Chapter 9
“…that He (Father) would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith…” Ephesians 3:16-17(a)
Let’s apply what we we’ve been talking about from the last time we made conversation to the portion of Paul’s prayer noted above. Now that may seem a bit funny to you, because we all know I’m referring to the Heart of the Matter article in September’s newsletter. Well, many of you know me well enough to know that I can operate a bit out of the norm at times, ha! This may be one of those times in your estimation, but, be that as it may, I really do think of these writings as conversations. I really do think of you talking back to me (in your minds at least) as you read along. Sometimes you may chuckle with me -- but not at me too often, I hope. Some of you may identify with me at times (in a safe, sort of distant way, of course). Once in a while some of you may have encountered a bit of difficulty understanding me, I’m told (which just might be the height of normality). Some of you love me more than what I say and vice versa. I think there are even times that some of you disagree with me (and possibly yell at me from time to time?) That’s OK. I only hope that you interact with both the scriptures and my commentary enough to get yourself engaged; maybe even enough to stimulate some serious thought, subsequent action and/or substantive development. Now that would make for great conversation! So…let’s get on to the application.
Paul thinks we need to be strengthened with might in our inner man through the Holy Spirit in order for us to genuinely partake in and then display Father’s eternal purpose, which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (see 3:11). Do you agree? (Answer me.) Have you ever even thought about it? (Talk back to me.) If you have, do you know how that might happen? Do you know what results that would produce in your life, the church, the world? Has it ever happened in your Christian experience? (Keep talking.) Was it an instantaneous thing or the product of some discipline or pursuit? Did it last? (Tell the truth.) Was the change a result of some concerted prayer on your part, or possibly on the part of someone who loves you? What did (or has) the Lord said to you about it? Let me give a personal example here that has application for me right now.
I remember a time/season a couple of years ago when I could not open my mouth in prayer without praying for strength. It made no difference if I was praying for others or myself, in public or in private. This issue of strength was on my lips all the time. This went on for over a year, during which time I attached various points of meaning to it. Then one of my closest friends died. I was in need of strength! And so were many others I knew. I can clearly say that the Lord was my strength in those days, praise God; however, those first few weeks were not the extent of my need for strength by any measure. The year that followed was a very stringent test of my inner man. It seems that the Lord had used the death of one of His saints to uncover some “stuff” in me that needed to be exposed so that it would not remain hidden and/or un-dealt-with. I truly believe that all those prayers for strength were at work on my behalf in this time of trial and testing – and Paul’s prayers too. God was at work inside of me to change, tear down, rebuild, and strengthen in terms of His own characteristics. He was and is at work to do what had not been done, and would not be done, if I had been left on my own reconnaissance. He has been at work in terms of His own good will and pleasure, and the interior decorating project has indeed demanded some work, along with fear and trembling on my part to say the least. So be it! That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
We all have several components in our inner man. Throughout his letters Paul speaks of us as being made up of spirit, soul and body, and he is not the only biblical writer who refers to the interior components of man. Whereas we know that we are totally integrated beings, one whole in which all parts are interdependent by design, we can look at any given part or grouping of parts to learn how it/they operate(s) and benefit greatly by the exercise. In fact it is quite healthy to be able to look at and address different arenas in our being that need attention of one kind or another. This type of consciousness is a very real part of maturity. This is the kind of result Paul is praying for in this passage.
I understand our inner man, our souls, to be made up of these three parts – our minds, which have the shape of our intellect or intelligence; our emotions, which have the shape of our temperament; and our wills or volition, which have the shape of our motivational gifting. From the perspective of “this life” where we seem to live “in” our bodies, we can easily talk about our spirits (which have now been made alive once again by God in Christ – see John 1:12-13; 3:1-7) as a part of our inner man. From an eternal perspective, however, this is not the case for it is our spirits which are the “largest” part of us and which define us, so to speak. Our spirits have the shape of our godliness, sonship, destiny, calling and spiritual gifts. Each part of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made – each part is good.
Paul asks Father to draw out of the riches of His glory – that would be out of any and all of His unlimited assets – to strengthen our minds, emotions, volitions and spirits by the Holy Spirit who has now come to live in our spirit since new birth. The work of strengthening our spirits is one of growth and development. He is present for just that and it will happen if we feed ourselves with the spiritual food of God’s word, communion/worship, fellowship, prayer, etc; and if we exercise with obedience, walking in the spirit, living by faith, using the gifts of the spirit with which we have been endowed, etc. Then we will produce the fruit of repentance, the fruit of righteousness and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
We need to have
our minds, emotions and volitions strengthened too. This demands a somewhat
different process because we must deal with the effects of sin in these parts
of our being which have been (up to the point of our new birth) thoroughly
immersed in slavery to the dominion of darkness. This is the part of sanctification
that continually involves an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new type of process,
each step of which serves to strengthen us in the inner man. This is where
we learn to die to the old (known as the way of the cross) and live according
to the new (in resurrection life). In this work of sanctification our minds
are renewed, our emotions are healed up/made whole and our volitions are delivered
from tyranny and drought in line with the rule of Christ. It is in this arena
of our souls that the indwelling Spirit of God serves as our point of interface
for the Father in His work of fathering that Hebrews 12 calls child-training.
It is here that He leads us as the Spirit of Christ to be followers, ‘till
Christ is formed in our hearts to the praise of the glory of His grace. Praise,
glory and grace are at the heart of the matter…all the time!