Prayer and the Spirit: Part 2

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Text: Eph. 1:15-17 (see Col. 1:9)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Introduction: Praying in the Spirit for the Spirit!

Paul is writing from Prison.
- His status as a prisoner does not define him. (see 3:1-13)
  - He does not write to urge them to get him out of prison.
- His mind is shaped by a reality greater than his imprisonment.
- His heart is shaped by a relationship with Someone greater than those who have the power to imprison him.
His thoughts about the greatness of God and about these followers of Jesus move him to write!

Explore the Text

“For this Reason”: The Balance of Praise and Prayer

Paul’s praise of God in 1:3-14 moves him to pray to God in 1:15-22.
- Eph 1:3-14 is not fancy rhetoric.
  - Paul works at the edge of language to describe a stunning reality that determines our identity & life together in Christ.
  - Some read this & rush to get to something they can easily understand.
  - Scripture as God’s word deserves our thoughtful study & mindful meditation.
- One of Paul’s Big Ideas in Eph. 1:3-14: Adopted as God’s children & heirs.
  - Paul mentions this before he mentions our forgiveness of sins.
  - See Rom 8:14-17—the Spirit and our adoption as God’s Sons/children in Christ.
- A problem: Too often we focus on maintaining impressions rather than on becoming disciples who know they are loved by God and rely on Him.
  - Presenting ourselves to create an attractive appearance.
    - Similar to job interviews or dating.
  - The result is a shallow and unattractive Christianity.
Praise Becomes Prayer: John Stott points out that the two halves of Eph. 1 are both very long sentences in Greek.
- Together they display the unity of praise (1:3-14—202 words) and prayer (1:15-23—169 words) in Paul as a thinker and in his letters.
Praise and Prayer Express the Reality of Our Relationship with Jesus.
- The closer you get to Jesus, the more praise & prayer show up in your life.
- If there is little prayer and praise in my life, I may need to ask a serious question: what is the deepest truth about me?
  - For many of us, our work, a relationship, or our politics determine our identity.
  - When someone challenges the source of my identity, I get upset.
  - Example of a friend who was going to spend time this weekend asking himself who he really is now that he has retired.
- A Practical Suggestion to Learn about Praise and Prayer.
  - Memorize Psalms and passages of praise and prayer to teach yourself how to praise God and to form your prayers.
  - Speak praise aloud and with feelings of praise and gratitude.
  - Use scripture in your prayers.
  - Singing praise and prayers.

“Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,”: What Excites Paul the Prisoner

Your Faith in the Lord Jesus.
- They do not just have beliefs about Jesus, they have entrusted their lives to Him as Lord.
  - When a crisis arises, you discover who or what you ultimately trust in for your security.
  - Jesus spoke about this in Mt. 6-7 as he dealt with the tendency to be anxious about the contingencies of our lives.
- Setting our hearts and minds on Jesus. See Col. 3:1-4
Your Love for all God’s People.
- Agape love works within us & stands in contrast to the way the world talks about love. See Col 3:12-14.
- An expansive love for all God’s people.
  - Their love is not limited to a small circle inner circle of a few people that I know. It is much larger than my church!
  - Paul writes to Christians in large cities (Corinth & Rome) and in a region (like Galatia or churches surrounding Ephesus)
  - In our culture, so much of our Christian identity is primarily centered on a particular church affiliation.
- Grateful for our mission committee encouraging us to work with other churches in our area.
Our Integrity: Faith working through love. Gal. 5:5-6
- Becoming people of faith and love whose lives are for God’s glory.
- For Faith and Love to develop in our hearts and minds we have work to do with Jesus in the power of the Spirit. See 3:5-11.

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation so that you may know Him better.”: Paul’s thanksgiving & prayer.

Unceasing thanksgiving and prayer.
- As a prisoner for Christ, Paul constantly thinks about and prays for them. “I have not stopped…” and “I keep asking that…”
- Prayer is necessary for a life in a world dominated by powerful spiritual forces of evil (see 6:18-20; also 2:1-10; 4:17-19)
- Constant intercession for God’s people and the challenges of living for the kingdom in a world that is often hostile to God’s kingdom.
Praying to grow in our knowledge of God.
- Praying with the Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27).
- Praying for the Spirit to reveal and provide wisdom.
- As God answers this prayer it transforms our life together. 4:11-16

Conclusion

Think about reports we receive from Christians in Ukraine.
- Their faith in the reality of God as war rages around them and destroys many of the systems that people trust in.
- Their love acts to care for others who are suffering.
- It leads many of us to be thankful for them & desire to help them.
- It should also lead us to be in continual prayer for them.
If such a life is possible, why don’t we desire it?
- We need Paul’s prayer for the Spirit to change our minds & hearts.
- It begins with entrusting yourself to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
- It continues as you develop your trust in Jesus as your Lord & Savior.
- There may be someone here today who desires to begin or there may be someone who needs the prayers of your family in Christ.