Priorities from Paul and His Prayers - Part 6

We have a few more prayers from Paul that D.A. Carson analyzes in his book, A Call to Spiritual Reformation. The following has been absolutely transforming in my life as of late, shaping my understanding of what it means to be a Christian, to be "born again." Paul prays that the Ephesian believers would come to grasp more fully the power that is at work within them, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The highest degree of power has been liberally given in behalf of his audience. No great power is there than that which destroys that which is most powerful. Death is most powerful; it flows from the curse and cannot be reversed. But thanks be to God!

Here is Paul's prayer from Ephesians 1:15-23:

15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

D.A. Carson gives the following outline, tracking the thought of the Apostle Paul:

Ephesians 1:15-23 – Praying to the Sovereign God

1.) Because God is sovereign, Paul offers thanksgiving for God’s intervening, sovereign grace in the lives of his readers (1:15-16)
The assumption is, of course, that apart from God’s powerful, transforming work, these people would never have been converted.

2.) Because God is sovereign, Paul offers intercession that God’s sovereign, holy purposes in the salvation of his people may be accomplished (1:17-19a)
a.) Paul’s prayer is that the Ephesians might know God better (1:17)
b.) In particular, Paul’s prayer to God is that we might have the insight need to grasp certain crucial truths.
i.) First, Paul wants the Ephesians to understand the hope of their calling—that is, the goal of their salvation.
ii.) The second blessing Paul wants his readers to be able to grasp is “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints:
iii.) Third, Paul wants us to know God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (1:19a)

3.) Because God is sovereign, Paul offers a review of God’s most dramatic displays of power (1:19-23a)
a.) Paul mentions the power exerted when Christ was raised from death.
b.) Paul describes the power displayed in the exalted Christ.
c.) Paul declares the power exercised by Christ over everything—for the church.