Inner part 3
The part of Ephesians 3:16 that I want to focus on today is the part that goes like this, "...strengthened with might through his Spirit..." And my main thought is this: When we know who we are--who we REALLY ARE, who we are in Christ, which is who Christ is in us--that's when we are the strongest. Let me say it another way, when we are planted on the Rock we will not--CANNOT--be shaken. And that's what I believe the real issue is in 1 John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Because if sin is unbelief--not what you do, but believing the lie that says you have to DO in order to BE--than by definition a believer cannot sin. Once you know (and believe) the truth, the truth will set you free and make you free. You won't be caught anymore in the religious hamster wheel of works and labor. Of trying to be someone you're not. Of thinking you are weak, but trying to (somehow) be strong. When you know your true identity--because the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding you into all truth by testifying of your true identity by testifying of Jesus--you won't NEED to be anybody. You'll be strong and mighty. When you know that the fire in you is always hotter than the fire you're in, you won't worry about getting burned. You'll be able to love without fear. Which is what perfect love is all about; it (HE) casts out all fear! But I want to say this as loudly and as clearly as I can: True strength is not about overpowering people. It is not about getting your own way. And the Bible says as much in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT), "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged." The all-powerful (not merely MOST powerful, but the force with ALL of the power) God who IS love does not use that power to get His own way. Even Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane said, "Not my will but YOURS be done." Love is more concerned with others than self. That's WHY it's all-powerful. I'm telling you, when we understand that kind of love that God has for us--willing to lay His life down in order to reconcile us to Himself--we will easily and happily be able to lay our lives down for each other. You know my definition of love: Gladly giving all you have and all you are no matter what the response is. Well... that's hard to do if you're "weak of faith." That's hard to do when you think love is about "I'll scratch your back in order to get you to scratch mine." That's hard to do when you're trying to give in order to get. Because none of that is REALLY love. Love IS giving. Giving what you've already got. But if you don't know what you've got, it's not just hard, it's impossible. That's WHY the Holy Spirit strenghtens us in the inner man. So that we can know what we have and be who we are! So we can be strong in HIS might. So that we can receive and release His love. So that we can share the gift we've been given. The gift of God. Eternal life. Living and loving. Because we ARE loved. Because He has given His life FOR us, and TO us. HE is the inner man. HE is our true identity. And in HIS strength, we are strong and mighty! We are MORE than conquerors through Him that loves us!