Christianity is about being inwardly led by the Spirit, and not outwardly following Christ, or a Book, or a “to-do” list of Scriptures. However, religious traditions, passed down through the ages, have made Christianity sound that way. They also, like many other worldly religions, emphasize what we can do for God; not, what He can do for us by the riches of His grace as we believe. The primary reason why the true, good news message of grace, seems scandalous to church-going people, is because it tells us that God desires to do the work for us. At their church, they may hear the topic of grace, occasionally, but it's a mere passing subject, or some denominational spin to what it is. And rather than their message of grace focusing on Jesus, what He’s done and finished, it’s just another topical message of a list of things we need to do; “After all”, they say, “we must balance what God’s grace with what we do.” But their message, even though they are talking about grace, is a law-based message; setting aside God’s grace, see Gal 2:21.
Look at what John says in John 1:16— “of His (Jesus’) fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” “Grace upon grace”, describes a flow, a momentum, we can expect by being in Christ. That brings me to the letter of Ephesians. Ephesians is a great letter, describing to us what we have in Christ because of God's grace. Paul’s prayer, in Eph 1, is the staple for everything that he teaches throughout the letter. Having this prayer working in us by the riches of God’s grace, develops a spiritual momentum, which skyrockets us into spiritual growth. In this lesson, we want to take a look at this prayer.
Before we dive into the prayer, look at how Paul prefaces it in v.15-16— “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”. After hearing the news that they had received the message of the gospel for their salvation, he was eternally thankful; welcoming them into the family of God. Then he goes on and records what he prays for them. In v.17, we read— “(I pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Jesus)”. He prayed that God would give them “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus”. Much like we just saw from the apostle John’s “grace upon grace”, the spirit of wisdom and revelation refers to a spiritual flow of wisdom and revelation. God's desire is for you to flow with His wisdom and revelation— not just a sprinkle here and there— but a continual flow of wisdom and revelation in every aspect of your life! It's the spirit or flow of wisdom and revelation is in the knowledge of Jesus, not the knowledge of other doctrines, things, or beliefs! This spiritual flow of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, and this spiritual flow develops into the momentum of grace. It’s like what we see in sporting events. We all are familiar with the momentum that one team may gain over another in their competition. This is when the team with the momentum suddenly thrives over the other. This is exactly what Paul is praying for us; not that we are competing with others, but we are winning and reigning in life through Jesus Christ!
It’s through receiving the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, which comes from our hearts into our heads, that the momentum of grace starts developing in our lives.
It’s like an unstoppable and unending, continuous flow of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus and His finished work; causing us to experience grace upon grace! Only the Spirit of God within us, teaching us about Jesus, can connect the spiritual dots for us (This is the meaning of 1 Cor 13:9-10). Paul tells us elsewhere, in 2 Tim 2:15— “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We’re not encouraged to study Jesus and His finished work; not just study the Scriptures from the Bible. As we do, the indwelling Spirit enlightens our eyes to understand Him and what He did and finished for us.
Paul continues in v.18, praying— “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know…” The eyes of our understanding refer to our “mind’s eye”. That part within us that visualizes the inside information the Spirit is giving us about Jesus and His finished work, see also John 15:26. By this kind of inside understanding from the Spirit, we start connecting the dots to God’s will; what it is, Jesus, and how we are to walk in it, by faith in His grace.
“that we may know”
This grace-momentum of spiritual enlightenment is our true treasure that Paul tells us about in 2 Cor 4:7. This indwelling treasure has a specific objective, as Paul continues— “THAT WE MAY KNOW WHAT IS…” This inward knowledge from the Spirit is what so many precious believers are missing and lacking in their lives. Therefore, they’re never able to “know what is…” This kind of knowledge from the Spirit is THE secret and key for our spiritual growth and maturity in Christ. We have been taught that spiritual growth results from our head knowledge of the Scriptures, various doctrines, etc. But spiritual growth results from the revealed knowledge of the Spirit in our hearts, as He renews our minds. From what he has prayed in Eph 1, we want to touch on the 3 aspects of truth Paul prayed for us to know. It’s knowing these 3 things that develop the momentum of grace in our lives; which, in turn, skyrockets us into spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.
1) “the hope of His (God’s) calling”
This is what I like to call, “the ‘in Christ’ revelation”. This is knowing, by the Spirit, who we are in Christ; our new spiritual IDENTITY in Him as God’s workmanship. This encompasses God’s calling on our lives. Paul uses the phrases, “in Him”, “in Christ”, “in the Lord”, etc., over 25 times in this letter, to stress its emphasis. It's the reality of being in union with Jesus, see also 1 Cor 6:17. This is God's hope for our lives: that we may have His insider information to this. Without knowing this by the Spirit's revelation, it’s easy for us to lose heart, become discouraged, or as the KJV says, “faint” (Which Paul and the guys mentioned numerous times throughout his writings, see HERE). The Hebrew writer said that we are, “partakers of the heavenly calling”. Elsewhere, Paul referred to this as, “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. See, the Bible, alone, cannot give us this kind of revolutionary knowledge; it only comes from within. Good, inspiring preaching and teaching, and all the great church services that one may attend, cannot give us this kind of knowledge; it only comes to us by our new hearts. Only the Spirit’s enlightenment of Jesus Christ can give us this kind of life-changing knowledge; for His grace, then, cements it into our psyches! God has called each of us to let His glory shine through us, and this is done by His grace, as we keep our eyes on Jesus, Heb 12:2-3!
2) “what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”
This refers to what we have in Christ; our inward INHERITANCE! Paul prayed that we’d be grace-enlightened to know what are the RICHES of the glory of His indwelling inheritance. These are UNLIMITED, glorious riches, that are “in the saints”! Is it any wonder why Paul said elsewhere— “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col 2:6). By faith, we receive and walk in what God has put inside us (Also, look at this inward inheritance in Col 1:27)! Paul prayed later in this same letter (3:16)— “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man”. Our strengthening comes to us, ”according to the riches of His glory”, that are inside us.
The Spirit of grace strengthens us from within, as we grow in the awareness of our inward inheritance.
Can you see that? As we grow in the revealed knowledge of what we have in Christ, we are strengthened by His grace. Also, of equal importance, from what Paul told us in Phil 4:19, that our every supply comes from our inward inheritance. Talking about true riches! Many field ministers have been taught that their ministry depended on people’s offerings; when it really depends on God’s grace within them. However, only the Spirit can enlighten us to this aspect of knowledge of the inward riches of our inheritance in Christ.
3) “the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe”.
This is knowing what He can do for us as we believe. Let me stress that again; it's as we BELIEVE… not as we DO. You don’t have to perform for God to merit His power. As Paul testified in 1 Cor 15:10— “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Then, at the end of that chapter, he encourages us to do the same— “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” As we faithfully stand, immovable, always abounding in the finished work of Christ, then whatever we do, will be done by God’s grace! This is the power towards us as we believe!
However, I must admit, believing ONLY is really tough for us; it’s unnatural for us to do. We live in a world that operates on the law of sowing and reaping. Since infancy, we’ve been told that we have to do something, in order to get something in return. Rightfully so; because, again, that’s how this world functions. But spiritually speaking, the system of grace operates completely different. Contrary to the world system and, sadly, what most of our churches teach, grace inwardly teaches us that Jesus did it all and FINISHED it. It’s what we believe and receive, we will experience and walk in, Col 2:6. Realize this glorious, resurrection power of His grace that's available to us as you believe! This will bring us great freedom and deliverance to your lives; for the burden is upon His shoulder, see Isa 9:6.
The bottom line
As believers in Christ, our victory is wrapped up in knowing these 3 dynamic truths that only the Spirit of grace within us can open our eyes to understanding to:
our identity in Christ;
our inheritance in Him;
the power of His grace available to us as we believe.
Knowing these 3 things develop the momentum of grace in our lives; which, in turn, skyrockets our spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.