Paul’s First Prayer for the Ephesian Saints Part 3
Ephesians
1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of His mighty power, KJVGod’s Power cannot be measured by any human scientific experiments or any human logic or reasoning. God’s Power is what produced the very existence of human beings as well as this vast and great planet earth that we humans live on. The Power of God is not explained in the Bible, but instead it is just revealed or made manifest from the very beginning of the Bible Genesis 1:1-31. Paul now prays for these Ephesian believers to know God’s Power. Paul knows the Power of God in his own life and he wants every true believer in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to know His Power and we see it in every letter he wrote to the different Churches. In the first half of this verse Ephesians 1:19, the English word power Paul uses is translated by the Greek word dunamis which means miraculous power, force, and strength; by implication it means a miracle itself. Note: This Greek word dunamis is where we have gotten or derived our English word dynamite. In other words, Paul wants them to know the Power or Dunamis or Dynamite of God “to us-ward”. Paul uses this English word “to” which is translated by the Greek word eis and this word is a primary preposition meaning into (indicating the point reached or entered of place). Paul wants them to know that this power of God working in us is the resurrection of our human nature from the pit of sin to the Throne of Grace (Ephesians 2:1 & Colossians 3:1) as Paul declares with these words to the Philippians, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13).
This power of God (as we yield to God the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:17)) lifts us up into a life “in Christ” that was before so far out of our reach as far as the earth is from the Sun, but now is “in us” and at all times available for us to draw from as we need to wage war and win against the world, our flesh, and the devil. There are not enough human words of any language that can truly describe God’s Power, so Paul uses the closest words there are to give them and us a picture of the hugeness and the immenseness of the Power of God by referring to God’s Power as being of “exceeding greatness” to all of us who truly trust only Christ for our salvation. Paul uses such language to these Ephesians to express the great power required to pull them out of their pagan beliefs into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul wants them to know not intellectually, but experimentally this Power of God that drew them to Christ (John 6:44) and this Power of God that strengthens them day by day and keeps them eternally as the Apostle Peter declared with these words, “Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change {and} decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, Who are being guarded (garrisoned) by God’s power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Paul wants these Ephesians to realize being fully aware or cognizant of and perceiving God’s Power changing their desires, inclinations, and wants internally in their inner man and inner woman and to know experimentally that they are truly new creatures as Paul wrote with these words to the Corinthian believers, “Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh {and} new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul declares to them that they are now these “new creatures” “according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:19). The English word working Paul uses in the last half of this verse is translated by the Greek word energeia which means active, operative, powerful, and strong efficient energy effectually working producing an intended result and having a striking effect. In other words, Paul wants these Ephesian believers and us today to know “by experience” God’s Power at work in the inner man and inner woman producing desires, attitudes, affections, and actions that will bring Glory to God as Paul wrote in this manner to the believers in Thessalonica, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). Paul wants them to understand that the same Power of God that produced their conversion to Christ is the same Power of God that will abide, continue, remain and stay with them and be in them every day of their sojourn as pilgrims down here on the earth (Romans 8:11).
Paul digs even deeper into our limited human language trying to paint a clear picture for these Ephesian believers God’s tremendous Power at work in them by using the words “mighty power” and these two English words are translated by the Greek words kratos and ischus meaning great vigor forceful exertion i.e. active strength of body and mind, ability and might. In other words, Paul puts an exclamation mark on the absolute awesomeness of God’s Power “to us-ward” as he declared to the Romans with these words, “For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice].” (Romans 8:2-3) and likewise what he wrote to the Colossian believers speaking of God’s Power at work in him with these words, “Of this Church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” (Colossians 1:25-29).
My own Personal Note: Galatians 3:10 (AMP): “And all who depend on the Law [who are seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law of rituals] are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction, for it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed (accursed, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment) be everyone who does not continue to abide (live and remain) by all the precepts and commands written in the Book of the Law and to practice them.” Let me give you an example to illustrate this point. When a man falls into quicksand, his self-effort of struggling to free himself only sinks him deeper and deeper into the quicksand. Such was the case with me and with every person still under the curse of the Law. My self-effort to try to free myself or stop the sins of pornography and masturbation (sexual addiction) served only to thrust me deeper and deeper into my addiction and dependence. When the Gospel took effect in my heart, however, under the influence of the Spirit of God I was liberated or freed (with strength Christ gave me) to not sin. Being still under the Law is contrary to the Gospel and to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit now dwells or lives in me by grace through faith. The principle of grace being worked out in my soul gives me liberty or freedom from the bondage and enslavement of sin. It gives me a liberty or freedom from the law’s rigorous exaction, curse, and condemnation and from the veil of former blindness and ignorance. When I was converted to Christ by truly believing and trusting Him then the veil of ignorance was taken away. The blindness of my mind and the hardness of my heart were cured and are being sanctified daily by Christ’s grace. My condition is now one of joy and freedom in the Holy Spirit. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”
“We have already come across the same apparent paradox, covering a deep truth, in the former sections of this series of petitions. I need only remind you, in reference to this matter, that the knowledge which is here in question is not the intellectual perception of a fact as revealed in Scripture, but is that knowledge to which alone the New Testament gives the noble name, being knowledge verified by inward experience, and the result of one’s own personal acquaintance with its object. How do we know a power? By thrilling beneath its force. How are we to know the greatness of the power but because it comes surging and rejoicing into our aching emptiness, and lifts us buoyant above our temptations and weakness? Paul was not asking for these people theological conceptions. He was asking that their spirits might be so saturated with and immersed in that great ocean of force that pours from God as that they should never, henceforth, be able to doubt the greatness of that power which wrought in them. The knowledge that comes from experience is the knowledge that we all ought to seek. It is not merely to be desired that we should have right and just conceptions, but that we should have the vital knowledge which is, and which comes from, life eternal.” Alexander MacLaren
“The same knowledge is our refuge from our own consciousness of weakness. We look up, as a climber may do in some Alpine ravine, upon the smooth gleaming walls of the cliff that rises above us. It is marble, it is fair, there are lovely lands on the summit, but nothing that has not wings can get there. We try, but slip backwards almost as much as we rise. What is to be done? Are we to sit down at the foot of the cliff, and say, ‘We cannot climb, let us be content with the luscious herbage and sheltered ease below?’ Yes! That is what we are tempted to say. But look! A mighty hand reaches over, an arm is stretched down, the hand grasps us, and lifts us, and sets us there. ‘No man hath ascended up into heaven save He that came down from heaven,’ and having returned thither stoops thence, and will lift us to Himself. I am a poor, weak creature. Yes! I am all full of sin and corruption. Yes! I am ashamed of myself every day. Yes! I am too heavy to climb, and have no wings to fly, and am bound here by chains manifold. Yes! But we know the exceeding greatness of the power, and we triumph in Him. That knowledge should shame us into contrition, when we think of such force at our disposal, and such poor results. That knowledge should widen our conceptions, enlarge our desires, breathe a brave confidence into our hopes, should teach us to expect great things of God, and to be intolerant of present attainments whilst anything remains unattained. And it should stimulate our vigorous effort, for no man will long seek to be better, if he is convinced that the effort is hopeless. Learn to realize the exceeding greatness of the power that will clothe your weakness. ‘Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, for that He is strong in might, not one faileth.’ That is wonderful, but here is a far nobler operation of the Divine Power. It is great to ‘preserve the ancient heavens’ fresh and strong by His might, but it is greater to come down to my weakness, to ‘give power to the faint,’ and ‘increase strength to them that have no might.’ And that is what He will do with us.” Alexander MacLaren
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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