Bible Study - Why Church (2) - We Pray for One Another - Ephesians 3:14-21 - August 2, 2020

Bible Study – Why Church (2) – We Pray for One Another – August 2, 2020

This is lesson (2) in our series entitled “Why Do I Need Church?”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 3:14-21.

Our focus is on prayer and the role of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:26-27: - ²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us^[j] with inexpressible groanings. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Let’s read Ephesians 3:14-21.

Prayer for Spiritual Power

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father^[c] 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. ¹⁶ I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, ¹⁷ and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, ¹⁹ and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus which gives us insight into the substance of his prayers to GOD in their behalf. We still learn from Paul today as we study what he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let’s explore!

GOD is the FATHER of us all. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3-14, which to me is the foundation of GOD’S Message to the Christians in Ephesus and to all people since, especially Christians.

³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One (JESUS).

GOD did what? HE chose us, when? “Before the foundation of the world!” GOD’S redemptive plan had all humans in HIS mind before HE created the world. What did GOD envision for us? “to be Holy and blameless in love before HIM.” “HE predestined us to encounter JESUS somewhere along our life’s journey.” Does that mean we have no choice?

First Corinthians 1:22-25:

²² For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.^[e] 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, ²⁵ because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

GOD does all HE can to bring all to the saving knowledge that eternally rests in the fact that salvation solely resides in placing our faith in JESUS The CHRIST. JESUS did what no one else could ever do which is ----

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.^[d] 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the right time^[e]—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹ In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, ¹² so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

¹³ In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. ¹⁴ The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

This is GOD’S redemptive plan through the LORD JESUS CHRIST for all people who will ever live upon earth. Pay attention to the words:

-         Lavished

-         Riches

-         Richly

-         Right time

-         Made known to us

-         Sealed

-         Down payment/guarantee until fully obtained

In Matthew 12:31-32, we read:

³¹ “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Several things to consider (1) some people think or worry they have committed the unpardonable sin. But if the person worries about it, the person has not. So, what does this mean? When a person rejects the wooing of the Holy Spirit so much, he or she hardens his or her heart and places a barrier over the eyes of his or her heart. (2) If we remain silent and not teach on the Holy Spirit, are we withholding truth and will those who know the truth, be held accountable before GOD for not sharing truth?

The Holy Spirit is vital in the lives of all Spirit born Christians ---

In Psalm 46:10, we read:

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

When you place your faith in JESUS, your sins are washed away and you have eternal life. You are also to trust and obey in the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit. When you do, you will build the right relationship with HIM.

The Bible instructs how to pray. However, the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray for people, situations, etc.

When you are prompted to pray, PRAY! You may think it may be silly but when the Holy Spirit prompts, it is serious. You may never know why but it is important to GOD for each of us to be ready to respond when prompted.

There are many instances when GOD prompted a person to pray e.g. a mother was bringing in groceries when the Holy Spirit prompted her to pray for her son who was helping put up a large tent. She immediately put her groceries down and began praying. The wind got under the tent and flipped her son over the tent. He landed on the other side unhurt. There are many such stories of the precise timing of our prayers.

Satan does not want Christians to be educated, empowered or rely upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit. GOD uses the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to minister fellow Christians and these lost in sin. The Holy Spirit knows what is going on world wide and in the heavens. Don’t try to figure it out but be available to respond, trusting in HIS leadership. Timing in life’s journey is often microseconds between life and death, escaping tragedy, exposure and non-exposure, wise decision and poor decisions and the list goes on. Be a prayer warrior.

At the instant a person accepts JESUS as his or her Savior, the fullness of JESUS is present in that person. That person is Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, never to be Spiritually unborn.

As the Spiritually born person takes off his or her old life or clothes as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-24, it is a yielding of the flesh life to the Spirit life:

 ²² to take off^[g] your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, ²³ to be renewed^[h] in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on^[i] the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

Often, it can be like the dawning of a new day. First, the glimmer of the sun’s rays, are displayed on the horizon. It gets our attention but as times goes, we see more and more until the light of day is fully manifested. We see and bathe in the glory of the light and the day which is fully revealed.

When Christians remove layers of flesh clothing, they battle with the flesh. 

This is when the Christian must allow and trust the indwelling Holy Spirit more and more as he or she adorns his or her Spiritual clothing. At the instant a Spirit born Christian takes that step of trust, it can seem like an awakening within and a renewed relationship with JESUS. That relationship has been there all the time just covered over. Discovering CHRIST in us, as Spirit Born Christians is a lifelong, exciting journey. The beginning is accepting JESUS as one’s Savior. The end is when we see HIM.

GOD issues the invitation to every individual to accept JESUS as his or her Savior but the choice is up to each person to either accept or reject GOD’S redemptive plan. What is GOD’S redemptive plan?

It is placing one’s faith in the sinless life of JESUS as his or her Savior.

In Paul’s writing to the Christians in Ephesus, which Bible scholars have labeled as Chapter 3, gives us insight into the importance of the power of prayer. I know in our Sunday school class and church we have seen our LORD answer many prayers. Does that mean HE answers all of our prayers like we lift them up to HIM? No! But HE answers our prayers according to HIS plan and purpose. What a privilege and joy it is that HE counts us worthy to pray for others and for the issues our world faces.

Ephesians 3:14-19:

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father^[c] 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. ¹⁶ I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, ¹⁷ and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, ¹⁹ and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Do we pray this prayer for our brothers and sisters in CHRIST?

Do the things that break the heart of GOD also break our heart?

Do we have the mind of JESUS?

Have we taken off all of our old clothes and put on the clothes GOD provides for us?

If not, go before our LORD and confess it and ask HIM to help you take off your old flesh clothes and to put on your big boy or big girl Spiritual clothes and trust HIM as you walk with HIM. You have much to share and contribute to others. It is time to ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to those who are in need of the light GOD has placed in you.

This is my prayer as well. Although 82 years old, I am still under construction.

Blessings!!!