PASSIONATE PURSUIT...IF YE HAVE HEARD

Ephesians 3:1-7

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward: 
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Paul shared a reminder that the Lord Jesus Christ is building us up together as a body that is fitly joined for a habitation of the Holy Spirit. He said that because of the Lord’s will and purpose he has been made a prisoner unto God for the sake of the Gentiles who are beloved of God. He raises a hypothetical and says if ye have heard of that fact that Jesus has made me his prisoner…If you have heard of His dispensing of His spirit…If you have heard of His mysteries poured upon me, he has done these things for the furtherance of the Gospel…that you too could be in the fold and know what is the length, breadth, depth, and height that His love reaches to save a wretch like me. These mysteries weren’t given to anyone else, but He chose a people unto himself that would do His will and abide in His love. 

Ephesians 3:8-14

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by faith of him.
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

He gives a self-examination or self-portrait, and he reflects on what the Lord has done. He says unto me, the least of the saints. He was one who was birthed out of time, meaning one of the last to come to the knowledge of God. He persecuted the church. The Lord granted grace and favor to be called, to be chosen, and equipped with the gifts, talents, and the Word from on High to preach to the Gentiles His unsearchable riches of Christ. His spiritual riches are prepared and stored up for us. We cannot search out or understand the length, breadth, depths, or heights of His love that He has bestowed upon to include mercy, grace, gentleness, forgiveness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, etc.
So the reason the Lord called me and granted me that grace and favor is so that men could see what is the fellowship of the mystery. He said so all could see, not some. I’ve gone through what I’ve gone through, so you could see the sufferings for His name’s sake, but you can also see the restoration and deliverance. You can also see that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all. This is the fellowship of the mystery that by faith all things are possible. Men move by worldly wisdom and knowledge and precepts of men, but then God appointed me that all men can see that the righteousness shall not be forsaken nor His seed begging bread. All men shall see that we all have something to give and do in the kingdom of God. The things we are privileged to see today were once hidden in God in the beginning. People weren’t seeking to be joint-heirs with the Word of God and feared death if they even thought to enter the Holy of Holies. Now he has granted grace and mercy, and He counted it not robbery to be equal with Him. The signs, miracles, and wonders were hidden. The prophetic words of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding were hidden. Speaking with unknown tongues, those things were hidden. But then, it was made known through the Son, Jesus Christ, by His spirit whom we are joint-heirs. Jesus Christ, by the Word, created all things for His good pleasure, and His intent was that by principalities and powers He would also reveal His wisdom from on High. His intent from the beginning was to give His wisdom to His church. It was reserved for His bride. The wisdom is the application. The Lord Jesus Christ is saying He wants us to know how to walk by faith. I want you to know how to apply my Word to your life. I am not giving you Word in hopes of you failing or to trip you up but so you do what pleases me.

John 8:28-29
Then said Jesus unto them, when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
The Lord is revealing His wisdom according to His eternal purpose that we walk and live in the unity of the Holy Spirit for eternity. Therefore, because I’m revealing my wisdom in you that you may abound from faith to faith and glory to glory, I desire that you walk in boldness and confidence by faith with the hope of redemption. Therefore, having known these things, do not faint at my tribulations that I’m allowing to glorify you. These tribulations are to take you higher heights and deeper depths. These tribulations are appointed to refine you and have you tried and true that you come forth pure as gold.

1 Peter 1:6-10
​Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 
The Lord says to greatly rejoice through your times of trouble. It is needful for these seasons to come so that your faults manifest and remain. Remember, there are no temptations that are uncommon to man, but the Lord has been tempted and overcome every weakness and infirmity on the cross. Praise in the spirit for the heaviness. Put on the whole armor to include the garment of praise. The Lord said the trials of our faith are precious in His self. It’s more precious than gold. It is precious to God to see His saints tried and purified that we have clean hands and a pure heart, being found blameless and without sport when the Lord comes. Walk in His purified love, and remember He loved you first. He chose you for salvation even before the foundation of the worlds. He foreknew you. Rejoice knowing that you have been privileged for these appointed times to walk in unity with His Holy Spirit, times that the holy apostles and prophets couldn’t comprehend until now but still were used to prophesy for our sake. Then Paul says because of these things I kneel down and pray to our Father Jesus Christ who art in Heaven and who named all things that are in heaven and in the earth. Meaning, that may God of all creation, who has authority over all things; I pray that He bestow upon you from His unsearchable riches to be strengthened in your spirit man to run the race, enduring hardness as a good soldier, and do the works of faith that you were purposed to do in Him from the beginning. Jesus Christ is your advocate with the Father. Although you do not see Him, He dwells in your heart by faith. Do not forget that He is always there when you’re going through. He said He will never leave you nor forsake you. You being established on a firm foundation of faith with him being the chief cornerstone has rooted and grounded you in love. Therefore, purified love shows outwardly and inwardly. Although it may that the Lord is singling you out, He has poured upon each of us His love that we may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Because I’m in love with Jesus…because I’m planted in His love, there is a spiritual comprehension. There is a spiritual understanding. I fear Him as God. I understand His will. I understand to pray and to wait on the Lord and be of good courage. I understand that He is not slack with His coming, but He is longsuffering, compelling souls daily as needed to be saved. We understand with all the saints. We are all members of one body. When one is suffering, we are all suffering and being tried by fire. He is revealing to us at every angle in every way possible what manner of love He has loved us with, in doing so equipping us to become sons and daughters. He granted it to us to know such a love. That love the heavens cannot contain themselves. It passes beyond our knowledge as human beings, but it fills us to the fullness of God to capacity. Having said these things, Jesus O’Lord, we know that you are able to do greater than these things. A greater work will you do such as never has been seen or done before. For you have said that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Cor 2:9) It hadn’t come to our hearts or minds what we should ask or think, and yet the abundance has been stored up for in heavenly places. When I consider that love that has been stored up…reserved, more than I have room enough to receive. When I consider that power…I must let Him do the work in me. His Spirit will work if we let Him. To God be the glory forever and ever. Surely that makes you want to rejoice in His spirit of holiness.
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