Our passage today is a lovely prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed for the believers of Ephesus. It's a prayer you and I can pray for each other and for all believers. It reminds us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us. Therefore, is there anything God calls us to do that we cannot do? If He calls us, will He not also equip us? We who are in Christ have resurrection power within us; there is no greater power. God is for us and within us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
The apostle begins by saying, "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers?" (Ephesians 1:15-16) What reason is he talking about? It is contained in the verses we concluded with yesterday: the people of Ephesus heard and believed the gospel of Jesus Christ and have received the Holy Spirit. This fact has made Paul very thankful. Nothing makes him more thankful than seeing souls come to salvation in Christ.
Isn't it wonderful when someone tells us they're thankful for us? It must have warmed the hearts of the people of Ephesus to know that Paul is continually thankful for them. We ought to tell people this more often, because we never know whether a person might be struggling in the faith or whether they may feel unappreciated at home or at work. Even better than telling someone we're thankful for them is telling them we're praying for them. There's nothing more wonderful a person can tell me when I'm going through troubled times than that they are praying for me. So right off the bat we find Paul saying some beautiful words of encouragement to the believers at Ephesus, but he isn't done yet. Today's passage is going to get progressively more beautiful and uplifting as it goes on.
If we tell someone we're praying for them this should mean we're praying for them consistently. Imagine how much better it would make someone feel if we told them precisely what we're asking the Lord to do for them. "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." (Ephesians 1:17) Paul asks that the Holy Trinity, working in concert, would help each person at Ephesus to grow in their relationship with the Lord.
He also prays that the Lord would encourage the believers by continually reminding them of the glorious future ahead of them. This fallen world throws so much stress and so many troubles at us that we can get in the habit of only looking around us and not looking up. We can end up concentrating on the next task and then the next and then the next without taking time out to refresh ourselves in the Lord. Paul reminds his readers that this world and the things of it are not all there is to life. An indescribable and unimaginable power is at our disposal to get us through whatever we have to get through in this life, and in the life to come an inheritance awaits us that is greater than the human mind can fathom. "I pray 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 His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ 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 name that is invoked, not only in the present age but in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:18-20)
We are met with a lot of things that seem too big for us to handle. Some of them are too big for us to handle, but nothing will ever be too big for God to handle! I don't know how much power it took for God to raise Christ from the dead. I wouldn't be surprised if it took more power than anything else He has ever done, for this was the culmination of every plan He had ever made. This was the goal He had been working toward since long before He created the first human being. This was the fulfillment of His purpose for mankind; this was the focus of all His concentration; this was the greatest deed He would ever perform. Compared to fulfilling the plan of salvation, the creation of the world was child's play. Compared to accomplishing the redemption of sinful mankind, the speaking of light into darkness was as easy as a snap of His fingers.
Though I don't believe God has ever struggled to do anything, and though I don't believe any foe has ever existed that He couldn't simply blow over with one puff of His breath, all of hell was trying to lay claim on the dead body of Christ. Every ounce of strength that was possessed by the spiritual forces of darkness was brought to bear when Christ died on the cross and was buried in the tomb. Satan never wanted that body to take another breath. None of the fallen angels wanted to see those eyes flutter open. I can feel cold chills going over me right now just imagining the thick darkness that circled restlessly around the tomb of Christ as every demon placed its black hands on the stone that sealed the doorway. Did God have to fight His way through to Christ? I don't believe so, but I do believe that this final act in the drama of salvation is where He was most violently opposed. Did anyone oppose His creation of the world? Probably not. Did anyone speak out against His creation of man? Probably not. But did everything related to sin and lies and wickedness and darkness oppose the resurrection of the Redeemer? Yes.
God raised Christ from the dead. Is there anything He can't do? Is there anything He can't do for us? No, because as Paul has just magnificently thrilled our souls by assuring us that the same power that brought life back to the dead body of Christ is within our own bodies. No one on earth and no demon of hell can take this power away from us. The highest power of all powers is on our side. The One who lay dead in a dark tomb now sits in the seat of honor at the Father's right hand, and there is no greater authority than His and no greater name than His. "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 1:22-23)
This is who we are, fellow believers: the redeemed children of the Most High God, the possessors of the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, the co-heirs of the Son of God of an inheritance so glorious that no human mind has ever begun to imagine what lies ahead of us.
Several songs came to mind as I wrote today's blog post, songs having to do with the resurrection power that is within us. But as I thought about all the powers of hell that tried to keep Christ in the tomb, I was overwhelmed by the fact that nothing was able to hold Him there. The grave tried to claim Him but the grave was only deceiving itself by thinking it could ever hold onto Him. Join me as we conclude today with a song that speaks of the defeat of the enemy and the victory of Christ at the resurrection.
Living Hope
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