Prayers for Spiritual Wisdom and Strength

Read Ephesians 1:17-19b and Ephesians 3:14-21

Pauline Prayers

Our Lord entrusted His word to Paul and, with an obedient heart, Paul passed on to us the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding we need to live the “with God” life.

There are thirteen letters attributed to Paul in the New Testament, and a close look will reveal 4 separate Pauline prayers:

• Ephesians 1:17—21: Spiritual wisdom and insight.
• Ephesians 3:16—20: Inner strength through his Spirit
• Philippians 1:9—11: Overflowing love and growing in knowledge and understanding
• Colossians 1:9—14: Complete knowledge of God’s will and spiritual wisdom and understanding

What would happen if we took these prayers, wrote them down, and seriously prayed them for ourselves and others? The Lord would answer your prayer and lives will change forever. Our Father in heaven delights to see us enter into His will. Spiritual wisdom and insight transforms us.

Maybe some day we can take a deep dive into all four prayers, but for today we’re going to look at the two prayers in Ephesians and a bonus, the doxology.

Prayer #1

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ… Ephesians 1:17-20a NKJV.

Prayer #2

For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 NKJV.

Doxology

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV.

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation

Sacred Scripture is called the revealed Word of God. Nothing is revealed — nothing known if the Holy Spirit does not show us.

Apart from God’s word, there is no new revelation. False prophets and teachers will try to convince believers that they have been given a new “word” from the Lord. Hearer beware!

Any and every prophecy should be 100% accurate and supported by Sacred Scripture.

Paul prayed we would be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Holy Spirit unveils God’s truth so we may know the God of truth. The Spirit of God is called the Spirit of truth. We are incapable of knowing God if He does not willingly make Himself known. His ways are not our ways and our thoughts are not like ours.

God’s word is complete. Be clear in your knowledge of it. Hold it dear and close to your heart until you will know, without a shadow of doubt, when anyone adds, deletes, or twists Scripture to their advantage.

You need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. You need to be as one being taught — tutored by the Holy Spirit. This, and this alone, will give you the ability to know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.

Know the Fullness of God

The term “fullness” in Paul’s prayer comes from the Greek “pleroma” (Strongs #4138) means full number; full complement, full measure, and that which has been completed. The word itself describes a ship with a full cargo and crew — a town with no empty houses.

The most important knowledge we gain from our relationship with God is knowledge of Himself. A right knowledge, complete and full, helps us in approaching Him with confidence and assurance. Such knowledge comes with “first-hand experience” and complete understanding comes in a faithful, consistent love relationship with God.

Better to walk in complete and right knowledge of God than to hobble along with very little.

Strengthened in the Inner Man

Paul understood just why we needed to be strengthened in the inner man.

This, too, is something we are incapable of gaining on our own. There is a power at work within us. Christ dwells in our hearts, the Holy Spirit abides in our souls, and God Himself works in us, giving us the desire and ability to do what pleases Him. We really are new creatures in Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. II Corinthians 5:17 ESV.

For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work from His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 ESV.

A humble and awe-filled relationship with the Lord transforms you and strengthens you for today and every tomorrow. When spiritual warfare is set to destroy our faith, we can confidently know that God is better than equipped to destroy it and save us. Obstacles seem great when we face them but in the face of our Almighty God they’re only dust in the wind.

Even our desire to do His will and continue in it does not come from our self. In His tender loving care, He gently places a desire in us to will and to do everything according to His good pleasure. The root of our spiritual strength? God Himself works in us.

The Love of Christ

This world is in chaos: divisions between nations, individuals, and within a person’s inner life. This is and never was His design for His people. The love of God unites us in Christ and this is of great value.Such love unities us because Christ has taken permanent residence in our inner being. We are rooted and established in God’s love.

Let all God’s consecrated people rejoice. The love of God is the joy of our salvation and the beauty of reconciliation.

The essence of our love relationship with God is unrestricted access into His presence.It is not a mere sentimental love, but a secure, unlimited love we discover as we pray and live with Him. Access is never denied.

God welcomes sinners. It’s a fact. But He never trades His love in order for the sinner to remain a sinner. His love overflows in our hearts and strengthens our soul. It is unlimited, enduring, and loyal. His tender loving care is overflowing and powerful.

In conclusion

I have taken Paul’s prayers and prayed them over myself and my family. Things didn’t change overnight, but I watched as the Lord worked through their lives. I prayed, said nothing to them, and allowed the Holy Spirit to work.

He did.

I encourage you to do the same. But, first pray these prayers over yourself, so the Holy Spirit will lead you into the way you should go. Write out these prayers, keep them handy, and pray them often. Most importantly, watch and wait. The power of the Lord is working, and He is watching over you — watching over you with love.

Lord, Jesus, I pray that You would increasingly give to me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Enlighten the eyes of my understanding, that I may know the hope of Your calling and experience Your glory through the rich inheritance You have given me in the saints. Thank you for dwelling in my heart through faith. Keep me rooted and grounded in love so that I may be able to comprehend the width and length and depth and height of Your love — to grasp and experience Your love, which surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with Your fullness. Amen.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV.