That You May Know

Since Pentecost 2023, my church has been praying Ephesians 1:15-19 over the church every day. As a church member, I pray this over myself and desire to receive what it says. I broke it down for my own understanding, which turned into a blog article. I hope it blesses you! 

The New Testament book of Ephesians is an inspiring letter from the Apostle Paul to the churches in Ephesus. It covers a Christian’s position the Kingdom of God, who they are in Christ, and what their lives should look like as followers of Jesus. Any reader should walk away feeling inspired, strengthened, and loved!

In the first chapter, Paul makes it clear that God’s desire is for us to know and understand who we are and what’s available to us as God’s children. Paul believed it so strongly that he did not stop praying for it.

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power… (Ephesians 1:15-19, KJV)

To know and understand these truths requires “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.” We can’t understand, much less live, what God has for us without the Holy Spirit’s help. It requires His insight. It’s more than just knowing some facts in our heads or having a Scripture memorized. It’s having our hearts “flooded with light” so we can know and understand God and His Word intimately (v. 18, AMPC). With the Holy Spirit’s light, any ignorance, misinterpretation, or confusion is expelled. We’re free to live the supernatural, God-life our Heavenly Father always intended for us to live!

Let’s look in detail at what our Heavenly Father wants us to know:

The Hope of His Calling

God has called, or invited, us to be a part of His family, His kingdom. This invitation gives us hope, or confident expectation, for everything He has promised us (Ephesians 1:18, ISV). We can have confidence that God has placed us in a royal position in His kingdom, making us His children through Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have the authority to represent Him and the power to take authority over the devil. We can also have assurance that our position includes all the spiritual and physical benefits we may need. Our confidence is built on an unfailing kingdom and a God who will not change His mind or His nature (Malachi 3:6).

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light… (1 Peter 2:9, NKJV)

 

The Riches of the Glory of His Inheritance

In an earthly kingdom, the heirs to the throne receive an inheritance once the king or queen has passed. Just the same, when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were given an inheritance sealed by the Blood of Jesus. This inheritance includes our salvation—the forgiveness of our sins and a home in heaven. But it also includes provision, healing, protection, and everything else we may need here on the earth (Romans 10:9, 10, Psalm 103, Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 91). We are children of God, and like any child of a king, we lack nothing.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5, NKJV).

 

The Greatness of His Power Toward Us

None of the above could happen through our good deeds or physical and mental strength. Only the “exceeding greatness” of His power could make the hope of our salvation possible. It’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at God the Father’s right hand (Ephesians 1:20-21). We simply need to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is our Lord (Romans 10:9, 10). That faith triggers God’s power to go to work for us, changing our spiritual identity and initiating our heavenly inheritance.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV).

Our culture, our minds, and our bodies will consistently try to tell us that we are anything but what God has declared us to be. Through persecution and physical symptoms, they will try to persuade us that we’re not royalty with an inheritance designed by God. But when those lies appear, our confidence should remain in the hope God has given us. Our faith should be grounded, not in our feelings or opinions of man, but in who we are in Christ. If we are established in this revelation from the Holy Spirit, nothing else can persuade us to believe anything else. Our hearts have been enlightened by the God who calls us His own (Eph 1:18, ISV)!