In this series, we consider the biblical reasons why we should engage in intercessory prayer, the faithful pattern we should follow when praying for others, and most importantly, the specific content we should prioritize in our prayers. Rather than praying primarily for physical needs, comfort, or circumstances, all of which we should pray for, Paul's example reveals what matters most in the Christian life.

The Bible teaches that Paul doesn't offer casual or occasional prayers—he continually prays to God, thanking Him for the Ephesians' faith and pleading that they would grow. But at the heart of his prayer is something even deeper: a request for spiritual illumination—that God, by His Spirit, would open the eyes of their hearts to truly understand and embrace the riches they already possess in Christ.

The Bible teaches that Paul prays not for new revelation, but for believers to truly grasp and love the truth already revealed in Scripture—to have the eyes of their hearts enlightened. Pastor Tom will show us how God's Word and the Holy Spirit work together not only for salvation, but for lasting spiritual growth that transforms how we see Christ and His riches.

Today Pastor Tom explains how genuine spiritual growth means increasing in the knowledge of God—not merely knowing facts about Him, but growing in a deep, personal, experiential relationship grounded in Scripture.

The Bible teaches that Paul prays not for something new but for illumination through the Holy Spirit we already have in Christ. Pastor Tom Pennington shows us that spiritual growth comes through the Spirit's ongoing work of opening our minds to understand Christ as He is revealed in Scripture.

Ephesians 1, Paul prays that believers would understand "the hope of His calling," a hope not marked by uncertainty but by absolute confidence in the promises secured for us through the gospel—salvation in Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians 1, Paul prays that the Holy Spirit would open the eyes of our hearts so we would truly grasp the hope of God's calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

The Bible teaches that in Ephesians 1, Paul prays that the Holy Spirit would open the eyes of our hearts to grasp "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints"—an amazing reality that throughout Scripture refers to God's people as His own treasured inheritance.

In Ephesians 1, Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to grasp "the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe"—the very power that raised Christ from the dead. Pastor Tom will explain why we desperately need God's power to have victory in the Christian life and how to lay hold of what's already ours.