Coffee With The Lord

If I faced a crisis, there are some people that I would want praying for me! They are people of spiritual passion and power. They are people who over the years have demonstrated they are on talking terms with God. They are people of faith and character. Who would you want praying for you?

The apostle Paul wouldn’t be a bad choice! At the beginning of his letter to the churches in and around Ephesus we catch a glimpse of an apostle’s heart. Reports had reached his ears about the character of these churches and the challenges they were facing. Some things Paul heard about were encouraging. Other things, however, concerned him. These things drove Paul to his knees in unceasing intercession for these congregations! Then after praying (perhaps even while praying) Paul wrote this letter. We’re fortunate to have Ephesians 1:15-23 as the written record of Paul’s “apostolic prayer!” (Read it for yourself today… I did.)

Sometimes spiritual leaders, faced with church problems, are tempted to reverse Paul’s order. They quickly fire off letters impulsively, hot with passion. But when we do that, we are always at risk. A healthy spiritual safeguard is to first bathe our concern in prayer and then deal with the problem. Prayer provides the objectivity, the spiritual perspective, and the opportunity to hear from God before responding.

Notice how Paul prayed…

First of all, his prayer was rich with thanksgiving – saturated with thanks – for the believers and congregations in and around Ephesus.

Secondly, Paul prayed God would give them a “Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they would know Christ better! (vs. 17)

Next, he prayed that they would be able to grasp the grandeur of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. (vs. 18a)

Then he prayed that they would become fully aware of their glorious inheritance as sons and daughters of God. (vs. 18b)

Finally, he prayed that they would experience, grasp, and appropriate “the immeasurable greatness of God’s power! (vss. 19-21)

Hey, believe me… If we experience those things – if we really get a grasp of those spiritual realities – it will solve a lot of problems! So here is my prayer today – a prayer I pray along with Apostle Paul – “O Father, open the eyes of our heart to grasp this!”