INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS STUDY , Ron Ward
PAUL'S PRAYER
Passage: Ephesians 1:15~23  
Key verse: 17,18
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus(A) and your love for all God’s people,(B) 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,(C) remembering you in my prayers.(D) 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,(E) may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom(F) and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened(G) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called(H) you, the riches(I) of his glorious inheritance(J) in his holy people,(K) 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power(L) is the same as the mighty strength(M) 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead(N) and seated him at his right hand(O) in the heavenly realms,(P) 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,(Q) and every name(R) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.(S) 22 And God placed all things under his feet(T) and appointed him to be head(U) over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,(V) the fullness of him(W) who fills everything in every way.(X)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 1:17 Or a spirit
Cross references
- Ephesians 1:15 : S Ac 20:21
- Ephesians 1:15 : S Col 1:4
- Ephesians 1:16 : S Ro 1:8
- Ephesians 1:16 : S Ro 1:10
- Ephesians 1:17 : Jn 20:17; Ro 15:6; Rev 1:6
- Ephesians 1:17 : Ex 28:3; Isa 11:2; Php 1:9; Col 1:9
- Ephesians 1:18 : Job 42:5; 2Co 4:6; Heb 6:4
- Ephesians 1:18 : S Ro 8:28
- Ephesians 1:18 : ver 7; S Ro 2:4
- Ephesians 1:18 : ver 11
- Ephesians 1:18 : Col 1:12
- Ephesians 1:19 : Eph 3:7; Col 1:29
- Ephesians 1:19 : Isa 40:26; Eph 6:10
- Ephesians 1:20 : S Ac 2:24
- Ephesians 1:20 : S Mk 16:19
- Ephesians 1:20 : S ver 3
- Ephesians 1:21 : Eph 3:10; Col 1:16
- Ephesians 1:21 : Php 2:9, 10
- Ephesians 1:21 : S Mt 12:32
- Ephesians 1:22 : S Mt 22:44; S 28:18
- Ephesians 1:22 : 1Co 11:3; Eph 4:15; 5:23; Col 1:18; 2:19
- Ephesians 1:23 : S 1Co 12:27
- Ephesians 1:23 : S Jn 1:16; Eph 3:19
- Ephesians 1:23 : Eph 4:10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation (15-17)
Paul first gives thanks for the faith and love of the Christians in Ephesus. His first prayer topic for them is that God may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they may know him better. The Holy Spirit is given to us to help us know God and his Son Jesus better.
2. The eyes of your heart enlightened (18-23)
We need physical sight to see the physical world and we need spiritual eyes to see spiritual things. When the eyes of our hearts are enlightened, our hopes and desires are changed. We can have glorious hope in the heavenly kingdom. We can also see God working with resurrection power in our own lives and in the lives of others. We cannot change ourselves or anyone else, but God can--by his almighty power. Finally, all of our hopes are focused on Christ, whom God exalted to the highest place in the heavenly realm, and who will come again to reign over everything.
Prayer: Lord, give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, and enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I may know you better.
One Word: To know him better