EPHESIANS 1:15-232006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ephesians 1:15-23

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2006. I see that nobody sat in the front rows. First service must have warned you as you were coming in not to sit in the front rows. I'm just kidding. They took a shower. No, I'm just kidding.

In Ephesians chapter 1, now Paul will conclude this chapter by sharing with us his prayer for the Ephesians. And from it, we learn a great example, a great model for us to follow in praying for others and in understanding what type of prayer that we need personally. It's the same type of prayer that Paul prays for the Ephesians here in verses 15 through 23.

He starts out in verse 15 and he says, Now if you look back to the portion that we studied last week and the couple verses before in verse 13 and 14, Paul has just been telling them about Jesus.

Their belief. And he says that you have believed. And you've received what God has for you. And not only that, but he's given you a guarantee. A seal, which is his Holy Spirit. And that guarantees that you will receive the inheritance and the forgiveness of sins and eternity with God. It guarantees that you've been born again.

Then he goes on in verse 15 and he says, therefore. So because you've received this guarantee and because you've been born again and you've received what God has done for you, he says, after I've heard of your faith and your love,

I thank God for you and I mention you in my prayers. I do not cease to give thanks for you and mentioning you in my prayers. Now, it's interesting to me because he says, I heard of your faith and your love and so I'm always thanking God for you. Normally, we would expect it to say, I heard of your trials and your troubles and all the things that you're going through and it's really hard and difficult for you and so I don't stop praying for you. I never cease to pray for you.

But one of the important things that we need to know about prayer is we need it just as much during the good times as during the bad times. The Ephesians, they're doing good.

Now, as we were studying through the two books of Corinthians, 1 and 2, we learned about the Corinthians, and there was a lot of problems among the church there in Corinth. They had carnality, they had all these factions and divisions, and it was just chaotic and out of control. There was a lot of problems that Paul had to correct and deal with.

But here in the book of Ephesians, we don't see those type of problems. It's encouragement, it's general doctrine, general instruction in walking with the Lord. And so the Ephesians, they were doing good. They believed, they received, they'd been sealed. There was no major issues that Paul had to correct. But Paul says, I don't stop praying for you. I don't cease to pray for you.

It's so important for us to remember and to understand, during the good times, we need prayer. Just like during the bad times, and the tough times, and the hard times. In fact, I would dare to say that we need prayer more during the good times than during the bad times. Because it's during the good seasons and the times of prosperity that we as individuals, we begin prayer.

To walk away. We begin to pray less and to seek the Lord, rely upon the Lord less because times are prosperous. There's not that urgent need within us to rely upon, to lean upon the Lord. You look at September 11th, the tragedy that took place there. And it caused our nation to become focused on the Lord. And politicians and nobody was ashamed to say or afraid to say, hey, we need to pray and we need to seek the Lord and call upon the name of God.

But it didn't take very long for that urgency, that need that kind of subsided to now once again we're asleep as a nation. And there's not that great call for calling upon God and praying to God. But the next time there's a crisis, the next time there's an urgent situation, there will be again that push, that emphasis. Call upon the Lord. Pray. Seek God.

And you'll find the waves that come into the churches again because of that crisis or that situation. But it's during the good times that we need prayer because that way we stay close to God. We don't walk away from Him. We need prayer more during the good times than during the bad times. Now, Paul says, I don't cease to pray for you because I've heard of your faith and love. You're doing great and so I haven't stopped praying.

This is not something that Paul is saying just because it sounds good, just because it fits well in his letter and what he wants to say. He really does have a tremendous love for the believers there in Ephesus. And really for the believers all over, as we see the same type of phrases and same terms used,

In his other epistles, where he's constantly telling people, Hey, I'm praying for you always. I'm always thinking about you and remembering you and thanking God for what he's doing in you. His letters are full of those types of words and encouragements. Now, that it says that he does not cease...

It's not the idea that Paul doesn't do anything but sit there all day and say, Thank you, God, for the Ephesians. Thank you, God, for the Ephesians. God, by the way, thanks for the Ephesians. God, thanks for the Ephesians. That's not the idea. That's all he does continually. But it's that every time he thinks about them or is reminded of them, every time his heart is stirred up and he remembers what God is doing over there or something happens and he's reminded of what's taking place in Ephesus,

Immediately, his heart rejoices. He's overjoyed and he thanks God for the faith that's growing there and for the love that's being manifested there and for what God is doing. And then he mentions them. He takes time every time he prays to mention them, to bring them before the Lord, to lift them up. He's excited about what God is doing. He has a great love for them. As often as he thinks about them,

He prays for them and thanks God for them. He doesn't grow tired of thanking God and praying for the Ephesians. You know, it's not like, well, I've already done that like 50 times, so I'm not going to do it again. I'm tired. He already knows. God already knows how I feel about that. No, Paul says, I don't cease. I don't grow tired. It's new and fresh because I have this passion, this love for you. We find this intensity in the Apostle Paul. I heard about your faith and the love and how great you're doing.

So I'm praying for you constantly, always, every time I remember you. Now, whenever we talk about prayer, as we get into the word, we study portions and they encourage us to pray.

Anytime anybody is teaching on prayer, you can kind of bank on it. Within our hearts, there's usually kind of a sinking feeling. Because we all know that if we were forced to answer a question about prayer, how much we pray, we would kind of lower our heads and kind of, you know, droop our shoulders and say, well, I really don't pray as much as I ought to. I don't pray as much as I should. And we kind of get that feeling.

defeated feeling whenever prayer is talked about. But this morning, I don't believe that God has us here in this portion and has me up here to make all of you feel bad about how much or how little you pray. Because the issue that Paul is talking about here is not how much you pray. The issue is not just to pray more, but Paul will share it with us. The issue is to pray better. Not more than

Now we do need to pray and we do need to seek the Lord and spend time with the Lord. But there's a balance. Jesus, you remember, he warned against the vain repetitions where you just repeat things over and over and over again and they become without meaning, without importance because it's just a repetition. You're just hoping because I said it a lot that God will hear me.

Well, as we look at the example from the Apostle Paul, we learn it's not about the more, but it's about better. Learning to pray better. Do you ever feel like your prayer is not really being answered? Do you ever feel like, man, I've been praying for this for a long time. I've been praying for it for a while.

Nothing's happening. Nothing's working. It just doesn't seem like God's responding. I'm speaking the words. I'm praying, but it doesn't seem to go beyond the ceiling or it doesn't go beyond the roof of this building. I need something else, some kind of oomph or something to get it up to the throne room so that He'll hear and He'll be able to answer. You ever feel that way? Like just God's not hearing. You're praying, but it's not getting to Him somehow. The connection has been lost.

Do you ever feel that God listens to others rather than to you? You know, so-and-so prays and it's like instantly, like he answers their prayer. God just dumps out buckets of money in their lap and they have whatever they need and they're provided for instantly. And here you are and praying and why isn't God answering me? Look at it, man, what's up? What's up?

Does he love them more than me? I don't get it. I don't understand. How come that takes place? Well, this morning as we look at the Apostle Paul's example, there's two principles that we need to know before we get into his example of prayer. Two principles that are so crucial for our own prayers and our times of prayer.

That it might be effective and powerful. The first principle. It's found in 1 John chapter 5. Please turn there with me. Keep your thumb here. We'll come back to Ephesians. But 1 John chapter 5. There it's towards the end of the New Testament. 1 John chapter 5. It's right after the book 2 Peter. Right before 2 John. The first principle we see here in 1 John chapter 5 is...

is that when we pray, we need to pray the will of God. We need to pray God's will. 1 John 5, verses 14 and 15, it says this, Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

John tells us here in 1 John chapter 5 something incredible. He says this is the confidence. You can bank on this. It's a guaranteed thing. If you ask according to his will, then you know. You don't have to guess or hope, even if it just feels like it's not going past the ceiling. No, if you ask according to his will, he hears you. Every time, every case, without exception.

Not only that, but he goes on to tell us in verse 15 that if he hears us, then we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of the Lord. And so the first principle for powerful, effective prayer is to pray the will of God. Because then you know he hears you and then you know he will answer. You will have what you asked.

The second principle we find just a couple books earlier in the book of James. Turn with me just to the left a little bit. Right before 1 Peter is the book of James.

James chapter 4 verse 3 gives us the second principle. And the second principle we need to know about prayer is that when we pray, our prayers need to be Christ-centered and not self-centered. Christ-centered prayer instead of self-centered prayer. James chapter 4 verse 3 tells us, "...you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures."

James says, you ask, you don't receive because you have wrong motives. Your heart's in the wrong place. You are asking so that you may spend it on your own pleasures. You may gratify yourself. It's about you. You're centered on, focused on you. Very often, when we do not see our prayers answered, it is because it's not according to God's will. It's not God's will. God wants what's best for you.

And that thing that you're praying for, for yourself or for somebody else, might not be what's best. It might not be according to God's will. Or that thing that you're praying for, it might not be Christ-centered for you or for them. It might be self-centered. It might be for the fulfilling of some type of fleshly desire.

So these two principles we need to learn and Paul uses, although he does not specifically state. And so we'll look at them again as we come to a conclusion. But the first principle, we need to pray God's will. And the second principle, we need to pray Christ-centered prayers. And so let's check out the prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Ephesians. Back in Ephesians chapter 1, he prays four things for them that we can take and learn from and really learn.

digest and apply them to our own lives. The first thing that he prays for them, it's found in verse 17. In the first part of verse 18, it says this. Well, starting in verse 16 really quickly. In verse 16, he says, I don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers and

And here's what he prays. The first thing that Paul prays for the Ephesians is that God may give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

that he may give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Now Paul gives us such a wonderful example here for us to follow, because he is not praying about their circumstances alone.

but he's praying about the real issue. As he's writing there to the Ephesians, he could have addressed many circumstances that they potentially could be going through, whether it be persecution or trials or prosperity, division within the body. He could have prayed about so many circumstances and situations, but what he prays for are not those things. He cuts through all of that, gets right to the root issue,

The main thing, the thing that every one of us needs, and that is the knowledge of God. Now, after every service, we have people up here. And they're up here to pray with you and agree with you on things that the Lord has put upon your heart.

And you can come up here and you can ask for prayer for a new car or a new job or about the marriage problems that are going on in your life. Whatever other situation that you might be going through. And that's good. And we love to pray with you. That's what we're here for. But you know, the root of every problem, the real issue in every case, in every person, what we really need is the knowledge of Him. Those circumstances, those outward things,

There's symptoms of something that's deeper. The real issue is our relationship with Jesus Christ. And Paul gets right to it. He doesn't deal with all those circumstances. He boils it down. Here's what it is. Where is your heart? Where do you stand with Christ? Where do you stand in the knowledge of God? We need that more than anything else. The knowledge of God. 2 Peter 1, verse 3 says,

You hear me quote it quite frequently because it just astounds me. It says in 2 Peter 1.3 that his divine power, God's divine power, has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. What does it say? He says everything that we need for life, life, you know what life is, you live it.

It's your family. It's your work. It's all the things that you're involved in and the things that you do. Every breath you take, that's life. He gives you everything that you need for this life. But not only that, also for godliness. To walk uprightly and to do the things that God has called us to do. He gives us everything we need to accomplish His will and His work in us through the knowledge of Him. Him who? Him who called us by glory and virtue. Jesus Christ. Him who called us. God.

In the knowledge of Jesus Christ, in the knowledge of God, we find everything that we need for life and for godliness. Oh, that's so important. And our hearts will tell us no, and we can debate it and rage, but just trust the word of God. Get to know him, and you will find the answer for everything you need. The word that Paul uses here for knowledge, it's derived from the root word of this word. It means to know experientially.

To know by experience. There's some things that you know just because you've heard about them or you've been told about them, you've read about them. But there's some things that you know because you've experienced them. You know the taste because you've tasted it. You haven't just heard about it. You know what it feels like because you've touched it, you've felt it.

You know what it's like because you've experienced it. That's this word. That's the root word for the word that he uses here. But this is even stronger. And it's the idea that you've so experienced God that it has impacted your life. You've had such a relationship, such an experience with God that it's changed the way that you live your life. It's influenced you powerfully. And that's the word that Paul uses here. What you need is

What I'm praying for is that God may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him. Not just knowledge, not just by reading a book, but because you've experienced him and it's changed your life. His prayer for you and I and the prayer that we ought to have for ourselves and others is that God would reveal himself to us. That we would know him by experience, by relationship, and that it would change our life.

That's relationship with God, knowing him by experience. That's what we need. And it's by that relationship with God that we have wisdom and revelation. It's by that experience, that relationship with God that he gives to us. Because our prayer very often is, Lord, I need direction. Lord, what is your will for me? I don't know where to go. I don't know what you want me to do. I need wisdom. I need you to reveal your will.

And God's answer to us is, get to know me. Spend time with me. Grow in the knowledge of me. And those things will be given to you. Everything you need for life and godliness. You need wisdom. You need revelation. Get to know me. Spend time with me. And you'll find that I'll give you exactly what you need in the knowledge of God.

Now, how do we get this knowledge of Him? Notice the first part of verse 18. It's the continuation here. Paul says, How do we get to know God? Well, we cannot get to know God. We cannot have the knowledge of God that we need by reading a bunch of books or by going to school or by watching documentaries or talking to pastors and counselors. The only way that we can know God is

is by revelation, by enlightenment. Spiritual things cannot be discerned by natural means. They have to be given to us, revealed to us. Remember Matthew chapter 16. Jesus is with his disciples and he asks them, who do people say that I am? Some answer, well, some say you're John the Baptist and others say you're Elijah or others say you're the prophet.

And then Jesus says, well, who do you say that I am? And you know, you've probably heard this story many times. Peter boldly pronounces, you're the Christ. You're the son of the living God. And Jesus tells him in verse 17 of Matthew 16, he says, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. Peter knew who Jesus was, but not because of some natural method.

Something he was told or knew on his own. No flesh and blood. His own flesh and blood or anybody else's. That was not how it was revealed to him. But the Father in heaven revealed it to him. And gave him that knowledge. That he might know Jesus Christ. Who he was. And have relationship with him. So Paul's prayer then is God reveal yourself to them. That they might know you. And have the wisdom and revelation that they need.

The second thing he prays for, continuing on in verse 18, he says that you may know what is the hope of his calling. The second thing he prays for us, for the Ephesians, is that we may know what is the hope of his calling. What is the hope of his calling? Well, that word calling, it's a word that indicates an invitation.

It's often used of banquets or feasts where you wanted to invite people. And so you would use this word, this calling, this invitation. And the second thing that Paul prays for us and for the Ephesians is that we would know what God has invited us to and what he has in store for those who love him. The word know that he uses here in verse 18, it's a different word than the one we've just talked about. This word to know, it means to perceive something.

Now, relationship with God, what we've just been talking about, that is something that we can experience right now today. You and I, because of what Jesus Christ did by dying on the cross for us, we can have intimate, personal, real relationship with God just by receiving what Jesus did.

But the things that Paul is about to talk about next, the next three things, they're not things that we can experience now, but they're things that we look forward to to experience when we spend eternity with him. And so he uses a different word. It's not a word to know by experience the hope of his calling, but to know because he's revealed it to you, the hope of his calling. What is the hope of his calling? God's calling, God's invitation, right?

It's for us to spend eternity with him. He's invited us to heaven. He's invited us to this banquet. The banquet putting on, celebrating the marriage of his son to the bride of Christ, the church. In Matthew chapter 22, Jesus tells a parable and he says, The kingdom of heaven is like a king who arranged a marriage for his son. And he sent out servants to call those who were invited and they were not willing to come.

So they go back and forth and the king ends up wiping them out because they would not come, they would not receive this invitation. But then he sends his servants again and he tells them, okay, those who I originally invited, they weren't worthy, they didn't respond. So now go out to the highways, to the byways, go out, anybody you come across and give them an invitation to this celebration, to this feast, to this banquet.

And so the servants went out and they gave out the invitations. And the wedding hall, it was full of all those that had been invited. God has invited us to a wedding ceremony for his son, Jesus Christ. And every single one of us, listen, you're invited to be there and to spend eternity with him. Now, Paul tells us this is something important to know.

It's the second thing in his prayer. Lord, I pray that you would reveal yourself to them, that they would know you, but then also that they would know the hope of this invitation that you've given to them, this calling that you've given to them. I need to know the hope, the certainty of this calling, of this invitation that he's given to me. It's important to keep this calling, to keep eternity at the forefront of our minds at all times.

To keep our perspective, our focus on the things of heaven. Colossians chapter 3 verse 2 tells us to set our mind on the things above, not on the things of this earth. That's where we're to have our attention. That's what we're to value. That's where our focus needs to be. Now if I have my focus, if I keep my focus there on eternity and the hope of his calling, then it puts the rest of my life back into perspective.

If you can imagine with a camera, if I zoom out so that I can fit eternity into the scope of my vision, the times that I'm going through, they're very small. The problems that I face, they're very minute, almost nothing in the scope of eternity. And Paul says, I pray for them, Lord, that they would know

Hope that they have of spending eternity with you and all that you have in store for them and the wonderful things that you have in store up there in heaven. Now often our prayer is, Lord, get me out of this situation that feels like forever. I've been here for eternity. And God says, hey, step back. Remember what I have in store for you. And it's so much greater. Paul says, I count the things of this life and the hard times and things as rubbish compared to what God has in store for me.

It's the right perspective Paul is praying there for the Ephesians. The third thing that he prays for them as we continue on in verse 18, he prays or it says, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints? The third thing he prays for them is that they may know what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. That they may know.

The glory of His inheritance with the saints. Now this one simply amazes me. It's baffling. It's very difficult to understand. Because what Paul is saying is that God's inheritance is in the saints. But not only that, he calls it riches. His inheritance is in the saints. Now that does not mean those who you can perform miracles in their names or anything like that. No. Biblically, the saints are those who believe in Jesus Christ. Those who have been born again.

As believers, we're set aside, we're set apart, we're holy unto the Lord. And so, we're called saints. And so, as believers, we are God's inheritance. Now, we think of it the other way around. I mean, we're excited about Him and we get Him, but He's excited about us. And He says, oh, that's riches. That's wealth. I can't wait. I'm looking forward to spending eternity with that person and with that person. God's inheritance is in the saints.

Now, this is what Paul is saying. It's really important for us to know how special we are to God. You need to know how much He loves you, how much He values and treasures you. Now, I don't know about you, but I find that simply incredible, the way that God loves us. And He calls us His inheritance. We are God's portion. We are His inheritance. And He's excited about it. He really does love us.

Jesus tells another parable in Matthew chapter 13, verse 44. He says, So the picture is this guy, he stumbles across a treasure that's buried in this field.

It's not his field, and so he buries the treasure back, and he goes and sells everything that he has, because this treasure is more valuable than all of his possessions. When he sells it all, he buys the field that he could rightfully own this treasure, that he could rightfully have this wonderful, precious thing that he's found. Now, this parable is a picture of what God has done for us. He looked down upon this earth, this big field, and he saw treasures.

Things he valued. Things he esteemed greatly. And he desired. And so what he did was he sold all he had. He sent his son to die upon the cross. His only begotten son. To become a man. To pay the price on the cross. And to purchase the whole field. All of humanity has been purchased by the blood of Christ. His blood was shed. And it covered, it paid for the sins of all humanity.

All humanity will not be saved because all humanity will not receive what God has done for them. But he did it because there was those jewels. There was those treasures, those that he valued, those who would receive what he had done for them. And he wanted to purchase them and rightfully own them and spend eternity with. He wanted this inheritance. And so God sold all that he had to purchase you and I.

Very often our prayer, and Lord, I'm discouraged. I'm depressed. I don't know what to do. It doesn't feel like you're working for me. It doesn't feel like you care about me. And God's answer to us is remember how much I love you. Paul says it's important for you to know the glory, the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. How much he values you and treasures you. How much he loves you. I know he loves you so dearly.

You need to know that. And so Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is that they would know that. They would learn how much God loves them and values them. The fourth thing that we see here in Paul's prayer, it's found in verses 19 through 21. It says this,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. The fourth thing that Paul tells us or that Paul prays for the Ephesians is

is that they may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power towards them. The exceeding greatness. That's something that we need to know. The exceeding greatness of God's power towards exceeding greatness of His power. It also mentions His mighty power. It's the power of the Almighty God of the universe, the Creator. Now, the exciting thing about this is,

Not just the greatness of His power, because we know that God is all-powerful. But the exciting thing is that Paul says and mentions and makes it very clear that this power that is almighty and all-powerful is directed towards us. This power is at work towards us on our behalf, on the behalf of those who believe. How great is this power? Well, he gives us an example right here in this portion. This power that was at work when He raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

This power that was at work when he ascended him and sat him in the heavenly places at the right hand of the throne of God. This power that was at work when he put him above every principality and dominion and ruler and authority, physical or spiritual. This power that was at work when he gave him a name that was above every name. These four areas, man...

describe the power of God at work, what God has done with his son, Jesus Christ. That same power that was at work in the life of Christ, Paul tells us, that same power is towards you who believe. It's at work for you who believe. Now let me ask you, do you need something that's more difficult than that which God did for Christ? Do you need something that's more difficult than a resurrection from the dead?

Than being ascended to the heavenlies and sat at the right hand of God? Do you need something that's more difficult than being placed above all authority and all power that's ever existed? Or do you need something that's more difficult than receiving a name or giving a name that's above every name? No, you don't.

There's nothing greater. His power is sufficient for all of our needs. We approach things and our prayer is, man, I can't break this habit. The situation is too difficult. Lord, this is impossible. And God says, remember what power I have for you. Paul says, Lord, let them know that power that's at work, that they can take great confidence and trust in you. Remember Romans 8.28?

Popular verse, famous verse, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and to those who are the called according to his purpose. Do you know why all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to his purpose? Well, it's because he has all this power and he's using it on behalf of those who love him and he's working it out for good.

And so you can trust that every situation, no matter what it looks like to us, because we just have this little finite perspective, but God takes that. Whatever situation, how good, how bad, and He works it out for good for those who love God. And you can trust that. You can count on that because He is all-powerful. And that power is directed towards us and it's not more difficult than what He did for Jesus Christ in raising Him from the dead, ascending Him, giving Him authority and power over every ruler.

And giving him a name that is above every name. Then continuing on in verses 22 and 23. He says, Here now, Paul concludes, to seal the deal, he reminds us of the place that God has given to Jesus. It's the highest place.

the place of honor and authority and importance. It's all about Jesus, his fullness and his filling of all things. This is a continuation of Paul's commentary and what God has done for him in the power that was at work. But it's also an important reminder to us to ask ourselves the question, if God gives him this place of prominence and authority, then do I give him that same place of prominence and authority in my life?

Is Jesus Christ the Lord? Have I given him all power and authority in my life? Have I honored his name above every other name, even my own? Do I keep him high and lifted up in my life? Is he the Lord of my life? Paul reminds us of the place that God has given to Jesus Christ. Now, if Jesus is in that place in our lives, the scriptures teach us that we can ask and expect to receive.

We can ask and expect to receive because we have submitted to him as Lord. John chapter 15 verse 7, Jesus tells us, If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. Many times Jesus tells his disciples similar types of things. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. Ask whatever you desire in my name and it will be given to you.

Spoken in the context to his disciples. To those who were submitted to him as Lord. It doesn't mean that I can just, you know, okay God, I want a beamer. And I have it. That's not what it's saying. That's not what it's talking about. That's not the context in which Jesus is talking. And we saw that in James 4.3. You ask, you don't receive because you ask amiss. It's for your own selfishness. That's not a submitted life to the Lord. That's submitted to your own self. But Jesus says, if you abide in me.

If you keep me high and lifted up, and my words abide in you, and you give honor and place to my words in your life, then you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. Now, do you remember the two principles we talked about at the beginning? The first principle, if you want powerful, effective prayer, pray the will of God. Because then you know that He hears you, and if He hears you, then you know you will receive the petition that you've asked for. The second principle...

was to pray Christ-centered prayers and not self-centered prayers. Now look at the prayer of the Apostle Paul. Does it meet that criteria? Does he apply these principles? Absolutely. Does he pray things that are in accordance to God's will? Yes. Does he pray things that are Christ-centered? Yes. Even to the point that you look at what he's talking about. He starts out in verse 17, "...the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory..."

And then he goes on talking about him and he and his. And you say, well, Paul, I thought you were praying for me. Where am I in all of this? You just keep talking about God and Jesus. It's Christ centered. It's centered around the Lord, centered around the things of God. Is it God's will? Is it God's will that you would grow in the knowledge of him? Is it God's will to reveal yourself or reveal himself to you that you would grow in the knowledge of him?

And have the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Yes, that is God's will. That's what God desires for every single one of us. He wants us to know Him personally. To have relationship with Him. That's why He sent His Son to die. Is it God's will that you may know what is the hope of His calling? Yes, He wants you to be focused on eternity. He says, store up your treasures in heaven. Be focused here. Know and understand the wonderful things that I have in store for you. Now,

You also need to know that the greatest of our imagination doesn't even compare with what He has in store for us. And so it's a continual process of growing and learning what He has in store, but then when we get there and experience it, it's going to be even greater than we could have ever imagined.

But it's God's will for us to know, to perceive, to understand what he has in store for us. Is it God's will that you may know what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints? Yes, he wants you to know how special you are to him and how much he loves you and how he treasures you and values you. Again, that's why he sent his son. Romans chapter 5 verse 8 tells us that his love is demonstrated and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The cross is the demonstration, the proof that we are His inheritance and that He treasures us. He values us and He's excited about spending eternity with you. Is it God's will that you may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us? Yes. He wants you to know. He wants you to take confidence and trust in Him that He is working it out for good, that He's on the job. His power is at work on your behalf.

For those who love Him. For those who are called according to His purpose. Now is this prayer Christ-centered? Yes, look at it. The knowledge of Him. That you may know His calling. That you may know His inheritance. That you may know His power. It's Christ-centered. He cuts through all of the circumstances, all of the situations that we might be going through. And the wonderful thing about this prayer is that at any time and anywhere, you can pray this for anybody and it will be a powerful, effective prayer. Because it's God's will.

For everyone, believers and non-believers. Those who are doing well like the Ephesians. Hey, other people are hearing about your faith and love. You need to grow in the knowledge of him. You need to know the hope of his calling. These are things that we need desperately in our lives. For those who are not believers, for those who have never received Jesus Christ, these are things that they need in their lives. On Wednesdays, we have the missionaries on the board and showing where they're at around the world.

We give you time and opportunity to group together and to pray for those missionaries. Now sometimes that's difficult because we don't know always what they're going through. The situations that are pressing upon them and that they're facing. But the wonderful thing about this prayer of the Apostle Paul is you don't have to know the situation. You don't have to feel like, well, I can't pray effectively because I don't really know what's going on. No, no, no. Cut through all of that stuff. Get right to the heart of the issue. Right to the root.

The root of every issue, the thing that we need more than anything else is relationship with God, knowledge of God, getting to know who He is, what He has in store for us, what He's doing on our behalf, and how much He loves us. So important. That's what we need. On Wednesday, as I shared with you, we had a special service and it was beautiful.

Because it was talking about in the psalm that we read about brethren dwelling together in unity. And so what we did is we went around and gave everyone an opportunity to answer a few questions about who they are and how long they've been a Christian. And we asked them to share with us how we may pray for them. And I encourage those who are here to pick five people and to pray for them this week and the next. And just to lift them up in prayer and see what God would do. We don't always know.

people around us, the situations they're going through. We need to pray for one another, but we don't always know what's going on in each other's lives. But we can pray these things confidently, with faith, trusting that God hears us because it's according to His will, and that we have what we ask. It's by faith we trust and believe the Word of God and what He's done for us. And I encourage you this morning, pick some people that are on your heart, in this room, in your family, whatever the case may be.

And pray. Dedicate some time to pray these things. God's will upon their lives. And watch what God does. And I want to give you an opportunity right here and now to apply this portion and apply the Word of God to your life. And so for the next few moments, remember these four things and just pick someone. Someone that's here, someone that's on your heart. And just pray for them. The four things that God may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

that God, or that you may know what is the hope of His calling. Number three, that you may know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And then fourthly, that you may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us. So take the next few moments, you can close your Bibles, just bow your heads, spend a few moments in prayer for someone on your heart.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.