For This Reason. Ephesians 3:1-21AMP.
Anyone who studies the Bible will find that it contains many prayers. The Dake Annotated Reference Bible lists 222 different prayers in the Bible: 176 in the Old Testament and 46 in the New Testament. God put a multitude of prayers in His Holy Word. Why did He do that? One great reason why was to teach us how to pray. He also wanted to show us that prayer is essential for a healthy relationship with God. He wanted to show us the miraculous power of prayer. But God also put many prayers in the Bible because He wants us to pray! God even wants us to pray like the Apostle Paul, and great things will happen when we do.
Ephesians 3:1-2AMP For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit;
For this reason I preach that you (Gentiles) and believing Jews are joint heirs. We share in God’s unlimited grace.
For this reason... I preach... I believe for salvation... For this reason...assuming that you heard of the stewardship of God’s grace entrusted to me... For this reason I share with you, for your benefit!
-Do you know your reason? -Have you lost your reason? - Your cause?
For this reason... I preach, serve and worship because I’m God called.
For this reason... I walk by faith, knowing it’s the greatest walk I can ever enter.
For this reason... I serve the Lord, because He loved me while I was a sinner, Romans 5:8.
Ephesians 3:3-5AMP and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;
Paul states, this divine mystery was given to me; therefore, this revelation mystery is given to you which is, Jesus Christ living in you...
You are never alone. Jesus saved you and now lives through you. You posses dynamite.
Ephesians 3:6-7AMP [it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation]. 7 Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.
Paul states that everything given to him came because of God’s grace. His grace converted the apostles Paul, His grace gives him what he needs for others. Paul shares, It’s the power of grace working through me.
Ephesians 3:8AMP To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],
Ephesians 1:3AMP Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ,
Ephesians 1:3, Is also known as the doxology in one sentence.
Verse 8 again, You like the apostles Paul may seem to be the very least, however, God’s grace has no boundaries.
Ephesians 3:9AMP and to make plain [to everyone] the plan of the mystery [regarding the uniting of believing Jews and Gentiles into one body] which [until now] was kept hidden through the ages in [the mind of] God who created all things.
Several years ago someone asked Dr. Billy Graham why he was trying to set the church back one hundred years with his evangelistic crusades. To which he responded, “One hundred years, well excuse me, I was trying to set it back 2000 years.”
We have been given the mystery, We are the Church. We have the keys to the Kingdom. We’ve been given the ability to bind and loose etc.
Ephesians 3:10AMP So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Martin Lloyd Jones, The wisdom of God refers to God's ability to arrange his purposes and plans to achieve the desired results. The principalities and powers in the heavenly places have seen God's wisdom in creation, history, and the nation of Israel. But through the church, they see the manifold or multi-faceted wisdom of God.
Romans 8:28AMP And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
This is a promise to the called. (That’s you). -This is the manifold wisdom of God! Working everything out. Causing all things to work together for my good according to His plan and purpose.
Philippians 1:6AMP I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].
Say, “He’s not finished! -He’s still at work!”
Ephesians 3:11-13AMP This is in accordance with [the terms of] the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him [that is, our faith gives us sufficient courage to freely and openly approach God through Christ]. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart at my sufferings on your behalf, for they are your glory and honor.
God has an eternal purpose in mind for you! And because of Jesus you have access through faith in Him. “Come to Jesus, freely and openly!”
Hebrews 10:19-20AMP Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, 20 by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh,
Paul’s second prayer in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians 3:14-15AMP For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father].
The apostle Paul bows his knees and begins to pray...to the ‘One’ to whom every family in heaven and on earth receive their name from.
John Gill explained that "the fear of the Lord" is not a fear of punishment, of hell, wrath, and damnation. Instead this attitude in prayer knows God as a kind Heavenly Father. It knows the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, given through the cross, and received by everyone who will receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Godly fear is marked by humility, affection, devotion, love, and worship toward the Lord.
Ephesians 3:16AMP May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality],
Jesus departed leaving the Church with the promised Holy Spirit, so that He may strengthen every part of our inner man. P.H
James 1:5-7NLT If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Let Jesus strengthen your inner man!
Jesus left you well able!
* You have His blessings.
* You have His authority.
* You have been given His fruit and gifts.
Ephesians 3:17-19AMP so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
It is God’s will to flood you with His love. -To flood you with His presence.
As a believer it’s crucial for you to understand God's love. It's a bigger, it's deeper, it's wider, and it’s longer, than any other verb or hurt.
Ephesians 3:20AMP Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,
God is able! God is enough! God is my provider! God is my very present help in times of trouble! God won’t abandon His son or daughter!
George Mueller lived in the 1,800s and was one of the greatest prayer warriors of all time. George kept a prayer journal over his long life, and recorded 50,000 answers to prayer! Mueller dedicated his life to helping orphans. By faith he started orphanages that cared for 10,024 orphans. During his lifetime, Mueller received the equivalent of over 7 million dollars to support his children's homes. That's over 165 million dollars in today's money! And all of it came through prayer. He also provided educational opportunities for orphans by establishing 117 schools that offered Christian education to more than 120,000 students. One of my favorite testimonies about George Mueller happened in August 1877. George was crossing the Atlantic on the SS Sardinian. The ship ran into terrible fog, and Captain Joseph E. Dutton later gave this report: "I had been on the bridge for 24 hours and never left it. And George Mueller came to me and said, 'Captain, I have come to tell you that you must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.' 'It is impossible,' I said.Then very well, if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way. I have never broken an engagement in 57 years. Let us go down into the chart room and pray.' I looked at that man of God and thought to myself, 'What lunatic asylum can that man have come from, for I never heard of such a thing as this?’ Mr. Mueller, I said, 'Do you know how dense this fog is?' 'No,' he replied, 'My eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.’ He knelt down, and he prayed one of the simplest prayers. When he had finished, I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. 'As you do not believe He will answer, and as I believe He has, there is no need whatever for you to pray about it.’ I looked at him, and George Mueller said, 'Captain, I have known the Lord for 57 years and there has never been a single day when I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog has gone.’ I got up and the fog indeed was gone, and on that Saturday afternoon George Mueller kept his promised engagement." -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Muller
Ephesians 3:21AMP to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.
...To Him be the glory in the church! It’s because of Jesus! If the church gets happy, it’s because of Jesus. If the church receives a spiritual gift, it’s because of Jesus. If the church overcomes, it’s because of Jesus. If the church gains vision to move forward, it’s because of Jesus. If the church grows and multitudes receive salvation, it’s because of Jesus. When the church goes up, “It’s because of Jesus!”
For this reason, it’s because of Jesus!
Benediction.
