What do you pray for other people?  For blessings? For healing or comfort?  For wisdom or discernment? For peace in troubled times?  I know I’ve prayed all of the above.

Paul’s prayer for his friends in Ephesus is directly responding to their struggle with false teaching.  It’s a crafty plan that Satan has set in motion to divide and confuse the church.  We can understand distractions and misdirection that will keep us wondering and wandering, not effective in ministry or even confident in our personal walk with God, can’t we?

In order to face that problem head on Paul took it to the Lord and prayed for the spirit of wisdom and revelation.  Literally Paul was asking the Father to give a burst of wisdom through the Holy Spirit that indwells the believers and uncover the benefits of salvation, so they would gain a precise and correct knowledge of the glorious Father. Now that is a mouthful!

Here are a couple of thoughts:

1. The more you know Him, the more you want to know Him, love Him, live for Him, serve Him, and share Him with others.

This burst of wisdom, would be very welcome in the life of anyone who wants to live out their faith. I definitely would appreciate this prayer prayed for me, and want to pray for other believers.

2. Remember that as this was written the church was struggling with false teachers. False teachers are part of Satan’s plan to divide and destroy the church.  Think about the methods that are used by false teachers.  They will play on and exploit emotions and passions. Whereas,  God will use the Holy Spirit to give you understanding.  This is why it is so important for Paul to be asking God to give loads of spiritual wisdom to the church.  The people at the time needed to be guided to truth, knowing God and recognizing Him as well as recognizing the lies of the enemy.

Things haven’t really changed. We desperately need to know God. I sure do. I don’t have much time to waste following things that don’t matter.  Temporary things.  Causes that divide instead of unite.  Issues that keep my emotions stirred up so I am confused and unsure.

Let’s make use of this prayer and ask God for the wisdom and revelation that keeps us focused on the One to whom we belong and likewise for our brothers and sisters in the faith.