Transformed by Receiving the Spirit of Revelation
16 I do not cease...making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that you may know (experience) 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 greatness of His power
toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He
raised Him from the dead… (Ephesians 1:16-20)
I. UNDERSTANDING THIS PRAYER
A. This is one of the most important prayers in the Bible. It focuses on the Father of glory imparting the spirit of glory
to us. We must understand and regularly pray this. This prayer is like a road map that gives us insight into Paul’s theology
of holy passion to apply in our ministry to others. We see what our heart needs most from God to be fully alive and how we
are best motivated.
B. We see what God promises to give those who will fully give their heart to Him. We pray this for our own heart as
well as for others, both believers and unbelievers (family, friends, ministries, cities, nations or government leaders).
C. Paul prayed a general prayer that people receive revelation of the knowledge of God (what God is really like). Then,
he prayed that they experience three specific dimensions of God’s glory that would cause them to persevere in godliness
regardless of the circumstances.
1. First, Paul prayed that we have assurance (hope) about God’s calling for our life, both in this age and the
age-to-come. In other words, what our destiny is and what we are to do in our partnership with God.
2. Second, Paul prayed that we know who we are to God as His most treasured inheritance. We are what the most
powerful and beautiful Person in existence longs for us.
3. Second, Paul prayed that we encounter God’s power in our heart, ministry and life. We live spiritually bored and
depressed without experiencing God’s power.
II. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus…the Father of glory may give the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened… (Ephesians 1:17-18)
A. Paul appealed to God as the God of Jesus and the Father of glory. What God did for Jesus in His humanity is the
ideal picture of what He is committed to doing for His people. The glory the Father possesses is the glory He will impart
according to our hunger for it.
B. Satan’s main strategy is to attack our mind with darkness (depression, despair, addiction, condemnation, boredom,
hopelessness, and aimlessness, etc.).
4 Whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded…lest the light of the glory of Christ …should shine…
6 in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God… (2 Corinthians 4:4-6)
10 The accuser of the brethren (Satan)…accused them before God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)
C. Paul prayed that people receive the spirit of revelation from the Holy Spirit. Our greatest spiritual need is for
revelation (light) that overpowers Satan’s attack against us.
4 In Him was life (Zoe: God’s life), and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness
(heart), and the darkness did not comprehend (overpower) it. (John 1:4-5)
D. Biblical truth is more than right ideas. Our mind cannot understand nor feel its power without the Spirit’s activity in
us (1 Corinthians 2:14). The best eyes are useless when a person is in a dark room.
E. If we can see what Paul saw, then we can embrace what he embraced. Seeing determines the quality of our life
choices. The spirit of revelation is necessary to equip us to live wholehearted with God. It produces powerful effects in
us that include strength for holiness and happiness.
F. The Greek word "knowledge" (epignosis) refers to experiential knowledge which is much more than information
about God. This is a prayer to experience active intimacy with God.
III. EXPERIENCING THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S CALLING FOR OUR LIVES (EPHESIANS 1:18)
17 That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience) what is the hope (assurance) of His calling… (Ephesians 1:17-18)
A. One of the most fundamental longings of the human heart is be participate in that which has deep and lasting
significance and relevance. If we have nothing to die for (to give everything for) then we have nothing to live for, therefore,
we live bored. We must have a clear sense of destiny knowing that what we are to do in our partnership with God is
valuable to Him.
B. God has a unique tailor made calling (destiny) for each person’s life. This is a vast subject that encompasses this
age and the age-to-come.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that
we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
C. Knowing this purpose gives us a sense of destiny, dignity and greatness before God. God offers us a great future.
Paul wanted them to have assurance (hope) or confidence in knowing God’s calling for their lives now and how it would
affect their life in the age-to-come (2 Thessalonians 1:11).
D. The hope of our calling (life purpose in God) is an anchor in our soul. When we see ourselves in God’s great
drama it changes our present attitude and perspective. Josiah (1 King 13:2), Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28-45:8) and Alexander the
Great (Daniel 8:5-8) saw themselves in God’s book. David and the apostles saw themselves in God’s Millennial plan
(1 Chronicles 28:4; Matthew 19:28). When a young person sees that they have a future they live very different. One of the
key functions of a spiritual father or mother is to help them see who they are and what their purpose is.
E. It is very damaging to live disconnected to God’s purpose or to live spiritually aimlessness (it leaves us bored). This
has severe consequences that cause us great loss in this age and in the age-to-come. We suffer loss of life, love and
opportunity in God. Much compromise and spiritual passivity can be traced back to lacking a sense of purpose. The
principle of being gripped with a life purpose partially operates with unbelievers (business, arts, athletics, Communism,
terrorists).
F. It takes supernatural insight to see what God calls important (how He evaluates our life) and to see God’s calling in
our life. Our natural mind and our culture are entrenched in lies about what is important to God. The spirit of revelation
lifts the “fog of darkness” off the heart of people.
27 God has chosen the (so-called) foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen
the (so-called) weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the (so-called)
base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen…29 that no flesh should glory
in His presence. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
G. We must evaluate our labors with living understanding by seeing that the very small things that we do in obedience
to God are greatly esteemed by Him. Wisdom is knowing what God esteems.
21 You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. (Matthew 25:21)
17 Well done…you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:17)
H. Do not be deceived into seeking to answer this issue by doing things that are big in man’s eyes in this age, which
always leads to disappointment. History is filled with stories of rich and famous people (business, athletes, artists) that are
filled with despair and empty, and with godly people who are unknown but filled with joy and purpose.
I. We live very differently when we have confidence that our small, weak and seemly insignificant labors and struggles
are important to God by having assurance that what we do is valuable to God. We feel powerful when we know that God
esteems the way that we spend our life.
J. The significance of these labors is only clear to those with enlightened understanding. Thus, prayer was made
continually and fervently that the saints receive this revelation.
12 Epaphras...always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all
the will of God. (Colossians 4:12)
9 We do not cease to pray…that you be filled with the knowledge of His will... (Colossians 1:9)
IV. EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF BEING GOD’S INHERITANCE (EPHESIANS 1:18)
17 That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience)... 18 what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints… (Ephesians 1:17-18)
A. The next specific request relates to who we are to God and thus, how God feels about us. By choosing us as His
inheritance, God has revealed His passion for us. We are the very reward that that Father has given to Jesus. Our value
to God is referred to the "riches of the glory" of being God's inheritance. It is essential that we see that we are God’s most
treasured inheritance. We are what He most desires. The most powerful and beautiful Person longs for us.
9 You have ravished My heart, My sister, My Bride... (Song 4:9)
B. We do not need to fear that God will dismiss us in our calling because we are weak. Our best and most sincere
efforts to love and obey are weak and flawed. However, we are lovely to God even in our weakness as we sincerely seek
to obey Him with all our heart.
C. We have an inheritance in God (Ephesians 1:14) and God has an inheritance in us.
9 For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:9)
D. This is the core truth of our spiritual identity. This is different than what we do before God in our calling. It is the
revelation of who we are in God’s heart and affection. We see our greatness, value, dignity, honor and beauty that we
have in Jesus’ eyes. We are the prize of all the ages that the Father gave the Son. We are the reward that He most longs
for. In this revelation, we see the greatness that we possess before Jesus’ heart.
10 I am my Beloved's and His desire is toward me. (Song 7:10)
V. EXPERIENCING THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER (EPHESIANS 1:19)
17 That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience)...19 what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe... (Ephesians 1:17-19)
A. The third specific request relates to how we are empowered to live out our life in God.
B. Paul now emphasizes how we are to live out our calling and identity in God: We must not be content with powerless
Christianity. Rather, we contend for NT Christianity that experiences the power of the resurrection for our heart, ministry, our
direction, protection and provision in life.
C. We must encounter God’s power in our mind, heart and ministry. We will live spiritually bored and depressed if we
do not experience God’s power in a growing measure. We are all called to experience the power of God or God’s
energetic grace.
D. How then shall we live? We must live in agreement with God’s light to receive more of it.
9 For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)