Command 35 : Be a House of Prayer | Day 241

Strengthen Your Inner Man!

Inside each believer there is an "old man" who feeds off of the lusts of the flesh and a "new man" who is empowered by the Spirit of God. These entities are at war with each other. In order for the new man to triumph, we must put off “... the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24; see also Romans 8:3-17).

A trainer of racing animals was asked, "Which one is going to win?" The trainer replied, "The one that is better fed."

Paul explains, “He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Galatians 6:8). Everyone who is born by the Spirit of God needs “... to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16; see also 3:17-19). This strengthening allows us to experientially know the love of Christ and to be filled with the fullness of God. God's love is perfected in us as we meditate on the Word of God and it becomes an active part of our lives. (See I John 2:5.)

It may not always be evident to those around us whether we are sowing to the flesh or to the Spirit, but God knows because He looks at the heart. (See I Samuel 16:7.) David recognized the high priority God places on our inner man when he said, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts ... . Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:6, 10).

Conquering the old man and strengthening the new man must be done through the power of God.

When we are born again by the Spirit of God, we will continue to experience ongoing conflict between our old and new natures. However, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God make it possible for the old nature to be conquered and the new nature to be victorious. As we memorize and meditate on God's Word, our hearts will be cleansed of sin and our thought patterns will be conformed to the mind of Christ.

Let's stop feeding our old man carnal thoughts and be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we will be able to know by personal experience what is that "good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" for us. (See Romans 12:2.) If you have not dedicated your body to God as a living sacrifice for His glory, I urge you to do so today!