Ephesians Lesson 24 of 39 part 5

Ephesians 3:20

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,"

What a prayer request on behalf of us. Who is the one that is able to do abundantly above and by the power that is to be at work in us? The obvious answer to me is the Godhead though the offices of the Holy Spirit. And more exactly the ontological essence of the Spirit of Christ restored and renewed within our soul. In other words this is nothing that you or I can do for ourselves and because this is true it takes our dirty hands off the work. Just for a moment let us go over to the book of Colossians and look at another prayer for believers.

Colossians 1:9

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, (that is our salvation, we) do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" 

Does that ring a bell? It is almost the same thing we were looking at in the book of Ephesians, is in it.

Colossians 1:10-14

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing*, being fruitful in every good work (patiently sitting under God listening), and increasing in the knowledge of God**; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (fit) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness ***, and hath translated **** us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

*remember God never tells us to be a thorn in people. We are not to be obnoxious, or to make a fools of ourselves, but rather we are to be a living example of the One Love and of the One who died for us. **now that’s a constant thing isn’t it? We don’t get all this knowledge of God all at once, and say, ‘well I’ve arrived.’ ***the secret of the Lord's Supper on through our ascension in Christ. ****the power of the eating lamb or flesh of the Lamb of God and thereby being made a God-child placing.

What a prayer request for us. This is for every believer, not just for the preachers and teachers, but rather it is for everyone of us. In Ephesians and we will wind up this chapter.

Ephesians 3:21

"Unto him be glory in the church (the Body of Christ) by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

In other words this is not to end. The Body, the Church of Christ has no end unlike the dispensation or age of Israel's existence had a certain period of being, until John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah the prophet (his name means, Yehovah is God), the one who hears God (1Kings 19:9-14). Eternity is out there in front of us, though we are now within it, but our Lord Christ Jesus will never change, He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever! This is His personality but His character does change depending on what office He is to work in. In both Genesis 1 and 2 He was the creator, the giver of Life through Light, He was the word of God called to bring order to chaos and disorder, darkness. The Darkness there spoken of is devoid of life, useless, lawless.

Right off the bat, as Paul so often does says "therefore." And the reason he is always using "therefore" is to remind us to constantly go back and see what he has just taught. Always remember the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation is a progressive unfolding of God’s program for the ages, the revealing of Christ in His manifold richness. In Paul’s seven Church letters especially, we have doctrine, reproof, corrections, and instruction in righteousness. In fact let us go to 2Timothy chapter 3 for a moment so we can make the point visible. Here the Spirit has inspired the Apostle to write something that is more pointed, as it like Ephesians is on a higher plane of spiritual growth, and understanding than the earlier letters.