Posted by
R.P. Woitowitz Sr. on Sunday, November 04, 2007 11:00:25 AM
Strengthening the Inner Man
By R.P. Woitowitz
Ephesians 3:10-16 (Young's Literal Translation)
“That He may give to you, according to the riches of His glory, with might to be strengthened through His Spirit, in regard to the inner man, “
Usually before I write anything I ask God to put the words in my heart, mind and fingers. Sometimes it doesn’t come up until I am about ready to start, and others it is a seed that has been working for a week. This week’s entry is somewhat in between those two.
The previous entry was composed about wearing the OUTER man, that is to say to show yourself approved to both God (firstly) and to man by acting in ways that show you are what you claim to be, that being a Christian. So during the week I thought on the “inner man” as the Apostle Paul called it, the spirit man. As I was contemplating this weeks essay I was at work and heard a song by Collin Raye, whose lyrics are directly below. I was so moved by the words that it gave me a direction for this essay. Please read the lyrics and then continue;
I knew all the answers
The way my life should go
And when I used to say my prayers
I would tell God so
It seemed He wasn't listening
I thought He didn't care
But lookin' backFF
It's plain to see
He was always there
'Cause I prayed for strength
And I got pain that made me strong
I prayed for courage
And got fear to overcome
When I prayed for faith
My empty heart brought me to my knees
I don't always get what I want
I get what I need
I'm not sayin' that it's easy
Or that it doesn't hurt
When nothing seems to go my way
Nothing seems to work
These days I'm getting better
At goin' with the flow
Accepting that sometimes the answer
To a prayer is no
'Cause I prayed for strength
And I got pain that made me strong
I prayed for courage
And got fear to overcome
When I prayed for faith
My empty heart brought me to my knees
I don't always get what I want
I get what I need
Every time I've had a door slammed in my face
In time a better one was opened in its place
I prayed for strength
And I got pain that made me strong
I prayed for courage
And got fear to overcome
When I prayed for faith
My empty heart brought me to my knees
I don't always get what I want
I get what I need
Oh I don't always get what I want
I get what I need
As you can see the words fit the scripture that I have chosen at the top of this page.
Sometimes when we talk to God, via our prayers we may not always get the answer we’re expecting. In fact sometimes the answer is “no” or “not yet”.
However our wonderful Father and Creator KNOWS what we need to make our lives complete. He gives to us things that help to make us stronger, tougher, more compassionate, patient. Other times he blesses us in our work by creating opportunities for us to advance or perhaps more work for us to do in order to increase our earnings. There are times when he allows tribulation to enter into our lives in order to show us how to overcome the things of this world, all the while knowing that He is there to help us along should we stumble.
In these days and times, this age, life becomes more and more complex. There are forces both of this world and of the worlds unseen, (principalities) that we must contend with each and every day. And each and every day we must seek Him through prayer and ask for what is needed to get through the day.
Related study scriptures
Deuteronomy 8:3
John 6:31-35
I get