Mary's Favorite - Pt 6

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that 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 rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:15-21 ESV).

Today we are able to look at the third thing that Paul prays for. He desires that we would know the riches of God’s power (vv. 19-23). There is no doubt to be left in the minds of Paul’s readers as he writes this petition for their knowledge of the “power” of God. There are four words in the Greek New Testament translated “power”: dunamis (raw power as in dynamite or dynamo); energia (working power as in energy); kratos (as in mighty); and, ischus (as in strength of power). All four of these words are used by the apostle in these verses. He intends to make sure we know we have ALL the power necessary for every experience in life. The answer to fear is power. The moment you feel empowered, fear vanishes. So Paul prayed that the Christians would see the limitless power that was theirs through Christ. When we feel powerless, we are quick to give up. The struggle overwhelms us and we just throw in the towel. It is because we have lost sight of the One who gives all power, and whose power was demonstrated at the resurrection, when God raised Jesus from the dead. This is what the apostle is praying for that you would truly grasp this thought and understand the true power that He offers you. Charles Spurgeon wrote: God is not man that he should fail, nor the Son of man that he should suffer defeat. Behold he toucheth the hills and they tremble; he toucheth the mountains and they smoke. When he goes forth before his people he maketh the mountains to skip like rams, and the little hills like lambs, what then can block up his path? The Red Sea thou dividedst of old, O God, and thou didst break the dragon’s head in the midst of the many waters, and thou canst still do according to thy will, let and hinder who may. Oh, beloved, if I may but be privileged to lift up your hearts and mine to something like a due comprehension of the infinite power of God, we shall then have come to the threshold of a great blessing. God’s gift to us is truly immeasurable, unfathomable. It is a GREAT grace!