Day 19
Ephesians 1:17-20 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…”
This is one of my favorite prayers in the Bible! I want you to pray it today, after we walk through all of its beauty and power. The prayer makes several requests: First, that God may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so you may know Him better. Just reflect on the fact that the Holy Spirit is the giver of wisdom and revelation that helps us know God. I encourage you to ask Him for wisdom and revelation on a daily basis!
Second, the prayer is that the eyes of your heart might be enlightened so that you can see and deeply know three things: hope, riches, and power. May your heart see and comprehend the hope to which God has called you. The hope in Jesus which is an anchor for your soul - that Jesus is the guarantor of your freedom and future. Hope in Him, then, that you may know the riches of His inheritance for His holy people - that is the eternal inheritance that is ours in Christ. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him!
Finally, that we might know His power. This is where it gets really good! That power is like the mighty strength which He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the highest place of authority and made His enemies a footstool for his feet. The King James version says that this power is “usward who believe” - that is, that it moves toward us and empowers us!
I would love to see a CSI demonstration of how the dead body of Jesus came back to life! Did his lungs gasp for air? Did synapses fire in his brain? Did his heart leap into action? What happened and in what order? Whatever it was, God’s power that made that dead human body come back to life is the same power that He extends toward you and me! Not only the power to raise to life, but the power to seat him in authority over all enemies and powers in the heavenly realms.
Oh my - do we ever have reason to pray and praise! May the Lord stimulate your prayer life today as you pray this prayer yourself and in your own words. Go get ‘em!
Today, reflect on this:
Is there an issue today where you could definitely use wisdom and revelation from God? Ask Him for it and thank Him for giving it - then follow the wisdom and revelation that He provides.
Think about the eyes of your heart. The idea is that your heart - the seat of your emotions, desires, and identity - will see and know God better.
Pray for Hope, riches and power today. Reflect on each one and believe for more.