Prayer for the Saints

16 February 2014 PM – Ephesians 1:15-23 – Eph 14 – Scott Childs

Introduction: It is tragic when a child is born with a physical or mental handicap. He will never able to develop like he should. Our hearts go out to those special people in our world.

However, it is also tragic when Christians do not grow spiritually. They drink the milk of the Word for years instead of daily personally studying the Bible and applying its principles. They fail to have consistent victory over sin, boldly witness, or become truly useful in the Lord’s work.

After Paul described God’s plan of salvation, Christ’s provision of salvation, and the Holy Spirit’s sealing of believers, he recorded his prayer for the Ephesian believers. In his prayer, he longed for them to grow spiritually.

Transition: This evening as we examine Paul’s prayer, we will note the motivation and manner of his prayer. These will to teach us what to pray for as we pray for ourselves.

I. The Motivation of Paul’s Prayer

A. His first motivation was what he knew

1. He knew that God had provided the Ephesian believers with salvation, sonship, and sealing.

2. Four or five years earlier, Paul had preached in Ephesus and led many to faith in Christ.

B. His second motivation was what he had heard

1. He heard that their faith in Christ continued.

2. He heard that they loved the saints. This was further evidence of their genuine faith. God tells us that if a person does not love the saints he is either not saved or is carnal.

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

It is impossible to be right with God if you are bitter towards a Christian and do not love him.

II. The Manner of Paul’s Prayer

A. He began by giving thanks

1. Paul said that he ceased not to pray for them. Prayer was a priority in Paul’s life. Over again in his letters we read that he prayed faithfully for Christians ^{(Ro 1:9, Php 1:3, Col 1:9, 1Th 1:2, 2Ti 1:3)}

2. He specifically ceased not to give thanks for them. He was genuinely grateful to God for each soul who came to faith in Christ.

B. He continued by making mention of saints

The word translated “making mention” has to do with remembering them or recalling their needs before God.

1. Paul ask that God might give them two things (17):

a) A spirit of wisdom – the ability to see things from God’s perspective.

b) A spirit of revelation – in context this speaks of comprehension or understanding rather than receiving new information. It is the ability to gain a fuller knowledge of the spiritual truths God has already given us.

2. Wisdom and understanding come from God. Without the Holy Spirit’s help, we all lack wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters. **If we view spiritual things from a human perspective or based on our feelings or opinions, we will miss the truth God has for us.

3. Paul prayed this for all the believers in Ephesus. It is a prayer that we should pray for ourselves. Ask God to give you a spirit of wisdom and understanding.

4. Paul knew that wisdom and revelation would open the eyes of their understanding and enlighten them. It is not until God opens our eyes to His truths that we see things from His perspective.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

5. Once enlightened by God, this would enable them to better understand three spiritual facts (18-19).

a) The hope of God’s calling is sure. Biblical hope is a confident expectation. When we answered God call to salvation, He promised us: holiness (4), blamelessness (4), adoption (5), acceptance (6), redemption (7), forgiveness (7), sealing of the Holy Spirit (13), and much more. This hope is absolutely sure because God does not lie.

We need a spirit of wisdom and understanding to grasp the amazing things God includes in our hope. Even with a spirit of wisdom and revelation, after a lifetime of meditation on these facts, we will only begin to understand the hope of our calling.

b) The riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints is priceless. We need God’s wisdom and revelation to even begin to understand this. The Christian’s inheritance will be more glorious than we will fully realise this side of heaven.

1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

c) The exceeding greatness of God’s power to us, the believers, is limitless. He has made his power available to help us. The word “power” comes from the word dunamis from which we get our word dynamite. God displayed this superhuman ability in the things He did for Christ. He lists for us five superhuman examples of God’s mighty power toward Christ.

(1) He raised Christ from the dead (20).

(2) He sat Christ down on His right-hand in heaven (20).

(3) He made Christ far above every supreme, every authority, every power, every master, every name named – in this age and in the age about to begin (21).

(4) He subjected all things under Christ’s feet (22).

(5) He gave Christ head over all things in the congregation – which is Christ’s body. Each congregation is the fullness of Christ. It forms the body of which he is the head (23).

God’s same power that resurrected and exalted Christ is available to help us in time of need. “No one need ever complain of insufficient power to meet temptations, to overcome sinful habits, or to live and witness for Christ. Little power is an indisputable evidence of little fellowship with Christ.” ^{King James Bible Commentary, p.1564}

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Conclusion: As Christians, we need to pray more like Paul prayed. Not only do we need to pray for other Christians as he prayed, but we desperately need to pray for ourselves in this way. We need to ask God for a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we can see more clearly: 1) the hope of our calling – all that we can confidently expect from God because of our salvation, 2) the riches of the glory of our inheritance in Christ – beyond our imaginations, 3) the exceeding greatness of God’s power to us – greater than the greatest need we will ever have.

We will miss the joy of pondering these priceless treasures if we do not grow spiritually. We need a spirit of wisdom and revelation to find them. They are like the many treasures hidden in God’s Word that are only discovered by those who dig.

Proverbs 2:2-5 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Song: Teach Me to Pray – 346

Sermons

Prayer for the Saints – Ephesians 1:15-23

I. The Motivation of Paul’s Prayer

A. His first motivation was what he knew

1. He knew that God had provided the Ephesian believers with salvation, sonship, and sealing.

2. Four or five years earlier, Paul had preached in Ephesus and led many to faith in Christ.

B. His second motivation was what he had heard

1. He heard that their faith in Christ continued.

2. He heard that they loved the saints. This was further evidence of their genuine faith. God tells us that if a person does not love the saints he is either not saved or is carnal.

II. The Manner of Paul’s Prayer

A. He began by giving thanks

1. Paul said that he ceased not to pray for them. Prayer was a priority in Paul’s life. Over again in his letters we read that he prayed faithfully for Christians ^{(Ro 1:9, Php 1:3, Col 1:9, 1Th 1:2, 2Ti 1:3)}

2. He specifically ceased not to give thanks for them. He was genuinely grateful to God for each soul who came to faith in Christ.

B. He continued by making mention of saints

1. Paul ask that God might give them two things (17):

a) A spirit of wisdom – the ability to see things from God’s perspective.

b) A spirit of revelation – in context this speaks of comprehension or understanding rather than receiving new information. It is the ability to gain a fuller knowledge of the spiritual truths God has already given us.

2. Wisdom and understanding come from God. Without the Holy Spirit’s help, we all lack wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters. **If we view spiritual things from a human perspective or based on our feelings or opinions, we will miss the truth God has for us.

3. Paul prayed this for all the believers in Ephesus. It is a prayer that we should pray for ourselves. Ask God to give you a spirit of wisdom and understanding.

4. Paul knew that wisdom and revelation would open the eyes of their understanding and enlighten them. It is not until God opens our eyes to His truths that we see things from His perspective.

5. Once enlightened by God, this would enable them to better understand three spiritual facts (18-19).

b) The riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints is priceless. We need God’s wisdom and revelation to even begin to understand this. The Christian’s inheritance will be more glorious than we will fully realise this side of heaven.

(1) He raised Christ from the dead (20).

(2) He sat Christ down on His right-hand in heaven (20).

(3) He made Christ far above every supreme, every authority, every power, every master, every name named – in this age and in the age about to begin (21).

(4) He subjected all things under Christ’s feet (22).

(5) He gave Christ head over all things in the congregation – which is Christ’s body. Each congregation is the fullness of Christ. It forms the body of which he is the head (23).

I. The Motivation of Paul’s Prayer

A. His first motivation was what he knew

1. He knew that God had provided the Ephesian believers with salvation, sonship, and sealing.

2. Four or five years earlier, Paul had preached in Ephesus and led many to faith in Christ.

B. His second motivation was what he had heard

1. He heard that their faith in Christ continued.

2. He heard that they loved the saints. This was further evidence of their genuine faith. God tells us that if a person does not love the saints he is either not saved or is carnal.

II. The Manner of Paul’s Prayer

A. He began by giving thanks

1. Paul said that he ceased not to pray for them. Prayer was a priority in Paul’s life. Over again in his letters we read that he prayed faithfully for Christians (Ro 1:9, Php 1:3, Col 1:9, 1Th 1:2, 2Ti 1:3)

2. He specifically ceased not to give thanks for them. He was genuinely grateful to God for each soul who came to faith in Christ.

B. He continued by making mention of saints

1. Paul ask that God might give them two things (17):

a) A spirit of wisdom – the ability to see things from God’s perspective.

b) A spirit of revelation – in context this speaks of comprehension or understanding rather than receiving new information. It is the ability to gain a fuller knowledge of the spiritual truths God has already given us.

2. Wisdom and understanding come from God. Without the Holy Spirit’s help, we all lack wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters. **If we view spiritual things from a human perspective or based on our feelings or opinions, we will miss the truth God has for us.

3. Paul prayed this for all the believers in Ephesus. It is a prayer that we should pray for ourselves. Ask God to give you a spirit of wisdom and understanding.

4. Paul knew that wisdom and revelation would open the eyes of their understanding and enlighten them. It is not until God opens our eyes to His truths that we see things from His perspective.

5. Once enlightened by God, this would enable them to better understand three spiritual facts (18-19).

b) The riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints is priceless. We need God’s wisdom and revelation to even begin to understand this. The Christian’s inheritance will be more glorious than we will fully realise this side of heaven.

(1) He raised Christ from the dead (20).

(2) He sat Christ down on His right-hand in heaven (20).

(3) He made Christ far above every supreme, every authority, every power, every master, every name named – in this age and in the age about to begin (21).

(4) He subjected all things under Christ’s feet (22).

(5) He gave Christ head over all things in the congregation – which is Christ’s body. Each congregation is the fullness of Christ. It forms the body of which he is the head (23).

1. Paul said that he ceased not to pray for them. Prayer was a priority in Paul’s life. Over again in his letters we read that he prayed faithfully for Christians ^{(Ro 1:9, Php 1:3, Col 1:9, 1Th 1:2, 2Ti 1:3)}