Praying For Spiritual Insight Series

Introduction

Anyone who has tried to navigate the streets of Metro Manila knows that a simple map is often not enough. A map can show you the names of the roads, but it can't tell you about the real-time traffic, the sudden one-way schemes, or the streets that are prone to flooding. To truly navigate well, you need more than just facts; you need dynamic, insider knowledge—the kind you get from an app like Waze or from a local who knows the area intimately.

In our spiritual lives, the Bible is our map. It gives us the undeniable, objective truth about God. But as the Apostle Paul shows us, just having the map isn't the final goal. We need the mapmaker Himself to give us spiritual sight to truly understand what we are reading. In the previous verse, Paul began his prayer for the Ephesians. Now, in verse 17, he reveals the specific content of that prayer. His first and most urgent request for them is not for their health, wealth, or safety, but that God would open the eyes of their hearts.

I. The One We Ask: The God of All Glory

Before Paul tells us what he prays for, he tells us Who he is praying to. He addresses God with two magnificent titles that give us confidence that this prayer can be answered.

A. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ

This title establishes God the Father's supreme authority. Even Jesus Christ, in His incarnation, submitted to the Father as His God. This reminds us that we are praying to the ultimate sovereign of the universe, the one with all power and authority. It also reminds us that we have access to this God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We don't come on our own merit; we come in the name of the Son.

B. The Father of Glory

This title describes God's very nature. He doesn't just have glory; He is the source, the origin, and the very substance of it. All the weight, beauty, honor, and splendor in the universe flows from Him. Because He is the Father of glory, He is the only one who can reveal glory to us. Paul directs his prayer to the one who not only has the power to answer, but whose very character is what we long to see.

II. The Thing We Ask For: The Spirit of Insight

Here we come to the heart of Paul's request. He asks that this glorious God would give them a supernatural gift, something they could never produce on their own: "...the spirit of wisdom and revelation..." This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the mind and heart of a believer.

A. The Spirit of Wisdom

This is not about worldly intelligence or a high IQ. Spiritual wisdom is the God-given ability to see all of life from God's perspective. It's the skill to take the truths of the Bible and apply them practically to the complex situations of your job, your family, and your personal decisions. It is the sanctified common sense that allows a believer to navigate life in a way that honors God.

B. The Spirit of Revelation

Revelation means an "unveiling" or an "uncovering." This is the "aha!" moment of the Christian life. It's when God, by His Spirit, pulls back the curtain and allows you to see and understand a spiritual truth that was previously obscure. It's when a Bible verse you've read a hundred times suddenly comes alive with new meaning and power. This is not new scripture, but a new, God-given understanding of the Scripture we already have.

III. The Reason We Ask: The Knowledge of God Himself

Paul's prayer for wisdom and revelation is not an end in itself. He doesn't want the Ephesians to be puffed up with knowledge. This gift has a specific and ultimate purpose: that they might grow "...in the knowledge of him."

A. A Deeper Kind of Knowing

The Greek word used here for knowledge is epignosis. It doesn't mean a simple collection of facts or theological data. It refers to a deep, personal, intimate, and experiential knowledge. It is a knowledge that involves the whole person—mind, heart, and will. God doesn't just want us to be His students; He wants us to be His children.

B. From Information to Intimacy

This is the difference between reading a detailed biography about a historical figure and knowing your own father. You can know every fact about the historical figure, but you have a relationship with your father. Paul is praying that the Ephesians—and we—would move from merely knowing facts about God to truly and intimately knowing God. The entire purpose of divine wisdom and revelation is to draw us deeper into a loving, personal relationship with our Creator.