God's Power and Authority

EPHESIANS 1:15-19A THE BRILLIANT SCIENTIST •SIR ISAAC NEWTON SAID THAT HE COULD TAKE HIS TELESCOPE •AND LOOK MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF MILES INTO SPACE. •THEN HE ADDED, "BUT WHEN I LAY IT ASIDE, GO INTO MY ROOM, •SHUT THE DOOR, AND GET DOWN ON MY KNEES •IN EARNEST PRAYER, I SEE •MORE OF HEAVEN AND FEEL CLOSER TO THE LORD THAN IF I WERE •ASSISTED BY ALL THE TELESCOPES ON EARTH."…. •PRAYER IS AN AMAZINGLY AWESOME THING… THE IDEA THAT WE CAN •COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH GOD… •THAT ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS THINK… OR SAY A PRAYER… •AND GOD… THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE HEARS US… IS BEYOND AMAZING… WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST •WE RECEIVE MANY THINGS. •FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS… •REDEMPTION FROM SLAVERY TO SIN… •THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT… •ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH GOD… MANY OF THE GIFTS WE RECEIVE •FROM GOD REQUIRE NOTHING MORE FROM US.. •WE TRUST IN CHRIST AND WE RECEIVE THEM… •BUT SOME OF THE GIFTS WE RECEIVE REQUIRE ACTION ON OUR PART… •PRAYER… THE ABILITY TO COME BEFORE GOD… IS A GIFT GIVEN TO US •WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST… •WE CAN ACCESS THIS GIFT ANY TIME… ANY PLACE… •BUT… WE HAVE TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO ACCESS THIS GIFT… •WE HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY… WE NEED TO BE SURE TO •NOT WASTE THE GIFT OF PRAYER… •WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY… •WE NEED TO BE SURE WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER… •TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT PAUL DISCUSSING HIS PRAYERS FOR THE BELIEVERS IN EPHESUS. TURN TO EPHESIANS 1:15 •PAUL SAID THEY HAD BEEN BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING.. •HE HAD TOLD THEM THEY WERE PREDESTINED TO ADOPTION… •THAT THEY HAD BEEN SEALED IN CHRIST WITH HOLY SPIRIT… •WHO WAS GIVEN AS A PLEDGE… EPHESIANS 1:15–16 FOR THIS REASON I TOO, HAVING HEARD OF THE FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS WHICH EXISTS AMONG YOU AND YOUR LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS, DO NOT CEASE GIVING THANKS FOR YOU, WHILE MAKING MENTION OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS; WE NEED TO KNOW WHY WE •ARE PRAYING… •PAUL SAYS HE DOES NOT CEASE GIVING THANKS •AND MENTIONING THESE FOLKS IN HIS PRAYERS… •AND HE TELLS THEM THE REASONS… WHEN PAUL SAYS… FOR THIS REASON •HE IS SAYING HE THAT THANKS GOD •AND PRAYERS FOR THEM WITHOUT CEASING… •BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING… •THEY HAD BEEN PREDESTINED TO ADOPTION AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.. THEY HAD REDEMPTION THROUGH •CHRIST’S BLOOD… •THEY HAD FORGIVENESS OF THEIR TRESPASSES… •THEY HAD OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE… •AND THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD BEEN GIVEN AS DOWN PAYMENT… WOW… THINK ABOUT THAT A •SECOND… THOSE ARE SOME FANTASTIC REASONS TO THANK GOD… •THOSE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING REASONS PRAY FOR PEOPLE… •BUT PAUL IS NOT DONE WITH THE REASONS YET.. •HE ADDS… HAVING HEARD OF THE FAITH •IN THE LORD JESUS WHICH EXISTS AMONG YOU •NOW, PAUL COULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE SAVING FAITH THESE PEOPLE HAD IN CHRIST… •WHEN THEY FIRST TRUSTED IN JESUS FOR THEIR SALVATION… AND WE SHOULD CERTAINLY GIVE •THANKS TO GOD FOR THAT… •BUT PAUL COULD ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT THE DAILY FAITH WE HAVE IN CHRIST… •WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST… •WHEN WE SERVE GOD… •WHEN FOLLOW GOD’S WILL… I THINK IT IS MORE LIKELY •THAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT THIS FAITH… •THE REASON I THINK THAT… IS BECAUSE •PAUL ADDS ONE MORE REASON WHY HE PRAYS FOR THEM… •HE SAYS… AND YOUR LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… IN THE TEXT, THERE IS A CONNECTION •BETWEEN THE FAITH PAUL HEARD ABOUT AND THEIR LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… •WHEN WE HAVE THAT ABIDING FAITH… •THAT DAILY FAITH AS WE SERVE GOD…. •WE WILL HAVE LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… SEEING FELLOW BELIEVERS WALK IN •FAITH IS A WONDERFUL REASON TO GIVE THANKS FOR THEM… •IT IS A WONDERFUL REASON TO PRAY FOR THEM… •BUT THIS IS NOT A ONE AND DONE KINDA PRAYER... •THIS IS AN ONGOING LIFELONG PRAYER… WE NEED TO KNOW HOW WE ARE •CALLED TO PRAY… •PAUL DESCRIBES HOW HE PRAYS WHEN HE SAYS… •HE DOES NOT CEASE GIVING THANKS FOR YOU, WHILE MAKING MENTION OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS; THIS DOES NOT MEAN PAUL •PRAYS CONSTANTLY… 24 HOURS A DAY… 7 DAYS A WEEK… •TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING MEANS TO PRAY CONSISTENTLY… •TO HAVE A REGULAR TIME OF PRAYER… •BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE HAD RECEIVED↓ EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING… •AND BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH AND LOVE FOR OTHER BELIEVERS… •PAUL CONSISTENTLY GAVE THANKS FOR AND MENTIONED THEM IN HIS PRAYERS… •I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU… •BUT MOST OF THE TIME WHEN I MENTION SOMEONE IN PRAYERS↓ IT IS BECAUSE THEY GOT A PROBLEM…. •I MENTION THEM BECAUSE I AM ASKING GOD TO HELP THEM… •NOW… THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH PRAYING FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP… •BUT WHAT I WANT US TO NOTICE HERE.. •IS THAT PAUL IS PRAYING FOR PEOPLE… GIVING THANKS FOR THEM.. MENTIONING THEM IN HIS PRAYER… •CONSISTENTLY… AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM… •IT IS NOT CAUSE THEY ARE SUFFERING… •HE IS NOT PRAYING FOR THEM CAUSE SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG.. •HE IS PRAYING TO GOD ABOUT THESE FOLKS↓ BECAUSE THINGS HAVE GONE RIGHT. •THEY ARE BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING… •THEY HAVE FAITH… •THEY HAVE LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… •AND PAUL IS PRAYING FOR THEM CONSISTENTLY… WOW… IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND •THIS IT WOULD CHANGE HOW WE PRAY.. •WE NEED TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE ALL THE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OUR FELLOW BELIEVERS HAVE RECEIVED… •WE NEED TO LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER AND SEE THE FAITH WE HAVE IN CHRIST.. WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO •NOTICE THOSE WHO HAVE LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… •AND WE NEED TO CONSISTENTLY PRAY FOR THESE FOLKS… •NOW, WE STILL NEED TO PRAY FOR FOLKS IN NEED… •WE STILL NEED TO PRAY FOR HEALING, AND FINANCES, AND SAFETY… BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE • DON’T JUST PRAY ABOUT THE PROBLEMS… •GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD.. HE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR US… •WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET SOME PRAYERS IN THERE… •FOCUSED ON ALL THE AMAZING THINGS HE DOES FOR US.. SOME PRAYERS FOCUSED ON •LIFTING UP AND ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER… SOME PRAYERS... •FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WHO ARE WALKING IN FAITH… •WHO ARE LOVING ALL THE SAINTS… •WHO ARE SERVING GOD… AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE ARE PRAYING CONSISTENTLY… •TAKING TIME EACH DAY TO BRING OUR PRAYERS TO GOD… •PRAYERS FOR THOSE IN NEED AND FOR THOSE WALKING IN FAITH… •BUILDING UP LAYER UPON LAYER OF PRAYERS… I GREW UP IN HOUSTON •SO, I DID NOT HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH SNOW. •THE FIRST TIME I CAUGHT A SNOWFLAKE •I WAS STUNNED BY HOW LITTLE IT WEIGHTED. •I COULD NOT FEEL IT ALL.. BUT WHEN IT SNOWS •CONSISTENTLY… •OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME… •FOR DAYS AND DAYS ON END… •THE WEIGHT OF THAT SNOW CAN BE COME ENORMOUS… CONSISTENT SNOW FALL •CAN SNAP THE LARGEST TREE BRANCHES •IT CAN CAUSE ROOFS TO COLLAPSE… •IT CAN RESULT IN AVALANCHES BURYING WHOLE TOWNS… •EACH INDIVIDUAL SNOWFLAKE WEIGHS ALMOST NOTHING. BUT CONSISTENTLY FALLING SNOW •HAS TONS OF CRUSHING WEIGHT….. •SOMETIMES WE MAY FEEL OUR PRAYERS HAVE NO WEIGHT… •LIKE A SINGLE SNOWFLAKE THEY DON’T HAVE ANY AFFECT… •BUT PRAYER IS DESIGNED TO BE CONSISTENT… PRAYER LIKE SNOW HAS A •CUMULATIVE EFFECT… •AS WE PRAY CONSISTENTLY… THE EFFECT OUR PRAYERS HAVE ON US*… GROWS AND GROWS… •GREAT WIND DRIFTS OF PRAYERS…. AN AVALANCHE OF PRAYERS… THIS IS THE KIND OF PRAYER PAUL •PRAYED FOR THE EPHESIANS… •THIS IS THE KIND OF PRAYER WE NEED TO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER… •THIS KIND OF PRAYER HELPS US TO COME TO KNOW GOD IN A DEEPER MORE PERSONAL WAY… EPHESIANS 1:17 THAT THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF GLORY, MAY GIVE TO YOU A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM. WE NEED TO KNOW WHO TO •PRAY TO… •KNOWING WHO TO PRAY TO IS IMPORTANT… •SOME FOLKS THINK WE SHOULD PRAY TO MARY.. OR TO CERTAIN “SAINTS”… •SOME FOLKS PRAY TO THE APOSTLES… SOME FOLKS PRAY TO THE DEAD •OTHERS THINK WE SHOULD ONLY •PRAY TO GOD THE FATHER… •NOT TO CHRIST, OR THE HOLY SPIRIT… •IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE PAUL PRAYS TO GOD THE FATHER… THAT THE GOD OF OUR •LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF GLORY, MAY GIVE TO YOU •THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE PRAY TO GOD AND GOD ALONE… •AND SINCE GOD IS.. THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.. •WE CAN PRAY TO ALL THREE… WE MIGHT HAVE SPECIFIC PRAYERS •THAT WE ADDRESS TO THE SON OR THE HOLY SPIRIT… •BUT IN GENERAL… FOR MOST PRAYERS… •WE PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THROUGH THE SON… TO THE FATHER… •THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT WHO WE PRAY TO… IS THAT WE NEVER PRAY •TO ANYONE… OR ANYTHING… THAT IS NOT GOD… •IF WE HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST, WE HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD… •WE DO NOT NEED ANYONE OR ANYTHING BETWEEN US AND GOD… •WE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HIM IN PRAYER… EPHESIANS 2:18 “FOR THROUGH HIM (CHRIST) WE BOTH HAVE OUR ACCESS IN ONE SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT) TO THE FATHER.(GOD THE FATHER)” WE ONLY PRAY TO GOD… •BECAUSE ONLY GOD CAN ANSWER OUR PRAYERS… •WE SEE PAUL PRAY TO GOD THE FATHER.. •HE ASKS THE FATHER TO GIVE TWO THINGS… •BOTH OF THESE THINGS… CAN ONLY BE GIVEN BY GOD… WE NEED TO KNOW THAT •ONLY GOD CAN GIVE US A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •FIRST PAUL ASKS THAT THE FATHER GIVE THEM •A SPIRIT OF WISDOM •THIS IS REALLY AN INTERESTING REQUEST… THIS IS ALL ABOUT A CHANGE IN •DISPOSITION… OR ATTITUDE… •WHEN SOMEONE HAS A SPIRIT OF SOMETHING… •THEY HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF IT.. •THEY OPERATE BASED ON IT… SO, HAVING A SPIRIT OF WISDOM •WOULD MEAN ACTING ON… OR LIVING IN WISDOM… •BUT, WHAT EXACTLY DOES PAUL MEAN BY WISDOM? •WELL… HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT WORLDLY WISDOM… •WISE SAYINGS BY HUMAN PHILOSOPHERS… HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT •DEEP THOUGHTS…. •BIBLICAL WISDOM IS THE CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S WILL AND FOLLOW IT.. •WISDOM IS PUTTING GOD’S WILL INTO ACTION… •SO, PAUL IS PRAYING FOR HIS READERS… TO HAVE A SPIRIT… A DISPOSITION •OF KNOWING GOD’S WILL AND LIVING IN IT… •THAT IS AMAZING… AND THAT IS SOMETHING… •WE SHOULD CERTAINLY PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER… •THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF LIVING OUT GOD’S WILL… NOTICE THAT PAUL PRAYS THAT •GOD WOULD GIVE THEM THIS SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •HE DOES NOT PRAY THAT THEY WOULD EARN A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •OR THAT THEY WOULD DEVELOP A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •HE PRAYS THAT GOD WOULD GIVE THIS SPIRIT OF WISDOM… BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT TAKES… •GOD HAS TO GIVE US THAT ATTITUDE… •WE CAN’T EARN IT… •WE CAN’T DEVELOP ON OUR OWN… •WE CAN YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… AND RECEIVE A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •BUT GOD HAS TO GIVE IT SO THAT WE CAN RECEIVE IT… WE NEED TO KNOW THAT •TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD MUST BE REVEALED BY GOD… •THE SECOND THING PAUL ASKS GOD TO GIVE IS •A SPIRIT OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM •THE IDEA OF REVELATION IS FOR SOMETHING TO BE MADE FULLY KNOW… •FOR SOMEONE TO DISCLOSE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN CONCEALED… •IN THIS CASE PAUL IS PRAYING THAT GOD THE FATHER… •WILL MAKE KNOWN… OR REVEAL… •KNOWLEDGE OF HIMSELF… AND THE WORD PAUL USES •FOR KNOWLEDGE MEANS KNOWING SOMETHING FROM EXPERIENCE… •PAUL IS NOT TALKING ABOUT INFORMATION… •SOMETHING WE COULD LEARN BY READING A BOOK… THERE IS A DIFFERENCE •BETWEEN INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE…. •A FIVE-YEAR-OLD COMES •CRYING TO HIS MOMMY BECAUSE HIS LITTLE SISTER PULLED HIS HAIR. •"DON'T BE ANGRY," THE MOTHER SAYS, "YOUR BABY SISTER •DOESN'T KNOW THAT PULLING HAIR HURTS." • A SHORT WHILE LATER, THERE'S MORE CRYING, AND SO, •MOM GOES TO INVESTIGATE. •THIS TIME BABY SISTER IS BAWLING AND HER BROTHER SMILES AND SAYS, "IT'S OK, MOM... •NOW SHE KNOWS HAVING YOU HAIR PULLED HURTS.” •THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE… •PAUL IS ASKING GOD THE FATHER… •TO GIVE THEM A SPIRIT… •OR AN ATTITUDE OF LEARNING ABOUT GOD BY EXPERIENCING GOD... AGAIN THIS IS SOMETHING GOD •HAS TO GIVE US… •WE CAN’T EARN IT… OR DEVELOP IT… •AND THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN THESE TWO THINGS PAUL ASKS FOR… •WHEN WE HAVE SPIRIT OF GODLY WISDOM. WHEN WE LIVE OUT GOD’S WILL… •WE WILL GROW IN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD… •AS WE GROW IN EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD… •WE WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO LIVE IN HIS WILL… •TO HAVE A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… BOTH OF THESE THINGS MUST •BE GIVEN BY GOD…. AND BOTH ARE LINKED… CONNECTED… •AS WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER… WE NEED TO INCLUDE THESE THINGS… •THAT GOD WOULD GIVE US A SPIRIT OF WISDOM •AND A SPIRIT OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM… EPHESIANS 1:18–19A I PRAY THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED, SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING,↓ WHAT ARE THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE. WE NEED PRAY FOR OUR SPIRITUAL •EYES TO BE OPENED… •PAUL HAD SAID HE ASKED GOD TO GIVE A SPIRIT OF REVELATION… •AND NOW HE GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE… •I PRAY THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED, THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT •TAKES PLACE WHEN GOD GIVES SOMEONE A SPIRIT OF REVELATION... •THE PHRASE… THE EYES OF YOUR HEART •IS TALKING ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL SIGHT… •OUR ABILITY TO SEE THE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS AROUND US… AND PAUL SAYS HE PRAYS •FOR GOD TO ADD LIGHT TO REVEAL •THE SPIRITUAL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US EVERY DAY… •THE IDEA OF ADDING LIGHT TO SOMETHING.. •IS NOT THAT BIG A DEAL TO US… WE HAVE ELECTRIC LIGHTS •ALL OVER THE PLACE… WE GOT THEM IN OUR HOUSE.. •IN OUR CARS… WE GOT THEM ON THE STREETS… •WE EVEN GOT ELECTRIC LIGHTS IN OUR CELL PHONES.. BUT TO THE PEOPLE PAUL WAS •WRITING TO LIGHT WAS MUCH HARDER TO COME BY… •ONCE THE SUN WENT DOWN.. ALL YOU HAD FOR LIGHT WAS FIRE… •A DIM SMOKEY OIL BURNING LAMP… •A COOKING FIRE… TO ENLIGHTEN SOMETHING… •MEANT TO BRING A CLEAR BRIGHT LIGHT THAT REVEALED WHAT WAS HIDDEN… •AND PAUL PRAYS FOR GOD TO ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF THEIR HEARTS SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW THREE THINGS… •ONE THING FROM THEIR PAST… •ONE FROM THEIR FUTURE… •AND ONE FROM THEIR PRESENT… WE NEED TO KNOW THE CERTAINTY •OF OUR SALVATION….. •THE FIRST THING PAUL WANTS THEM TO KNOW IS FROM THEIR PAST… •PAUL PRAYS THAT THEY WILL… •KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING, HOPE IN THE BIBLE IS NOT A MAYBE •WHEN WE SEE THE WORD HOPE IN OUR BIBLES.. •IT IS NOT LIKE… I HOPE IT RAINS TOMORROW… •HOPE IN THE BIBLE IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY •BASED ON GOD.. THE HOPE OF GOD’S CALLING •IS THE CERTAINTY OF OUR SALVATION… •PAUL ASKS FOR GOD TO ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF THEIR HEART… •SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE SPIRITUAL REALITY… •THAT THEY ARE TRULY, CERTAINLY, SAVED… THAT WHEN GOD THE FATHER •CALLED THEM TO FAITH IN CHRIST… •THE RESULT OF THAT CALLING WAS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN… •WE SEE JESUS MENTION THIS IN THE BOOK OF JOHN… JOHN 6:44 “NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM; AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP ON THE LAST DAY.” WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE •THE CERTAINTY OF OUR ETERNAL DESTINY… •NEXT PAUL WANTS THEM TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR FUTURE… •WHAT ARE THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, •THIS IS TALKING ABOUT OUR ETERNAL DESTINY… PAUL DOES NOT GIVE US ANY •DETAILS ABOUT THIS DESTINY… •HE JUST TELLS US IT IS RICH AND GLORIOUS…. •HE HAD TOLD THEM THEY HAD A DOWN PAYMENT FOR THIS INHERITANCE… •THE SEALING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT… NOW HE PRAYS THAT GOD WILL •ENLIGHTEN THEIR HEARTS TO SEE •JUST HOW RICH AND GLORIOUS THIS INHERITANCE WILL BE… •WHEN WE CAN SEE JUST HOW RICH AND GLORIOUS THIS INHERITANCE WILL BE •IT CHANGES HOW WE LIVE HERE AND NOW.. FINALLY PAUL PRAYS FOR THEM •TO KNOW SOMETHING FROM THEIR PRESENT… •WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S POWER NOW… •PAUL USES SOME INTENSE WORDS WHEN HE DESCRIBES GOD’S POWER.. • AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE THE WORDS THAT ARE TRANSLATED •SURPASSING GREATNESS… ARE REALLY MORE INTENSE THAN THAT.. •EXTRAORDINARY… SUPERABUNDANT… EXTREME… FAR GREATER… •AND THESE WORDS ARE STACKED UP… •PAUL IS PRAYING THAT GOD WILL ENLIGHTEN THIS FOLKS SO THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SEE •THE SPIRITUAL REALITY OF THE •SUPERABUNDANT MAGNITUDE…OF GOD’S POWER •IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST…. •CONSIDERING JUST HOW HUGE GOD’S POWER IS IN OUR LIVES…. YOU MIGHT THINK WE WOULD •NOT NEED TO HAVE THE EYES OF OUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED TO SEE IT… •BUT THE TRUTH IS… •MANY OF US FAIL TO SEE GOD’S POWER IN OUR LIVES EVERY DAY… •GOD’S SUPERABUNDANT POWER KEEPS US SAFE… PROVIDES FOR US… HELPS US •EVERY SINGLE HOUR OF EVERY SINGLE DAY… •BUT IF WE ARE FOCUSED ON WORLDLY THINGS WE CAN MISS IT… •IF WE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO SPIRITUAL THINGS… •WE CAN GET TO THINKING GOD’S POWER IS ABSENT FROM OUR LIVES… SEEING GOD’S EXTRAORDINARY •POWER WORKING IN OUR LIVES HELPS US TO TRUST GOD… •IT GIVES US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NEED FOR GOD… •IT REASSURES US THAT GOD IS HERE WITH US… •BUT GOD HAS TO ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF OUR HEARTS↓ BEFORE WE CAN SEE HIS↓ •POWER WORKING IN OUR LIVES •THE GLORY OF THE RICHES OF OUR INHERITANCE •THE HOPE OF GOD’S CALLING… •AND THAT IS WHY PAUL PRAYS FOR GOD TO ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF THEIR HEARTS.. WE HAVE MUCH BIGGER •TELESCOPES THAN ISAAC NEWTON HAD… •WE EVEN HAVE TELESCOPES IN SPACE… •WE HAVE RADIO TELESCOPES… •WE CAN SEE VASTLY MORE OF SPACE THEN NEWTON DREAMED MIGHT EXIST.. BUT HIS OBSERVATION IS STILL TRUE… •WHEN I LAY IT ASIDE, GO INTO MY ROOM, •SHUT THE DOOR, AND GET DOWN ON MY KNEES •IN EARNEST PRAYER, I SEE MORE OF HEAVEN •AND FEEL CLOSER TO THE LORD THAN IF I WERE ASSISTED BY ALL THE TELESCOPES •ON EARTH." • PRAYER IS AN AMAZINGLY AWESOME THING… •THE IDEA THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH GOD… •THAT ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS THINK… OR SAY A PRAYER… AND GOD… THE CREATOR OF THE •UNIVERSE HEARS US… •THIS IDEA…IS BEYOND AMAZING… •WE NEED TO BE SURE TO •NOT WASTE THE GIFT OF PRAYER… •WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY… WE NEED TO BE SURE WE PRAY •FOR ONE ANOTHER… •YES, WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THE PROBLEMS WE FACE… •FOR HEALING… FOR SAFETY… FOR PROVISION… •BUT WE NEED TO NOT ONLY PRAY FOR THE PROBLEMS… PAUL SHOWS US HOW TO PRAY •FOR ONE ANOTHER BASED ON OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS… •TO PRAY WHEN WE SEE EACH OTHER WALKING IN FAITH… •TO PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS… •TO PRAY FOR THEM CONSISTENTLY… WE NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR •BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST… •FOR GOD TO GIVE THEM A SPIRIT OF WISDOM… •AN ATTITUDE OF LIVING OUT GOD’S WILL •FOR GOD TO GIVE THEM A SPIRIT OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD GOD GIVEN EXPERIENCE OF LIVING •WITH GOD… •WE NEED TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER… •TO HAVE THE EYES OF OUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED… •FOR GOD TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE SPIRITUAL THINGS OF THIS WORLD.. THE CERTAINTY OF OUR SALVATION.. •THE GLORIOUS RICHES OF OUR INHERITANCE… •THE SUPERABUNDANCE OF HIS MAGNIFICENT POWER IN OUR LIVES… •WE NEED TO PRAY THESE THINGS FOR EACH OTHER.. •BECAUSE WITHOUT GOD GIVING US THESE THINGS WE CANNOT HAVE THEM… •I SOMETIMES THINK WE MISUNDERSTAND THE POINT OF PRAYING… •WE ARE NOT PRAYING TO TELL GOD SOMETHING HE DOES NOT KNOW… •WE ARE PRAYING TO REMIND OURSELVES OF OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD… WE PRAY TO GOD… •TO HELP US UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MUCH WE NEED HIM.. •HOW LOST WE ARE WITHOUT HIM… •WE PRAY TO GOD TO HELP US REMEMBER… •THAT WHEN WE WERE LOST AND WITHOUT HOPE↓ HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN… •JESUS CHRIST… •LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS… •HE ROSE AGAIN AFTER THREE DAYS, ASCENDED TO HEAVEN.. •AND HE HIS COMING BACK….