Living Stones – Friday, November 17, 2017
Strength
Ephesians 3:16
… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man …
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, discusses the mystery of Christ extensively in chapter 3. In verses 14 to 21 Paul focus on his prayers for the Ephesians, and among the things he prays for on their behalf is strength, particularly strength in the “inner man.”
I must tell you at the outset that I do not pray for strength for myself. I have learned my lesson. Many years ago I though it necessary to build some muscle on to my skinny frame. I joined the Fitness Paradise Gym and turned up for my first session. I had a very good time as they tested me and pushed me. I found out that my legs were particularly strong, and so I did many more reps on the machine pushing weights with my legs. I went home with dreams of being strong pretty soon.
The next morning, I woke up and got out of bed and looked back to see that my body was still on the bed. At least that is what the experience seemed like at the time. The pain was too much for my body to get out of bed quickly. That day I needed an extra hour to complete my usual 30-minute preparation for work. I quit the gym.
However, I learned some important lessons about strength. Strength is developed under pressure and is proven when tested under pressure. In other words, I fear that if I pray for strength I would have to endure pressure to build that strength, and then some more pressure to prove that strength. I try to avoid the pressure.
Dictionary definitions of strength are easy to come by, here are some: 1. The state, property, or quality of being strong. 2. The power to resist attack; impregnability. 3. The power to resist strain or stress; durability. 4. The ability to maintain a moral or intellectual position firmly. And 5. Capacity or potential for effective action: a show of strength.
Paul, though, in this Ephesian letter, is speaking specifically about strength in the “inner man.” Scripture defines the term “inner man” as being the spirit of a man. Scripture also teaches that an alive and active and growing inner man grows in strength even if the physical man is perishing. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16.
Our “inner man” does not suffer fatigue and doesn’t age. Our “inner man” is that which will survive the events of our death or other transition to the life hereafter. Our “inner man” is the place where most of our life’s battles are fought. There are some battles that are particularly physical in nature, like our sexual proclivities. However, never mind what sexual sin does to the body, the real damage is to the spirit.
But we still have, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to strengthen the inner man. If we extend my gym model we need some routines and then, some tests.
Our routines are clearly outlined in Colossians 3:1-17. It starts with mental discipline, “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” And it includes sexual purity, “put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” And it also includes putting off, “all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” Finally, our routines include character change and an improvement in our relationships with others.
When we practice these routines, our test may come in one of, or a combination of some of the following: temptations, own lusts (James 1:14) and like Sampson, schemes of the enemy (including demonic activity, generational proclivities), people (both within and without relationships), mental/psychological change (Romans 12:1-2), emotional, physical (youthful lusts), and character.
Every now and then we meet or hear about a Christian who failed the moral or ethical tests and we discover that they were not who we taught them to be. They often adorned themselves outwardly but failed at the development of the inner man. Peter refers to this in his discourse with women in 1 Peter 3:3-4. “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
And Jesus gave a dire warning, in more colourful language, in Matthew 23:27-28. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Despite my preference for avoiding pressure, we have to strengthen the “inner man.”
Think on these things:
- How strong are you in the inner man?
- Are you conscious of performing those routines that help with the development of the inner man?
- Have you ever been tested in ways described above, and if so how did you respond?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that, we would, by our daily routines, be strengthened in the inner man, and withstand the tests of our strength.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex