SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 25

TITLE: PRAYER FOR POWER

TEXT: EPHESIANS 3:14-16

INTRODUCTION: (1) IT’S A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE TO OWN A CAR.

* NOW TO SOME OF YOU TODAY, THAT MIGHT SOUND RATHER STRANGE, BUT AFTER TRAVELING TO RUSSIA 3 TIMES, IT’S VERY OBVIOUS TO ME.

** FOR YOU SEE MOST RUSSIANS IN THE CHURCHES WE’VE WORKED WITH DON’T HAVE CARS.

*** AND FOR THEM TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, THEY EITHER WALK, HITCH A RIDE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS THE LUXURY OF HAVING A CAR OR RIDE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

**** MOST RUSSIAN CHRISTIANS DON’T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO JUMP IN A CAR AND GO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.

(2) SO IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO OWN A CAR. AND FOR ME, I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OWNED ONE EVER SINCE, LET’S JUST SAY FOR A LONG TIME.

* BUT I CAN TELL YOU TODAY, THAT CARS ARE EXPENSIVE. IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY FOR GASOLINE, INSURANCE, THE INITIAL COST OF THE CAR AND MAINTENANCE.

** AND WHEN YOU ARE NOT VERY MECHANICALLY INCLINED, AS SOME OF US ARE, IT COSTS EVEN MORE TO MAINTAIN A VEHICLE, FOR CARS BREAK DOWN, DON’T THEY?

*** AND IF YOU DON’T MAINTAIN THEM, THEY BREAK DOWN EVEN MORE.

**** YET THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO WORK ON CARS, AND HAVE THE MONEY TO MAINTAIN THEM AND DON’T.

(3) AND THE FUNNY THING IS, YOU CAN KNOW A LOT ABOUT A CAR, IT’S ENGINE, THE TRANSMISSION, THE IGNITION SYSTEM, THE C.V. JOINTS AND BRAKES, YET STILL NOT HAVE IT AVAILABLE TO DRIVE IF YOU HAVE LOST THE KEY.

* YOU MUST PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURN IT ON BEFORE YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE.

** AND MY POINT IS: IT DOESN’T DO YOU ANY GOOD TO KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT A CAR UNLESS YOU HAVE THE KEY AND PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION TO TURN IT ON AND ACTIVATE ALL THE POWER YOU HAVE IN YOUR CAR’S ENGINE.

*** WELL, THE ILLUSTRATION I’VE BEEN USING ABOUT A CAR CAN BE APPLIED TO THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS IN TALKING ABOUT A CAR ENGINE, A ROAD MAP TO DRIVE YOUR CAR AND AN IGNITION SWITCH AND KEY.

**** AND THE ENGINE OF THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS IS CHAPTER 1 THROUGH CHAPTER 3 VERSE 13.

(4) AND WE’VE LEARNED THAT WE’RE BLESSED WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST, WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, HIS WORK OF SOVEREIGN GRACE TO SAVE US, OUR UNLIMITED POWER WE HAVE IN HIM AND TRUTHS ABOUT HIS CHURCH.

* AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE TRUE OF BELIEVERS IN CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH 3:13 ARE A DESCRIPTION OF AN ENGINE IN A CAR, FOR THE ENGINE IS THE POWERPLANT OF A CAR.

** AND YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT POWER, THE RESOURCES, THE ENERGY, TO DRIVE SOMETHING.

*** NOW THE ROAD MAP OF THE BOOK THAT CAN LEAD US WHERE WE NEED TO GO WHEN THE ENGINE OR POWER IS ENGAGED STARTS IN CHAPTER 4.

**** FOR BEGINNING IN CHAPTER 4, WE ARE GIVEN THE DIRECTION TO GO.

(5) IN OTHER WORDS, PAUL SAYS “NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER, HERE’S WHERE YOU GO, AND THEN HE PROCEEDS TO TALK ABOUT PROPER CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR.

* BUT HERE’S THE KEY. YOU CAN KNOW ALL ABOUT THE ENGINE AND EVEN KNOW WHERE YOU SHOULD GO, BUT IF YOU DON’T PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURN ON THE POWER, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO GET ANYWHERE.

** AND THIS IS WHERE EPHESIANS 3:14-21 FITS IN. THIS PASSAGE IS WHAT WE MIGHT CALL THE CHRISTIAN’S IGNITION, THE KEY TO TURNING ON SPIRITUAL POWER.

*** AND UNFORTUNATELY, FOR SOME CHRISTIANS, THEY UNDERSTAND THE ENGINE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE MAP BUT THEY NEVER GO ANYWHERE!

**** THEY NEVER MOVE BECAUSE THEY NEVER STICK THE KEY IN AND TURN ON THE IGNITION.

(6) WELL IN EPHESIANS 3:14-21 PAUL GIVES HIS PRAYER REQUESTS ON BEHALF OF THE EPHESIAN BELIEVERS, WHICH IS PAUL’S 2’D PRAYER IN THIS BOOK, THE FIRST COVERING 1:15-23.

* AND IN THIS SECOND PRAYER, PAUL URGES THE EPHESIAN BELIEVERS IN THE EPHESIAN CHURCH TO LIVE IN THE FULL POWER AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRUTHS HE HAS LAID OUT BEFORE THEM.

** FOR YOU SEE IN PAUL’S FIRST PRAYER FOR THE EPHESIANS IN 1:15-23 IS TO KNOW THEIR POWER, HE PRAYS FOR ENLIGHTENMENT.

*** BUT IN HIS SECOND PRAYER FOR THE EPHESIANS BEGINNING IN OUR TEXT TODAY, HE DOESN’T PRAY FOR ENLIGHTENMENT, BUT FOR ENABLEMENT.

**** THE FIRST PRAYER IS FOR BELIEVERS TO KNOW THEIR POWER, THE SECOND IS FOR THEM TO USE IT, TO TURN THE KEY TO THE IGNITION ON.

- IN CHAPTER ONE PAUL PRAYS FOR THE BELIEVERS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR POWER, AND HERE IN CHAPTER 3 HE PRAYS, I WANT YOU TO USE YOUR POWER.

(7) AND AS WE START PAUL’S 2’D PRAYER TODAY, THE IGNITION SWITCH, WE’LL SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT VV. 14-16 WHICH I’VE TITLED, “PRAYER FOR POWER”.

* AND AS WE LOOK AT EPHESIAN 4:14-16, WE’LL SEE 3 THINGS TODAY, NO. 1 THE POSTURE OF THIS PRAYER, V. 14; NO. 2 THE PROGENY OF THIS PRAYER, SPEAKING OF THE CHILDREN OF THE FATHER, V. 15; AND NO. 3 THE PETITION ITSELF, THE START OF IT IN V. 16.

** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE IN MIND, LET’S TAKE THE KEY AND START THE ENGINE FOR POWER, AND WE’LL BEGIN BY LOOKING AT V. 14 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE POSTURE. LOOK AT EPHESIANS 3:14 PLEASE.

I. THE POSTURE, (READ V. 14)

A. NOW THE OPENING WORDS OF V. 14 “FOR THIS REASON” OR “FOR THIS CAUSE” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE, REPEAT THE OPENING WORDS OF VERSE ONE IN THIS CHAPTER.

* AND IN ESSENCE PAUL PICKS UP WHERE IT APPEARS HE STARTED TO GO IN V. 1.

** FOR VERSES 2-13 IN CHAPTER 3 ARE IN A SENSE A PARENTHESIS. FOR IN VERSES 2-13 PAUL TALKS ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH REVEALED. HE WAS SO OVERWHELMED ABOUT THAT AS HE STARTED TO PRAY FOR THE GENTILES, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THEIR POSITION. SO HE BREAKS OFF HIS PRAYER AND GOES INTO THIS PARENTHESIS.

*** BUT HERE IN V. 14 HE GOES BACK TO WHERE HE STARTED IN V. 1 SO AFTER HE FINISHES THE PARENTHESIS, HE COMES BACK TO THE PRAYER HE STARTED IN 3:1.

**** AND HE SAYS FOR THIS REASON I BOW MY KNEES BEFORE THE FATHER.

***** AND I DON’T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE PHYSICAL POSTURE OF PAUL’S PRAYER AT THIS TIME, IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

1. BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT AS PAUL IS WRITING THIS TEXT THROUGH INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT BOWING HIS KNEES BEFORE THE FATHER IS THE SPIRITUAL RESPONSE OF HIS HEART OVER THE MAGNIFICENT TRUTHS HE’S BEEN INSPIRED TO WRITE.

* AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS IS SPIRITUAL OR PHYSICAL OR BOTH, HE IS BOWING IN HIS HEART IN WORSHIP TO TRUTH, AND AGAIN HE MIGHT HAVE DONE THAT PHYSICALLY AT THAT TIME, IT’S NOT WORTHY OF ARGUMENT IN MY MIND.

** FOR EVEN WHEN WE TAKE THAT POSTURE IN PRAYER PHYSICALLY WHEN WE PRAY, AS I DID THIS MORNING IN MY OFFICE, IT REFLECTS AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP, RESPECT, REVERENCE, HOMAGE AND HUMILITY.

*** FOR WHEN YOU COME IN PRAYER TO THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE, AS YOU ENTER HIS THRONE ROOM OF GRACE, WHAT DO YOU DO?

**** WELL, YOU BOW IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR KING, YOUR LORD, YOUR GOD.

2. IT’S THE ATTITUDE IN THE HEART THAT MOVES US TO BOW IN RESPONSE TO THE TRUTH OF WHO OUR GOD IS AS IS RECORDED IN HIS WORD.

* AND BELOVED THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I AM PRAYING WHILE STANDING, WHILE DRIVING, WHILE RUNNING, THAT I BOW IN MY HEART AS I TALK TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER FOR HE IS THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE, THE LORD GOD ALL-MIGHTY.

** SO IN SAYING, I BOW MY KNEES, PAUL IS NOT PRESCRIBING A REQUIRED POSTURE FOR PRAYER.

*** FOR IN SCRIPTURE WE SEE GOD’S FAITHFUL PEOPLE PRAYING IN MANY DIFFERENT POSITIONS, STANDING, SITTING, FALLING ON THEIR FACE PROSTRATE AND BOWING THE KNEE.

**** AND AS PAUL PRAYS FOR THE EPHESIANS WHILE WRITING THIS LETTER, HE FELT LED TO BOW HIS KNEES BEFORE THE FATHER, NOT BECAUSE THAT POSITION OR ANY OTHER IS ESPECIALLY SACRED, BUT BECAUSE IT SHOWS SPONTANEOUS REVERENCE IN GOD’S GLORY IN THE MIDST OF HIS PASSIONATE PRAYER.

3. IT REFLECTED PAUL’S HEART OF WORSHIP AND HOMAGE AND REVERENCE TO THE TRUTHS HE WAS INSPIRED TO THINK ABOUT AT THIS TIME.

* AND WHETHER HE WAS PHYSICALLY KNEELING OR NOT IS NOT THE IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ME, BUT THE ATTITUDE OF HIS HEART.

** THAT WE APPLY PSALM 95:1-6 WHICH SAYS:

V. 1 – O COME, LET US SING FOR JOY TO THE LORD; LET US SHOUT JOYFULLY TO THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION.

V. 2 – LET US COME BEFORE HIS PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING; LET US SHOUT JOYFULLY TO HIM WITH PSALMS.

V. 3 – FOR THE LORD IS A GREAT GOD, AND A GREAT KING ABOVE ALL GODS.

V. 4 – IN WHOSE HAND ARE THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH; THE PEAKS OF THE MOUNTAINS ARE HIS ALSO.

V. 5 – THE SEA IS HIS, FOR IT WAS HE WHO MADE IT; AND HIS HANDS FORMED THE DRY LAND.

V. 6 – COME, LET US WORSHIP AND BOW DOWN; LET US KNEEL BEFORE THE LORD OUR MAKER.

*** AND AS YOU WERE WORSHIPPING IN SONG EARLIER, YOU MAY HAVE NOT BEEN ON YOUR KNEES PHYSICALLY, BUT I TRUST YOU WERE IN YOUR HEART, FOR THE HEART IS ALWAYS THE ISSUE.

**** AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT IN SERVICES KNEEL IN RITUAL, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM GOD.

4. AND PAUL BEGINS HIS PRAYER WITH THE POSTURE OF KNEELING BEFORE HIS GREAT GOD, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PROGENY OF THE FATHER. LOOK AT V. 15 PLEASE.

II. THE PROGENY, (READ V. 15)

A. NOW THE WORD PROGENY MEANS OFFSPRING, CHILDREN, DESCENDENTS. AND WHO ARE THE DESCENDENTS, THE OFFSPRING OF GOD IN HIS FAMILY?

* THE ANSWER IS THOSE BORN INTO HIS FAMILY THROUGH HIS SAVING GRACE. JOHN 1:12&13 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ I PETER 1:23.

** NOW THROUGH THE WORK OF NEW BIRTH AND REGENERATION WE ARE ENABLED TO BELIEVE AND RECEIVE CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND BECOME SONS OF GOD.

*** AND AT THAT POINT, GOD BECOMES OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER.

**** NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, THE PHRASE IN V. 15 “FROM WHOM EVERY FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH DERIVES IT’S NAME” DOES NOT TEACH THAT GOD IS THE SPIRITUAL FATHER OF EVERY BEING IN THE UNIVERSE.

1. HE IS THE CREATOR OF EVERY BEING IN THE UNIVERSE.

* BUT THIS PHRASE DOES NOT, AS CLAIMED BY MODERN LIBERALISM, TEACH THE UNIVERSAL FATHERHOOD OF GOD AND THE UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.

** FOR SCRIPTURE CLEARLY TEACHES TWO SPIRITUAL FATHERHOODS: GOD’S AND SATAN’S.

*** AND GOD IS THE HEAVENLY FATHER OF THOSE WHO TURN TO CHRIST IN REPENTANCE AND FAITH AND SATAN IS THE SPIRITUAL FATHER OF THOSE WHO DO NOT.

*** AND NOWHERE ARE THESE TWO OPPOSITE FATHERHOODS MORE EXPLICITLY DISTINGUISHED THAN IN JOHN 8.

2. FOR TO THE UNBELIEVING JEWS WHO REJECTED CHRIST BUT PRESUMED TO CLAIM ABRAHAM AS THEIR SPIRITUAL FOREFATHER, JESUS SAID IN JOHN 8:39-42 AND V. 44 THIS:

* JOHN 8:39 – THEY ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, “ABRAHAM IS OUR FATHER.” JESUS SAID TO THEM, “IF YOU ARE ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN, DO THE DEEDS OF ABRAHAM.

V. 40 – “BUT AS IT IS, YOU ARE SEEKING TO KILL ME, A MAN WHO HAS TOLD YOU THE TRUTH, WHICH I HEARD FROM GOD; THIS ABRAHAM DID NOT DO.”

V. 41 – “YOU ARE DOING THE DEEDS OF YOUR FATHER.” THEY SAID TO HIM, “WE WERE NOT BORN OF FORNICATION; WE HAVE ONE FATHER, EVEN GOD.”

V. 42 – JESUS SAID TO THEM, “IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER, YOU WOULD LOVE ME; FOR I PROCEEDED FORTH AND HAVE COME FROM GOD, FOR I HAVE NOT EVEN COME ON MY OWN INITIATIVE, BUT HE SENT ME.”

V. 44 – “YOU ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, AND YOU WANT TO DO THE DESIRES OF YOUR FATHER. HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHENEVER HE SPEAKS A LIE, HE SPEAKS FROM HIS OWN NATURE; FOR HE IS A LIAR, AND THE FATHER OF LIES.”

** NOW JESUS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THESE RELIGIONISTS DID NOT HAVE GOD AS THEIR FATHER, BUT SATAN WAS THEIR FATHER.

*** THEN IN I JOHN 3:10 JOHN WAS INSPIRED TO WRITE THIS: “BY THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL ARE OBVIOUS; ANY ONE WHO DOES NOT PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NOR THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER.”

**** NOW JOHN WAS CLEAR, THERE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD AND CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. AND THE FRUIT OF THEIR LIVES COMMUNICATES WHOSE CHILD THEY ARE OF.

3. NOW AS WE GO BACK TO OUR TEXT, AS WE USE SCRIPTURE AS OUR COMMENTARY, AND THE CONTEXT OF EPHESIANS 3, EVERY FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH REFERS TO THE SAINTS OF EVERY AGE – THOSE NOW IN HEAVEN AND THOSE STILL REMAINING ON EARTH.

* FOR THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO LEGITIMATELY DERIVE THEIR NAMES FROM GOD THE FATHER.

** AND EVERY FAMILY OF BELIEVERS IS A PART OF THE ONE SPIRITUAL FAMILY OF GOD, IN WHICH THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS BUT ONLY ONE FATHER AND ONE BROTHERHOOD.

*** AND CONTEXTUALLY IN THE CHURCH, JEW AND GENTILE, RICH AND POOR, BOND AND FREE ARE ONE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, A PART OF THE SAME SPIRITUAL FAMILY, THERE IS NO RACIAL, SOCIAL OR GENDER DISTINCTION.

**** AND EVEN THOUGH O.T. JEWS ARE NOT A PART OF THE CHURCH, BELIEVING JEWS IN THE O.T. ARE A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, AS ALL BELIEVERS ARE OF ALL TIME.

4. SO THERE IS ONE FOREVER FAMILY. AND THE NIV CLEARLY TRANSLATES THIS TRUTH: “FROM WHOM HIS WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH DERIVES ITS NAME.”

* SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FATHER’S FAMILY HERE, THE PROGENY, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE PETITION. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE.

III. THE PETITION, (READ V. 16)

A. NOW PAUL SPECIFICALLY BEGINS HIS REQUEST TO HIS FATHER IN PRAYER IN V. 16.

* AND AT THE HEART OF HIS FIRST PETITION FOR THE EPHESIANS IS A REQUEST FOR POWER.

** PAUL PRAYS THAT GOD WOULD GRANT THEM POWER, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH POWER.

*** FOR THE WORD GRANT IN THE GREEK LIT. MEANS TO GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEONE, TO BESTOW A GIFT, TO SUPPLY, TO FURNISH SOMETHING.

**** AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT PAUL ASKS FOR PROCEEDS FROM, IS ACCORDING TO, COMES FROM, THE RICHES OF GOD’S GLORY.

1. IN OTHER WORDS THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FULFILL THIS REQUEST OR PETITION OF PAUL ARE LIMITLESS; THEY ARE ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE.

* AND FOR GOD TO GIVE ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY IS ABSOLUTELY STAGGERING BECAUSE HIS RICHES ARE LIMITLESS, COMPLETELY WITHOUT BOUNDS.

** AND THE ONE TO WHOM PAUL DIRECTED HIS REQUEST, THE FATHER, GIVES RICHLY AND GENEROUSLY FOR HE HAS ABSOLUTE ABUNDANCE OF EVERY GOOD THING THAT IS NEEDED TO LIVE OUT THE SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN LIFE FOR HIS GLORY.

*** AND FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE LETTER, PAUL HAD BEEN EXULTING OVER THOSE DIVINE RICHES – GOD’S BLESSING US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHAPTER 1 VERSE 3.

**** HIS CHOOSING US FOR HIMSELF BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD - CHAPTER 1 VERSE 4, HIS REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS – CHAPTER 1 VERSE 7, HIS MAKING KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL – CHAPTER 1 VERSE 9, HIS GIVING US AN INHERITANCE WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST – CHAPTER 1 VERSE 11 AND SO ON THROUGHOUT THE VERSES WE HAVE STUDIED UP TO THIS POINT.

2. AND THOSE AND MANY OTHERS ARE THE RICHES THAT EVERY BELIEVER HAS IN JESUS CHRIST.

* AND NOTE THIS HERE, PAUL IS NOT PRAYING FOR GOD TO GIVE THOSE RICHES TO BELIEVERS, BUT THAT HE WOULD GRANT BELIEVERS TO BE STRENGTHENED BY GOD ACCORDING TO THE RICHES THEY ALREADY POSSESS.

** THEY HAVE THE CAR AND THE POWER OF THAT ENGINE, PAUL WANTS THEM TO PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURN IT ON.

** PAUL WANTS THESE BELIEVERS AND ALL BELIEVERS TO LIVE LIVES THAT CORRESPOND TO THE SPIRITUAL WEALTH THEY HAVE IN CHRIST.

*** AND AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 16, “TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH POWER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN”.

**** NOW THE PHRASE “STRENGTHENED WITH POWER” OR “STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE LIT. IN THE GREEK MEANS TO BE POWERED WITH POWER, DYNAMITED WITH DYNAMITE, STRONG WITH STRENGTH, MIGHTY WITH MIGHT.

3. FOR THE WORD STRENGTHENED LIT. MEANS TO INCREASE IN STRENGTH, TO GROW IN STRENGTH, TO BE MADE STRONG.

* AND THE WORD POWER OR MIGHT IS THE GREEK WORD DOONAMIS WHICH YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD DYNAMITE.

** AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE WORD LIT. MEANS STRENGTH, ABILITY, MIRACLE POWER, GREAT POWER.

*** SO PAUL USES THOSE TWO WORDS TO TALK ABOUT GOD’S POWER.

**** AND THE SOURCE OF THIS POWER IN V. 16 IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN THE INNER MAN.

4. AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SOURCE OF OUR POWER, AS ACTS 1:8 SAYS: (READ IT).

* NOW WE HAVE ALL THE POWER WE WILL EVER NEED IN THE 3’D PERSON OF THE GODHEAD, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO RESIDES IN EVERY BELIEVER.

** THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CHRISTIAN NOW WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ALL OF HIM HE OR SHE WILL EVER GET.

*** AND WE ARE FILLED AS WE YIELD TO HIM AND YIELD TO HIS CONTROL, READ GALATIANS 5:16 AND EPHESIANS 5:18.

**** NOW WALKING IN THE SPIRIT MEANS TO BE SPIRIT CONTROLLED, SPIRIT FILLED AND SPIRIT CONSCIOUS.

5. SO A SYNONYM FOR WALKING IN THE SPIRIT IS TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, FILLED WITH HIS ENERGY AND POWER.

* AND THE SPHERE IN WHICH THIS STRENGTHENING IS TO TAKE PLACE IS THE INNER MAN, LIT. THE INNER PERSON, IN V. 17 PAUL WILL USE THE WORD HEART TO TALK ABOUT THE INNER MAN.

** AND ALL WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE INNER SPIRITUAL PART OF US AS SAVED PEOPLE, OUR INNERMOST BEING, OUR SPIRIT, THE NEW CREATION INWARDLY THROUGH OUR SPIRITS BEING REBORN, OUR INWARD MORAL AND SPIRITUAL BEING, SOME MIGHT SAY OUR SOUL.

*** BUT WHATEVER WORD IS USED TO TALK ABOUT OUR INNER MAN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR INNER SPIRITUAL PERSON, THE NEW HEART WE HAVE IN CHRIST.

**** AND THIS TERM INNER MAN OR OUTER MAN IS A PAULINE TERM.

1. FOR PAUL SAID IN ROMANS 7:22 – “FOR I JOYFULLY CONCUR WITH THE LAW OF GOD IN THE INNER MAN.”

* THEN IN II CORINTHIANS 4:16 PAUL SAYS – “THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART, BUT THOUGH OUR OUTER MAN IS DECAYING, YET OUR INNER MAN IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY.”

** NOW OUR OUTER MAN IS OUR BODY, THE HUMAN BODY, THE PHYSICAL PART OF US, AND IT IS DYING AS IT GETS OLDER.

*** AND ALTHOUGH THE OUTER, PHYSICAL MAN BECOMES WEAKER AND WEAKER WITH AGE, THE INNER SPIRITUAL MAN SHOULD CONTINUALLY GROW STRONGER AND STRONGER WITH POWER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

AND AS I WRAP UP OUR PASSAGE AND MAKE APPLICATION: (1) LET ME SAY WHEN THE INNER MAN IS FED REGULARLY ON THE WORD OF GOD AND APPLIES THE WORD, AND SEEKS THE SPIRIT’S WILL IN ALL DECISIONS OF LIFE, THE BELIEVER CAN BE SURE HE WILL BE STRENGTHENED WITH POWER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

* AND FOR CLARITY’S SAKE, UNDERSTAND THAT SPIRITUAL POWER IS NOT THE MARK OF A SPECIAL CLASS OF CHRISTIAN, BUT IS THE MARK OF EVERY CHRISTIAN WHO SUBMITS TO GOD’S WORD AND SPIRIT.

** AND LIKE PHYSICAL GROWTH AND STRENGTH, SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND STRENGTH DOES NOT COME OVER NIGHT.

*** BUT AS WE DISCIPLINE OUR MINDS AND SPIRITS TO STUDY AND APPLY GOD’S WORD, WE ARE NOURISHED AND STRENGTHENED.

**** SO EVERY BIT OF SPIRITUAL FOOD AND EVERY BIT OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE ADD TO OUR STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE.

2. BECAUSE OF THAT, SPIRITUAL GROWTH CAN BE DEFINED AS THE DECREASING FREQUENCY OF SIN.

* AND THE MORE WE EXERCISE OUR SPIRITUAL MUSCLES, YIELDING TO THE SPIRIT’S CONTROL OF OUR LIVES, THE LESS SIN IS PRESENT.

** WHEN THE STRENGTH OF GOD INCREASES, SIN NECESSARILY DECREASES. SO THE NEARER WE COME TO GOD, THE FURTHER WE GO FROM SIN.

*** SO I ASK THESE QUESTIONS, BELIEVER, ARE YOU CONCENTRATING ON THE INNER MAN?

**** DO YOU SPEND MORE TIME ON YOUR OUTER MAN OR YOUR INNER MAN? I MEAN ADD UP THE TIME IN A WEEK, HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND ON THE OUTER MAN.

3. AND WE HAVE TO TO SOME DEGREE, TO WASH THE OUTER MAN, TO FEED THE OUTER MAN, TO CLOTHE THE OUTER MAN, TO COMB THE HAIR FOR THE OUTER MAN FOR SOME, TO EXERCISE THE OUTER MAN.

* AND ALL THOSE THINGS ARE NECESSARY. BUT WHAT ARE YOU PREOCCUPIED WITH - THE OUTER MAN OR THE INNER MAN?

** AND IF YOU ARE NOT CONCENTRATING ON THE INNER MAN, YOU’LL NEVER GET YOUR IGNITION. MAY WE PRAY FOR POWER AND MAY WE GROW THE INNER MAN.