In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5
H.C.G. Houle, D.D., Wrote in his book ‘Ephesian Studies’ the following comments on this verse ~
“…for it is through the Son that we reach sonship, and so come to be related “unto” the Father in that wonderful position; His very own, to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.”
Ephesians, chapter one expresses our legal position as believers. Therefore, it behooves us to move on into this legal position and possess it vitally. We want to move past a simple acknowledgement of these thoughts, into experience knowing them fully and intimately for ourselves.
The Apostle John wrote in his first epistle, ‘we have come to know and believe the love God has for us.’ The Bible tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Created in the image of God as spirit beings, we know from the Bible He has not given us a Spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind. In the heart of every man lies a desire for eternal truths. God has put eternity into the heart of man, and from that place we have a desire to discover our Creator.
Again quoting Houle’s commentary “to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.”
It is the Fathers good pleasure for us to enter into this knowledge. Jesus said to know Him and His son was eternal life. Those who hunger and thirst are filled. We are commanded to seek first His Kingdom. I could go on but we all understand the invite to engage with Him on a deeper level.
In this hour, I believe it is the working of the Spirit to draw the church into a greater communion with our Father. There is today a spiritual wooing to come up higher, to lift up our eyes to behold, to set our affection on things above. Just solely for the purpose of our well being? No; not solely, rather to be able to see and hear the purposes of God that are being worked in heaven and display them on earth. To rightly engage with Him so that we are able to hold discernment, wisdom, knowledge, counsel and might and live in the fear of the Lord.
“…the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. Ephesians 3:8-10
The manifold wisdom of God is to be made known to principalities and powers THROUGH the church. The church is to carry and hold these truths. She must be found holding fast to the head as she reveals and declares the unfathomable riches of Jesus Christ.
I feel like David on the battlefield when he asked, “Is there not a cause?”
We are watching, in this hour, a universal work by the Spirit of a call to prayer that is supernatural and unto God’s own purpose.
“If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and turn…”
Jesus cried out, “My house shall be a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves.”
A proper alignment, a re-alignment, to the Head, a union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This must take place before we can carry the weight of glory in these last days. If our eye is single our whole body is full of light. There must be no darkness in us as we stand before forces of darkness.
We must be His church, returned to the book of Acts, to operate in its power. Prayer was the position before power.
God is restructuring. He is creating new wineskins for a new wine. Can we be ready? Will we be receptive to the way He wants things done?
He is the potter we are the clay.
Prayer invites us not only to enjoy and know Him, but to learn, to be molded and shaped for His purposes.
For such a time as this we have come to the Kingdom.
“…for it is through the Son that we reach sonship, and so come to be related “unto” the Father in that wonderful position; His very own, to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.”