Walking Through Ephesians
“Walking Through Ephesians - Day 6”
Categories: Walking Through EphesiansEPHESIANS 3:1-13
We don’t talk about Him very much, but we wouldn’t be where we are without Him. The Holy Spirit occupies a prominent role throughout Scripture. We see Him active in the creation account. We read of His work in the Old Testament, equipping various servants of God for various purposes. We read of the promise of His coming through the prophets, and John the Baptizer, and Jesus. And we see His powerful arrival in Acts 2, as He began the work He was promised to do.
While the work of the Holy Spirit is vast and great, in my opinion, the greatest work of the Holy Spirit is described in our section today. The greatest work of the Holy Spirit was the revelation of the mind of God to the world. Notice how we see that progression in our text:
§ The mystery of God’s salvation regarding the whole world (Jews and Gentiles) was not known in previous times.
§ The Holy Spirit revealed this message at first through the prophets – pointing to the “promise” that was to come in the times when the Spirit was poured forth
§ The Holy Spirit revealed the message in full to the Apostles
§ The Apostles took this Spirit-given message and proclaimed it (the gospel) to the world
§ Thus when the brethren in Ephesians read the written message of the Apostle Paul, they are able to both read and understand the revealed mystery of God
Think on this – one of the most powerful gifts and tools of the Holy Spirit has been given to each of us in the written, recorded, Word of God – the Bible. When we choose to neglect the Bible, we are resisting the Spirit’s effort to lead, shape, and transform our lives to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3; Acts 7:51). When we choose to read only the sections we like (give me only the gospels – non of that Apostles/authority stuff) – we are quenching the Spirit’s work to convict and correct us (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Hebrews 4:12). When it comes to the world around us in desperate need of the Savior, it is not our wisdom, our wise counselling, our finely written blogs that will bring them to repentance and salvation – that power alone rests in the words of the Spirit (Romans 1:16; Ephesians 3:7-9).
For those who are seeking more help, comfort, strength, direction from the Holy Spirit in their lives, open the words given by the Spirit – read, listen, follow, and live!
“Wise and great Lord I give you thanks today for Your Holy Spirit. I am thankful for His work, specifically in bringing Your mind and Your words into this world. Create a true hunger and desire in me to read Your words, trusting and following Your ways. Through Your Spirit and His words, shape and mold me to be ever more like You!”
