Prayer and the Spirit Part 2

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Text: Eph. 1:15-17 (see Col. 1:9)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 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.

Introduction: Praying in the Spirit for the Spirit!

• Paul is writing from Prison.
  • His status as a prisoner does not define him. (see 3:1-13)
    • He does not write to urge them to get him out of prison.
  • His mind is shaped by a reality greater than his imprisonment.
  • His heart is shaped by a relationship with Someone greater than those who have the power to imprison him.
• His thoughts about the greatness of God and about these followers of Jesus move him to write!

Explore the Text

“For this Reason”: The Balance of Praise and Prayer

• Paul’s praise of God in 1:3-14 moves him to pray to God in 1:15-22.
  • Eph 1:3-14 is not fancy rhetoric.
    • Paul works at the edge of language to describe a stunning reality that determines our identity & life together in Christ.
    • Some read this & rush to get to something they can easily understand.
    • Scripture as God’s word deserves our thoughtful study & mindful meditation.
  • One of Paul’s Big Ideas in Eph. 1:3-14: Adopted as God’s children & heirs.
    • Paul mentions this before he mentions our forgiveness of sins.
    • See Rom 8:14-17—the Spirit and our adoption as God’s Sons/children in Christ.
  • A problem: Too often we focus on maintaining impressions rather than on becoming disciples who know they are loved by God and rely on Him.
    • Presenting ourselves to create an attractive appearance.
      • Similar to job interviews or dating.
    • The result is a shallow and unattractive Christianity.
• Praise Becomes Prayer: John Stott points out that the two halves of Eph. 1 are both very long sentences in Greek.
  • Together they display the unity of praise (1:3-14—202 words) and prayer (1:15-23—169 words) in Paul as a thinker and in his letters.
• Praise and Prayer Express the Reality of Our Relationship with Jesus.
  • The closer you get to Jesus, the more praise & prayer show up in your life.
  • If there is little prayer and praise in my life, I may need to ask a serious question: what is the deepest truth about me?
    • For many of us, our work, a relationship, or our politics determine our identity.
    • When someone challenges the source of my identity, I get upset.
    • Example of a friend who was going to spend time this weekend asking himself who he really is now that he has retired.
  • A Practical Suggestion to Learn about Praise and Prayer.
    • Memorize Psalms and passages of praise and prayer to teach yourself how to praise God and to form your prayers.
    • Speak praise aloud and with feelings of praise and gratitude.
    • Use scripture in your prayers.
    • Singing praise and prayers.

“Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,”: What Excites Paul the Prisoner

• Your Faith in the Lord Jesus.
  • They do not just have beliefs about Jesus, they have entrusted their lives to Him as Lord.
    • When a crisis arises, you discover who or what you ultimately trust in for your security.
    • Jesus spoke about this in Mt. 6-7 as he dealt with the tendency to be anxious about the contingencies of our lives.
  • Setting our hearts and minds on Jesus. See Col. 3:1-4
• Your Love for all God’s People.
  • Agape love works within us & stands in contrast to the way the world talks about love. See Col 3:12-14.
  • An expansive love for all God’s people.
    • Their love is not limited to a small circle inner circle of a few people that I know. It is much larger than my church!
    • Paul writes to Christians in large cities (Corinth & Rome) and in a region (like Galatia or churches surrounding Ephesus)
    • In our culture, so much of our Christian identity is primarily centered on a particular church affiliation.
  • Grateful for our mission committee encouraging us to work with other churches in our area.
• Our Integrity: Faith working through love. Gal. 5:5-6
  • Becoming people of faith and love whose lives are for God’s glory.
  • For Faith and Love to develop in our hearts and minds we have work to do with Jesus in the power of the Spirit. See 3:5-11.

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers 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.”: Paul’s thanksgiving & prayer.

• Unceasing thanksgiving and prayer.
  • As a prisoner for Christ, Paul constantly thinks about and prays for them. “I have not stopped…” and “I keep asking that…”
  • Prayer is necessary for a life in a world dominated by powerful spiritual forces of evil (see 6:18-20; also 2:1-10; 4:17-19)
  • Constant intercession for God’s people and the challenges of living for the kingdom in a world that is often hostile to God’s kingdom.
• Praying to grow in our knowledge of God.
  • Praying with the Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27).
  • Praying for the Spirit to reveal and provide wisdom.
  • As God answers this prayer it transforms our life together. 4:11-16

Conclusion

• Think about reports we receive from Christians in Ukraine.
  • Their faith in the reality of God as war rages around them and destroys many of the systems that people trust in.
  • Their love acts to care for others who are suffering.
  • It leads many of us to be thankful for them & desire to help them.
  • It should also lead us to be in continual prayer for them.
• If such a life is possible, why don’t we desire it?
  • We need Paul’s prayer for the Spirit to change our minds & hearts.
  • It begins with entrusting yourself to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
  • It continues as you develop your trust in Jesus as your Lord & Savior.
  • There may be someone here today who desires to begin or there may be someone who needs the prayers of your family in Christ.