Sermon Tone Analysis

What should we be praying for?

What should we be praying for?

Spirit filled knowledge

An illuminated heart

A mindset toward missions

IV.

A Strengthening with His Power

A. A Knowledge of His Power

Eph 1.

Paul’s main emphasis is that we would have spirit filled knowledge- so that our hearts would be enlightened- so that we might know (in a unique way, a way that effects our hearts and changes our lives, in a way that only comes through the working of the Holy Spirit), Paul wants us to know our hopeful calling, the glorious riches of God’s inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of God’s power.

Notice all of the different words Paul uses here to describe God’s power.

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

exceeding, greatness, power, working, mighty, power

Exceeding- to attain a degree that extraordinarily exceeds a point on a scale; to cast beyond in a spear throwing contest

– illustration: longest drive comp 500 yards

Greatness- quality of exceeding a standard of excellence

μέγεθος

μέγεθος

-illustration: Burger in Dallas area- describe- not just good- it was great, it exceeded the normal standard of excellence.

Power- potential for functioning in some way

δύναμις- might, strength, force, capability

-illustration: Dad’s boat getting stuck in Canada.

His Trail Blazer did not have the potential to get the boat out of the water.

Now if we would have had Matt’s truck.

350 dually diesel that I think absolutely has the potential or the force of the might to pull out dad’s boat.

Paul is praying for us to understand the might of God.

And not just might, buy the exceeding greatness of that might.

According to:

Working- outworking, manifestation, action of God’s power

ἐνέργεια

Mighty- capability to function effectively, God’s strength Power- the ability to express strength, speaks of the intensity of God’s might.

So believers we must pray, for ourselves and for those around us, that we might know with illuminated hearts, what is the extraordinary greatness (μέγεθος) of God’s power (δύναμις) which He works in us according to the manifestation (ἐνέργεια) of the strength of his intense might.

David Livingstone had spent sixteen years in Africa but had not faced such peril.

The white man was surrounded by hostile, angry natives in the heart of Africa.

He was in danger of losing his life and contemplated fleeing in the night.

But something happened that changed his mind and gave him peace in his perilous situation.

He recorded it in his diary that January 14, 1856:

Felt much turmoil of spirit in prospect of having all my plans for the welfare of this great region and this teeming population knocked on the head by savages tomorrow.

But I read that Jesus said: “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

It is the word of a gentleman of the most strict and sacred honor, so there’s an end to it!

I will not cross furtively tonight as I intended.

Should such a man as I flee?

Nay, verily, I shall take observations for latitude and longitude tonight, though they may be the last.

I feel quite calm now, thank God!

Here is a man who knew (spiritual knowledge) of the power of God is such away that it effected his heart (illuminated heart) so that it changed the way that he lived for God.

This is what we also must pray for.

B. An Illustration of His Power

What is God’s power like?

What can it actually do?

The same power that according to v. 19

This power is for the one who believe.

This same power also raised Christ from the dead.

Not only that, through God’s power He placed the Son at His right hand in the heavenly places.

This position that the Son now claims is far above, not just slightly above, but far above any other power that you can think of in the physical and the spiritual universe.

He is above all principality (supernatural rulers), and power (authority, ἐξουσία), and might (power, δύναμις), dominion (lordship, κυριότης), and above every name- not only in this age but also in the one to come.

So this power that is to you believer, is the same power that conquered sin, death, and hell when God raised the Son from the grave.

And it is also the power that conquers all other powers.

Any power that you can think of, powers of man made governments, dictators, kings, rules, potentates- all of them are beneath the extraordinary greatness of the power of God.

Not only man made powers, but spiritual powers as well.

God’s power conquers Satan’s kingdom of darkness itself, the deceptive power of sin, spirits and demons, and any other power that you can put a name to, both now and in the eons to come.

That is the illustration of the extraordinary greatness of the power of God that He makes manifest by means of the strength of His intense might.

We are given another illustration of the power of God as well.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Here we find the second illustration of God’s power and it is found in the phrase “the riches of His glory”

The power of God is often illustrated by using the concept of the glory of God.

Glory is the idea of God’s radiance or splendour, which conveys the ideas of the perfection of His character and activity.

His glory is often equated with His power.

Notice how did God raise up Christ from the dead?

By His glory.

The idea is by His power.

So God’s power corresponds with the inexpressible riches of God’s glory.

Where do we go in Scripture is we want to know what the glory of the Lord is like?

Ezek 1.26

Illustration of the sunset that surrounded the church with beautiful blinding lights or red burgundy burnt orange yellow gold purple and blue.

Take that and multiply it by a million and you begin to grasp an ounce of the glory of God.

It is something so awe inspiring, so awesome that it caused Ezekiel to fall upon his face as he was overcome with the glory of the Lord.

This believers is an illustration of the extraordinary greatness (μέγεθος) of God’s power (δύναμις) which He works in us according to the manifestation (ἐνέργεια) of the strength of his intense might.

This is the power that we are commanded to pray for.

You are believing a lie when you say I cannot overcome my fear, my anxiety, my anger, my temptation, the power of my flesh, my lust, my pride.

You have the power of God.

The same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead and set Him above every other authority imaginable.

The same power that is pictured in the glory of God, you have this power in your back court.

And you are saying that you cannot get victory over your sin or you doubt or your worry or your fear?

What are you praying for?

1).

Our problem is first of all that we don’t really believe that we have that kind of power at our disposal.

We might say that we have access to the power of God, but do we really believe what we say?

Sometimes I think we need to look ourselves in the mirror and quote .

I have access to the very power of God.

The strength of God’s intense might is available to me.

2).

Secondly, our problem is that since we don’t really believe what we say, the we have access to the power of God, we don’t pray for it.

This is what Paul is praying for.

God open the eyes of their hearts and give them spirit filled knowledge so that they might know the exceeding greatness of your power to those that believe which you are working out according to the energy of your mighty power.

Help them to know this so they will believe it and seek it and pray for it and live in victory because of it.

Believer what are you praying for?

C. The Purpose of His Power

What is this power for?

What does God want us to do with this power?

Why do we need this power?

What does a believer with this kind of power look like?

Now lets notice a few things about this power:

1).

In order to receive it we must pray for it.

It is something that God must grant us.