The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-11-11


ly this blessing OF power. That is.
every Christian may have this power
u he desires IL and makes II possible
for God to give II to him. For God
never purposes for us to have any
thing. that he docs not make II pos.
sible for us to possess II. To do 9th
erwise would be to tease and tantalize
us, and God never does that. When he
cxhorts us to be strong In tho Lord
and in the power OF his might" he
makes IL possible for us, II we make II
possible for him. TO be strengthened
with might by his spirit in the inner
man.
The expression Inner man" un.
doubtedly means the soul-the inner
self-as distinguished from the Wis
ible material body which IL animates
Peter calls the inner man. the hidden
man OF the heart" Il Peter 3:b. And
Paul in another place speaks OF II as
the inward man." contrasting IL with
the outward man" which. he says.
perishes daily QI Cor. 4:l6).
II Is very evident from this that the
strength which may be ours is not
physical power. nor even mental pow
er which many strive to attain. but in.
ner spiritual strength. 1t is strength
of Christian character and nobility OF
soul
The one possessing this inner
strength Is fortified against tempta-
ton. II was this strength that en-.
abled Joseph to maintain the integrity
temptation OF Potiphar's wife and
prompted him TO reply to her evil
suggestion: How then. can | do this
great wickedness and sin against
God?"
II is the strength. which when pos
service Paul without II, would never
have been the mighty apostle; and
without II Peter would have remained
the vacil,ating cowardly disciple.
Without IL there would have been no
Martin Luther, no John Knox. no
Charley Wesley. no William Carey.
no Charles Spurgeon. no Dwight l..
Moody. These men were what they
were and did what they did. because
they were strengthened with might by
his spirit In the inner man.
Again. this petition teaches us that
God is the one who imparts this inner
strength through his holy spirit. The
petition is. that he would grant us TO
be strengthened with might by his
spirit" So while In another place we
are exhorted to be strong In the Lord
and In the power OF his might" We
learn here that the strength by which
we are to be made strong comes from
God. He is the one who empowers
us. Yet, IL we are TO be strengthened
by God. we must place ourselves be-
fore God In such way that he can
give to us the strength OF the Lord.
We of ourselves are impotent, but
God has made every provision for i'm
potent people to be people OF power.
lie is able and waits only our willing
ness for him TO impart unto us his
strength.
The laws that govern the imparting
to US OF his strength are the laws that
govern the reception into our lives OF
the holy spirit in power II is the
holy spirit who is spoken Of In the
word as the spirit OF might" lie II IL
then, who must have his place OF
power in us II we are to be strength
ened with might in the inner man.
The early church was commanded TO
tarry In Jerusalem for the power nee
essary for service, and on the day OF
Pentecost while they tarried the
power came. when the holy spirit de-
scended upon them. Ever since that
day "the spirit OF might" has been
In the earth ready to take his place
Of power In every believers life.
Ready and willing is he to empower
the people OF God, but ready and will
ing only as we recognize him
as the power we need TO make
US strong. ready and willing II
we will surrender ourselves to
God. and by faith receive the holy
spirit TO be In us what he desires TO
be. the spirit OF might" Then there
will be fulfilled In our lives the
apostles prayer which, while primari-
ly for the Ephesian Christians, is also
for US that We might be strengthened
with might In the inner man.