Awakening the Inner Man

by Pastor Francis Duodu

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from who every family in heaven and on eatth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being [man], so that Christ my dwell in your hearts through faith -- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundently than all we can ask of think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ JEsus throughout all generation, forever and ever. Amen

The Focus of Our Culture

Our culture is focused on strengthening the outer man
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What we see in the quote above is that we Paul's prayer for the Church is that we be strengthened on the inside. "...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being..."

Acts 2:6 "God is stengthening the inner man by his spirit. We see that

How do we live God's kind of life in the face of trials, dificulties, and struggles.

1 Peter God is making us a habitation for his Spirit.

Your Inner Man is your Soul

God Works On Us

  1. Hammer

    • Hammering us into place
    • Knocking off the rough edges

  2. Level

    • Bringing balance to our lives
    • Measuring us

  3. Drill

    • Making sure that I can be fit together
    • Securing me

  4. Saw

    • Cutting things out of my life

Why Do We Need to Build Our Inner Man

It will makes us stronger

  1. Because the outer man is dying

    • Everything we do in this life is in a time zone
    • Only the spirit lives on
    • 2 Corinthians 4:16 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day"

  2. The natural man cannot recieve anything from God

    • 1 Corinthians 2:10 "these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God."

  3. For our battle is not in the natural

    • "For we wrestle not agains flesh and blood..."

  4. In knowing this we can be rooted and grounded in love

    • Until God reveals His love to us you cannot understand what real Love is.
    • John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..."

  5. So you know the Power that is in you

    • He has given us all power

  6. To leave a Legacy for our children

    • The generations of the upright will stand.