Download pdf - What You Need To Know OTL - Amazon S3 · Need To Know 1 What You Need To Know Ephesians 1:15-19 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus ... o and I’m

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NeedToKnow 1

WhatYouNeedToKnowEphesians1:15-1915WhereforeIalso,afterIheardofyourfaithintheLordJesus,andloveuntoallthesaints,16Ceasenottogivethanksforyou,makingmentionofyouinmyprayers;17ThattheGodofourLordJesusChrist,theFatherofglory,maygiveuntoyouthespiritofwisdomandrevelationintheknowledgeofhim:18Theeyesofyourunderstandingbeingenlightened;thatyemayknowwhatisthehopeofhiscalling,andwhattherichesofthegloryofhisinheritanceinthesaints,19Andwhatistheexceedinggreatnessofhispowertous-wardwhobelieve,accordingtotheworkingofhismightypower,Intro:WhatYouNeedToKnow

• InthefirstchapterofthebookofEphesianso theapostlePaulmakesitknown

§ thathehasprayedaspecial• intercessoryprayer

o forthechurchatEphesus.• InthatprayerheprayedthatGod,

o throughthespiritofwisdomandrevelation§ wouldopentheeyesoftheirunderstanding

o toreceiveafreshawareness§ ofthreecrucialthings

• thatthechurchneedstoknow.• Ifinditinteresting

o thatwhenPaulprayingforthechurch,§ hepraysthattheireyeswillbeopened

• tounderstando whatGodwantsthemtoknow.

• Thattellsmesomething:

o Itispossibleforthethingsofthisworld§ todarkenyourvision,§ toblockyoureyes,§ tocauseyoutoloosesight

• ofsomeimportantthingso thatyouneedtoknow.

• Satanunderstandsthis.o Heknowsthatifhecanblindyou

§ tothepower§ andtheworkingofGodinyourlife

• hecanwearyoudown.• Thatifhecankeepyou


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o stumblinginthedarkness§ withoutarevelation

• oftheblessingsofGodinyourlifeo forlongenough

o hecancauseyou§ togrowwearyinwelldoing,§ tolosesightoftheprize,§ togiveupthestruggle

• andtostopshortofthemarko ofthehighcallingo ofJesusChristinyourlife!

• Youseeheknowsthatyouaredestinedforbetterthings.

o HerecognizesthehandofGoduponyourlife.§ Andhetries,witheverythingthathehas

• toconfuseyourunderstandingo ofwhatGodhasdoneforyou

• andtorobyouofthevisiono ofwhatGodhasplannedforyou.

• PaullookedatthechurchinEphesuso andhesaid,Iknowyouareinastruggle,

§ Iknowyourenemyhastriedtodistractyou,§ Iknowthattheproblemsofthislife

• havetriedtoblindyou,§ butI’maskingGodtoopenyoureyes!

o I’maskingGodtogiveyourevelation,§ tocutthroughthefog,§ tosendalighttopiercethedarkness

• thatsurroundsyouo andcauseyoutoseeGod’spurpose

§ andGod’sgraceinyourlife!• Youwillneveraccomplish

o whatGodhascalledyoutodo,§ youwillneverwalk

• inthejoyofyoursalvation• andlayholdoftheprize

o thathasbeensetbeforeyou§ ifyoucan’tevercatchaglimpse

• oftheplanandpurposeofGodinyourlife.o SoPaulsaid,

§ I’mprayingtoGodthatHewillopenyoureyes!

• Iwantyoutoknow,o thatI’veprayedthesamething

§ overthischurchthisafternoon.


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• I’veprayedthatthegloriouslightofrevelationo wouldshineintoyourhearttonight.

• ThatGodwouldcauseyoutosee,o toknow,

§ tounderstand• thegreatnessandmajesty

o ofhispowerandpurpose§ inyourlife.

• Inthemilitarytheycallitthefogofwar,o theconfusion,o theuncertainty,o thedoubtthatarises

§ whenyoucannotclearlysee• yourplaceandyourpurpose

o onthebattlefield.• Theenemytriestodistractyou,

o hetriestobogyoudownindailystruggles§ tocauseyoutobecome

• captivatedbythebattle• andlosesightoftheprize

o butI’vecometopreachtoyoutonight§ awordfromheaven.

• Arevelationofthepowero andpurposeofGodforyourlife

§ iswhatyouneed• ifyouaregoingtomakeit

o throughthisfight!• PaultoldthechurchinEphesus,

o andI’mtellingyoutonight,§ thattherearethreethings

• thatyouneedtoknow,o threethingsthatyoucan’tlosesightof.

• Forthenextfewmomentso Iinviteyoutoliftupyourspiritualeyes

§ andcatchaglimpse• oftheeternalgloryofGod

o workinginyourlife!First:Thehopeofhiscalling.

• ThefirstthingthatPaulprayedforthechurchwasthis:o thatyemayknowwhatisthehopeofHiscalling.

• Firstofall,itsHiscalling,notyours.o Itisyouwhohavebeencalled,

§ butitwasn’tyouthatdidthecalling.


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• Sometimesthedeviltrieso tomakeyouthink

§ thatyoucalledyourself;• thatyoudreamedthisuponyourown.

o Butyouneedtoknow§ thatGodhascalledyou,

• Godhasplacedhisownhando uponyourlife,

• Godhaschosenyouo outofallthepeopleintheworld.

o Youdidn’tchoosehim,§ Hechoseyou,

• hepickedyoutoofthemultitudeo andsaidI’mgoingtoperform

§ agoodworkinyourlife!• Godlookedatyouandsaid,

o I’mabouttomakesomething§ outofnothing!

• Hechoseyoufromthefoundations.o Liketheprophet,

§ hecalledyoufromyourmother’swomb.o Yourhopeisinhiscalling.

§ Heknewyoubeforeyouknewhim.• Hecalledyou

o beforeyoueverfelthishandonyourlife.

• Butthethingthatyouneedtoknowo isnotjustwhodidthecalling.

§ Youneedtoknow• whatisthehopeofHiscalling.

• Whatisthehope?o IntheBible“hope”alwaysrefers

§ tosomethingfuture,• itsignifiesmorethanjustwishfulthinking,• itisaconfidentexpectation

o thatwillcometopass§ bythepowerofGodhimself!

• Hopeisthebasisoffaitho thatreachesforsomefuturereward

§ andPaulsaidyouneedtoremember• thehopethatcompelsyou,• thehopethatsetyouonyourcourse.

§ Youneedtoremember• thatyourhopeisnotinthislife,


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• yourhopeisnotinthethingsofthisworld.§ Youaren’tlivingforwhatisdownhere,

• youaren’tlivingforwhato isonthissideofglory.

o Youneedtoknow.§ Youneedtobereminded,

• whatyourhopeis!

• Ourhopeisheaven,o that’swhatwearelivingfor!

• Hehasnotcalleduso notjusttoliveforhiminthisworld,

§ hehascalledustobewithhimineternity.• Hehasmadeusforanotherworld,

o hehasmadeusforthehopeofheaven.• Romans8:24-25says:

o 24Forwearesavedbyhope:buthopethatisseenisnothope:forwhatamanseeth,whydothheyethopefor?

o 25Butifwehopeforthatweseenot,thendowewithpatiencewaitforit.

• TheGreekwordforpatiencemeansendurance.o Paulissaying,

§ youhavetoendurethispresentworld,§ youhavetoendure

• thetrialsandtroublesofthislife§ andthisishowyoudoit:

• Youhavetogetthefinishlineinview.• Youhavetoyoureyesontheprize.

o WearesavedbyHope!o Hopeinwhatwecannotsee

§ iswhatcompelsus• throughtheveryreal

o troublesandtrialsofthislife§ thatwecansee!

• I’mgoingtojoinmyvoicewithPaultonight,

o I’mprayingforarevelationofheaven§ tosettleintothisplace.

• Weneedtobereminded,o weneedtoknow,

§ thatthereiscitywhosebuilderandmakerisGod!• Therearestreetsthataremade

o ofGoldthatissopure§ thatitisclearlikeglass.


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o AcitythathaswallsofJasper§ andtwelvefoundationsmade

• frompreciousstones§ uponwhicharewritten

• thenamesoftheApostlesoftheLamb.o Therearetwelvegatestothatcity,

§ fashionedfromtwelvegreatpearls.• Wherethatcityis,

o thereisnosun§ andthereisnomoon,

• becausetheLambisthelightofthatcity.• Therewillnevercomeanightoverthere.

o Therewillneverbeanysickness§ oranydespair.

o Therewillbenomorecrying,§ therewillbenomorepain.

o There’snevergonnabeanytoilortroubleoverthere.• Inthatgloriouscity

o wewilltheseetheonewhosavedusbyhisgrace.• Doyouwanttoknowthebestpartofit?

o Ofallthewondersofheaveno ofallthegloryofhisgrace,

§ theBiblesaysthatthehalf• hasneveryetbeentold,

§ ithasneverenteredintotheheartofman• toevenbegintoconsider

o thefullnessofthegloryo ofthatcitycalledheaven!

o That’sthehopeofourcalling!§ That’sthehopethatcompelsustopresson.

• Weneedtoberemindedwhatourhopeis!

o Weneedtocatchaglimpseofheaven.• WhenPeterwrotetothechurch,

o inthemidstofpersecution,§ hisfirstgoalwastoremindthem

• thatwehaveaninheritance,o incorruptibleandundefiled

§ thatfadethnotaway.o Wehavethehopeofheaven

§ andthatiswhatcompelsus• throughthispresentworld.

• WearethesonsofGod,o andourinheritance


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§ isthefullmeasure• oftheriches• ofthegloryofGod

o inheaven!

• Iwanttoremindsomeoneinthisplacetonighto thatheavenisworthlivingfor.

§ Iwanttoremindsomeone• thatheavenisworthstrivingfor.

o Heavenisworthdenyingmywillfor.§ Heavenisworthrejectingsinfor.

• Ifyoutradeeverypleasureofthislife,o everybitofearthlyrichesandtreasure

§ forthehopeofheaven,• I’mheretotellyou

o thatheavenisworthit!o It’sworthlivingfor

§ andit’sworthdyingfor.• Ifwecouldjust,foramomentthisevening,

o catchaglimpseofthegloryofheaven§ wewoulddiscover

• thatitfuelsourendurance,o itgiveenergytoourdetermination

§ toliveforGod.o Thekeytovictoriouslivinginthislife,

§ istoneverforget• thatyourdestinationisnotinthisworld.

o Rememberwhatyouarelivingfor!Second:Thegloryofhisinheritance

• ThesecondthingthatPaulprayedforthechurcho wasthattheymayknow:

§ what(are)theriches§ ofthegloryofhisinheritance

• inthesaints.• Listentome,thereisrevelationhere

o thatyouneedtoget,§ Godisabouttoopen

• theeyesofyourunderstanding:o Heavenisourinheritance,

§ butWEareGod’sinheritance.• Hisinheritanceisinthesaints!

o Thisisnottheinheritance§ thatGodhasforhispeople.


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o Thisistheinheritance§ thatGodhasinhispeople.

• God’sinheritanceisinhischurch!

• WeneedtoberemindedofourvaluetoGod!o IfwecouldreallyseethechurchasGodseesit,

§ ifwecouldreallyseeourselvesasGodseesus,• itwouldopenoureyes

o tohowmuchwemattertoGod.§ Wearehisbride.§ Wearetheappleofhiseye.

o HEhaschosenus,§ hehasinvestedhimselfinus,

• andwearehisreward!• Thisisatruththatecho’sthroughscripture.

o Godhasalwaysdesiredapeople§ thatwouldfulfillHispurpose,

• achurchthathecouldsharehimselfwith,o abridethatcouldknowthefellowship

§ oftherichesofhisglory!o WaybackinDeuteronomy32:9

§ theBiblesays,“FortheLORD’Sportionishispeople;• Jacobisthelotofhisinheritance.”

o Wearehisinheritance!

• IknowthatIjustsaidthatourhopeisheaven,o butIwanttotakethatasstepfurther

§ forjustamoment.• Ioversimplifiedourhopeamomentago,

o becausewhatI’mabouttosay§ makesmoresenseinthecontext

• ofthissecondrevelation.o Ourhopeismorethanjustheaven,

§ becausewhatmakesheaven“heaven”• isGod,himself.

• Itishispresenceo thatmakesthatplacesospecial,

§ itishisfellowship• thatmakesitsorewarding.

o ItisthepresenceofGod§ thatisourrealrewardinheaven.

• Heisourinheritanceo andnowweseethatwearehis!

§ Heistheobjectofourhope


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• andwearetheobjectofhisdesire.

• Yougottagetthiso becauseyouhavetorealize

§ howmuchyoumattertoGod!• Youarehisinheritance.• Youarehisreward.

• Listen,Hebrews12:2sayso thatJesusChristendured

§ thepainandtheagony,§ theshameandthereproach,

• ofthecross• forthejoythatwassetbeforehim.

o Youarethatjoy.o Youarethatreward.

• Justasmucho asthehopeofaneternitywithhim

§ iswhatcompelsyouthrough• thesufferingofthispresentlife,

o thehopeofaneternitywithyou§ iswhatcompelledGod

• tomakehimselfo alittlelowerthantheangels,

§ tobecomeaman,fleshandblood,• andtoendurethesuffering

o ofthecross!o Hediditforyou,

§ notjustforyourbenefit,• butalsoforhisbenefit,

o forthebenefitofbeingwithyouforeternity!§ Youarehisreward!

• ThepurposeofGodforthechurch

o isfargreaterthanjust§ savingusfromoursins.

o Itisfargreaterthanjust§ preservingusfromthispresentworld.

o Oursalvationisthenecessaryfirststep§ togettowhatGodreallydesires.

• Itisonlythebeginning.• Hedidn’tjustwanttosaveyoufromyoursins.

o Hewantedtosetyouasideforhimself!§ Hewantstofellowshipwithyou.§ Hewantstowalkwithyou.


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§ Hewantstotalkwithyou.• Hewantstoknowyou

o andhewantsyoutoknowhim.o That’stherealprize,

§ that’sthereasonwhyhewenttothecross!• Youneedtoknowthat,

o youneedtogetarevelation§ ofwhatyoumeantoGod,

• becausethere’sconfidenceo inthatrevelation.

• WhenyourealizewhatyoumeantoHimo youwillrealizethat

§ Hewillneverforsakeyou.§ Hewillneverabandonyou.

• Hewillcompletethegoodworko thathehasbeguninyou,

§ becauseyouarehisinheritance!• Youarehisprize!

• I’mprayingthattheHolyGhosto willstirsomeoneupinthisplacetonight

§ toappreciatetheextraordinaryvalue• whichGodplacesonyou!

Third:Theexceedinggreatnessofhispowertowardsus.

• ThefinalthingthatPaulprayedo forthechurchtoknowwas:

§ whatistheexceedinggreatness• ofhispower[towardus]whobelieve,

o accordingtotheworkingofhismightypower.• Earlier,whenIintroducedthesubjectofhope,

o Imadethestatement§ thatbiblicalhopeisnotwishfulthinking.

• ItissomethingthatGodwillbringtopass.o Biblicalhope

§ ishopethatisplaced• intheabilityofGodtodo

o whatHesaidHewoulddo.• OurhopeisinGod

o andGod’shopeisinus.§ Tonightweneedtorecognize

• thatGodwillhaveachurch,• hewillhaveabride,

o hewillrapture§ apure,spotless,andholypeople


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• fromthispresentworld.o Hehaspurchasedhischurch

§ withhisownblood• andthefinalthingthatweneedtoknow

o isthatHishopewillnotbeinvain.§ HewillpreserveHischurchbyHisownpower!

• Weneedtoknowo whatistheexceedinggreatness

§ ofhispowertowardsus!

• Onescholarsaidthatverse19o containsthegreatestcollection

§ of“power”and“greatness”words• foundanywhereintheBible.

o WhenPaulstartstalking§ abouthowGodisgoingtopreservehischurch,

• heputsahugeemphasiso onthe“power”ofGod.

• Hetellsusthato theexceedinggreatnessofGod’spower

§ isdirectedtowardsus.• Hehascommitted

o anabundantsupplyofHispower§ tomakesurethatwehave

• everyresourcethatweneedo tomakeitthroughthislife!

• ThattellsmethatIcan’tmakeitonmyown.o Ittakesasupernaturalinvestment

§ oftheexceedinggreatness• ofthepowerofGod

o formetobeabletoovercome§ thispresentworld

• andmakeheavenmyhome.

• Butitalsotellsmeo thatGodhasnotheldanythingback,

§ hehasfullyinvestedhimself• tothegoalofpreservingyouandme

o ashisprize.• IfyouloseoutwithGod,

o ifyoufailtomakeittoheaven,§ itwon’tbebecauseGoddidn’tuse

• everyresourceathisdisposalo togiveyoueveryopportunitypossible


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§ tomakeitthrough• thetroubleandtrialsofthislife!

• Letmetellyouwheretherealrevelationlies,o letmetellyouwhatyouneed

§ youreyesopenedtounderstand:• Godhasfullyinvested

o theexceedinggreatnessofHisownpower§ intomakingsurethatyoumakeitto

heaven!o Allofthefullnessofhispower

§ isdirectedtowardsyou!• Alloftherichesofhisglory,• allofthegreatnessofhismajesty,• alloftheresourcesofheaven

o havebeencommitted§ tothegreatcauseofyoursalvation!

• Youneedtobereminded

o thatyouarenotinthisthingalone:§ Theexceeding,greatandmightypowerofGod

• isworkingforyou.o Youneedtobereminded

§ thatheplotsyourpath,• heordersyourfootsteps,

o hegovernsyourlife.o AndHehasstackedtheoddsinyourfavor.

§ Hetakesthethings• thatyourenemymeantforevil,

o andheturnsthemintoablessing.§ Hetakestheattack

• thatwassupposedtodestroyyouo andusesittobuildyourfaith

§ andmoveyoutoanotherlevel.§ He’stheonewhomakesallthing

• Toworktogetherforyourgood!o Allthings,o everythingthatcomesintoyourlife

§ iswovenintothemastersplan• forthepreservationofyoursoul.

o Nothingtakeshimbysurprise!§ Hewhowatchesoveryou

• neversleepsnorslumbers!• Don’tgetmewrong,

o I’mnotpreachingeternalsecurity,


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§ Irealizethatitispossible,• afterhavingtastedoftherichesofglory,

o tobecomeacastaway.o ButIalsoknow

§ thatifthathappens,• itwon’tGod’sfault,• itwon’tbebecause

o hedidn’tdoeverythinginhispower§ toprotectyou,§ toblessyou§ andtopreserveyou.

§ Nomancanpluckyoufromhishand,• nopowerinhellcanrobGod

o ofhisinheritance.• You,andyoualone,

o possesthepowertoremoveyourself§ fromthehedgeofprotection

• thatGodhasplacedaroundyou!

• Paulcalleditthetheexceedinggreatnessofhispower.o Theword“exceeding”inthisverse

§ comesfromaGreekword,• whichmeans“tothrowbeyondtheusualmark.”

o Ithastheconnotation§ ofsurpassingtheexpectation.

o WhatitmeansisthatGod’spower§ isalwaysoutdoingitself.

o Justwhenyouthinkyou’veseen§ theextentofthepowerofGod,

• justwhenyouthinko he’ssetthemarko fortheexcellenceofhispower,

• justwhenyouthinko he’sworkedthegreatestmiracle

§ thathecouldeverwork§ onyourbehalf,

• hesurpassesit.• Hegoesbeyond.• Heexceedshimself!

• Thatistheexceedinggreatnessofhispower.

• Thenextvalleyyoufaceo maybedeeperthananyvalley

§ you’veeverfacedbefore,


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• buttheexceedinggreatnessofhispowero willbegreaterthan

§ anythingyou’veeverseenbefore!• Godisgoingtodowhateverittakes

o tohelpyoumakeitthroughthevalley.§ Therewillbetests

• andtrialinthislife,o youwillsufferwithChrist,

• youwillfaceadailybattleo againstanenemythatisdetermined

§ torobyouofyourinheritance,• butyouneedtoknow

o thatthefullweight§ ofthegloryandmajestyofheaven,

o theexceedinggreatness§ ofthepowerofGod

• isworkingonyourbehalf.• Evenwhenyoucan’tseeit,

o evenwhenyoudon’trealizeit,§ evenwhenitseemsasifyouareallalone,

• markmywords,o Heisthere

§ andhispower• isworkingforyou!

Close:Youcanmakeit!

• HolocaustsurvivorErnieMarxo devotedthelatteryearofhislife

§ tosharinghispersonalexperience• ofsurvivingaNaziconcentrationcamp.

• Onethinghesharedquiteofteno wasthattheGermanshadaruleinthecamps

§ thatnoprisonercouldlookuptowardsthesky.• Hesaid,"TheGermanswouldn’tletuslookup,

o becauseifyoulookedup,§ thatgaveyouhope

• andwewerenotsupposedtohavehope.”• Hesaiditwasnotuncommon

o toseemen,womenandevenchildren§ beatenandbloodiedbeyondbelief

• fornoothercrime• thansimply,liftingtheireyestoheaven.

• Icometotellsomeoneinthisplacetonight


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o thatyouneedtoliftupyoureyes,§ becausethat’swhereyourhopeis.

• Liftupyoureyestothehills,o becausethat’swhereyourhelpiscomingfrom.

§ HeistheLord.§ Heisthemakerofheavenandearth

• andhehasplacedo allofhispowerandmajesty

§ atyourdisposal.§ Hispowerworksinyou.

• Thesearethingsyouneedtoknow!o Youneedtoknow

§ whatthehopeofhiscallingis.• Youneedtotakeyoureyes

o offofallthatyoucanseearoundyou§ andcatchaglimpse

• oftheeternalrewardofheaven.o Youneedtoknow

§ thatGod’sinheritanceisinhischurch!• Youneedtounderstand

o thatGodisyourreward§ andthatyouarehisprize.

o Andyouneedtoknow§ thatyoucanmakeitthroughanything

• thatthislifethrowsatyouo becauseGodisonyourside!

• JustassurelyastheNaziguardsunderstoodit,

o yourenemyknows§ that,ifhecankeepyoureyesonyourproblems,

• yourproblemswillseembiggerthanyourGod.• ButPaulknewandunderstood,

o thatifyoureyescouldbeopened§ forjustamoment,

• ifyoucouldcatchjustaglimpse• oftheexceedinggreatness

o ofthepowerofGodo thatworksonyourbehalf

• thatyouwouldhanginthere,o thatyouwouldholdon,

§ thatyouwouldnevergiveup.

• I’vecometotellsomeoneinthisplacetoliftupyoureyes!


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• Theyusedtosingasong:o Icanmakeit,

§ myfaithcantakeit,§ I’vegotheavenmymind.

o Icandoit,§ gorightthroughit,§ keepthefaith§ tillIcrossthefinishline!

• Youcanmakeit!

o Heavenisonyourside!