17 I pray God...Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in/by the knowledge of Him: 18 (the eyes of your heart having been enlightened); that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 And the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power...

                Summary: In light of the grand plan of God to glorify Himself by pouring out His blessings upon believers...Paul prays that God would cause the animating force of believers' lives to be characterized by the choice and pursuit of eternal objectives, so they would realize (cognitively and then experientially) His best for them.

In Order for Us to Know...

1) This world is not all there is {hope of calling}

2) How we do in the next world is determined by our faithfulness in this world {inheritance}

3) God will provide all we need to faithfully do His will (power}

I. We Need a Wise Spirit

A. Spirit = dominating, animating force

Be renewed Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Glorify God 1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Cleanse 2Co 7:1 Having...promises...let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,

Sanctify 1Th 5:23 ...sanctify you wholly...your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved...

B. Wisdom = choosing the right objectives and the right means of obtaining those objectives

Kinds of spirit 2Ti 1:7 of fear; Jas 4:5 lusts to envy? Ro 8:15 of bondage to fear; Ro 11:8 of slumber; Ro 12:11 Not slothful...fervent in, serving the Lord; Php 1:27 stand fast in one spirit, with one mind; Ga 6:1  of meekness; 2Co 4:13 of faith; Mt 5:3 poor in; Mt 26:41 willing; Ro 1:9 serve with

II. We Need "Enlightened" Knowledge

A. Knowledge = (epignosis) experienced truth

Purpose of Paul's apostleship Tit 1:1 apostle, for the faith...and the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness; (1Ti 2:4)

Source of grace, peace, godliness and sanctification 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue (2Pe 2:20)

Not automatic 2Pe 1:5 And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2Ti 2:25; Heb 10:26)

Means of doing His will and pleasing God Col 1:9-10 For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in/with/by all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Renews us Col 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Causes love to abound Php 1:9 I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;

Brings faith to fruition Phm 1:6...faith may become effectual by the knowledge of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus

B. Heart = the will, where the decision making process occurs

III. We Need God to Give

Know = realization (cognitive and then experiential) serving as a basis for action      Hope = the ability to persevere for the prize

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Is the greatest lack of knowledge in the area of hope of calling, inheritance or power?

2. What influences/determines one's "spirit" on a day-to-day basis?

3. How can we move from knowing about God to knowing God?

4. What causes the breakdown between what we know and what we do?

5. Why is obedience the key to more knowledge?

6. How has your knowing the items in verses 18 and 19 influenced your actions? 

7. How can we obey 2 Peter 1:5?