The Trumpet Call
By Evangelist Edgar Martin

Paul’s High Priestly Prayer, Part 2

Ephesians 1:19-23

     Paul’s high priestly prayer lifts our attention toward the very origin and purpose of all greatness.  It pulls our hearts into a desire to be a part of it.  Ephesians 1:19, “What is the exceeding greatness of the power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power.”  Think of it, the exceeding greatness of HIS power.  Some people seek power with men and with God, but the only power that counts is HIS power.  Some people want their work to be vindicated.  They want a certain glory and attention to themselves, but it is God’s calling, His glory, and His work that counts.  We should pray only that HE will be vindicated; that Jesus will be glorified in all our affairs, so that the exceeding greatness of HIS power may be seen.

     Paul is giving us a view of what God’s will really is, and it’s all bound up in the greatness of Christ.  V. 20: “Which he wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places.”  This prayer is going above Mt.Everest.  It’s showing us a glimpse of God’s goal for us.  He has prepared a place that He wants us to be familiar with now.  Paul says this resurrection power is “far above” (V. 21).  To be lifted in the same resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead and be carried in our spirits to heavenly places would seem to be enough.  But, he said, “far above ALL principalities, AND power, AND might, AND dominion, AND every name that is named.”  This is the epitome of power.  God set the name of Christ above “every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”  We are invited to experience Christ’s resurrection power! 

     He has “put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church (V. 22).”  Now, here is an amazing mystery!  All of this greatness is intended for the church and includes every one of us who will be part of it.  He is the head over ALL things in the world and the church, but it is His church that is dearest to His heart.  Then he said, (V. 23), “which is His body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all”.  So the body of Christ is where He wants to put His head, what He wants to control and manage. What makes the church legitimate is that it is HIS body.  It’s not our program, our glory, our wisdom and knowledge, but everything is His, His, His.  The church is legitimate only when it is HIS body.  Now, the only way the church can be the body of Christ is that His head is on it and He is controlling it.  It is far above all the talents and abilities and programs of men.  It is a living organism. When the church becomes HIS body, we are cemented to His will, dominion, and power.  We are the temple of the Holy Ghost and Christ wishes to fill it.  He wants to breathe into it and fill it and be alive in it and bring heavenly life.  He wants to fill our hearts and our lives.  There must be nothing left unfilled.  What does that leave out?  If Christ is going to fill all in all, He must fill our jobs and our plans and our programs and our wants and our desires and our time and our talents.  He must fill all in all.  How great when He does!

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