Messages on Character
Our Inner Man
by Pastor John Khng
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
Introduction: What is the meaning of inner man?
It refers to your spiritual being. All human beings have a physical side and a spiritual side. Your physical side is your body. Your spiritual side is your soul and spirit. When we talk about your inner man, we are referring to your spiritual being. God wants to work on your inner man each time you pray, read your Bible, come to church, or faces certain circumstances in life.
There are three things to bring to your attention concerning “Our Inner Man”:
I. Inner Strength – Eph. 3:16 1 Tim. 4:8
II. Inner Beauty – 1 Pet. 3:3-4
III. Inner Delight – Rom. 7:22
We need inner strength. We need inner beauty.
We get inner strength and inner beauty by delighting in God’s Word.
I. Inner Strength – Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 4:16; 1 Tim. 4:8
II. Inner Beauty – 1 Pet. 3:3-4
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
III. Inner Delight – Rom. 7:22 – 25
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
There is one thing that will weaken our inner strength and mar our inner beauty - SIN - To have victory over sin, we must fill our mind with God’s Word, obey and claim the victory through Christ.
What is inner delight? “Delight” – means have pleasure, rejoice, enjoy, look forward to, more than consent, have strong liking. Psa 119:15, 16
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Conclusion: Why should our focus be on our inner man?
Our Prayer should be as what was suggested by AW Tozer:
"Lord, I know there is a work You want to do in my life today. I'll try to stay out of the way, take my hands off, and let You work! I'll put my hands to my side even now as a sign that I'm going to let You alone today to do Your work in me. Amen."
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
Introduction: What is the meaning of inner man?
It refers to your spiritual being. All human beings have a physical side and a spiritual side. Your physical side is your body. Your spiritual side is your soul and spirit. When we talk about your inner man, we are referring to your spiritual being. God wants to work on your inner man each time you pray, read your Bible, come to church, or faces certain circumstances in life.
There are three things to bring to your attention concerning “Our Inner Man”:
I. Inner Strength – Eph. 3:16 1 Tim. 4:8
II. Inner Beauty – 1 Pet. 3:3-4
III. Inner Delight – Rom. 7:22
We need inner strength. We need inner beauty.
We get inner strength and inner beauty by delighting in God’s Word.
I. Inner Strength – Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 4:16; 1 Tim. 4:8
- What is “Inner Strength?”
A) Spiritual Strength
B) Love for God
C) Faith in God
D) Biblical Convictions
E) Godliness - Inner Strength comes from God, the Holy Spirit
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; - We need inner strength to enable us to exercise grace, to perform duties, to resist Satan and his temptations, to oppose worldly influence, and to bear the cross, and undergo afflictions cheerfully, and to hold on and out to the end.
II. Inner Beauty – 1 Pet. 3:3-4
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- What is inner beauty?
It is the “hidden man of the heart. “Not corruptible” – physical beauty is corruptible (subject to fading and decay); inner beauty is not corruptible.
"Should Christian women (and men) wear make-up or jewelry?
Paul did not forbid women from wearing jewelry, makeup, or braided hair – rather he tells women to not let their outward appearance become more important than their inner beauty.
III. Inner Delight – Rom. 7:22 – 25
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
There is one thing that will weaken our inner strength and mar our inner beauty - SIN - To have victory over sin, we must fill our mind with God’s Word, obey and claim the victory through Christ.
What is inner delight? “Delight” – means have pleasure, rejoice, enjoy, look forward to, more than consent, have strong liking. Psa 119:15, 16
Psa 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Conclusion: Why should our focus be on our inner man?
- Firstly - Our spiritual being is eternal
2 Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. - Secondly – Our spiritual health affects our total person
1 Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. - Thirdly – Our spiritual life is the focus of God’s attention.
Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Luk 11:39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Our Prayer should be as what was suggested by AW Tozer:
"Lord, I know there is a work You want to do in my life today. I'll try to stay out of the way, take my hands off, and let You work! I'll put my hands to my side even now as a sign that I'm going to let You alone today to do Your work in me. Amen."
© Copyright 2016 Mount Calvary Baptist Church. All Rights Reserved.