grandaddythomas Posted September 22, 2005 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 What God has done is so wonderful and powerful it must be seen with spiritual eyes. They had nothing in the natural to compare it to so they can't comprehend what has happened and what it means. The power operates in the spiritual realm and must be looked at differently than natural happenings. The example of the power God has performed was the Resurrection. The power God used in the resurrection makes any power found on earth seem like no power at all. This even includes atomic power. Praise the Lord, the power used in the resurreciton is available to me. Nothing is too difficult through the power of God. I could not have thought of a better answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Ephesians 1:19- Paul prays for their Spiritual Eyes to be opened to get the vision that God has for them, which his prayer is three-fold= Hope=Inheritance=Power! The Power oprates through the church,US believers! Pauls example of power that he is talking about is in Ephesians 1:19-20.A power we can all have if we are walking according to the word of God!- THE BIBLE! PRAISE GOD, AMEN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denise knight Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 1.) Paul prays for God to open the Ephesians eyes so that they will better recognize God at work in their lives and so they will be more aware of the hope and power that God has equipped them with. 2.) the problem with their eyes may be that they are seeing only through the flesh and not through the Spirit 3.) this power operates within the Christian 4.) the miraculous event that Paul references is Christ's ressurrection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masika Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 When you read in matthew 13:10-17 , Jesus told His disciples that the knowledge of the secrets of kingdom of heaven had been given to those who believed in Christ and not the world. If the Lord does not open our spiritual eyes we may not see what He has prepaired for us unless a servant of the Lord prays for us and leads us into repentance. Their eyes were blinded by the sinful nature they had The power operates in everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. The power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lritter11623 Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 I believe like us sometimes we get so caught up in the 'religion' part that we don't always see beyond. especially to the grace and love God wants not only from us but to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve.c Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Like many of us the Ephesians fail to appreciate God's power through the church. Their belief in it is timid at best. The power operates through the members of the church - all of them. We have the power of God within us. The miraculous event which Paul mentions is the raising of Jesus from the dead. This power is available to us to. We should not doubt it and we should exercise to spread God's kingdom here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion of Grace Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Paul prayed that God would open the Ephesians eyes to discern " His incompararable great power" because the church at Ephesus had many problems. They were faced with false teachings and religions that especially taught power by their own right and offered immoral inticements to sway weak people in the name of " religion." There was fighting in the church because of beliefs that Christian believers with Jewish background had advantage over Gentile believers. There were also struggles to overcome what the secular world taught them. They could try to live in both worlds so to say, or they could choose a life of commitment to Jesus Christ. They were under pressure to decide on Godly living and to maintain their commitment in spite of all they may suffer or loose. Paul wanted their eyes opened to the power they all had in unity with Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They needed to draw the strength of who they were in Christ and the power they had through Him. This power was the very power that raised Christ from the dead! Incomparable power for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foladag Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebekkah Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 a) so, that they see that through Christ they can have the same power over everything too. b.) the eyes of their hearts are closed, they are not seeing all that Christ has to offer. c.) The power operates in the belivers. d.) The resurrection of Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plethra Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Exposition In order to receive, you sometimes have to see. How can you desire a thing and not know what it is. God wanted to reveal to them how great and mighty and powerful He is and that they can also have this power. The Eyes are the eyes of the heart. The inner man. The heart and soul. This power is to operate in US! He is giving us the power to do great and mighty things that HE might be glorified and that others might be saved. The miraculous event was the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead and seating Him in heavenly places Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmythanks Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 First, I believe that the eyes mentioned here does not refer to the physical but the spiritual - perception (Vision). As God's greatest mystery "the Church", Paul saw the comprehension of this power bestowed on the the church as very important and a knowledge every christian needs to have inorder to walk in the fullness of God calling and purpose. The richness and complexity of the Ephesian society could also have prompted desire in Paul to see the Church rise above all human comfort, challenges and everything society has to offer. The word 'enlighten' means to give intellectual or spiritual light to; instruct; impart knowledge to. Like the physical eyes, our ability to see depends on the availability of light. Light does not only reveal it also describes. The problem with their eyes can be traced back to the fall of man where our receptiblility to the spiriptual was darkened (actually destroy/perverted/corrupted/covered). The bible say its only in Christ is the veil removed (2 Corth 4:4). This inspired Paul's prayer because the Light in Jesus Christ sheds spiritual light to areas of our ignorance enabling us to know Him with an aim of becoming like Him and attaining to His fullness. This incomparable great Power as revealed is at work in the us - the church. And Paul likens it unto the the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. This is amazing and the most thrilling news in the bible. That, I (we) have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead, that this power is actually at work in me (us) and that this power is not limited to this age alone is something I would need God's grace to fully comprehend. Paul's passion here was enable the Ephesian Christians ( all believers) see and walk in the exalted postion they have been called to by the position facilited by their relationship with Jesus Christ. To see the Church (God's Joker) as the unstopable force God planned and purposed her to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? Paul prays that God would open the Ephesians' spiritual eyes to discern "his incomparably great power" so that they would be able to see and their faith would be big enough to grasp the extent of the greatness that God has for them. What is wrong with their eyes? They are seeing using the natural and not by spiritual eyes. Where does this power operate according to 1:19? The power operates in us, believers, according to verse nineteen (1:19). Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Paul used the resurrection as an example of this level and type of power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wale Posted October 31, 2007 Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 why does Paul pray that prayer 1. power in the church can only come to us through revelation 2. so that the believers might know the great power that God had for us 3. so that through faith and exercise of that power we might accomplish the task we are giving to do as Christ body on earth what is wrong with their eyes ? the eyes of the Ephesians believers is not open to the spiritual dimension of the power of God towards them. They are not aware of the great power they had in Christ. And also being from a gentile background, their focus might be on an idolatrous power According to Eph 1:19 the power is directed toward us or in us This level and type of power was demonstrated when God Exerted His power to raise Christ from the dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Exposition Paul wants the Ephesians to realize and understand the extraordinary divine power or force by which Jeus Christ was raised and is the same power at work in and through believers. The Ephesians, like many Christians, don't comprehend, understand, or connect with the power that God provides the Christian through faith and trust in Him that allows them to utilize that that power. This power orginates with the Living God and is the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and put Him above all things in the universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicki Lynn K Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Hi Everyone, My thoughts are Paul was speaking to their spiritual eyes to be open to let this power that cannot be seen with physical eyes into us.We cannot but with our spiritual eyes see what God can do with us. He was exhorting them to open the spiritual eyes to receive power that they could not imagine in their own minds. The power is super exceeding anything our minds could possibly imagine or fathom. It is within in us but without this mind set we cannot comprehend how intense it is. God is giving us essentially the same power He gave Christ if we will accept it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bouboule Posted May 5, 2008 Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 Hello Everyone, These are my thoughts I would like to share with you. Have fun Paul prays that God would open the Ephesians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elie Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power...? What is wrong with their eyes? Before they have been called, the Ephesians believers might used to serve different deities... That also might be very difficlt for them to understand that one god can by himself provide everything. That also happens with us, we are struggling with some courses at one faculty... it is good for us believers to stop sometime and thing about our Omniscient God(in a pratical daily view of the life). I personally used to be amazed about nonchristians'skills , and forget what incomparable power is reserved for me... We should ask in our Prayer (as Paul did for the Ephesians ) for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know our God better. Where does this power operate according to 1:19? The incomparably great power is operating within us believers, every single one of us who are cells of Christ's body, and all together we are the CHURCH. Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Paul use the ressurection of Christ as an exemple, where God exerted in Christ his mighty strength when he raised him from the dead." (1:19b-20a) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJeff Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" as the song goes. In so doing we are calling upon our faith to grow us to the point where we are able to use the same might in our daily lives that the Father used to raise the Son from the dead. The Ephesians, like all churches, used a limited amount of belief in their Christian life and Paul was teaching and praying for them to exercise their faith. This can only be done by knowing and applying the Word daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodExcels Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Hi my name is Marsha Jones and I am new to this Bible study format. The great take away from this lesson is that God is our source for the power that we need to be who He has designed us to be. Like the Ephesians, I have to pray to have my eyes reopened to the power of the God I serve- on occasions. I have to ask God to open my heart to receive what He has for me. The greatest power is the power to believe and have faith in God despite what we see, hear, know to be true and sometimes expect. The power to believe that God can... I have to re-embrace the hope I have in Christ, the faith in my inheritance, and trust in the power He has in me as a believer in Him. But that power is reserved for His believers! And that power was masterfully evident when He raised Jesus from the dead. I am blessed for this lesson and its reminders of the True God that I love and serve . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruel Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Greetings Dr Ralph, In answer to question 1, Q1a. (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? Ans. I think that the greatness of Gods' power through Christ was not yet fully reveled. Q1b. What is wrong with their eyes? Ans. I don't think that Paul was referring to their natural eyes but to the window (eye) of their spirits. (The eye could be an opening to a key place within that once enlightened there would be no more misunderstanding which causes stumbling) Q1c. Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Ans. I think that this power works within. Q1d. Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Ans. When God undoubtedly raised Jesus from the dead according to Verse 20-22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eve Posted October 18, 2008 Report Share Posted October 18, 2008 Paul prays that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to the wonderful hope they have because God called them to salvation. To the grace of Christ,to know the glory of Christ opened to their Inheritance and riches of His glory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithj7 Posted May 24, 2009 Report Share Posted May 24, 2009 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Exposition (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? It appears that the Ephesians were working from self and seeing with perhaps eyes from the intelligent rather than spiritual eyes. Paul therefore prays that Ephesians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken135 Posted May 30, 2009 Report Share Posted May 30, 2009 (Ephesians 1:19) Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? What is wrong with their eyes? Where does this power operate according to 1:19? Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? Exposition - Their eyes are probably operating just as they should; their physical eyes, that is. Their spiritual eyes, the eyes they could be using to see their situation as God sees it seem either closed or glazed over. Sure, they are being the church; sure, they are doing church, but in a way that relies upon their own resources, not the unlimites resources of God. -In God's strength, therefore in the issues He wants accomplished. We cannot, God will not allow, use of His power for anything which is not in God's plan. Discerning that opens the floodgates of Heaven upon the projects we choose to work in. -If God can raise His own fully human Son, indeed His second Person, from the dead, what cannot God do for His church when that church is in His will? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth2me Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 The Ephesians to whom the book was first written (and probably others also) were just like me....they needed spiritual truth to live and become the people God wanted them to be to represent Him on earth. I have been a Christian since 1975 and still need my spiritual eyes open to more and more of the wondrous truths that God would have me know. Not just a mental 'knowing' either; rather an experiential 'knowing' where truth is lived out and applied. I love this book of Ephesians because it is so applicable to what we need as "Pilgrims" on our journey to the Celestial City. I love the reminder that we have all we need to live godly lives in this world. I forget that sometimes in the middle of the trials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wifee Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 1a) Paul wanted the Ephesians eyes to be opened, to see things the way God see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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