Lesson 5

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Ephesians

September 21, 2015

Lesson 1

January 18, 2010

Lesson 2

January 18, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

EPHESIANS 1:15-23
Lesson #05
PAUL’S PRAYER FOR BELIEVERS

• Memory verse: Eph 1:18

• Read Eph 1:15-23 Paul’s prayer for believers
  • This is Paul’s prayer for all those who read Paul’s words to the Ephesian church. Therefore, it is Paul’s prayer for you.
    • You can pray this same prayer for others.
    • Read 1Joh 5:14
      • Praying according to the will of God (1Joh 5:14)
        • The Word of God is the will of God.
        • Therefore, if you pray the Word, you are praying according to His will.
      • I am going to use this section of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians to show you how to pray the Word of God.
        • An example of “praying the Word” and making it personal. Put your name in place of every personal pronoun. (Eph 1:17-19)
        • ” That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you (Joyce) the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your ( Joyce’s) understanding being enlightened; that ye (Joyce) may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward (toward Joyce) who believe(s), according to the working of his mighty power…”
  • Paul’s prison prayers:
    • There are 4 prayers in the Bible that Paul wrote from prison. (Eph 1:15-23 Eph 3:14-21 Phil 2:9-11 Col 1:9-12)
      • None of these prayers requests material things.
      • His emphasis is on spiritual perception and real Christian character.
        • He does not ask God to give them what they do not have,
        • But to reveal to them what is already theirs.
    • Paul’s prayer in Eph 1:15-23 for enlightenment:
      • Paul prays for our enlightenment which comes through the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Isa 11:2 Joh 14:25-26 Joh 16:12-14)
        • The Holy Spirit reveals truth to us through His Word.
        • Then, He gives us wisdom to understand and apply it to our lives.
        • He also gives us the power to practice the truth.
      • “the eyes of our understanding (heart)” =
        • The heart in the Bible means the inner man including our emotions, mind, and will = soul
        • The heart or soul has spiritual characteristics that parallel those of the physical body.
          • The inner man can see – (Psa 119:18 Joh 3:3)
          • The inner man can hear – (Mat 13:9 Heb 5:11)
          • The inner man can taste – (Psa 34:8 1Pet 2:3)
          • The inner man can smell – (Phi 4:18 2Cor 2:14)
          • The inner man can touch – (Act 17:27)
          • Paul prays that the believer’s eyes be opened to see four spiritual realities:
            • =1= That we might know God (1:17b)
              • This is the highest possible knowledge.
              • We must grow in our knowledge of God.
                • To know God personally is salvation.
                • To know Him increasingly is sanctification.
                • To know Him perfectly is glorification.
            • -2- That we might know God’s calling (1:18a)
              • This is a work of God, the Father.
              • God has called us for His purposes to serve Him, to do His will, and to do good works. We need to discover that calling in our lives.
                • The Bible says that God called us by His grace (Gal 1:15)
                • That we have a “holy calling” (2Tim 1:9),
                • That we are called out of darkness into His light (1Pet 2:9).
                • And that we have been called to glory (Pet 1:3).
            • =3= That we might know God’s riches (1:18b)
              • This is a work of Jesus, the Son.
                • This phrase does not refer to our inheritance that we have in Jesus Christ that we have talked about before.
                • Instead it refers to God’s inheritance in us.
              • This is an awesome truth!
                • God looks on us as part of His great wealth. We are the inheritance that God gives to his Son, Jesus.
                • A man’s wealth brings glory to his name. Does your presence in God’s kingdom bring glory to His name?
                • God has a great deal invested in each of us: the grace, the effort, and the time it took to make us part of the kingdom. Will that great investment prove to glorify God?
            • =4= That we might know God’s power (1:19-23)
              • This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
              • There are different Greek words used to convey the idea of God’s power.
                • Dunamis

                = “power” from which we get our word dynamite.

                • Energeia

                = “working” from which we get our word energy.

                • Kratos

                = “mighty”

                • Ischus

                = also translated “power”

              • Through these words Paul talks about divine, dynamic, eternal energy working on our behalf in and through us.
                • What good is wealth if you are too weak or too fearful to use it?
                • This power of the Holy Spirit makes us strong so we can use the wealth we have in Christ.

• Summary of chapter 1:
  • What are the riches of our standing in Jesus Christ?
    • We are chosen (4)
    • We are sanctified (4)
    • We are foreordained (5)
    • We are accepted (6)
    • We are redeemed (7)
    • We are forgiven (7)
    • We are enriched with wisdom (8)
    • We are enlightened (9)
    • We have an inheritance (11)
    • We are sealed (13)
  • Our enrichment consists of:
    • Knowing God
    • Knowing God’s calling
    • Knowing God’s riches in Christ
    • Knowing God’s power

• Discussion question:
  • What does this sentence mean to you?
  • We are saved by grace through faith, and we live by grace through faith!

HOMEWORK
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Eph 1:15-23
  • Pray the word:
    • Use Paul’s prayer this week to pray for yourself.
      • Write your prayer in your own words here:

• Use Paul’s prayer to pray for someone else.
  • Write your prayer in your own words here:

• Preparation for Eph 2:1-10
  • Read Eph 2:1-3
    • Make a list of man’s condition before salvation.

• Read Eph 2:4-7
  • What has God’s grace done for the unbeliever?

• Read Eph 2:8-10
  • What is your definition of “grace”?

• What is your definition of “faith”?

Memory verse: Eph 2:1