Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Part 1 - Bible Verse Handbook

Apostolic Prayer: Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Part 1 Bible Verse Handbook

Prayer for revelation of Jesus' beauty that we might walk in our calling

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:  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 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 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)

I. CONTINUAL PRAYER TO THE FATHER OF GLORY FOR THE SAINTS

(Eph. 1:16-17 See above )

B. We see Paul's revelation of the power of prayer.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened… (Mt. 7:7)

You do not have because you do not ask. (James 4:2)

D. Paul appealed to God as the God of Jesus and the Father of glory

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit... of revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph. 1:17)

E. Paul had just outlined specific aspects of the Father's willing to give His glory (spiritual blessings) to His people in Christ

3  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,  4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  5  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  6  to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

7  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace  8  which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,  9  having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,  10  that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ,  both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.  11  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,  12  that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13  In Him you also  trusted,  after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Eph. 1:3-14)

7 You have crowned him (the redeemed) with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands...

10 For it was fitting for Him...in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Heb. 2:7, 10)

(Eph. 1:15-16 See above )

G. God's plan was always to bring us into His glory. He planned to bring the heavenly realm together with the earthly realm that we might experience His glory in fullness forever.

(Eph. 1:9-10 See above )

H. Our e gives us His power, wisdom and love (tender mercy and affection).

2. He reveals His beauty in which He fascinates His people
(Rev. 4-5)

II. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

17 That 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 (Eph. 1:17-19)

E. The unaided mind cannot receive revelation because it is living understanding from the Spirit.

12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13  These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the  [ d ] Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  14  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know  them,  because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:12-14)

17  Jesus answered and said to him,  “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,   for flesh and blood has not revealed  this  to you, but   My Father who is in heaven. (Mt 16:17)

2. To know or encounter God is the essence of eternal salvation

  3  And   this is eternal life, that they may know You,   the only true God, and Jesus Christ   whom You have sent.   (John 17:3)

10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,  (Phil 3:10)

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only God and Jesus Christ. (Jn 17:3)

III. EXPERIENCING THE ASSURANCE OF GOD'S CALLING FOR OUR LIVES

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… (Eph. 1:17-18)

12  Epaphras, who is  one  of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Col. 4:12)

F. This is one of the main emphases in Paul's prayer for the Colossians.

We...do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will...10 that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God... (Col. 1:9-10)

G. We have the glory of a significant function now and in 50 years, 500 years and 5,000 years.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
(Eph. 2:10)

H. We do very small things that are great in God's esteem. Wisdom is knowing what God esteems.

We can live with certainty that our small labors will reap great rewards before God.

Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. (Mt. 25:21)

IV. EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF BEING GOD'S INHERITANCE (EPH. 1:18)

B. Paul is making a reference to Moses' revelation from God in Deuteronomy.

9  For the  Lord 's portion  is  His people;
Jacob  is  the place of His inheritance. (Deut. 32:9)

"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "...I will make them My jewels.” (Mal. 3:17)

Jesus...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross... (Heb. 12:2)

F. We confess that we are Jesus' favorites in that He loves us as the Father loves Him.

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you... (Jn. 15:9)

G. We confess that we are the Father's favorites in that He loves us as that He loves Jesus.

That the world may know that You...have loved them as You have loved Me. (Jn. 17:23)

H. There are infinite riches (wealth) in being the focus of God's affection. The power of knowing this is without precedent in human experience. We confess that these truths as Satan's attacks us.

My Beloved is mine, and I am His. (Song 2:16)

You have ravished My heart, My sister, My Bride... (Song 4:9)

I am my Beloved's and His desire is toward me. (Song 7:10)

V. EXPERIENCING THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF GOD'S POWER

A. The third specific request relates to how we are empowered to live out our life in God.

11  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;  (Col. 1:11)

B. How we are to live out our life in God:

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me...to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

VI. THE WORKING OF GOD'S MIGHTY POWER IN JESUS

That you may know...19 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 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. 1:18-23)

B. The first manifestation of God's power in Christ was manifest in Jesus' resurrection and ascension to the Father's right hand

(Eph. 1:20-21 See above )

1•  Jesus was exalted far above all rule and levels of authority in the demonic, angelic and human realms

16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col. 1:16)

8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to  the point of  death, even the death of the cross.  9  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  11  and  that  every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ  is  Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11)

  23  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those  who are  Christ's at His coming.  24  Then  comes  the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  25  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  26  The last enemy  that  will be destroyed  is  death.  27  For  “He has put all things under His feet.”  But when He says “all things are put under  Him, ”  it is  evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.  28  Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
(1 Cor. 15:23-28)

C. The second manifestation of God's power in Christ was the Father making all things subject to Christ

(Eph. 1:22 See above )

All God's sovereignty is mediated through Christ

(1 Cor. 15:27 See above )

The  Lord  said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” (Ps. 110:1)

1•  Adam lost his lordship over creation when he sinned. Jesus re-gained it by His obedience

(Eph. 1:10 See above )

12  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—  13  (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.  15  But the free gift  is  not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.  16  And the gift  is  not like  that which came  through the one who sinned. For the judgment  which came  from one  offense resulted  in condemnation, but the free gift  which came  from many offenses  resulted  in justification.  17  For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18  Therefore, as through one man's offense  judgment came  to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act  the free gift came  to all men, resulting in justification of life.  19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

20  Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,  21  so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 5:12-21)

Jesus' lordship over creation will be obvious when He reigns over the earth in the Millennium

6  You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all  things  under his feet, (Ps. 8:6)

6  But one testified in a certain place, saying:

“What is man that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man that You take care of him?
7  You have made him   a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
8  You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing  that is  not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.  (Heb. 2:6-8)

D. The third manifestation of God's power in Christ is when the Father placed all things under Jesus' feet and appointed as Him as the Head over the Church which is His body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way

(Eph. 1:22-23 See above )

15  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— (Eph. 4:15)

23  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. (Eph. 5:23)

  18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col. 1:18)

1•  Part of this dimension of His lordship is evident now. We can claim the authority of Jesus our head as we resist sinful and satanic opposition against us. The church is both the body of Christ and the fullness of Him who fills everything in with God's presence and blessing through Jesus

10  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.

11  And He Himself gave some  to be  apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  (Eph. 4:10-11)

F. Paul continues with these ideas in Eph. 2, where he describes that God made us alive with Christ and raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly places

4  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  5  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  6  and raised  us  up together, and made  us  sit together in the heavenly  places  in Christ Jesus, (Eph. 2:4-6)

Apostolic Prayers and Prophetic Promises

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