Dear One,
The Lord bless you!
We are on a scriptural journey from the Cross in Romans to the Throne in Ephesians. In practice we need to move our tents from the foot of the Cross, which was a necessary first stopping point, and move on in our journey to the Throne. Along the way we are going to encounter Ephesians One and the great prayer that is there. If you have questions or comments, please email me back, and forward this article to all your friends. Print this one out, make notes and look up all the references I mention. This is a two cup of coffee article, so brew your pot and settle in. Amen?
Hope you enjoy the journey! KRP
EPHESIANS ONE AND THE THRONE
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…Eph 1:3 NKJV
Have you ever said to yourself, Is this all there is? You are a faithful, blood bought child of God, faithful to God and your church, and looking forward to Heaven someday. But your heart keeps longing for more of God and in God. Are you that one? Is your heart saying, there must be more in the walk in Christ then just being forgiven, as wonderful as that is, then being a good person and waiting for Heaven. If that is you, then let me introduce you to Ephesians!
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for (which is) instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim 3:16 NKJV
The Church Epistles consist of what are essentially seven books: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1&2 Thessalonians. Romans is a doctrinal treatise with its corresponding books of 1&2 Corinthians correcting practical error in relation to Romans doctrine, and Galatians correcting doctrinal error in relation to Romans doctrine. Ephesians is a doctrinal treatise that has Philippians and Colossians correcting practical and doctrinal error. Thessalonians is a doctrinal treatise corresponding to the Church’s great Hope which has no practical possibility of error, so thus no corresponding epistles.
Romans – doctrinal treatise – the Cross – died and raised with Christ.
1&2 Corinthians – epistle – corrects practical error regarding Romans doctrine.
Galatians – epistle – corrects doctrinal error regarding Romans doctrine.
Ephesians – doctrinal treatise – the Throne – raised and seated with Christ.
Philippians – epistle – corrects practical error regarding Ephesians doctrine.
Colossians – epistle – corrects doctrinal error regarding Ephesians doctrine.
1&2 Thessalonians – doctrinal treatise – the great Hope of the Church.
Right at the chewy caramel center of these Books is Ephesians. Ephesians is the apex of the revelation to the Church. Romans shows us who we were and who we have become. Ephesians shows us who we are and who we will be for all eternity. Romans gives us victory over sin and condemnation. Ephesians restores Adamic authority and more and makes us to be rulers and judges at God’s right hand. Ephesians reveals the great mystery that was kept secret from ages and generations, and most especially the devil, revealing the Church of both Jews and Gentiles as God’s POIEMA, His masterpiece, with each member filled with Christ and part of His body. Are you with me?
Ephesians 1:15-23 contains the first great prayer in Ephesians. It is called Paul’s prayer, and that is valid, but in a greater sense it is the Holy Spirit’s prayer, for He is the Author of Ephesians while Paul is the writer, which is true of all of Scripture, which is why the original God breathed Word was perfect. Why would God be praying? Because His desires and His ability to affect those desires are two different things. He CAN’T make someone get born again nor can He MAKE you believe the Scriptures, thus His prayers become an expression of His desires for you and I. He expresses His perfect will, the best a man or woman or child can have, in these prayers. Do you see?
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Rom 8:28 NKJV
I believe that when you are not specifically interceding over something in tongues then you are praying out the HS’s prayers in the Church Epistles over yourself. THIS is why all things work together for the best possible result when you pray in tongues! Don’t you wish EVERYONE prayed in tongues?
Here is the first great prayer. Since this the HS’s prayer, and Paul’s prayer, shouldn’t this be YOUR prayer if you are a minister of God as you pray for God’s people?
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
First, your faith and love position you to receive the fruit of this prayer. The importance of this prayer and the one in Ephesians Three, is that it releases to us as the Church the knowledge, power and authority to rule over the universe as one who is seated at God’s right hand.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (our glorious ABBA) may give (Grk. DIDOMAI) to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding (Grk. KARDIAS) being enlightened (Grk. PHOTIZO); that you may know (Grk. EIDO) what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding (Grk HUPERBALLON) greatness (Grk. MEGETHOS) of His power (Grk. DUNAMIS) toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO), according to (Grk. KATA) the working of His mighty (Grk. ISCHUOS) power (Grk. KRATOS) 20 which He worked (Grk. ENERGEO) in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph 1:15-23 NKJV
This prayer has all the great NT power words in it because this is about restoring Adamic authority to the Church. Adam was no weakling. Adam spoke to and ruled over the animals. Adam probably could move from one place to another instantly, because Jesus could, and Stephen and others were able to at different times and had revelation knowledge of everything that was happening around the world. Adam ruled as a judge over all the earth, and probably did so for several decades before the Fall. What could occur if the Church truly grasped Adamic authority?
Let’s go through the highlighted words, then we will talk about the practical application.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (our glorious ABBA)…
First, we see our glorious ABBA – our new birth FATHER. We are not adopted from some other father. He is our birth Father and He has loved us from before the foundation of the world. I can honestly say I loved my birth children from the time I was first aware that I would and could be a father, even before I was married. ABBA has loved us from time immemorable!
…may give (Grk. DIDOMAI) to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge (Grk. EPIGNOSIS) of Him…
ABBA has given us – DIDOMAI – these revelation and power gifts. They are given in the sense that they are laid out on a banquet table but now you must receive them. At a buffet you go through a line and receive portions of the different delicacies made available. If you don’t you just go hungry! If we don’t receive these gifts, we as a Church will go hungry, and the world will continue to starve, because all creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. Understand this: even the people that hate you desperately need you – we are the sheepdogs; we protect everyone (Acts 27:24) – and even those who reject you must come to you, because you carry the light of the world. Do you get it?
EPIGNOSIS is the full, experiential knowledge of Him. He reveals Himself, He lays Himself out portion by portion in those times when you are alone with Him, like a dad who takes his son on a fishing trip, or to a baseball game. The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). You must know God. Even doing miracles does not replace knowing God (Matt.7:21-23). Do you see how important your times of prayer are?
…the eyes of your understanding (Grk. KARDIAS) being enlightened (Grk. PHOTIZO)…
KARDIAS is literally HEARTS, meaning here the heart of your heart, you inner man, which – yes – has eyes, in fact, five spiritual senses. PHOTIZO is to make your inner man radiant with light, driving out all darkness, making you a lightbearer (Phil. 2:15).
…that you may know (Grk. EIDO)…
EIDO means to see and thereby know. We have our English word VIDEO that comes from this Greek word. We are to see and know three things experientially:
The hope of His calling,
The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
The exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe.
What is the hope of His calling? We are called and appointed as sons and daughters of God, princes and princesses in the royal family of God, to represent Him and carry out His business here on the earth. As emissaries of Heaven we have the authority of Heaven supporting us. You may say, then why are so many Christians defeated, tortured, murdered? I may say, why are so many Christians delivered, blessed, triumphant? Each of us must believe, each of us must receive their full portions at the buffet table, or else we go hungry, or in some cases, far worse than hungry. Jesus, our example and only standard, was never touched until He as the High Priest allowed Himself to be offered in death as the Passover Lamb. We are playing the most serious game! The hope of His calling is not just Heaven, but the hope that in this life we can live out the fullness of His individual calling of us.
How do we see His inheritances’ glorious riches in the saints here on earth? Only through the eyes of love. Love can reveal that which everyone else is blind to. Jesus said, what you have done for the least of these My brethren, you have done for Me. When you see Jesus in that little unnoticed saint who can, in one sense, do nothing for you, then you are seeing through the eyes of love.
What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe? I’m glad you asked!
…and what is the exceeding greatness (Grk. HUPERBALLO MEGETHOS) of His power (Grk. DUNAMIS) toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO)…
HUPERBALLO MEGETHOS – exceeding greatness! HUPERBALLO is a compound word, HUPER meaning ‘super’ and BALLO meaning ‘to throw.’ A super throw! Willie Mays’ catch and throw in the ’54 World Series was amazing, but the greatest throw I ever saw in person was by Austin Slater of the Giants who caught the fly ball in deep left field and threw out the runner tagging from third base before he could score, a throw of over three hundred feet at over one hundred miles an hour…left me stunned, slack jawed, and rejoicing! That’s HUPERBALLO. As an adjective modifying the noun, HUPERBALLO communicates extraordinary, surpassing greatness being thrown out into the world so that everyone is without excuse, the kind our ABBA has demonstrated in the beauty of the whole creation. MEGETHOS sounds like the name of an ‘80’s heavy metal rock band, but this extraordinary word is only used one time in the Greek NT, right here.
DUNAMIS, the power that created the heavens and the earth is inherent spiritual power in every born again one. When I think of DUNAMIS I think of Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stop, or Moses waving his rod and stretching out his hand over the Red Sea, or my friend Kiiza raising a dozen from the dead. JESUS!
…toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO)…
Brother Kenneth Hagin, whom I never met, has been, through his books and taped teachings, one of my great mentors, like Derek Prince. I just heard brother Hagin teach on growing your faith today. First, he goes to great lengths to show us in the Word that faith is measurable, that everyone has a measure of faith that you can grow, and how to grow your faith so that you achieve tomorrow what you couldn’t receive today. You grow your faith by feeding your soul with the written Word and building up your spirit man by speaking in tongues. Do you want to do miracles? You can, but you must grow your faith. If you want to grow in the deep things of God, you can, but you must invest yourself totally. The demands of Jesus – he who loves father, mother, son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me – there are nothing like them in the military, in top level sports, or even the tops in any profession or endeavor. Love pays the price. We are playing the most serious game…
…according to (Grk. KATA) the working (Grk. ENERGEIA) of His mighty power (Grk. ISCHUOS KRATOS) 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…
I saw it again in the sports magazine article about a guy who repairs baseball gloves. He loves his work and he sets the highest standards for his work. It’s always the same among the great ones – LOVE and THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. KATA, translated ‘according to’ sets a standard: the energizing of His mighty power. The exceeding greatness of the DUNAMIS in us is according to His mighty power. The power in us is so great we should have miracles every time we look at someone (Luke 22:61, Acts 3:4). ENERGEIA is ‘energizing’ – what energizes the power of God in you? We will develop that when we get to Ephesians Three. ISCHUOS KRATOS – ISCHUOS is might, KRATOS is power with an impact. We get our word crater, where something has struck a surface and the result is a crater, from the word KRATOS. Make an impact wherever you go!
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
I love the fact that we can’t blame the devil anymore for defeats in our contest. He’s defeated! He’s under our feet. We simply must assert our authority as sons and daughters seated on thrones of authority. We have set a standard in our schools that no one dies prematurely. This is unacceptable! When someone is reported sick, the prayer team is informed and prayer is made until they are well. We can do this individually as we are led, but the great manifestation of authority seems to come as we are in one accord as the Church.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
We will get to the Throne in Ephesians Two in our next article then on to the great mystery and prayer in Ephesians Three. Get ready to get blessed!
Finally, read and study this article and the others in this ON TO THE THRONE series until you understand the major points. If you have questions, write to me. Ask the Lord to teach you Romans Three, Romans Five, Romans Eight and Ephesians One, and don’t settle for less than His best. Feed your soul with the Word and your spirit with speaking in tongues. You will know you are getting adequate feeding when faith starts to become easier. You are changing the whole religious paradigm of your life from being Cross oriented to being Throne oriented. This is a huge but necessary shift in order for you and I, and for the Church to be able to bless the world again. If you will do it, you will see the power of God walking with you wherever you go. Amen? Love you!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Fathers’ business…