Lesson 3 talks of the intent and purposes of God and how they work in the believer.
Ephesians 2:17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Last lesson we ended with this passage. Jesus came and preached peace (oneness with God) to both Jew and Gentile. It is no longer a division in mankind. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. We have peace with God exclusively through our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s not mad at the believer because Jesus nailed enmity to the cross! We have access to the Father by one Spirit! Say it, “I have access to the Father by one Spirit!
Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
I spent a life time trying to belong to something greater than myself. It lead down a path of trying to be a man pleaser and not a God pleaser. It was not my intent to be a man pleaser; my ignorance of the revelation that I was already a fellow citizens with the saints and a member of the household of God left a void. I was trying to fill the void with the traditions and doctrines of men. The revelation of grace came and it put me in pursuit of intimacy with God. I was no longer looking to belong; the blood of Jesus brought me unity with God. I’m a son, a member of the household of God. I belonged already; but I was not walking in the strength of truth! I belong to the household of faith and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone! It is not about belonging to a denomination or some organization. It is about learning that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit! Overflow Church is a local body that comes together; however we must understand there is only one body of Christ. The body of Christ is not contained in one church, or one denomination, or even an organization. It is every believer of the Lord Jesus Christ being joined together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord. Christ in me the hope of glory!
Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul , the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
The prisoner of Christ Jesus brought so much revelation of the goodness of God in the first two chapters! Wow, if Paul had not told us he was a prisoner it was not apparent in by the truths he shared with the body of Christ. From the jail cell Paul preached we are blessed, loved, adopted, accepted, forgiven by the good pleasure and desire of God! You must understand Paul had the victory from the jail cell; the revelation of Jesus was that great. There are many dispensations the scriptures deal with; the dispensation of innocence, dispensation of conscious ruling, dispensation of human government, the dispensation of the law. However, Jesus brought in the dispensation of grace also know as the church age.
Ephesians 3:4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
God wants us to understand the mystery of Christ. Up to this point Paul was sharing his understanding and knowledge of the grace message. Oh what truth we have learned just meditating on the first 2 chapters of Ephesians. In all the other ages or dispensations the greatness of reconciliation was preached in a veiled way. Jesus came and made way for man to know God from the very bosom of the Father. Jesus brought the glory of the Father and made know the desire of the Father toward us!
Ephesians 3:6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
The mystery is indeed, Christ in me the hope of glory! The cross made available for all to be heirs and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel. Paul was the apostle that God used to bring the message of grace to those outside the Jewish covenants.
Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
Grace reveals and unveils the unsearchable riches of Christ. All who put faith in Jesus Christ can have fellowship with God and become sons and daughters of God. Jesus coming brought birth to the church, the body of Christ. The church age unveiled!
Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
God’s intent (let that perk up your hearing) is that right now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church. God wants to show off His masterpiece to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. We've been asking God for wisdom; His intent is for us the church to make known His wisdom. This is a call to come live up higher. The Father’s eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ in me the hope of glory!
Ephesians 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
When we awaken to the intent and purpose of God we will take the access we have been granted! When we awaken to the power of His divine influence in us we will have boldness and confidence through faith in Him! It is the hope of our calling to abundant life!
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
This is prayer # 2 the apostle Paul prayed for the church. We would do well to pattern our prayers after the word of God. “Father grant to the body of Overflow church to be strengthened with might through Your Spirit in the inner man.” When we are strengthened in our inner man, the spirit of man, it will affect our soul and body. Oh that every believer will encounter God with a strengthening of their inner man. Mindsets will change, thought life will come in line with the word of God. Any thought that exalts it self against the knowledge of God will be brought into captivity unto the obedience of Jesus Christ! We’re talking supernatural encounter with God.
Ephesians 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height; 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The strengthening of the inner man causes our hearts to be aware of the dwelling of Christ. It is yielding to the anointing of God. It moves beyond our soul realm and allows us to comprehend the love of God. When one is rooted and grounded in love, that one is not moved away from the faith! To know the love of God which passes knowledge is knowing God in intimacy, Spirit to spirit. Oh that we the body of Christ will know God to such sweetness.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
God’s intent unveiled! The Father will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Why is the revelation to know the Father important? It makes us partakers in His resurrection power. To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. Let’s not get the glory out: let us yield to the One who came with the glory! To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN Some say the working of resurrection power is over! That is not what this passage says! This working of this power is to all generations, forever and ever!
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