Introduction

Over the last few weeks we have looked at the Book of Ephesians in relation to discovering and enjoying our freedom in Christ. In light of last week’s message, we remind ourselves these foundations truths of our freedom – we are chosen, adopted and redeemed IN CHRIST. We are now saints who have an inheritance now and in eternity. We are saints who sometimes sin but we are no longer sinners help captive; we are free because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Being IN CHRIST we have been forgiven and declared righteous and acceptable to God. We must accept by faith the finished work of Jesus as the starting point for our freedom. This also means we have our personal responsibility to “do our homework” by agreeing with who I am IN CHRIST; this came in the form of a handout last Sunday “Knowing Who I Am IN CHRIST” by Joyce Meyer. This brings us to our next point in discovering our “Freedom IN CHRIST” found in Ephesians 1:15-23.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

In light of the previous passage Paul highlighted our “spiritual blessings IN CHRIST, in heavenly places and now he moves towards thanksgiving and prayer. I must confess that some of the most “free” people in know are thankful and prayerful. There is something about positive confession and thanksgiving that is essential to enjoying freedom in Christ. Thankful people are prayerful people as they realize that their blessings come from God. Paul states, “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Eph 1:15–16). Here are two important things Paul speaks of to the church in Ephesus, a highly religious city with many gods and spiritual rulers and authorities in heavenly places (i.e. demons). Firstly, faith in Jesus is essential. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Ac 4:12). Jesus himself stated, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Secondly, faith in God must express itself in love towards the saints (and everybody else). “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:7–8).

One my experiences in search of my personal freedom IN CHRIST, was people praying for me. There were moments of time when I knew that freedom was just out of my reach and I needed to confess my sins and ask for help and prayer. This is exactly what Paul does on behalf of the saints in Ephesus. He never stops praying for their growth, maturity and freedom…

The Importance of Wisdom and Revelation

We live in an age of information. When I began pastoring I had books, lots of books, and they were my resource for gathering my thoughts for sermons, for counselling and my personal devotions. The amount of information available to mankind has exploded in the last thirty years. Now we have the internet and Mr. Google at our finger tips. If we want some news about politics, sports or what’s playing at the theatre, we have instant access. And yet with all this information so readily available mankind seems to have slipped backward in common sense. Why is this downward spiral taking place? Why do so many continue to struggle with addictions, guilt and shame? Information does not bring us closer to God, but revelation does.

Remember that Paul prayed for the Ephesian church regularly. One of the things he prayed is that they would have “wisdom and revelation knowledge” about God and His love for them. In other words, information or head knowledge has its limitations. In the context of Freedom IN CHRIST, information matters little. However, Paul tells the saints – “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Eph 1:17). In the context of Freedom IN CHRIST, wisdom and revelation are indispensable. Wisdom and revelation are special attributes of the Spirit’s operation. Wisdom can be seen as a divine but general illumination while revelation is more specific or special divine mysteries. I see wisdom as practical application to spiritual revelation. There's nothing more important than knowing God has chosen you, adopted you, redeemed you, loves you and that he desires an intimate relationship with you.

You see, there is a distinction between information and revelation. No matter how much information you get in life, it must turn into revelation or it's not going to do you a whole lot of good. When I was a new believer I colour coded, underlined, wrote notes on the edges of the page of my Bible. I was gaining information but out of all the 1000’s of things I’ve highlighted I can say I have far less revelation. Why is that? Because I have to do my homework. Do you remember the acronym for SOAP, Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer? I can gain some observations of Scripture, but until I “apply what I’ve learned” and prayed, all I have is information. In other words, until I’ve actually applying what I’ve learned, and prayed for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, all I’ve really done is decorate my Bible. Another difference between information and revelation is this – information can be lost or forgotten, but when God gives us the gift of revelation, we've learned something that can't ever be taken away.

Enlightened Knowledge

You are given a measure of revelation when you receive Christ. You know that God is real and that you have to grow and mature into the joy and freedom you first experienced. Paul carries on his prayer in Eph 1:18-23. Paul prays for enlightenment - “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…” (Eph 1:18). This is a beautiful word describing revelation; to be illuminated, to remove dimness or blindness, to see spiritual light… This enlightenment is to know God better in three specific ways in order to secure our foundation of freedom IN CHRIST as believers.

1. Firstly, “the hope to which he has called you”. For believers to experience the fullness of freedom IN CHRIST, we must be full of light and hope. For someone stuck in addictions, guilt and shame, hope is a powerful motivator for personal freedom. We know that “hope deferred makes the heart sick”, by contrast hope realized is freedom.

2. Secondly, we are to know by revelation and enlightenment “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints”. Our inheritance is in God and in turn we are his inheritance. While hope speaks to the light at the end of the tunnel, inheritance becomes far more intentional. When one receives an inheritance, it brings with is specific blessings such as land, property, riches and wealth. The same is true spiritually speaking, for the saints in this life and the next. We know that the Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance when Christ returns. However, freedom is also the byproduct of the deposits of that inheritance IN CHRIST and in the Holy Spirit now.

3. Lastly, Paul says “and his incomparably great power for us who believe”. One aspect of freedom IN CHRIST, is power. Jesus Christ overcame sin and death and the devil as a result of the Holy Spirit’s incomparable great power… This same power is available to us for the very same reasons, to overcome sin, the devil and one day death. We need to be enlightened to God’s power. We are set free not only from the power of sin over our lives but also the power of the enemy. You cannot cast out sin but you can confess it. In the same way, you cannot confess or counsel something demonic but need to cast it out. The power of God is able to do both, forgive sin and deliver us from the evil one.

In Conclusion

Freedom IN CHRIST is one of the benefits of being a believer. We are chosen and adopted and redeemed and have received the seal of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. Paul wants us to know that spiritual wisdom and revelation are essential for the full experience of our freedom. It's so wonderful to know God, not just with information but to be able to talk with him thereby being enlightened. We have hope and even when we get disappointed we can ask God to restore our hope. When we sin, we can receive forgiveness from God immediately, knowing that power of God IN CHRIST has set us free. And when we find ourselves struggling under the schemes and strategies of the devil, God’s power is once again available to set us free.

In Application

One of the obvious applications from today’s passage of Scripture is to pray. Paul prayed intentionally and persistently for the saints in Ephesus. We can pray for each other today. Here are a few areas of prayer in regard to freedom IN CHRIST. Pray we know by revelation that:

· We are loved unconditionally…

· We are chosen by God...

· We are adopted as his children…

· We are redeemed and forgiven and delivered from sin and all its effects…

· We have God's hope to sustain us in trouble…

· We are joint heirs with Christ having an inheritance now and in eternity…

· We have God’s power working for us against the enemy…

When we look at this list for prayer I am not highlighting anything negative, but hoping that by revelation we see the spiritual blessings we have IN CHRIST. LET’S PRAY…