Intercession: The Throne Ministry # 33

Corporately Praying the Word (continued)

For this reason [because I preached that you are thus builded together], I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of, on behalf of, you the nations - assuming that you heard of the administration, the dispensation, the stewardship of the grace of God which was given to me for you, that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery even as I wrote above (before) in brief, by which ye are able when you read to understand, to perceive, my insight, my understanding, my knowledge in the mystery of Christ which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles, the nations, are joint-heirs and a joint-body and joint-sharers of the Promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given me according to the operation of the power of Him.

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God's consecrated people) this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted; to proclaim to the Gentiles, the nations, the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ, - the incomprehensible wealth of Christ which no human being could have searched out. And to make all men see, to bring to light, to enlighten all [as to] what is the fellowship, the administration, the stewardship of the mystery which has been hidden from the ages in God Who created all things, in order that there might be made known now to the principalities and powers, to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies through the Church, the manifold, multifarious, many-sided, many-faceted Wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects, according to the eternal timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in the (Person of) Christ Jesus our Lord."

[These Scriptures above are taken from various translations of the Gospel of John, Ephesians and Colossians.]

And so again, as Paul reveals by the Spirit that which had been hidden in God's Heart since times eternal, as he wrote of the unsearchable riches of Christ, he burst into prayer and praise! And because he is in the Spirit, he prays in the Spirit; and thus his prayer continues to bring forth the revelation of Christ' Fullness. He prays that we may comprehend with all the saints the love of Christ.

When Paul began to pray this prayer in the Spirit, it was a spontaneous flow from his heart, a spontaneous flow from his spirit and soul, as he was writing to his brethren from his cell in the Roman prison.

Paul was in prison when he wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Paul was in prison when he wrote of our "spiritual blessings" in Christ:

God hath chosen us in Christ -
God hath predestinated us in Christ -
God hath made us accepted in the Beloved
       In Whom we have redemption -
God hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence -
God made known unto us the Mystery of His will, which is that
       He might gather together in one all things in The Christ -
God hath sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 34)