Power
Power of Resurrection
Introduction
Paul was a prisoner in Rome at the time of writing this letter, subject to house arrest but with some freedoms. After serving two years in a Caesarea jail and awaiting transfer to Rome Paul resumed his evangelistic effort in Rome and through his friends in all the places he had previously travelled as he strove to fulfil the mission the Lord had given him.
Despite the fact that idolatry and paganism were widespread, Ephesus was one of the most prosperous cities in Asia Minor. One of the most famous temples in history, the temple of Artemis, or Diana, dedicated to the goddess of love, was located there. Its priestesses included thousands of prostitutes.
Hence the numerous cautions Pablo issues, particularly to women, to whom he writes a number of prohibitions as a way of eradicating promiscuity and the strong female liberalism within the Church.
The Ephesian letter contains a strong and profound theological and doctrinal content, and it was probably written to be read throughout Asia Minor. In a straightforward and understandable theology, it highlights the mysteries revealed to the believers, the fullness of the divine in Christ, and the unity of faith.
Paul’s strategy
As was the case with all of Paul’s letters, chapter one begins with an announcement of the power bestowed upon him by God Himself, enabling him to write with solid conviction and explicit prohibitions. Afterward, praising his audience’s virtues, he declared, “Grace and Peace, of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We have been blessed with all the spiritual blessings in Christ, Paul says in verse three, and he also affirms our security in accordance with the grace that He abundantly showered upon us, using the phrase “according to the grace that He overflowedly poured out upon us,” which denotes that He has shown us grace without limits, or of the abundance of His. As a guarantee of the future glory, he also sealed us with his Holy Spirit.
a heartfelt prayer
So, take note of how Paul prays in response to all of this insight for the Ephesians in verse 15. And this text is what we are worried about now.
After saying everything that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you, he opens a prayer by saying, “For this reason,” or in other words, after saying why. I am powerless to do anything else than fall at the feet of Jesus Christ and pray, “From the day I learned of your trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and of your love for all the saints, I have not ceased giving thanks and remembering you in my prayers.”
As he frequently did for all of his disciples, Paul had committed to persistently praying for the Ephesians. However, this was not the typical prayer we offer when someone asks us to pray for them; rather, it was a prayer of zeal, urgency, and sincere supplications to God.
I understand how poor our prayer practises are because even when a loved one, like a child, is ill, we still pray weakly and reluctantly, as if we had something to ask for but do not want it to be granted. We pray hastily and without passion, as if God were impatiently awaiting our words and our requests in order to win our favour. We become frustrated because “God does not answer my prayers” when we pray to God in this lifeless manner and he does not grant us what we request.
If we don’t even say our prayers out loud, how can we expect Him to hear us? We seem to be speaking quietly because of fear of being overheard when we whisper.
Believe me, church—we are capable of praying with fervour and conviction—praying with purpose and persuasion—both in our minds and out loud.
The Spirit that God grants
In verse 17, Paul then asks the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant them: “The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,” or, as some translations read, “so they can know Him better.” Paul unites the Father God and Jesus inherently so that there is no separation between them by using the terms “God” and “Father.” And by requesting the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation, he is actually pleading with the Holy Spirit—the third member of the triune God—to bestow these gifts on them. Because only through the power of the Holy Spirit,
Can you have the discernment, wisdom, and revelation that already the power of the Holy Spirit in you has activated in your life, and which only you can use to show this disposition to understand and absorb and embrace the greatness of the hope of eternal life that is a guarantee in your life, the inheritance that already belongs to you as a son and heir, and the knowledge that you need to know God, to truly know Him? To put it another way, can you have the disposition of discernment, wisdom, and revelation that already
Consider what Romans 8:17 says: “And if we are children, then we are also heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we suffer with him, so that with him we may be glorified.” Or consider what Ephesians 3:6 says: “that the Gentiles are co-heirs and members of the same body, and sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Or consider what Titus 3:7 says: “so
In verse 18, Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened so that you may realise the hope to which he has called you, and the richness of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”
in order to allow light to enter our spiritual eyes and open them. Finding the light of Christ is the only way the Light may enter our hearts. In John 9, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world,” and states that those who claim to see will be rendered blind while those who do not see will have their eyes enlightened. Isa. 35:5 Then the deaf will have their hearing opened, and the blind will have their eyes opened.
Furthermore, only those with opened eyes are allowed to enjoy “the riches of the glory of their inheritance in the saints.”
Whom God chose to reveal the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles—which is Christ in you, the hope of glory—as described in Colossians 1:27.
A promise from God that never fails, one that is neither insubstantial, nebulous, or the product of our imagination. A promise that enables us to firmly declare today that we are God’s children
a hope that originates from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who gave him life after the grave and has placed him at his right hand. Because you have passed away and your life has been hidden with Christ in God, as it states in Colossians 3:3.
The enormousness of His power
Thus, verse 19 states: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength.”
The extraordinary power of him. Simply attempt to stare at the sun directly, or look at the firmament on a starry night, if we have any doubts about God’s strength. And remember that each of those specks of light represents a star that is as bright as or brighter than the sun, and that there are billions of stars exactly like these in the cosmos. And they are all under the supreme authority of His might, each obeying a command He has given.
If you have any doubts regarding the existence of God, simply look in the mirror and consider that there are more than seven billion other living things on the planet Earth that are identical to you and that each of them was also made by God in His image and likeness. Each of them also has a purpose in life and will eventually have to make a choice regarding their beliefs and connection with God.
He has the universe in his hands and decides when a star is born and another dies. This overwhelming greatness of his might established the boundaries of the earth. The same manner, He holds your future in His hands. since every hair on your head has a unique number.
The same power that He used to raise Jesus Christ from the dead was also used by Him to uphold our faith in order to free those of us who believe from the yoke of the evil one. And He has given us access to that same power so that we can grow in our faith, holiness, and conviction, so that we can move mountains and dare to have faith beyond the scope of our finite understanding. So that we have the guts to dare to take charge of the purpose that has been pre-established in our life and own our destiny.
Which He accomplished in Christ by rising Him from the dead and placing Him at His right side in the celestial realms, according to verse 20.
If God could speak the universe into being, if he could generate light, and if he could create man from dust. What couldn’t God do if he can raise Jesus from the dead and put him at his right hand in the heavenly places?
What are you waiting for to reclaim your life if this is the power that resides within you? For you to come back to life? to demonstrate to the world your power and seal of the Holy Spirit.
His Strength in you
“in order to know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the sharing of his sufferings, becoming like Him in his death,” says Paul in Philippians 3:10.
God is pleading with us to approach Him, get to know Him, and recognise the astounding magnitude of His power residing within us, a power that has saved us and raised Jesus from the grave to sit at His right hand.
We are significantly less able to represent Him on earth without this knowledge and without the release of this power. And only when God’s power is made manifest in our lives will it be possible for the world to see His light.
And God is calling us to come to him and comprehend the exceeding majesty of his power—the same power that he used to resurrect his own son from the dead—for us.
And let me tell you, Church, that the most incredible force ever to be unleashed on this planet was not the force of the atomic bombs placed on Japan. It is not the strength of a tidal wave or an unrestrained flood; it is not the power of an earthquake, a volcano, a tornado, or a hurricane. The power of the resurrection was the most potent force ever released on this planet. God’s ability to revive Jesus Christ from the dead was the most astounding power that has ever existed.
When Jesus was in the grave, Satan and all of his demonic armies were positioned in readiness for fight. Satan would have won if he had been able to stop Jesus from rising from the grave. However, it is inconceivable how much strength God used to bring about this most magnificent event. Paul seeks to explain the significance of this renowned power. He makes an effort to demonstrate to us the greatness and impossibility of God’s power in raising Jesus from the grave.
The demonstration was the most potent ever seen. Additionally, which only God alone could ever exert. He could have done this without leaving His throne, though. Yet you possess the same incredible ability. And you have it within of you, dormant and unused, while you pray to God in times of need, while you bemoan the lack of bread in your home, and while you gripe about the difficulties of life. The same supreme power that God used to resurrect Jesus from the dead is present within you and is dormant, waiting for you to activate it. It is the most powerful force to have ever existed in the history of the universe.
When the Holy Spirit descends upon you, you will be given power, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, according to Jesus. (Acts 1: 8) When will you do your part, because he has already completed his.
You will accomplish more than I have since I am going to the father, he remarked. (John 14:12) What nobler deeds are you performing?
Take note of what Paul is saying. If you are in Christ Jesus, you already have the Holy Spirit within you, so you can declare and ask God for wisdom and revelation. And that your heart’s eyes be opened, enabling you to see in the fourth dimension, the realm of the anointed, with the eyes of the spirit. that you now see by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is inside you, rather than your physical eyes.
You will then “know the hope to which you have been called,” the purpose for which you have been set apart for God, and the destiny that God has ordained for you in the spiritual realm, according to verse 18. In this passage, he claims that you will come to understand the richness of his beautiful inheritance, which all saints have access to and can claim as their own because it belongs to them. It was given to us by God. Which He gave you the day you experienced spiritual birth. And finally, third. You will comprehend this immense power that resides within you and be able to use it in ways that are beyond what you could ever imagine.
Conclusion
Pablo is giving you a task to complete in the church. This morning, he is telling you to get up. Take charge of your life. Christ Jesus has given you the tools you need to be a powerful Christian, an anointed soldier, and a real force in your neighbourhood. As a result, everyone who sees you will recognise that you are unique and have a perspective on life that transcends the ordinary. They will all be curious to find out where your immense power comes from. Church, let your aura shine.
Let go of your difficulties, sorrows, aches, doubts, suspicions, weeds, murmurings, and lies. Let go of the little things that overwhelm you. When you use the strength that God has given you, your troubles will seem little, your sobs will transform into dancing, and you will live a victorious, objective, and meaningful life.
Jesus suffered and died on the Cross for your sake. He paid a hefty amount to have you. Let everyone know how your life has changed. and turn into a living illustration of the awesomeness of the incredibly powerful presence of God.
Paul is telling us that Jesus has the supremacy over all things, that He rules over all things, that He has the supreme power over all things, and that all things are under His feet, including principalities and powers and all the forces of evil in the heavenly places, when he says in verse 22 that God “appointed him to be the head over all things to his church.” And Paul is telling you that, in all of his authority, he has been chosen by God to be the head of the body known as His Church, which means that, if you submit to Him and depend on Him, all of his authority is your power.
because you are the church and he is the head of the body that is you, all of his authority is your authority if he rules over your life. The head requires the body just as the body needs the head. He does not require the Church as King and Lord, but as the head of the Church, which is his body, he is obligated to you as you are to Him. All of the Deity’s fullness dwells in Him as a result of God having designated Him as His head, and all of the power that God has granted Him also resides in you.
Because of this power, which is the resurrection power that gives you life in Christ, you are able to move around freely in the spiritual world with the knowledge that you have authority in Christ over all forces of governance and power there.
Take note of this message, Church, and learn to rule in Christ by leading a virtuous life, taking charge of your identity, and lifting up the head of the Church. As a result, I demand you in the name of Jesus to vanish from my life and be unable to be anywhere I go because in Christ Jesus I have dominion over you. Tell Satan that although I am no one on my own, I am not alone because I was crucified with Christ and now possess the power of his resurrection.
