Ephesians 1:18-23 New International Version (NIV) 18 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, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Three words jump out at me in this passage-Hope, Riches & Power. Sometimes, I lose hope. I’m stuck in traffic, everything is not going according to my plan, I can’t do something that I should be able to do, I try to fix something & only make it worse … I could go on. But the problem if you look back at the previous sentence is that everything on the list starts with I.
But Paul is telling the Ephesians (and me) about the hope that God is calling us to. The hope that a glory is coming. The hope that it is not my plan. The hope that it is God’s plan. The hope that all of these “catastrophes” are very small trials as He prepares me for glory beyond all comparison or comprehension. Once I decide that all of these “problems”, “trials”, “tribulations” are minimal & are God’s preparation for me to experience glory “beyond anything that I could ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20); then I can relax in the knowledge that nothing is too big for me with God on my side.
He is my strength that I can draw upon. Once I make myself available to Him, then I can inherit the richness of God in my life. Nothing can take that joy & happiness away. No problem is too big. Fear has been overcome! Nothing else matters. All “problems and worries” are trivial compared to the riches & glories promised by God; if I trust Him and let Him use me as He sees fit. I can then fearlessly conquer anything that this life presents to me.
Once I acknowledge the hope that Christ offers and experience the richness of God in my life, living without fear, then I can exalt in the power of God. The power that raised Christ from the dead! With that kind of power available, no problem, no fear is too big. God’s power in my life overcomes all fear, all obstacles.
Resurrection Power overcomes! Or as pastor said on Easter-RESURRECTION UNLEASHED! With that kind of power, I can leave all problems to God. I don’t have to rely on my own shortcomings. I don’t have to rely on anyone else. And in my moments of weakness or frustrations, as long as God is on my side and in my life---I have hope, I am rich in God’s Inheritance, I have power and I AM STRONG.
A Daily Resurrection Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You now to be restored in You, renewed in You and to receive all the grace, mercy, strength, power, wisdom, peace, joy, hope and LIFE you have for me today! I have no "right" to ask but I do ask, trusting in your promises graciously give to me. You promise me that You died for me and rose again so I could have Your offer of complete and total forgiveness and the many gifts of living under your rule and reign. I now receive You, Your for- giveness and Your gifts for me. ·
You also promise that your Resurrection applies to me and therefore I have a new life to live today and forever. I now receive You Jesus as my New Life and I receive all that the Resurrected You have for me. I realize that I can restrict Your working in my life because of pride, arrogance, unbelief and apathy. I
need your help to let that part of me die and stay dead every day so You can rise in me daily.
I choose to love You, worship You and trust You today-the best that I can! I receive You as my LIFE, please fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit!
I SURRENDER myself and my agenda for today to You, Jesus! I now RECEIVE You and Your agenda for me!
I now get to ACT like You are alive, risen from the dead and fully alive in me. WOW/Amen!
Please tell me about the hope, riches and power in your life.
Jerry