How to Pray for One Another: Paul's Prayer in Ephesians 1

In brief: Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15–23 gives Christians a pattern for praying for each other: that we would know God better, know the hope and riches of His calling, and know His incomparably great power. These are not new blessings, but a deeper awareness of the riches we already have in Christ.

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers."

Ephesians 1 v 15-16

Last week we began a mini-series of reflections exploring the kinds of biblical prayers we can pray for each other at Christ Church. We began with a prayer of Paul for the Ephesians from Ephesians 3. This week we are circling back in the same letter to look at a stunning prayer in 1 v 15-23.

Riches Beneath Our Feet

In the late 1980s, surveyors made a surprising claim: there might be vast reserves of oil beneath Windsor Castle. The royal family already enjoyed extraordinary wealth and privilege — yet there was the possibility of even more, hidden right under their feet. Riches they hadn't yet explored.

Paul says something similar to the Christians in Ephesus.

In the opening verses of chapter 1, he has already described their spiritual privileges in a breathtaking sweep: chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, sealed with the Spirit, given an eternal inheritance. They are spiritually wealthy beyond measure. Yet Paul prays for them — because there is more for them to see, more for them to experience, more for them to enjoy. Not new blessings as such, but deeper awareness of the blessings already beneath their feet.

His prayer gives us a beautiful pattern for how we can pray biblically for each other.

1. That we would know God better (v.17)

Paul's first request is that God would give His people "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation" so that they may know Him better. Not simply know about Him but know Him personally and intimately — the way a trusted friend's presence steadies and shapes you. This is the foundation of all Christian growth. Everything else flows from knowing God more deeply.

2. That we would know the hope and riches of His calling (v.18)

Paul prays that the "eyes of your heart" would be enlightened to grasp two connected truths:

• the hope God has secured for His people — resurrection, renewal, glory, and the life to come with Christ;

• the riches of God's inheritance — the astonishing reality that we are His treasured possession.

Earlier in verse 14, Paul spoke about our inheritance — the future God has prepared for us. Here in verse 18 he gives the other side of the picture: God will inherit us. We are His special possession, His joy, His delight. Paul wants believers to live with a deep awareness of both their secure future and their immeasurable worth in God's eyes.

3. That we would know His incomparably great power (v.19–23)

Finally, Paul prays that believers would know the scale of God's power at work in them in this present age as we await our future inheritance — the same power that raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him above every authority. This is resurrection power: strength to endure, courage to obey, and confidence to trust God in every circumstance.

A final encouragement

The royal family never explored the potential riches beneath their feet. Paul prays so that the Ephesians — and we — won't make the same mistake. God has placed extraordinary spiritual blessings beneath our feet. So let's pray for each other, week by week, that we would see them, savour them, and live them.

A prayer for each other

Father, open the eyes of our hearts. Help us know You better. Help us grasp the future hope You've given us and the riches of being Your treasured possession. Help us know Your resurrection power at work in us now. Let these truths move from our heads to our hearts, and from our hearts into our lives. Amen.

Blessings, Rev Rob

Key Takeaways

• Christians are already spiritually rich in Christ: chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and sealed with the Spirit.

• Paul prays that we would know God personally, not just know about Him.

• God's inheritance is His people: we are His treasured possession.

• The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in believers now.

• Praying Ephesians 1:15–23 for each other helps us see, savour and live these riches.

Pray with us: Join us on Sunday, share a prayer request, or pray together in a house group. For more, explore our prayer reflections.