1:19Ephesians 1:19

Paul prays that believers in Ephesus would know the hope of God's calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the immeasurably great power directed toward those who believe.GC ix.1+2 That power works according to the strength of His might, the very force that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at God's right hand far above every principality and name, with all things under His feet as head over all things to the church.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+3 By that same power those dead in sin are made alive together with Christ and raised to sit with Him in heavenly places, overcoming every defect of character and spiritual disease.Ms 13, 1892, par. 10–12+3 It is known only as God enlightens the mind and heart by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, which natural reason cannot supply, and as the will is yielded, self is surrendered, and the life is hidden with Christ in God.GC ix.1+4 Those who know it therefore depend on God and Christ alone rather than human strength, receiving wisdom and ability to serve with humility, keep His commandments, and lead souls to truth.21MR 52.4–53.2+4

Paul prayed that the believers at Ephesus would know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe.GC ix.1+4 That prayer makes the verse part of a threefold knowledge God intends His people to have, not as casual information but as enlightened understanding of calling, inheritance, and power together.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+3 The exceeding greatness described is toward believers and works according to the working of His mighty power and the strength of His might.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+2 It is the same mighty force wrought in Christ when He was raised from the dead and set at God's own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name named in this world and the world to come, with all things put under His feet and given to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+2

That knowledge comes as the Father of glory gives the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ and of God, enlightening the eyes of the understanding and the eyes of the heart.GC ix.1+4 The verse describes the ministry of the divine Spirit in enlightening the understanding and opening to the mind the deep things of God's holy Word and the plan of redemption as the blessing sought for the church.GC ix.1+1 This enlightening is how believers recognize the hope of His calling and the power available to those who believe.GC88 dB.5+1 Such discernment is veiled in mystery until the Holy Spirit imparts it, since natural reason and intellect and the greatest human knowledge cannot behold it until God gives light to the soul.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12

Knowing this power is God's purpose for His people and one of the privileges given to the saints faithful in Christ Jesus.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+1 It stands among the repeated assurances of acceptance in Christ given through the whole chapter, to be studied and claimed in all its depth and fullness.Lt 61, 1910, par. 10–11 Those who know it were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame, predestined to adoption as children by Jesus Christ, made accepted in the Beloved, redeemed through His blood with forgiveness of sins, given wisdom and prudence, given an inheritance, and gathered together in Christ in the fullness of times.7MR 373.3–375.2 To have the understanding enlightened to know this power, with the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, shows that every human being is of consequence with God.7MR 373.3–375.2+1

God's power toward those who believe is exceedingly, immeasurably great, working according to the working of His mighty power and the strength of His might.Ms 55, 1903, par. 10+4 It is measured by that working, and believers are to grasp it as they grow in spiritual understanding and experience, when it makes truth powerful in converting souls.Lt 126, 1898, par. 3–5+2 To have the eyes of the understanding enlightened to know this power, with the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, shows that every human being is of consequence with God.Lt 126, 1898, par. 3–5+1

It is the same mighty force God wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+4 Believers receive that immeasurably great power working in them with the same mighty power by which He raised Christ and exalted Him above every power and authority.Lt 105, 1904, par. 16–19+4 That enlightened, Spirit-taught knowledge and experience of God's power should be the condition of men placed in His churches and institutions, who seek Him with the whole heart and find Him a present help in every time of need.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+1

The risen Christ is set far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+3 All things are put under His feet, and He is given to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.Ms 90, 1903, par. 17–20+3 Believers were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame, predestined to adoption as children by Jesus Christ, made accepted in the Beloved, redeemed through His blood with forgiveness of sins, given wisdom and prudence, given an inheritance, and gathered together in Christ in the fulness of times.7MR 373.3–375.2

In that exaltation Christ has absolute power over nature, demons, death, and all spiritual powers.Lt 32, 1903, par. 10–13 Believers can therefore trust Him as the great Physician to heal physical and spiritual infirmities.Lt 32, 1903, par. 10–13

Knowing this power requires enlightened eyes of understanding and a mind made adaptable to truth, with heart and mind brought into harmony with God who is truth.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12+2 Its glory is veiled in mystery until the Holy Spirit imparts discernment, for it cannot be beheld by natural reason and intellect nor by the greatest human knowledge until God gives light to the soul.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12 This enlightened understanding belongs to the spiritual inheritance and hope given in Christ, and it is needed for practical godliness and daily conversion.Lt 126, 1898, par. 3–5+1

Beholding Jesus with the eye of faith, the believer sees no glory in self because the Redeemer's glory is reflected into mind and heart.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12 With gratitude the believer realizes the atonement of His blood and the taking away of sin, and being justified by Christ makes entire surrender to God and learns from Him who is meek and lowly of heart.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12 The love of God is shed abroad in the heart, and by grasping the rich promises of faith the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature, emptied of self so that the waters of life flow in and the glory of the Lord shines forth.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12 By perpetually looking unto Jesus the human is assimilated by the divine and changed into His likeness, and this glory is discerned only by the spiritual eye.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12

The power is entered by yielding the will to Christ, for while impulses and emotions cannot be controlled at will, the will itself can be controlled.MYP 152.2 By that yielding the life is hid with Christ in God and allied to the power above all principalities and powers, an alliance that holds the person fast to God's strength and makes new light possible, even the light of living faith.MYP 152.2 That alliance requires the will to cooperate with God's will and not with the will of associates used to ensnare and destroy.MYP 152.2 The working of the Spirit must be sensed and understood with strained mental powers, revealing what Christ is and what God is, with Christ come into the world to establish Himself as the Center, and it can be seen only by being born again.Ms 12, 1893, par. 22–23

It is the Holy Spirit of God to be drunk, not the wine of erroneous doctrines, saving souls, bringing minds and thoughts into captivity to the will of Christ and putting His superscription upon humanity under God's controlling influence.Ms 12, 1893, par. 22–23 Those who behold are changed from glory to glory and from character to character, yet the power is felt only by those who have fallen upon the Rock and been broken.Ms 12, 1893, par. 22–23 Christ purposes to enlighten to know this exceeding greatness all who deny self, take up the cross, and follow in His footsteps, a blessedness of following His guidance that cannot be expressed in words.Lt 123, 1902, par. 9–10 He pledges Himself to work with those who strive to represent Him in thought, word, and deed, giving assurances to encourage them when cast down and speaking words to uplift them without exalting them in their own estimation, and giving them the earnest of His Spirit in recognition of their weakness in wearing His yoke.Lt 123, 1902, par. 9–10

The power is the power of the grace of God manifested in leading men away from their own thoughts and desires and making them willing to die to self, leading them to believe on Christ and trust in Him.Lt 123, 1902, par. 9–10 It raises them from spiritual death to spiritual life and to immortality, and seals them as His forever because of obedience to His commands.Lt 123, 1902, par. 9–10 Knowing Him and the power of His grace is gained not by casual interest but by earnest travail for souls in going after the lost sheep, by earnest heart-searching and prayerful seeking for God.Lt 8, 1895, par. 36–38 In prayer believers are to trust God's promises without waiting to see or feel an answer, and to thank Him as receiving the blessing they have asked for, assured that His mighty power will bring it about when it is most needed.DA 200.1–2+2

The same mighty working that raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him to heaven operates toward believers, and by it those dead in sin are quickened together with Christ by grace and raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.Ms 13, 1892, par. 10–12+1 Hope and inheritance are made known through Christ living in them.Ms 13, 1892, par. 10–12 That knowing of Him and the power of His grace comes not by casual interest but by earnest travail for souls, heart-searching, and prayerful seeking.Lt 8, 1895, par. 36–38

The exceeding greatness of power is given to believers to overcome every defect of character, so that no one need deceive himself that defects are not grievous or retain wrong habits as if they cannot be overcome.RH Jun 11, 1901+1 It enables victory over even the most objectionable traits, cleanses hearts from all defilement, heals every spiritual disease, and stands as the gospel remedy for the curse of sin.RH Nov 5, 1901 Christ, exalted above every authority with absolute power over nature, demons, death, and all spiritual powers, can be trusted as the great Physician to heal physical and spiritual infirmities.Lt 32, 1903, par. 10–13

Through Christ the Prince of Life, believers are defended against Satan and their enemies, their foes are subdued, and they are made conquerors and more than conquerors.Ms 41, 1897, par. 28–30+1 He is Redeemer and Mediator, subjecting believers to Himself and presenting them to God as loyal subjects of His kingdom.Ms 41, 1897, par. 28–30+1 The working of the Spirit puts His superscription upon humanity brought under God's controlling influence, bringing minds and thoughts into captivity to Christ.Ms 12, 1893, par. 22–23 Beholding Jesus with the eye of faith leaves no glory in self, for His glory reflected into mind and heart brings grateful realization of atonement and taking away of sin, entire surrender, meekness learned from Him, love shed abroad in the heart, partaking of the divine nature emptied of self, so that the waters of life flow in and the Lord's glory shines forth as the beholder is assimilated by the divine and changed from glory to glory and from character to character into His likeness.Ms 64, 1895, par. 11–12+1

Grasped through growing spiritual understanding and experience, this power makes truth powerful in converting souls and supplies the divine power needed to do the work of leading souls to truth.Lt 45, 1897, par. 31+1 Christ's death and resurrection have opened before every sin-sick soul an unlimited source of power to draw from and a supply of grace waiting for demand.RH Nov 5, 1901 That union with Christ in good works enables running in the path of obedience and representing to the world the meekness and lowliness learned from the Saviour.RH Nov 5, 1901

The exceeding greatness of power toward those who believe works with the same mighty force displayed in raising Christ from the dead and exalting Him above every authority and every name.21MR 52.4–53.2+1 That power is therefore the ground for humble, wholly consecrated service in dependence on God and Jesus Christ alone as counselor, not on any human teacher or on one's own strength.21MR 52.4–53.2+1 Every shepherd of the flock has the privilege to know God and the power of His grace, receiving the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him and receiving wisdom and unerring judgment from God who gives liberally.13MR 25.2–26.4+1 Such a minister appointed to a portion of the Lord's vineyard is to seek wisdom from God and not depend on human counsel, to study circumstances with humility and faith, and to plan and extend labor wherever necessity demands, with God as co-laborer.13MR 25.2–26.4 Knowing Him and this power is gained not by casual interest but by earnest travail for souls in going after the lost sheep, by earnest heart-searching and prayerful seeking for God.Lt 8, 1895, par. 36–38

The result is wise and successful labor, with religious experience and Christian life and history marked not as tame and commonplace but by grace and the decided working of God's power with human effort.13MR 25.2–26.4+1 Those presenting present truth from the pulpit must first talk with God in prayer, hide self in Jesus, receive the Holy Spirit, and stand where they can be worked by the Spirit, and then speak to the people in the power of that Spirit.RH Mar 24, 1904 That wisdom, enlightenment of the eyes of the understanding to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of His power, is for solemn, sacred work for souls for whom Christ died who are in the valley of decision and who may have life that measures with the life of God.RH Mar 24, 1904 God provides that strength, the very mighty power wrought in Christ when He was raised from the dead, to those who lay hold of divine power so they can rightly represent their Master and reveal Him to men and to angels as His co-laborers in refraining from sin, keeping the commandments, and proclaiming the soon coming of the Saviour.Ms 198, 1898, par. 12–13

Believers' strength and ability to serve come from God, not from themselves, enabling them to learn from Him and work as He worked.Lt 96, 1898, par. 30–31+1 Knowing this power working in them with the same mighty power displayed when God raised Christ and seated Him in heaven is part of the wisdom and understanding needed for practical godliness and daily conversion.Lt 96, 1898, par. 30–31 The exceeding greatness of God's power to those who believe stands among the repeated assurances of acceptance in Christ given through the whole chapter, as a divine promise to be studied and claimed in all its depth and fulness, and faith in that power keeps physicians and teachers from leaning on the arm of the law and trusting in worldly powers.Lt 61, 1910, par. 10–11 Earnest prayer for enlightenment of the eyes of the understanding to know this power gives determination to watch and pray unceasingly, to strive against every imperfection, and to grow in grace, instead of deceiving oneself that defects are not grievous or retaining wrong habits by thinking they cannot be overcome.RH Jun 11, 1901 The first chapter sets forth the order of the Lord for His work, requiring no lessening of zeal, fervor, and energy in saving souls ready to perish, yet forbidding consuming all time and means in one line of work while the work for God's vineyard as a whole is neglected, which brings in disproportion and sways the work into wrong lines.Lt 85, 1900, par. 17