"GOD'S POWER TOWARD BELIEVERS"
Ephesians 1:19
INTRODUCTION
- In Ep 1:15-23, Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is they increase their
understanding concerning...
- "the hope of His calling"
- "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints"
- "the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe"
- Each of the three are intriguing, but consider the third...
- What kind of power is Paul writing about?
- How is this power manifested toward believers in Christ?
[This lesson will endeavor to answer such questions. Let's begin by
looking at...]
- THE NATURE OF GOD'S POWER TOWARD BELIEVERS
- THE SAME POWER WORKED IN CHRIST...
- When God raised Him from the dead! - Ep 1:19-20
- When God exalted Christ to sit at His right hand! - Ep 1:20
- When God put all things in subjection to Christ! - Ep 1:21-23
- LET THIS TRUTH SINK IN...
- The same power which gave life to a crucified Man
- Exalted Him to the highest position possible in the universe
- Subjected everything in heaven and earth to His authority
- Has been manifested toward us who believe in Christ! How can
that be?
- Have we been raised from the dead?
- Have we been exalted to the right hand of God?
[As we read further into Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, we learn more
about...]
- GOD'S POWER IN OUR CONVERSION
- WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SIN... - Ep 2:1-3
- As such, we walked (lived) according to:
- "the course (manner) of this world"
- "the prince (Satan) of the power of the air"
- "the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience"
- As such, we conducted our lives:
- "in the lusts of the flesh"
- "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind"
- "by nature children of wrath, just as the others"
- WE WERE MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST... - Ep 2:4-5
- Though dead in trespasses, God made us alive by His grace in
Christ!
- Paul explains where and when this happened, elsewhere - cf.
Col 2:12-13; Tit 3:3-8
- I.e., in baptism we who were dead were made alive together with
Christ! - Ro 6:1-7
- Saved by the grace of God! - Ep 2:5
- WE WERE EXALTED TO SIT WITH CHRIST... - Ep 2:6
- "raised us up together and made us sit together"
- "in the heavenly places (the spiritual realm) in Christ Jesus"
- We now sit together with Christ, who is seated at God's right
hand - cf. Ep 1:20
- LET THIS WONDERFUL TRUTH SINK IN...
- The power that gave Christ life
- Seated Him at the right hand of God
- Exalted Him above all others
- Is the same power that raised us from spiritual death!
- Gave us new life!
- Exalted us to be with Christ in the spiritual realm!
- No lesser power could have made us alive, after being dead in
sin
- It took divine power for Christ to be raised and exalted
- So it took divine power for us to be given new life!
- Both acts required God's creative power! - cf. Ep 2:10; 2Co
5:17
[In every conversion, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is
exercised toward one who obeys the gospel of Christ (cf. Ro 1:16; 1Pe
1:22-23). But there is more...]
- GOD'S POWER IN CHRISTIAN LIVING
- THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF GOD...
- Given to the Christian as a guarantee - Ep 1:13-14; cf. 2Co
1:22; 5:5
- Through whom God strengthens us in the inner man - Ep 3:16; cf.
Ro 8:12-13; 15:13
- With power beyond our comprehension - Ep 3:20-21
- Enabling us to produce the fruit of the Spirit - cf. Ga 5:22-23
- THROUGH THE ARMOR OF GOD...
- To be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might - Ep
6:10
- To withstand the wiles of the devil, the spiritual forces of
evil - Ep 6:11-12
- To stand strong, armed with truth, righteousness, the gospel of
peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer - Ep 6:13-18
CONCLUSION
- Do we appreciate the greatness of God's power toward those who
believe...?
- Thanking Him for what He did in our conversion?
- Looking to Him for what He can do for us in our Christian living?
- We will be more appreciative, if we always remember...
- The same power that raised and exalted Jesus
- Is exercised toward those who believe, in their conversion and
their new life in Christ!
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might."