Ephesians 3:16 (NKJV) That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.
The Inner man that the Apostle Paul was referring to is not our mind, not our intellect or our emotions. The inner man, the inward man, the spirit man or the heart are words that are interchangeable in the Bible. It is important for us to know how we can be strengthened in the inner man by the power of the Holy Spirit because we will need it in time of crisis.
Any challenges in life will drain us emotionally because we are too used to facing it with our soul. Our soul which comprises of our intellect and our feelings will be in turmoil and we will not experience peace and joy. This is when we are depending on our own strength. Hence, we need to learn to face crisis with the strength that comes from the inner man.
What really sustains us will be the strength that comes from the inner man because we can be stressed out whenever we encounter a trial, do something or believe God for something. The term “strengthened” refers to an intense energy being released on the inside of us! It is referring to the power of the resurrection, the power that raised Christ from the dead and the power of God that lives on the inside of us.
There is a divine strength and grace that will strengthen and sustain us. This grace and strength is found through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Our identity is in the inner man because that is the eternal being while the outward man wears out from day to day. Very often, we react to a certain situation based on what we hear, what we see and how we feel. During this kind of situation, we can either react in the flesh or allow the inner man, the spirit man or heart to take control of our lives or the way we react to the situation.
There are time and seasons in our lives just like there is seed time, harvest time, winter, summer, spring and autumn. Therefore we need to acknowledge it and walk in it. There will be a time when we are a home maker to ensure that our children are brought up according to the ways of the Lord. There will come a time when the Lord will release us back to work or ministry, therefore we need to be wise to discern, yield and walk in the time and season of God and not struggle.
Not everyone has a pioneering spirit neither does everyone like new challenges every 3-5 years. Some of us like stability, security and live in a very controlled environment. There is a lot stress involved whenever we relocate to another city across the world for a job placement or relocating back home. We have to deal with uncertainties that lie ahead because we are unfamiliar with the culture and there is no immediate support to settle in. When we finally seem to settle into the new environment which can take six months to a year to build new relationships, we might be asked to move again in two years. Thus, you are reluctant to move or relocate.
The greatest stress may not actually be posting to another country but to be asked to relocate back to your home country. You may have worked in the corporate world and now your peers have been promoted in the law firm, accounting firm, or the HR department that you used to work in. Your home cell group members have grown close while you are away and the church leadership have changed. You have lost your experience, your confidence is jolted and the devil is saying that you are “finished” and that you have to start all over again.
Do not be discouraged! If God has called you to return home or move to a new country, you can be assured that He will give you the grace to do it well! It is a journey to experience God.
Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Trust in God that if that is His will, He will surely bring you through this journey. He says, “Fear not, my child. I am with you.” Be secure in Him and seek Him in all circumstances. He is always with you and would never abandon you!
Sermon series: Inner man
神与你同在
以弗所书 3:16 求他按着他丰盛的荣耀，藉着他的灵叫你们心里的力量刚强起来。
使徒保罗所谓 “你们心里的”，指的不是心智上或情感上。我们心里的，就是我们里面的人、灵人或我们的内心，在圣经里讲的都是同一回事。知道神的灵叫我们心里的力量刚强起来很重要，因为在危难时刻会是我们的依靠。
人生遭遇的各种挑战都给我们的情感带来耗损，因为我们太习惯靠人的魂去应对。我们的魂—由知性与情感组成—会因此受到搅扰，使我们无法经历平安与喜乐。当我们靠自己时就会遭遇这种状况。因此，我们当学着遭遇危难时依靠从我们里面来的力量。
真正帮助我们度过艰难时期的是从里面来的力量，因为在我们遭遇试炼时，决定要做什么或相信神会做什么都会感到煎熬。这里说的力量，指的是一种从我们里面释放出的某种强大的能量！指的是重生的力量，使耶稣死里复活的大能，神内住在我们里面的力量。
有一种神圣的力量与恩典能加添我们力量并使我们能忍耐。这份恩典与力量是经由圣灵在我们心里做的工而得。我们的身份在于内在的人，因为当我们的肉体日渐衰败，内在的人是永恒的。往往，我们遇到某些境况时，会凭所闻所见所感而回应。在此种状况下，我们可以凭血气行事，或让内在的生命、我们的灵人、或我们的内心来掌管我们的生命，回应我们所遭遇的境况。
人生不同时间不同境况，就如同撒种有时，收割有时，凛冬、炙夏、暖春、凉秋。因此我们意识到这点，顺应时节。按着主的安排，会有我们成家、养儿育女的时刻。会有主差遣我们到职场、服事的时刻。所以我们当以智慧去领受、去交托，顺应神各阶段的安排，不需要纠结。
不是人人都有拓荒的精神，也不是人人都喜欢隔三岔五就经历挑战。我们当中有些人喜欢稳定、安定、活在井井有条的环境中。当因工作外调、掉回本国工作时都面临许多压力。我们必须处理眼前的未知，因为我们在文化上陌生，得不到在地协助。当我们好不容易在新地方安顿好后，大概要半年或一年来建立新的关系，可能，两年后又再次调职。所以，你会很不愿意搬来搬去。
或许最大的压力并非是调职国外，而是将你派回本国市场。可能你在企业里奋斗多年，而曾经的同侪却在律所、会计师事务所或你曾任职的HR部门有更好的发展。在你不在的时候，本国的小组里的弟兄关系变得紧密，教会里的领袖都换过一轮了。你觉得英雄无用武之地，信心遭受打击，而魔鬼这时候在你耳边说 “你玩完了”，一切又得重新来过。
不要气馁！倘若神呼召你回去或搬到陌生的国家去，要相信祂会赐下恩典帮助你！这是经历神的旅程。
罗马书 8:28 我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱上帝的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人。
若那是出于神，那么当信靠祂，祂会一路带你前行。祂说: “不要惧怕，因为我与你同在。” 在主里求平安，无论何种境况都求靠祂。祂必永远与你同在，绝不离弃你！
讲章系列：内在灵人
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