Ephesians 1:16 - 18 & The Believer’s Heavenly Citizenship:

Paul prayed continually, Ephesians 1:1616 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

, for the Ephesians and for all true believers since: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:” Ephesians 1:1717 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

.

◦ The vast majority don’t know there is an Almighty God Who is the Father of Glory, i.e., The Glorious Father Who is Glorious in Himself, in the Perfections of His Nature, and in the Works of His Hands and a Glorious Father to Christ. They certainly don’t know Him personally as do true believers.

◦ Unregenerate men and women glory in their work and that of others; in music, art, architecture, inventions, transportation and communications systems, computers, etc. Mankind has not changed since Adam’s fall and subsequently when his offspring built the Tower of Babel to reach into the heavens, Geneses 11:1-4. Everyone spoke the same language and remained together, refusing to obey God’s will to inhabit the entire earth, Geneses 1:28. As a result of their disobedience God split them up with different languages, forcing their dispersal throughout the earth.

◦ In recent history, mankind revisits the idea of a one-world government and technology is making communication between all developed countries possible regardless of the languages spoken. The ruling elite and institutions of higher learning are making plans to ascend into heaven to inhabit the moon, the Planet Mars and beyond.

◦ When and if mankind is able to live on the moon and Mars, their lives there will depend on special dwellings and space suits that mimic the earth’s atmosphere in order to stay alive. God made this earth perfectly suitable for life with just the right temperature, amount of oxygen, water and climate to support mankind, animal, vegetation and fish. The point being is that all the works of man don’t hold a candle to God’s Glory.

Paul’s prayer is that: “The Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: 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,” Ephesians 1:17b - 18. And so our prayer should be that God’s inestimable/infinite Glory may give/bestow/commit to us the “spirit of wisdom and revelation of Him.”

God chose Israel as His people on this earth and desired to live among them: “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:88 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

. However, Israel failed because of disobedience and so have been set aside for a season. The Apostle Paul was saved to reveal God’s plan for mankind during this day and age of Grace, Romans 16:25 - 2625 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

; 1 Corinthians 15:11 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

- 51 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

. And our’s today is a heavenly calling and not an earthy calling as was Israel’s.

From his pitiful dungeon cell here on earth where he wrote Ephesians, Paul looks to and mentions heavenly places five times, five in Scripture being the number for Grace. “Heavenly” (the word “places” is in italics so does not appear in the original manuscripts) is translated from the Greek “pouranious” (G2022) found 20 times in the New Testament (NT). It is translated “heavenly” 16 times, “in heaven” once, “celestial” twice and here in Ephesians 6:1212 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“high” once. All 5 occurrences in Ephesians are quoted as follows:

A.

A.A. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:33 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

.

A.B. “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” Ephesians 1:2020 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

.

A.C. “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:66 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

.

A.D. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” Ephesians 3:1010 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

A.E. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12.

Today, we who are true believers, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Who is presently seated at the Right Hand of God in the Heavenlies and Who has given all believers a seat in the heavenlies in Christ for the purpose of making known the manifold Wisdom of God the Church, The Body of Christ to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies. And we believers learn that our battle is not with mankind but with principalities/powers who are the rulers of this world and against all spiritual wickedness, Ephesians 2:22 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

, in the heavenlies.

It’s for sure that ours is not an earthly calling as we are not promised earthly blessings as Israel was. Paul tells us what to expect here on earth: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”2 Timothy 3:1212 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake;” Philippians 1:2929 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

. But God has made provision for believers who suffer: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:26 - 2826 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

.