ENLIGHTEN THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

Passage: Ephesians 1:15-23

Key verse: 18

NIV

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus(A) and your love for all God’s people,(B) 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,(C) remembering you in my prayers.(D) 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,(E) may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom(F) and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened(G) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called(H) you, the riches(I) of his glorious inheritance(J) in his holy people,(K) 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power(L) is the same as the mighty strength(M) 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead(N) and seated him at his right hand(O) in the heavenly realms,(P) 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,(Q) and every name(R) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.(S) 22 And God placed all things under his feet(T) and appointed him to be head(U) over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,(V) the fullness of him(W) who fills everything in every way.(X)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ephesians 1:17 Or a spirit
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, (A)because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love[a] toward all the saints, 16 I (B)do not cease to give thanks for you, (C)remembering you in my prayers, 17 that (D)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, (E)may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 (F)having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is (G)the hope to which he has called you, what are (H)the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, (I)according to the working of (J)his great might 20 that he worked in Christ (K)when he raised him from the dead and (L)seated him at his right hand (M)in the heavenly places, 21 (N)far above (O)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above (P)every name that is named, not only in (Q)this age but also in the one to come. 22 And (R)he put all things under his feet and gave him as (S)head over all things to the church, 23 (T)which is his body, (U)the fullness of him (V)who fills (W)all in all.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ephesians 1:15 Some manuscripts omit your love
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Ephesians were exemplary in their faith in Christ and love for all Christians. So, Paul was very thankful for them. When he prayed for them, he asked God to give them the spirit of revelation and wisdom to know him better. Ephesus was an international city with marble streets, the ancient wonder of the Temple of Artemis, and a social influence on par with Rome. The Ephesians knew the world well. And, they needed to know God more. The work of the Holy Spirit is to transform any kind of person to know God more. We need wisdom and revelation to be free of our cultural mindsets, fixed generational ideas, and blind spots to really know Christ and become like him.

The second thing Paul prayed for was that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened to know the hope Christ Jesus gives. What we see in our hearts determines our hope and destiny. We can have real hope, because God raised Christ from the dead in power and seated him at His right hand with all authority. And we know He will raise us, too. We, his holy people, will inherit his kingdom. He bestows on us his incomparably great power. Moreover, God put everything under Jesus’ feet, including the church, which is Christ’s body.

Prayer: Lord, grant me the Holy Spirit so that I may know you better and have real hope in you.

One Word: Enlighten the eyes of my heart