A series of homilies on Ephesians
A homily is “a short talk on a religious or moral topic; a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a biblical theme.”
A series of homilies on Ephesians
A homily is “a short talk on a religious or moral topic; a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a biblical theme.”
I am sharing a verse-by-verse series of short messages on Ephesians (as well as other passages of Scripture) specifically targeted at reviving families and encouraging and exhorting husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children to do what God has commanded them to do, for if the church is to be revived and the country is to be awakened, the family must be revived first.
TEXT: Ephesians 1:18-23:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
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D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “A revival, then, really means days of heaven upon earth.”
Leonard Ravenhill said, “If preachers don’t believe the Word of God, why should the people believe it? If we don’t believe it and obey it, why should the world believe us?”
In their book, The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever, Elmer Towns and Douglas Porter share with us: “Early in 1906, ten dedicated young Christians hiked through a mountain jungle for two weeks to get to an outlying district church. When they arrived, they quickly became disappointed, because the entire ministry was in Khasi, a language which none of the Mizo Christians understood. They observed and sensed a strange power at work in the meetings, but with no one to explain what was happening, it had little apparent impact on their own life. They left the meetings to return to their homes, pausing at the village of Chatlang to pray. During that prayer, they ‘felt their hearts filled with a strange joy.’ Some regard this as the beginning of the Mizo Outpouring.”
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Today, we begin looking at how God wants us to have our eyes opened to the ‘exceeding greatness of His power.’ As I have shared with you already, Paul uses five different Greek words to emphasize the power of God that is available to the believer.
The first aspect of this “mighty power” is shown in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Verse 20 says that God’s mighty power was “wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” The raising of Jesus from the dead was no small matter. If everyone could walk free from death, they would. But Jesus did what no man has ever done before or since: He willingly laid down His life and then took it up again. That’s power.
Not only was this power shown through the completion of the saving work and the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead, but it was shown in the saving of our souls. Many men have tried very hard to save themselves, yet no one has ever succeeded in doing so. But, God, through His mighty power, has brought many to salvation by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. While each of us must choose to receive Christ as Savior, it is Jesus who does all the work. It is Jesus who broke the power of sin and Satan. It is Jesus who pulled us out of darkness and into light. It is Jesus who brought us from death unto life.
If God has the power to raise Jesus from the dead, and to pull you out of spiritual death, imagine what kind of power He has to bring you out of dead situations in your life right now. You can be free from unconfessed sin, addiction, broken relationships, depression, worry, doubt, uncertainty about the future. All of it comes from Satan and is designed to make you live at a level that is far less than what Christ intends for you to live. You can overcome these things if you depend on God’s mighty power to defeat them.
Let’s pray.
Now, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, please keep in mind that the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Just pray and ask Him to come into your heart and He will. I will be sharing more on the matter of salvation in the next segment of our service which starts in about 5 minutes.
Revival Prayer List
PRAY FOR SPECIFIC FAMILIES
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
— Scott
Heal and restore his marriage, help his wife to find love, forgiveness and reconciliation with him; That he would continue to seek You, mold him into the man You want him to be
— Dencil in India
For restoration and healing, in his home between his wife, and parents, that satan’s plans will be shattered, for God’s blessings
— Katrina in Mount Pleasant
Provide her with a better job with better hours with insurance and benefits so she can find and attend a church home
— Jessica in Sweden
Heal her from IBS
— Cynthia New Jersey
That she will gain more faith in You, to build better relationships in school and for her future, to have more patience in You and in herself, to have a humble and meek heart
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PRAY FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Paul said in Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Leaders of the Episcopal Church
Sabrina Nealy
Abagail Nelson
Nagulan Nesiah
Peter Ng
Paul B. Nix
Tanie Oconer
Mayra Ortiz
Samuel Owusu-Afriyie
Chris Paton
Julie Petrie
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PRAY FOR GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS
1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
STATE CABINET MEMBERS
IDAHO
Paul Kjellander
Kristine Raper
Eric Anderson
Dustin Miller
Sara Thomas
Connie Barnett
David Kinghorn
Ken Roberts
Brian Ness
David Brasuell
Gary Spackman
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 