March 11 – Ephesians 1:15-23

March 11 – Ephesians 1:15-23

Lesson: He is the Channel of Divine Revelations

Dear Lord, bless our time with you today.  Meet us where we are at, guide our minds, and hold our hearts as we search for Your truth.

First, do your own quiet time with God and 4R journaling.  When you are complete, come back here for the lesson.

Request Gods’ help

Read Ephesians 1: 15-23

Record a verse that stands out to you

Respond to God

God uses His people to do His work, but He does it through the Spirit.  Well, let me rephrase:  God loves to use His people through His Spirit! Just the knowledge of that sends goosebumpies all over!  That I, a mere speck of dust compared to the expanse of the universe, a bag of flesh and bones should be sentenced to eternal death. And yet, He wants to use me. I have not just a place in His flock, but a purpose there, too,  I’m not like a Facebook like or Instagram heart, or a content follower count.  No!  I have a purpose!  And so do you!  We have a God given purpose!!!!!!

How does this divine revelation happen?  Is it a loud booming voice?  Smoke filling the skies?  A bush on fire but not burning?  How does it happen?  What is it like?  Let’s look at some evidence from the Bible to find out.

In Nehemiah 9:30 it says, “Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.”  So, the Spirit warns.

In Zechariah 7:12 it says, “They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts.”  So, the Spirit speaks through human authors.

And in John 14:17, “even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”  He reveals the Truth!

In 2 Samuel 23:2, “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; His word is on my tongue.”  We find that when the Spirit speaks, we can be the vehicle by which He does so.  And from there springs the fervent prayer amongst Jesus followers, “Let my words be Your words, my thoughts be Your thoughts, my ways be Your ways.”  May all that we do, say, and think be from Jesus.  May we be so full of the Spirit that we couldn’t possibly be any other way.

In today’s reading, Paul expresses what he wants us to know better and more fully about recognizing that divine revelation.  Let’s take a look.

–  Ephesians 1:17:  We receive revelation to know Him better, more intimately with a clearer picture and understanding of His will.

• Verse 18: The hope to which we have been called, our inheritance in Him.
• Verse 19: To be made known God’s great power who has no rival. None!!!

The divine revelation comes just when we need it and at just the right time.  He knows what bits of truth we can handle in that moment and which bits we are not ready for.  Those bits of revelations are tailor made for us each individually.  What is revealed to me, may not be revealed to you.  Isn’t that just amazing?!  That our God knows us each so well…. Beccaauussse He created us!  And that’s also why fellowship is so important.  What you learn about God, what is revealed to you, you are able to then share it in a way that another can grasp it and be like, ‘wow!’ with you in that moment.  Fellowship.  It always comes back to fellowship, doesn’t it?

When the world tells you that you aren’t enough, when it tells you that you have no purpose, rest assured that the Spirit of illumination will remind you of your worth in Christ!  You are not alone.

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for You are the Truth.  We thank You for Your spirit of revelations, that we can know You more.

(Further reading: 1 Corinthians 6:17, 12:11-13; Philippians 1:27, 2:2)

What’s next?

As the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, share what He has laid on your heart.

Then join us again tomorrow to learn about the ministry of illumination.