Part 4 – Unbelief In His ALL-Sufficiency is an Offense to God Our Father

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Those ‘Little Foxes’ Still Loose in the Church Today.

In spite the foregoing revelation of the truth, people still pray as though God is hard of hearing, or that He is reluctant to meet us in our need, or they think they must earn His favor first. Frankly, this is the view of the still ignorant, unbelieving, believer.

I’ve used the word “ignorant” a few times not to disparage anyone, but to state the fact that most Christians held in today’s religious institutions of men just do not know the Total Truth for today in the age of God’s pure grace.

The fact is that He has provided is with the truth concerning our wherewithal to endure ALL things by understanding the Cross-work of Christ and our assured eternal salvation in union with Christ. Thus, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” and that “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance [now resident] in the saints

15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:15-18 (KJV)

Considering Paul’s Spirit-inspired words that we’ve recounted in this paper, we can conclude that praying for God to ‘bless other believers’ is REDUNDANT since He has already blessed them “with ALL spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.”!

Rather, let us be those who trust Him in “All things,” for ourselves and for others also. We rather glorify God with ‘All Thanksgiving,’ thus valuing Him and His provision of Jesus Christ as our new, eternal, all-sufficient life.

We can and should live with an eternal viewpoint even while we observe the evil things of earth.

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but [look] at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)

Yet, some still pray for wisdom, or to be made righteous, to have power, and more. Such prayers are contrary to Paul’s words concerning such petitions as seen below. This reveals yet more redundancy heard in the prayers of many Christians who are ignorant of the rich supply that is found in Christ by His “Spirit of life” within us.

But of him [God] are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is [already] made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV)

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think [that is in accord with His plan], according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)

How is it that we can grieve the Holy Spirit? Paul cautions us Grieve Not the Holy Spirit of God,” (Ephesians 4:30). Just think about this - to pray for what we already have (i.e., righteousness, wisdom, power, etc.) reveals to God the fact that we do not yet recognize His All-sufficient blessings now upon us and in us.

Christ bore the cross to be our Savior and then He provided us with His resurrected “Spirit of life” to indwell us, while being ALL that Christ now is as the resurrected Lord of All.

Prayer for the lost:

If you peruse Paul’s prayers as seen in the Bible you no doubt would conclude that Paul’s prayers were always for the furtherance of the Gospel of the grace of God, that it may be made known, and that all men would be saved.

Now let’s consider how we should pray for the lost?

We pray for them already knowing their greatest need, we know the Lord’s immediate will for them … that all men would come to repentance and be saved, again;

 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

So yes, we do pray and supplicate forthe lost’ that they will come to faith in the Lord Jesus to be saved such that they also may enjoy the rich blessings of His indwelling life supply in union with Christ, which all genuine believers possess and should enjoy the inherent benefits thereof.

Note that Paul prayed for the salvation of unbelieving Israel, writing to the believers in Rome, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for [lost] Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). Paul’s desire for the salvation of his lost countrymen led him to pray for their salvation. Although the Nation Israel wasn’t saved during Paul’s lifetime. Paul looked forward in faith to a day when “the fullness of the Gentile’s” would come in and be Raptured off of planet earth because only then will a believing Israel be saved at the Lord’s 2nd coming (cf. Rom 11:25, Zech. 12:10).

Prayer for Believers:

Paul prayed consistently along one theme for believers, that believers would have Revelation, that they may be Enlightened to Understand with all knowledgethe Riches of Christ Within Them.

16  [I Paul] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:16-18 (KJV)

When Christians today pray for “blessings” on each other, which they already have, it simply exposes their childish lack of their knowledge of the word of truth for today and they lack understanding. They don’t know or believe in the Total Sufficiency of ‘the riches of the glory of the inheritance in Christ’ that every believer already possesses in union with Christ in them as their life” (cf. Gal 2:20).

Christ “who is our life” (Col. 3:4) is... our righteousness, security, peace, joy, salvation, sanctification, wisdom, and He is the power within us that is necessary for our successful living and so as to endure in this life on this fallen earth of pain and suffering (cf. 1Cor 1:30, Rom 16:25, Col 3:4a, Eph. 1:13).

We look for the Savior. He will soon take us ‘home’ (Philippians 3:20-21) to “dwell eternal in the heaven (2Cor 5:1).

20  For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21  Who shall change our vile body [of sin and death], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious [resurrection] body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV)

“And Grieve Not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

In spite the foregoing revelation of the truth, people still pray as though God is hard of hearing, or that He is reluctant to meet us in our need, or they think they must earn His favor first. Frankly, this is the view of the still ignorant, unbelieving, believer.

I’ve used the word “ignorant” a few times not to disparage anyone, but to state the fact that most Christians held in today’s religious institutions of men just do not know the Total Truth for today in the age of God’s pure grace.

The fact is that He has provided is with the truth concerning our wherewithal to endure ALL things by understanding the Cross-work of Christ and our assured eternal salvation in union with Christ. Thus, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” and that “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance [now resident] in the saints

15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:15-18 (KJV)

Considering Paul’s Spirit-inspired words that we’ve recounted in this paper, we can conclude that praying for God to ‘bless other believers’ is REDUNDANT since He has already blessed them “with ALL spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.”!

Rather, let us be those who trust Him in “All things,” for ourselves and for others also. We rather glorify God with ‘All Thanksgiving,’ thus valuing Him and His provision of Jesus Christ as our new, eternal, all-sufficient life.

We can and should live with an eternal viewpoint even while we observe the evil things of earth.

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but [look] at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)

Yet, some still pray for wisdom, or to be made righteous, to have power, and more. Such prayers are contrary to Paul’s words concerning such petitions as seen below. This reveals yet more redundancy heard in the prayers of many Christians who are ignorant of the rich supply that is found in Christ by His “Spirit of life” within us.

But of him [God] are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is [already] made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV)

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think [that is in accord with His plan], according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)

Just think about this - to pray for what we already have is to say to God that we don’t yet recognize His All-sufficient blessings now upon us and in us. Christ bore the cross to be our Savior and then He provided us with His resurrected “Spirit of life” to indwell us, and to be all that Christ now is as the resurrected Lord of All.

What about the lost, how should we pray for them?

Yes, we pray for them by already knowing their greatest need and we know the Lord’s immediate will  for them … that all men would come to repentance and be saved, so we do pray and supplicate for the lost that they will come to faith in the Lord Jesus and be saved such that they also may enjoy the rich blessings that all genuine believers should enjoy.

Paul prayed for the salvation of unbelieving Israel, writing to the believers in Rome, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for [lost] Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). Paul’s desire for the salvation of his lost countrymen led him to pray for their salvation. Although Israel wasn’t saved during Paul’s lifetime, he looked forward in faith to a day when “the fullness of the Gentile’s” comes in and is raptured because only then will Israel be saved literally at the Lord’s 2nd coming (cf. Rom 11:25, Zech. 12:10).

Paul prayed consistently along one theme for believers, that believers would have Revelation, that they may be Enlightened to Understand with all knowledgethe Riches of Christ Within Them.

16 I (Paul) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. 17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, 18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), (Ephesians 1:16-18 (AMP)

When Christians today pray for “blessings” on each other it simply exposes their childish lack of understanding of the total sufficiency of ‘the riches of the glory of the inheritance in Christ’ that every believer already possesses in union with Christ as their life” (cf. Gal 2:20). Christ “who is our life” is... our righteousness, security, peace, joy, salvation, sanctification, and He is the power within us that is necessary for our successful living and to endure in this life on this fallen earth (cf. 1Cor 1:30, Rom 16:25, Col 3:4a, Eph. 1:13). He will soon take us ‘home’ (Philippians 3:20-21) to “dwell eternal in the heaven (2Cor 5:1).