The Ask

We are all familiar with the infamous Sherlock Holmes. A private detective in Britain folklore, he had the ability and perception to solve mysterious crimes like no one else. His powers of observation and interpretation of evidence led him to apprehend the perpetrator with uncanny ease.

We all want and desire to have increasing spiritual perception in our Christian walk in order to live victoriously and follow faithfully after Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we often forget that our spiritual bank accounts are filled with spiritual riches that we rarely perceive and draw on.

Paul commended the Ephesian believers for their faith and love for all the saints. This was life transforming for them and people noticed. So did Paul! ... and he gave thanks to God continually. The gospel was bearing fruit in their lives. But their spiritual eyes were not totally opened. There was SO MUCH MORE to know about being in Christ and his glorious blessings. How could he increase their spiritual perception?

He couldn’t.

But God could. And that is why he made the ASK of the Heavenly Father. We so often underestimate the privilege God gives us to continually pray for God’s hand to move in someone’s life. We certainly understand that it is only God who GIVES this spiritual perception into what is already ours in Christ. He does so through the agency of the Holy Spirit. But He wants us to ASK… to INTERCEDE for others that they may perceive just what is available to them when they have eyes totally opened by God.

We are CALLED to this ministry as the apostle Paul was. And God makes us great influencers through the channel of prayer. All of us are amazed when a child understands something really well for the first time… like the fact that they can really ride a bike on their own if they pedal and steer well! The revelation and elation on the face of a child is unforgettable. Think of how we might all live differently once we perceive how trustworthy, how powerful, how eternally secure we are in Christ. Now that’s worth praying for!