Ephesians 1:19-20

This is the last of four requests in Paul’s prayer for the saints in Ephesus as it is recorded in Ephesians 1. Notice here that Paul is praying that the saints would not just know God’s power, but to apprehend the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe. Paul prays for saints to see the magnitude of God’s power and the object of His power—it is toward us who believe.

Furthermore, Paul prays that the saints would also see that God’s power toward us who believe is the same mighty power that God exerted toward Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.

In chapter 2, Paul draws the same parallel in 2:4-6 where he states the breathtaking wonder that God, because of His great love “He made us alive together with Christ…, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” This is indeed the exceeding greatness of His power toward us.

Why is this so important to be included in his prayer? Why should this become part of our own prayers? It is important in times of our greatest accomplishment to know that our own power is minuscule compared to the infinite greatness of His. It is important in times of our greatest trial that God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). And it is an essential aspect of our future hope that God’s power will raise us up in final victory.

Tom Day