Ephesians 1:17-19 English Standard Version
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
There are smarts, and educated, but neither is enlightened.
Having the eyes of our hearts enlightened is a condition in which we recognize that the condition of our hearts changes as we mature in Christ, becoming what Christ needs us to be.
The immeasurable greatness of His power will not be released from a vessel that is not fit to pore it out.
What hope is this for us if it is not the promises of God to work in us that which is seemly?
We have been declared righteous but we will not activate that righteousness without coming to terms with the fact that He is conforming us into vessels fit for use.
Romans 9:21-23 English Standard Version
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
We are vessels of mercy who have surrender to Christ by faith and allowed Him to mold us into that which will bring honor and glory to the Father according to His will.
We think we are so smart. We become well read and we study His Word every day thinking that the exercise itself is enough. That is pride in performance. It is not until our eyes of understanding are awakened that we recognize that it is the indwelling presence of God that has changed us and not we ourselves.
I have heard many say “God has put it on my heart” some rightly so, some from convincing themselves rather than God convicting them.
Convicted or convinced, which is better?