Open Eyes: Seeing What You Already Have in Jesus

Ephesians 1:15–23 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Introduction: The Beggar Who Was Really Rich

Picture a man living on the streets. He begs for money. He sleeps in doorways. He eats from trash cans. This goes on for years. Then one day, someone finds him with amazing news: he's rich. A relative died and left him millions of dollars.

The money has been sitting there waiting for him. All this time, he lived like he had nothing while he was actually rich. He didn't need more money. He just needed to know what he already had.

Church, this is how many Christians live.

I'm not saying you're not saved. I'm saying you can't see what you have.

Jesus has given us more than we can imagine, but we live like we're poor. We worry. We doubt. We look for happiness in all the wrong places. The problem isn't that we don't have enough.

The problem is we can't see what we already have.

That's why Paul prays this prayer in Ephesians 1.

He's writing to real Christians—people who believe in Jesus and love God's people.

But Paul knows something important: you can truly know Jesus and still not see all the good things He's given you.

So Paul prays that God would help them see three things they already have in Jesus: their hope, their treasure, and their power.Let's look at this prayer together, because what Paul prays for them, we need too.

We Need Spiritual Vision (vv. 15-18a)

Look at verses 15-16: "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers."

Paul starts by saying something good about them.

He's heard they believe in Jesus and love other Christians. He's thankful for them. These are real believers.

But look at what he prays for them in verse 17: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him."

Why does Paul pray this for people who already know God?

Because knowing facts about God and really seeing what God has done for you are two different things.

You can know all the right things about God and still miss the riches you have.

That's why verse 18 says, "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened."

This is spiritual vision. It's not just head knowledge—it's God opening your eyes to see spiritual truths that are already real. And here's what we need to know: this doesn't just happen. Paul prays for it.

That means we need to ask God for it. Every single day, we should pray, "Lord, help me see what I already have in You."So what do we need to see? Paul tells us three things.

Three Realities We Must See (vv. 18b-23) (8 minutes)

See Your Hope (v. 18b)

First, verse 18: that you may know "what is the hope to which he has called you.

"What is this hope?

It's not crossing your fingers and wishing things turn out okay.

Biblical hope means being completely sure about your future.

God has called you to live with Him forever, and nothing can change that. Your future is locked in. God Himself guarantees it.Why does this matter?

Because when you see your hope, worry loses its grip on you.

You might be going through hard times right now—health problems, money troubles, relationship pain.

But when your eyes are opened to your hope, you see this truth: No matter what happens in this life, my forever is safe.

Nothing can pull you away from God.

Nothing can break His love for you.

Your eternity is settled.

This hope doesn't depend on how good you are—it's built on what Jesus did.

Jesus died for your sins, came back from death, and made your future certain.

When you trust in Him, your destiny is as sure as His resurrection.

Do you see that? Or are you living scared and unsure, blind to the hope you already have?

See Your Inheritance (v. 18c)

Second, verse 18 goes on: "what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

This phrase means two things, and both are true.

First, you have treasure—God Himself.

You're not just getting things in heaven; you're getting God.

He is the best prize, the greatest joy, the treasure worth more than anything in this world.

Second, God has treasure—you.

You are His prized possession. He treasures you.

Think about what this means. Right now, you might be chasing a better job, a relationship, more money, or an easier life—thinking that's where you'll find happiness.

But when your eyes are opened, you see the truth: you already have infinite wealth.

God Himself is yours, and you are His.

Stop living like you're spiritually poor when you're an heir to riches beyond measure.

Jesus bought this treasure for you with His blood. It's already yours.

The question is: do you see it?

See Your Power (vv. 19-23)

Third, verses 19-23: "what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead..."

Paul wants you to see the power you have as a believer. And what power is this?

It's resurrection power—the same power that brought Jesus back from death. Let that sink in.

The power that beat death, that did the impossible, that broke open the grave—that power is yours right now.

Why do you need this power? Because you're fighting battles you can't win on your own.

Maybe it's a sin that keeps tripping you up.

Maybe it's a broken relationship.

Maybe it's a fear that won't go away, or a spiritual struggle that's too much for you.

You can't handle it on your own.

But when your eyes are opened, you see: I don't have to fight alone.

Resurrection power is mine through the Holy Spirit.

Look at how big this power is in verses 20-23.

It brought Jesus back from death. It put Him at God's right hand. It put everything under His control.

Jesus is the King over everything, far above any force that threatens you—whether it's political, spiritual, or personal.

And here's the amazing part: you're connected to Him.

Verse 22 says He's the head of the church, which is His body.

That means His victory is your victory. His power flows through you.

Are you living in defeat, trying to fight your battles alone? Stop. Open your eyes. Resurrection power is yours in Jesus.

The Call: Stop Living Like a Beggar

So here's the point: you don't need more blessings from God.

You need to see the blessings you already have.

Right now, as a believer, you have unshakable hope, infinite treasure, and resurrection power.

The problem isn't that you don't have these things. The problem is that you can't see them.

So what do you do? Pray Paul's prayer.

Every morning this week, ask God to open your eyes. When worry comes, stop and remember your hope—your future is safe.

When you're tempted to look for happiness somewhere else, remember your treasure—God Himself is yours.

When you face a battle you can't win, use resurrection power by depending on the Spirit instead of yourself.

Stop living like you're spiritually poor. You're not poor—you're rich beyond measure.

Conclusion: The Gospel Makes This All Possible

And here's the best news: everything Paul prays for is yours because of Jesus.

You didn't earn the hope—Jesus won it through His death and resurrection.

You didn't buy the treasure—Jesus paid for it with His blood.

You don't create the power—it flows from Jesus' victory over sin and death.

This is the gospel.

Jesus lived the perfect life you couldn't live, died the death you deserved, and came back to give you everything you need.

And now, in Him, you have hope that can't be broken, riches that can't be lost, and power that can't be beaten.

So run to Jesus. He is your hope. He is your treasure. He is your power.

Stop living like you're poor and start living in light of what's already yours in Jesus.

Let's pray.