Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 167

"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man."

Text: Ephesians 3:16

PLEADING WITH DEEP UNDERSTANDING

Some believe that the strength of their crying would improve the chances of their prayers being heard. Others think that if one were to merely persevere, and keep asking God again and again, those prayers would be finally answered.

Paul’s approach to prayer is distinctly different. If this prayer is anything to go by, one may surmise that the apostle Paul had learned how to pray with deep understanding of God and His will as the basis of all petitions made.

“ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY…”

What a wonderful insight Paul had of prayer to be able to intercede along this line. Paul simply pleaded the “riches of (God’s) glory” as the basis of his request. What does this really mean?

1. Understanding the phrase “according to” (“kata”)

Paul knew that God does not answer prayers on the basis of whims and fancies. On what basis would God answer one petition and turn down another? Paul in using the phrase “according to” intimates to us that he had understood in some depth how God answered prayers. God had definite principles that He adhered to. Only the wise, the mature and experienced would be able to discern how God answered prayers. Paul knew God well enough to use the phrase, “according to” in his prayers.

2. Appreciating the phrase “the riches of His glory”

This phrase is even more challenging to interpret. But we may gather this much from what he wrote in the very first chapter of Ephesians.

a) The greatness of God’s glory

Paul made mention of the glory of God in the following context:-

i) There is the “glory of His grace” (Ephesians 1:6)
ii) There is the glory of the Lord Himself (Ephesians 1:12, 14)
iii) God Himself is called “The Father of glory” (Ephesians 1:17)
iv) There is the glory of the inheritance of the saints (Ephesians 1:18)
b) Pleading the glory of God in prayer

Paul was right to be conscious of “(God’s) glory” as he prayed. His plea was right on the mark. His words “according to the riches of His glory” reflected wisdom and experience in prayer. Each and every prayer petition should have God’s glory in mind. This line of thought well reflects what Jesus taught His disciples about prayer, in the well-known “Lord’s Prayer”.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
MATTHEW 6:13