DAY 1
Pray to Know the Power We Already Have!
week 1 - revelation of his power
‘For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.’ Ephesians 1:15-23 NIV
Day 1 - pray to know the power we already have!
‘I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…his incomparably great power for us who believe.’ Ephesians 1:18-19
Very often, when we think of the power of God, we may be tempted to reflect on our own lack of power, prompting us to ask for more. But that’s not where Paul starts. In chapter 3, he does pray that the Father would strengthen us ‘with power through His Spirit in our inner being.’ However, in this first prayer, his focus is on praying that we may know the incomparably great power that we already have.
Put simply, he prays in chapter 1 that we might first have a greater revelation of His power. Then, in chapter 3, he prays that we might have a greater manifestation of that power.
So, what is the power that we already have as those who are ‘in Christ’? Firstly, let’s remind ourselves that this power comes from the Spirit of God who is living on the inside of us! Earlier in the chapter, Paul precedes this powerful prayer with a wonderful ‘hymn’ in which he praises the Father for having blessed us with every ‘spiritual’ (Holy Spirit-given) blessing in Christ. He concludes by reminding us that when we came to Christ, we were ‘marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…’
Secondly, through the Spirit, we have the same power of God that raised Christ from the dead. We are a people with death-overcoming resurrection power already in us, having been raised up from our spiritual death, made alive with Christ, and seated with Him in the heavenly places.
We’ll be unpacking this stunning truth throughout the week. No wonder Paul starts by praying that we might have a revelation of the ‘incomparably great power’ that we already have!
DEVOTIONAL
by Dave Smith
QUOTABLE QUOTE
“The Holy Spirit is not merely a helpful addition to our lives; He is the power that enables us to live out the Christian life, giving us strength, wisdom, and the ability to fulfil God’s purposes.”
– Francis Chan - pastor and author
Prayer points
- Use Paul's guide to pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so we can receive a greater revelation of His incomparably great power within us.
- Thank God for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, living inside us, powerful and active on our behalf.
- Pray that our church would be a family that continues to grow deeper in understanding the mighty power at work in us, which is abundant enough for every day and every situation.