Ephesians (W2D4) Empowered
Week1. Thursday: Empowered
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word
READ: Ephesians 1:19-21
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Incomparably (Greek: hyperballō): surpassing, immeasurable (Ephesians 2:7)
Great (Greek: megethos): high magnitude
Power (Greek: dynamis): strength and ability (Romans 1:16)
Mighty Strength (Greek: kratos): force, power (Ephesians 6:10)
Exerted (Greek: energeō): to be operative, to display power (Ephesians 3:20)
Far Above (Greek: hyperanō): highest rank (Ephesians 4:10)
Rule (Greek: archē): first place, origin, beginning (John 1:1-2)
Authority (Greek: exousia): power of choice, influence (Matthew 28:18)
Dominion (Greek: kyriotēs): collective authority, lordship (Colossians 1:16)
Christ has power over everything, including all earthly rulers & governments.
Present Age (Greek: houtos aiōn): the current time (Galatians 1:4)
This is referring to the time of the Church Age.
Church Age: The time between Christ’s resurrection and His return.
One to Come (Greek: mellō): the coming/future age (Luke 18:30)
This refers to the time of the return of Christ (Matthew 6:27)
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Paul says we are empowered with the same power that raised Christ from the dead! That means that we not only have power over sin but also power to live daily like Christ. God’s power gives us the desire and ability to do His will (Philippians 2:13). Why is that important? Because no one can live the Christian life in their own strength. When we try to follow Christ in our own power we will end up disappointed.
How does this passage encourage you?
We often forget that God is the ultimate power and authority in this world. If we’re not careful, we get caught up worrying about the worldly rulers. God is greater than them all and we can be encouraged in that fact. God is over all things!
PRAY: Ask God to help you live in His power, rather than your own strength.
