly places” as well. This was according to his eternal purpose realized through Christ Jesus our Lord!!! v.12 tells us because of faith in Jesus Christ our Lord we have “boldness and access with confidence” So how should that help us live?

Paul then comes back around to what he started to say in verse 1, before he jumped off on this diversion of thought. (v.13) so because of all this don’t lose heart over what i am suffering.

Verses 14-21 PRAYER FOR THEM AND FOR YOU AND ME

it impossible for him to visit them at Ephesus and to preach to them, or to go anywhere else to preach, there is one thing that the enemy cannot do, and that is, he cannot prevent him from praying. He can still pray. The enemy can confine him to a cell, he can bolt and bar doors, he can chain him to soldiers, he can put bars in the windows, he can hem him in and confine him physically, but he can never obstruct the way from the heart of the humblest believer to the heart of the Eternal God

Only one more powerful prayer in Scripture was John 17

Paul comes back the prayer for his Gentile readers and again states: “For this reason, I bow my knees”. What a prayer this is! Let’s take a look at this prayer closely.

The Foundation: God the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. No other foundation, no other place for our prayers to be built upon. He should always be our foundation for anything we do and anything we pray. We can start from no other place than on the Foundation of God!

The Focus: “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with his power through his Spirit in your inner being”! What would our world look like if we prayed for our family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, people we don’t like? This needs to be our first prayer for people. Im not saying its bad to pray for other things, but do you see what this prayer is concerned with? We Paul is not done, this prayer gets better, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith”,