EXHORTATION
EPH 3: 14-16 (NLT) When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Paul uttered this prayer because the church was feeling discouraged over Paul’s imprisonment (v13). So, Paul prayed that God will strengthen them with might in the inner man. In other words, inner strength is required to overcome discouragement.
Many people faint, fail, and fall when they face adversity. How we can hold up in times of trouble reveals the true strength of a man.
Prov24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Where does inner strength come from?
The secret of inner strength is that it comes from God. Listen to Paul’s prayer…. from His glorious unlimited resources, He will empower you with inner strength. In other words, His resources of inner strength are unlimited!
Through the workings of the Holy Spirit as we pray, unlimited potential for inner strength is released to us. No wonder Paul prayed this prayer for the Ephesian church with so much passion.
Why do you need inner strength?
You need inner strength to stand and keep standing in the evil day. (Eph 6:10) Without inner strength, adversity will crush any man.
It was lack of inner strength that made Peter to fail and fall at the slightest of temptations. When David got into trouble in 1 Sam 30:6, it was inner strength that made him to arise, to overtake the enemy and to recover all while the rest of the pack had been totally crushed by the challenge they faced.
Jesus says in Luke 21:26 that the hearts of men will fail them for fear of the things coming into the world. But if you have inner strength which comes from the Holy Spirit, you will be standing while a thousand have fallen at your side.
Inner strength will enable you to remain true and faithful to God without caving in under pressure.
Those who have inner strength never cave in despite untold hardships. Paul’s story in 2 Cor 4:7-9 reveals a man strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit.
Your prayer focus today is that the Lord will empower you with inner strength.
Song: God is the of my heart by Don Moen
PRAYER FOR INNER STRENGTH
Make the prayer below in your understanding and then proceed to pray in the Holy Ghost:
Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.
I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named
And I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
He will empower me with inner strength through His Spirit
I pray that I may be strengthened with all might, according to God’s glorious power,
Unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness
As I continue to pray, I surrender to the workings of the Holy Spirit to empower my soul with inner strength
So that I will never fail in the day of adversity in Jesus’ name.
As I pray in an unknown tongue, I am being strengthened from within and I rise up higher and higher like an edifice in Jesus’ name.
VERSE OF THE DAY: Prov 24: 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
