In Ephesians 1:18, the apostle Paul prays for the Ephesian believers “that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened.” This is a profound prayer that highlights the importance of spiritual understanding and insight for followers of Christ.
To understand this prayer, it’s helpful to first consider the context. In Ephesians 1, Paul has been describing the spiritual blessings that all believers have in Christ. These include election, adoption, redemption, and inheritance in Christ (Eph 1:3-14). Paul then notes that because of these incredible blessings, he hasn’t stopped giving thanks and praying for the Ephesians since he first heard of their faith (Eph 1:15-16).
Paul’s prayer is that God would give the Ephesians the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” so that they may know God better (Eph 1:17). He prays specifically that “the eyes of their hearts” would be enlightened to better grasp three key truths:
- The hope to which God has called them
- The riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints
- The immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward those who believe (Eph 1:18-19)
So this is a prayer for spiritual understanding, insight, and wisdom. Paul uses the unusual phrase “the eyes of your hearts” to convey that he is praying for inner spiritual perception, not merely intellectual knowledge. The “heart” represents the control center of one’s being, including mind, emotions, and will. For believers to really grasp the hope, inheritance, and power available in Christ, they need spiritual eyes to see and savor these divine realities deep in their hearts.
Why does Paul emphasize enlightened “hearts”?
There are several reasons why Paul focuses on having enlightened “hearts”:
- Human minds alone can’t grasp spiritual truths – Our human minds are limited and dependent on our physical brains. True spiritual understanding requires God to open the “eyes of our hearts” through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:14).
- Internalization, not just information – Head knowledge isn’t enough. Spiritual truth must be grasped in our inner being, embraced by our affections and will. Enlightened hearts apply and live out truth.
- Combats spiritual blindness – In their natural state, all people are blinded to spiritual realities by sin (2 Cor 4:4). God must shine His light into our hearts to overcome spiritual darkness (2 Cor 4:6).
- Transformative power – When our hearts grasp the glory, grace, and wonder of the Gospel, it changes who we are. We are “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor 3:18).
- Strengthens faith – Deeper spiritual wisdom fortifies our trust in God amidst trials. Understanding His love and power equips us to suffer and rejoice in Christ.
- Fuels worship – Seeing more of God’s glory leads us to treasure Him more. This strengthens affection, devotion, reverence, and worship.
- Produces obedience – Enlightened hearts overflow in joyful obedience. We obey God from delight, not mere duty. Understanding truth leads to living truth.
What are the “eyes of our hearts” enlightened to see?
Paul specifies three aspects of spiritual truth that enlightened hearts grasp in a deeper way:
- The hope of God’s calling – This refers to the glorious future awaiting believers, including the hope of ultimate redemption, resurrection, and eternity with Christ (Rom 8:18-25; Titus 2:13). Enlightened hearts anchor firmly in the confident hope of sharing Christ’s glory.
- The riches of God’s glorious inheritance – God considers believers His treasured possession and promised inheritance (Eph 1:14). Enlightened hearts grasp more fully the privileges and blessings of being God’s cherished children.
- God’s supreme power toward believers – Same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in believers (Eph 1:19-20). Enlightened hearts marvel at this mighty power leading to our victorious resurrection.
Seeing the beauty, grandeur, and sufficiency of God’s provision in these areas leads to greater faith, hope, worship, and endurance. Paul knew that the Ephesians needed spiritual eyes to grasp the magnificence of their position in Christ.
How are our hearts enlightened?
How does this enlightenment of our hearts practically happen? The primary way is through God’s Word and Spirit:
- Scripture – As we humbly study the Bible, the Spirit illuminates its truths to our minds and hearts (Ps 119:130). Scripture gives spiritual insight.
- The Holy Spirit – He is our resident Teacher and Guide who reveals the glories of Christ to us (John 16:13-15). We need the Spirit to open blind eyes.
- Prayer – Like Paul, we must pray for God to give enlightened hearts to us and other believers (Eph 1:17-19). God opens eyes in answer to prayer.
- Faith – We must depend on God’s Spirit to reveal, teach, and illuminate truth. Enlightened hearts come by God’s grace through faith.
- Obedience – As we walk in obedience to God’s Word, He gives us greater understanding of His truth and ways (Ps 119:100).
- Community – God uses other believers to encourage us with spiritual truth in the Body of Christ (Eph 4:11-16). We sharpen one another.
But ultimately, heart enlightenment is a gracious gift of God, not the result of human effort or intelligence (Matt 11:25-27). We can ask Him to give us eyes to see the glory of spiritual realities more clearly.
Why is this prayer so needed today?
Paul’s prayer for enlightened hearts is immensely needed in the church today for several reasons:
- Shallow faith – Many professing believers today have shallow, fragile faith because they lack spiritual understanding of biblical truth about God, salvation, eternity, etc.
- Distracted hearts – Endless diversions and entertainments of the world system compete for our hearts. Our affections need centering on eternal riches in Christ.
- Consumer mindsets – We easily view Christianity as a means to blessing rather than a relationship with the Blessed One. Enlightened hearts find joy in God Himself.
- Suffering and trials – When difficult times come, believers with enlightened hearts endure with hope, confidence, and peace that passes understanding.
- Moral confusion – In an increasingly relativistic culture, enlightened hearts embrace God’s truth and ways from delighted obedience, not mere duty or obligation.
- Evangelism – We must pray for spiritual eyes to be opened in unbelievers just as we were once blind without the Gospel light (2 Cor 4:4-6).
For these reasons, Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians should be our ceaseless prayer for the church today. We desperately need God to keep enlightening the eyes of our hearts through His Spirit and Word!
How does this prayer point us to Christ?
This prayer centers on seeing the glory, beauty, and sufficiency of Christ more fully. The more we behold the excellence of Christ, the more enlightened our hearts become:
- Christ is our hope of glory (Col 1:27)
- All God’s blessings are in Christ (Eph 1:3)
- All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ (Col 2:3)
- Christ is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15)
- It pleased God to have all His fullness dwell in Christ (Col 1:19)
A key aspect of having the “eyes of our hearts” enlightened is seeing and savoring the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ through the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18; 4:4-6). The more we behold Christ’s beauty and sufficiency, the more His truth defines and transforms our lives. Enlightened hearts overflow with the excellence of Christ.
Final Thoughts
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians challenges us to evaluate if we are growing in spiritual understanding that shapes who we are. Do we see deeper dimensions to the hope, inheritance, and power we have in Christ? Are the eyes of our hearts enlightened?
This enlightenment only comes as we center our hearts on Jesus, God’s Word, and prayer. We can humbly ask our wise Father to give us spiritual eyes to see the all-satisfying glory of Christ and spiritual ears to hear His voice. God delights to answer this prayer and enlighten our hearts by His Spirit through His Word.