EPHESIANS OUTLINE # 8 of 34

Seeing With The Eyes of Your Soul (Eph. 1:15-18)

1. Introduction

A. The apostle Paul gives us one of the most beautiful and meaningful prayers in

all of literature.

1. There is no ambiguous generalization in this prayer.

2. He zeroed in on those things that he wanted the lord to do for than.

B. He prayed that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened.

1. The Greek word refers to the cognizant person.

2. Whatever you are consciously, understandingly, responsively, intelligently is all included in this word.

II. Paul then Speaks of the Eyes Soul Being Enlightened.

A. The word enlightened means illuminated or filled with light.

1. This expression "eyes of your soul" is found nowhere else in the Bible.

2. However, it is found in Greek secular literature.

3. Plato in his writings used those exact words.

4. Describing Pythagoras, Ovid said, what nature denied. to human sight

he drew forth with the eyes of the soul.

B. Seeing with the eyes of the soul- that is intuitive insight.

I. The printer sees with the eye of the soul. He points what his soul feels and sees.

2. The architect sees with the eyes of the soul. The architect sees with the soul before the skyscraper becomes a reality.

3. This merely illustrates what the Bible is teaching us.

C. Paul speaks of this illumination in 2 Cor.4:6- God is the One who illumines our heart.

1. The Holy Spirit assignment is to enlighten our souls.

2. The Holy Spirit takes the things of God and reveals them to us.

3. A natural man cannot receive the things of God neither can he know

them because they are foolish to Him. (I Cor 2:14 )

4. A person has to be enlightened before he can see. (! Cor 2:9-12)

5. The psalmist in Ps.119:18 said; Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

III. He then speaks of the Spirit of Wisdom. Sophia

A. logic and reason can explain in part but of itself logic fails miserably and dismally.

1. The Greeks played around with logic and with metaphysics and loved doing it.

An author named Zeller wrote a book called Outlines Of Greek Philosophy. In that book he presents a Greek sophist by the name of Gargius. By metaphysics Gargius proved that motion is impossible- logically, reasonably, intellectually.

2. First, a thing cannot 'rove from where it is because if it does, it is not there. Second, a thing cannot move from where it is not; that is obvious. Third, where it is, and where it is not are the only possible places that there are. Therefore, a thing cannot move. Now one can think about that forever. That is logic.

3. logic by itself leads you nowhere.

B. God wants to give us the gift of sophia,

inward intuitive wisdom, the ability to see with the eyes of the soul.

IV. Finally, Paul Prays for the Gift of Revelation

A. The Greek word is Apocalypse- it means unveiling or uncovering.

1. Things have to be uncovered by God for everything about God is a mystery. One cannot explain God.

2. If we are to understand, He must reveal it to us. This is true even of the plan of salvation.

3. Jesus said in John 6- No one can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

B. You do not become a Christian through logic or reason.

1. You do not get to heaven because you are intelligent.

2. The vehicle by which one gets to heaven is by the enlightenment of our souls.

You cannot know the Lord any other way .

3. Have you had a struggle believing and accepting the reality of God and the

fact of a born again experience.

C. I have already stated you cannot know God unless He reveals Himself to you.

1. If you are having trouble believing come to the Lord in this fashion; Lord

I do not know you but if you are real I would like to know you.

2. If you will reveal yourself to me - I will trust you and confess you as my Savior.

3. If anyone desires to know His will - God will reveal Himself to that person.

( Jo. 7:17 )

4. Allow the Holy Spirit to illumine your soul and fill you with light in order that you might see with the eyes of your soul.

D. Allow God to lead you to that Holy place of trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

1. He will take the scales from your eyes. Make that commitment right now in your

heart.

2. Oh taste and see that the Lord a is good

3. Determine this morning that you will see with the eyes of your soul.