PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
Ephesians 3:14‐21 “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height‐‐ 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The Bible encourages us to pray for our inner man just as we would pray for the lost, our Church, or our family. This may sound new to some people but prayer focused on our own heart is essential to living a vibrant Christian life. It is common to focus on many outward (and important) things, yet neglect praying for our soul to be strengthened in God. For many it is the most neglected part of our prayer life. In Ephesians 3 the Apostle Paul prayed that the Church of Ephesus would be strengthened with might through the Holy Spirit in their inner man. When Paul thought of the greatest way he could pray for them, their inward condition was at the forefront of His mind. He knew that if their inner man was strengthened, they would be empowered to do God’s will God’s way in the right spirit and heart attitude. Paul earnestly desired that God would give them something deeper than success in ministry. He longed that God would strengthen their heart with the eternal, everlasting riches of His Spirit. Paul’s use of the ‘inner man’ speaks of the inward person of our heart‐ our soul‐ that needs to be transformed throughout our life. Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions; and it is the place where we commune with Jesus. I picture our soul as a garden where we alone get to fellowship with God. No one else can meet there but you and Jesus. Our inner garden can be cultivated and groomed to be a place where the beauty and fragrance of Christ permeate, or it can be neglected and become overgrown with the weeds of vain thoughts, worldly pleasures, discouragement, stubbornness, bitterness, lust or anger. As we pray this prayer over time, our inner garden (our soul) can be weeded and strengthened in God. A helpful tool for walking out Ephesians 3:16 is a personal prayer list that directly focuses on strengthening our inner man. This personal prayer list uses the acronym “FEAR‐OF‐GOD.” Each letter represents an inward quality that the Holy Spirit desires to build up in our life.
BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
F: FAITH Faith is a supernatural ability to believe God. It is an unwavering conviction of who God is, what He is like, and what He has said He would do. Faith is a reckless trust in the goodness and reliability of God. Unbelief (the opposite of faith) quenches our inner man and leaves us discouraged and depressed when things do not seem to be moving. Unbelief is the number one opponent to being ‘strengthened’ with might in our inner man. By staying in faith, even in times of great difficulty and opposition, we find ourselves rising up in prayer, authority and praise. Though we do not see, we believe. We trust that God is and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. God does not lie and what He has said He would do He will do. In time, as we lay hold of faith, the very things that God has promised will come forth. Faith is first on our prayer list because it is the initiator of all other inward virtues. To be strengthened with faith affects our mind, will and emotions in a way that activates and accelerates every other divine attribute.
SCRIPTURES Romans 4:19‐21 “And not being weak in faith, he [Abraham] did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Hebrews 11:1,6 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Acts 11:24 “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. Luke 17:5 "And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
E: ENDURANCE Endurance is the grace of God on our hearts enabling us to stay faithful to God and our God‐given assignments. In the New Testament the words “endurance” and “perseverance” are synonymous. To endure is to persevere. It is to stay faithful under pressure without quitting. This prayer is essential in seasons of difficulty and opposition when we feel like giving up and surrendering to defeat. There are many times in life where it seems easiest to turn from God and give up on the task He has laid out before us. Yet endurance calls us to come up higher and stand in the power of Christ even when there seems to be nothing to stand on. Our faith is not a sprint that lasts a few months but a marathon that lasts a lifetime. It takes the power of God on our heart to faithfully persevere for decades without ever quitting in our pursuit of the deep things of God’s heart.
SCRIPTURES Hebrews 12:1, 2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Acts 20:24 "None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Hebrews 10:35‐39 “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise… 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. 2 Timothy 4:7, 8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
A: ABIDING Abiding in Christ is the call to go deeper into intimacy with Jesus. Intimacy with Jesus is defined by staying filled with love for God (which overflows to others). Abiding in intimacy with Jesus is an active pursuit of knowing Jesus as our Bridegroom. He loves us with perfect love and we want to love Him in like manner. Loving God does not happen by accident. It is a grace of the Holy Spirit that is given to us as we ask Him for it. Paul prayed, “This is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more” [Phil. 1:9]. When we ask for our inner man to abound in love, we are asking the Holy Spirit to take us to a deeper place of abiding. All believers abide in Christ in a general sense, yet few fully surrender to the Holy Spirit so that they may love God and others in fullness. Like any relationship, it is not enough to have a contract or covenant agreement. We must get to know the one we have been joined to by abiding close to them, pursuing their heart and searching out their ways.
SCRIPTURES John 15:9, 10 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. Ephesians 3:16‐19 “[I pray] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height‐‐ 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. John 17:26 “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10 “But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
R: RIGHTEOUSNESS Righteousness is an inner quality that means to walk rightly before God. God is supremely holy and He calls us to pursue righteousness and holiness in our inner man [1 Peter 1:16]. The righteousness of God given to believers is both imputed and imparted. At salvation all believers have been given the righteousness of Christ as a free gift. This is what “imputed righteousness” means. God reckons the righteousness of Christ to us through faith in Him. That gift of righteousness cannot be improved upon. However, the Bible also speaks of an “imparted righteousness” that we receive throughout our lives. Imparted righteousness is the Holy Spirit’s active work in conforming us to the image of Jesus. By pursuing righteousness and holiness in our inner man we are progressively transformed in our mind and heart to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him in all things [Colossians 1:9‐11]. The degree that we cultivate this inner quality will be reflected by the heavenly garments that we wear for all of eternity. The Bride will be clothed in fine linen which is the “righteous acts” of the saints [Revelation 19:7,8]. We are not saved by our inner righteousness, but we will be judged by it.
SCRIPTURES Romans 6:13,19 “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 19 …For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. Philippians 1:9‐11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13 “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
O: ONE‐THING One‐thing speaks of a heart focus that is fully consumed with Jesus Christ. To be a person of ‘one‐ thing’ is to be one whose inner gaze is not moved away from intimacy with God and the beauty of Christ [2 Corinthians 3:18]. In a world of endless distractions (smart phones, TV, Facebook, internet) the Holy Spirit is continually reminding us to get back to the one thing that is necessary‐ sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His Word [Luke 10:42]. King David, Mary of Bethany, and the Apostle Paul demonstrated what a heart looks like that has been strengthened in the inner man to live for one‐thing. The grace to live in extravagant intimacy with God is available to all people, yet we must ask the Holy Spirit to continually redirect us back to Jesus every day. It is all about Him and all for Him. No matter what we are facing, our heart can be strengthened to gaze upon Jesus‐ the author and perfecter of our faith.
SCRIPTURES Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. Luke 10:38‐42 “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Philippians 3:12‐14 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
F: FEAR OF GOD The Fear of God is one of the most important and most neglected of all inner virtues. Our culture has misunderstood the fear of Lord as if it originated with hell‐fire and brimstone preachers. Throughout Scripture we find that to fear God is good and it endures forever [Psalm 19:9]. It keeps us from compromise and sin [Proverbs 8:13; 16:6]. It is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge [Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7]. It prolongs our days [Proverbs 10:27]. It brings riches and honor [Proverbs 22:4]. It is an inward quality that is a fountain of life [Proverbs 14:27]. God commands us to be zealous for the fear of the Lord all day. This happens by asking God the Holy Spirit to touch our inner man and unite our heart to fear His name [Psalm. 86:11]. To delight in the fear of the Lord and tremble at God’s fiery presence is a Christ‐like attribute that makes us stand in awe of God and worship at His feet [Isaiah 11:3].
SCRIPTURES Isaiah 11:3 “His delight is in the fear of the LORD…” Jeremiah 32:38‐40 “They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 'then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 'And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. Isaiah 8:13 “The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread. Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; Acts 9:31 “And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
G: GRACE Grace is the ability of God at work in our life that enables us to live an overcoming life. Through the grace of God we are given supernatural ability to resist sin and live as more than conquerors. Paul tells us that when God’s grace is at work in our hearts it strengthens us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age [Titus 2:11‐13]. By leaning into grace and asking God to increase it in our lives we position ourselves to receive more of God’s ability in our weakness [2 Peter 3:17‐18]. The New Testament teaches that the release of grace in our heart is directly proportionate to the level of humility that we seek. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Being strengthened with grace starts with humbling ourselves before God and allowing Him to release His power through us.
SCRIPTURES
2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, Acts 4:33 “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Romans 5:1,2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
O: OBEDIENCE Obedience is an attitude of the heart that says ‘Yes’ to Jesus when our flesh or the enemy is longing for us to rebel against God, His will or His Word. It acts as an inner guard that protects us from a spirit of rebellion (an ‘I’m going to do what I want, when I want’ mentality.). Obedience to Jesus responds to God by saying “I will follow You at all times. I will obey You regardless of the cost. I delight to do Your will above mine.” Obedience is important because it is the central way that we express our love to God. Jesus said “If you love Me you will obey My commandments… He who keeps My commandments it is he who loves Me” [John 14:15,21]. According to Jesus, to love God is to obey God. Therefore, when we ask God to strengthen us with might in our obedience we are asking the Holy Spirit to empower our heart to walk in new levels of love and devotion to Jesus.
SCRIPTURES Isaiah 1:19 “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; Psalm 51:10,12 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Exodus 23:20 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him… 22 If you indeed obey His voice…then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. Deuteronomy 11:13,14 “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 'then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. BY TYLER MILLER
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PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INNER MAN
D: DISCERNMENT Discernment teaches us good from evil, right from wrong, truth from error [Hebrews 5:14; 1 John 4:6]. It is our inner guide, the check in our spirit that lets us know something is off. True discernment only comes through the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. His chief role in the Church is to confirm what is true and expose what is half‐true. This is why Paul prayed without ceasing for the believers at Colossae that God would fill them with all wisdom and spiritual understanding [Colossians 1:9]. As God releases spiritual understanding to us our mind is quickened to discern His Word rightly. The anointing of the Spirit begins to teach us concerning all things and keeps us abiding in Him continually [1 John 2:27].
SCRIPTURES Proverbs 2:3‐5 “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.” Philippians 1:9,10 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, Malachi 3:18 “Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him. 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. John 16:13 “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
BY TYLER MILLER
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