Read Ephesians 3:14-19
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Spirits’ ministry is supernatural. And He gives us an understanding that we cannot obtain by our study and natural effort, alone. Our spirits are enlightened by God’s Spirit in our hearts – which is our innermost being. That’s where all spiritual transformation takes place. Which ultimately results in a change in our outward behavior.
As believers, we must ask God to reveal himself to us, so that as the NIV translates it: “you may know him better.” We first come to know him through our initial salvation experience, but that’s only the beginning of our spiritual journey. The knowledge of God is a never-ending process for those who pursue him. And, God desires to make the debts of his love, wisdom, and power known in ever-increasing ways. He’s a holy but very personal God.
We have been set apart by God as his holy people so that our behavior will be in harmony with his will for our lives. We are His inheritance. And his will is that we will become more like Jesus (over time) through the transformation of our character. The theological word for this is sanctification.
As Disciples of Jesus, we are God’s inheritance and we have his resurrection power living inside of us.
We must ask (pray) for an understanding of the “immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might,” which is what God has given us in Christ. For the most part, the full extent of this power is untapped in our lives. We overcome the evil impulses of the world, the flesh, and the Devil by allowing the resurrection power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to dominate our thinking. As we discover God’s power in us, we are more effective in supernatural ministry.
The Ephesians understood that the spiritual atmosphere was evil and they were up against dark powers – that controlled unbelievers. Those same dark forces still operate in our world today. The Churches during biblical times understood what they were up against spiritual darkness. But, sadly many in the modern Church don’t have even a basic understanding of spiritual warfare. Paul was reassuring Christians that all these evil entities are under Christ’s feet. We desperately need more understanding of the resurrection power that God has given us access to today. And this comes to us, in response to our prayers. So let’s keep asking.
Note: The point of the knowledge of him has nothing to do with what God knows, but with what believers are to know (hence, “your…knowledge”). Further, the author’s prayer is that this knowledge of God would increase, not simply be initiated since he is writing to believers who already know God (hence, “your growing knowledge of him”). NET Bible, bible.org
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