Shelly1728 Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 We need to pray this prayer that the Spirit may have victory over the flesh so that Christ may feel at home in our hearts--so that He may have control. We need to "work OUT our salvation. . ." what God has already worked IN us through His indwelling Spirit. The Spirit is already in within us, but maybe He doesn't quite feel at home there. It is our job to respond to God by making more and more room for Him and less room for ourselves and the things of the world. May we reflect the FULLNESS of God! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man because the strength of the Believer comes from within. It is fueled by the Holy Spirit indwelling in the inner man. How would we pray this prayer today? That the inner man be strengthened daily and that the Holy Spirit indwelling be manifested to the glory of God. Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays that Christ dwell in the Believers' hearts that we may be filled with God's goodness. This is established in the believers' hearts when they accept Christ as Savior. However, Paul is praying so that Christ dwelling becomes permanent and the Believer remains steadfast in the faith, strong in the Holy Spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plethra Posted September 15, 2007 Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? The inner man needs strengthening daily. It is so easy to loose the vision and to loose faith and joy. We need the strength of the Holy Spirit to keep us focused and on fire for HIM. Lord strengthen our hearts and our minds through Christ. Help us to have a vision and to stick with that vision. Give us a determination to see the kingdom of God flourish in our world. It is so easy for the cares of life to crowd Christ out of our hearts - not that we are not saved or that we have backslidden, but we get too focused on the things of this life and this present world and neglect the calling of Christ in our lives. It is established that we are saved but there is so much more that Christ has in store for us if we will seek HIM and obey HIM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? It is out of the inner man that anything flows. What we say and do are reflections of the inner man and what the inner man truly believes. We should pray that God would continue to change our hearts into the heart of Jesus Christ and to strengthen us in the Word of God, and fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we would overcome this world -- living our the Word of God. Paul prays that Christ will dwell in the hearts of believers because that is the center and soul of our being. That is where what we really believe dwells. Again, it is out of the heart that a man or woman acts and lives out their believes. Jesus only dwells in the hearts of those who truly believe and permit Jesus to lead, guide, and direct them. To call the shots per say. Each of us must respond to Jesus in reality and action, not just in word. Many say that they have Jesus in their hearts, when they only have Him in their mind. They believe, but they haven't given Him their life. There is a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Because that is where we communicate with the Holy Spirit. He is there to help us in our needs to seek and hear from God. By asking for a new filling of the Holy Spirit and for a strength that only He can give us. He prays that Christ live in each one of us so that we can have the strength to over come our weekness and to be drawn closer to God and His paln for our lives. Yes, Jesus promised to sent the comforter to live in our hearts and to lead us in all righteousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul is praying that Christ will richly dwell in the hearts of men and that they will be strong in the Holy Spirit. Christians live way under the riches and power that is available to us. Paul is praying for the believer's hearts that they will grow in faith and power. We should also pray that God will draw us close and increase our faith today just as Paul was praying for the believers at that time so that we can realize the great riches and power we have in Christ. As Christians we know that God dwells in our hearts but we live way beneath the power, faith and riches through Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iam4-1god Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Strengthening of the inner man, to me, is an everyday thing. It is something that I feel I need to do daily. If I don't, then when the devil comes at me, I won't be able to stop him from putting bad thoughts in my head. I need a daily dose of The Holy Ghost to get me through! I don't know about other people, but for me, I need to get on my knees daily and ask God to send The Holy Spirit to strengthen me and guide me through the day, and let His wisdom and knowledge guide me. As for it being an established fact-I forget sometimes that I belong to the most powerful being in the universe! I think we get so wrapped up in our day-to-day, that we forget who we are and Who we belong to. We belong to God through Jesus our Lord! No matter what is going on, we need to remember that fact! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? The inner man is our spirit, which has been reborn from death to life in Christ. The inner man is where our spiritual battles are fought and where the world's pressure to be conformed, is aimed. The joy of the Lord is our strength, not our muscles or money or outward man...We press into the Lord with a "made up mind" and the strength of the Holy Spirit encouraging us. How would we pray this prayer today? I pray it the same way Paul Prayed it for the Ephesians....can't be improved upon. Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Jesus told us in John 15 to "live in me and I will live in you"... In Him we live and move and have our being....but we can choose to live in ourselves in the fleshly realm and grieve the Holy Spirit...Paul is asking us to crucify our flesh, and to allow Christ to dwell on the throne of our lives. Isn't this already an established fact? If we've asked Him to reside there we can also shut Him out through the choice of denying Him the power to reign as King...He never revokes our free will, so Paul is exhorting us to choose to allow Christ to dwell in our hearts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickJW Posted November 8, 2008 Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays for the Ephesians' hearts, or inner men, to be strengthened, so that they may grow and mature in their christianity. We would, and should, pray this prayer in much the same way today for our fellow christians. Paul prays that Christ dwell in the believer's hearts for much the same reason that he asks for strenghtening of their inner man. While Christ does dwell in all persons hearts, it is up to the individual to surrender control to him, which we do in varying degrees. Paul is praying that the indwelling spirit and the inner man be given more control, and the sinful nature be pushed down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordwoman Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordwoman Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man because it is in the inner man that we as humans need strength. Our spirits need to be built up in Christ. We'd pray like Paul prayed. Due to our free will choices, we have the ability to grieve the Holy Spirit and by praying that Christ dwell in our heart we are showing God that we "choose" Christ...and this needs to be done daily, sometimes several times as we have a tendency to "get off track." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daff Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? When the inner man is strengthened it helps us to stand firm against the onslaughts of the enemy. Today, we would pray for wisdom and revelation to keep our feet firmly on the Rock Christ Jesus. Christ comes into our hearts at salvation and we need to get grounded in the Word so that the enemy does not destroy one's faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMA Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul is praying for those believers to learn to tap into that which they already have in Jesus Christ. You see, the area in which we are strengthened is the inner man. That is the spiritual part of our life. I would pray; as we yield to the Holy Spirit of God who resides in our spirit,we surrender to Him, and when we allow Him to control ue, we experience the fullness of all that He has given us in Christ Jesus. Yes it is already established but Christ is only at home in the life of a person who loves Him, loves His Word and surrendered to His will; and that person is going to experience the dwelling of Jesus within us. We must make Him feel at home by means of faith. If I am not trusting Him, and surrendering to Him, then obviously He is uncomfortable in my life. Patricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marloes Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus tells us that the Spirit has to live in us in order to keep the demons away. This means that we ourselves tend to think about doing wrong things. We need the Spirit to live in us to do the right things. But Pauls words fit into Jesus prayer "deliver us from evil". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patience123 Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man so that believers can be fully empowered, better able to cope with the trials and temptations that would surely come their way as they did the Lord's work in spreading the Gospel. Today we would ask the Lord for a measure of his strength, and the wisdom to recognise his hand in our lives. Paul needed to pray constantly for Christ to dwell in the Believers' hearts, because he knew how frail the human heart can be. It is all too easy to ignore the "inner voice" when trials beset us. Look at poor Peter when he betrayed Jesus, earlier that very same day he had said that he would die for Jesus and would never betray him! We sadly have the same weakness in our make up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinity Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul pray that Christ may dwell in our hearts and throught faith we may all live. Our inner man (flesh) always wants to have his own way. We being in one spirit with God must learn to control, take over our flesh and let God spirit show in us. Everyday as followers of Christ we must pray daily for His will be done on us. That God control and take over our life and full our inside (flesh). Living daily on this earth could cause us to put our eyes on what this world has for us (sin). We ought to know that we are in this world but not of this world. In the bible we learn about Noah and Lot (people of those days were looking at sin, not God). Jesus establihed our forgiviness of sin on the cross, but we are to daily remember that we have to pray to God for His spirit to stay in us so we can learn to forgive others as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays for believers to be spiritually strengthened. He is asking that we would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in the inner man so that we can have the strength to mature as Christians. The inner man is the spiritual part of our nature, and it is this inner man that delights in the law of God, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATCH Posted October 14, 2010 Report Share Posted October 14, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays for the inner man to be strengthened so that we will have the power to live a full christian life with Jesus living in our hearts. The inner man is where the Holy Spirit dwells. Our flesh weakens everyday and gives in to temptation. We have to pray for the strengthening of our inner man so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, our inner man which is being renewed daily will be stronger than our flesh. This will help us overcome temptations, walk in obedience and have a deeper relationship with God. Even when our outer bodies grow old and are dying, our inner being will remain strong and does not die. Jesus does not want to come into our hearts as a temporary guest. Paul prays that Christ dwells in our hearts so that he will be our Lord and master. Then we will experience the fullness of a christian life because the Holy Spirit will be counsellor, leading and guiding us. Jesus is a gentleman - He does not force his way into our lives and hearts. At the point of salvation, soe of still do not want Jesus to dwell in our hearts. We are too uncomfortable with the small still voice and we continue living our degenerate lives. So we like Paul must pray for Christ to dwell in our hearts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerneydr Posted November 12, 2010 Report Share Posted November 12, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? God knows what is most important about us that in the inner person or the heart. When we see our real self as it is we will pray like King David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerneydr Posted November 15, 2010 Report Share Posted November 15, 2010 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? God knows what is most important about us that in the inner person or the heart. When we see our real self as it is we will pray like King David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerneydr Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? Our inner man is our essence or who we really are much more than our physical body. We get worn and frazzled and often need renewal in our inner man. How would we pray this prayer today? I think we would refer to the inner man as spirit or soul maybe even heart. Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? That is how we receive our strength -- through Christ's presence in our lives. Sometimes we neglect Him and our lives began to accumulate sin and Christ does not have first place or fully reign in our lives. Isn't this already an established fact?If we have truly given our lives to Christ, He lives there but we need to continue to give him full control of all areas because sometimes we can start taking back control ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusting God Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man, because he wants all believers to know that we have been empowered personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to live and run this Christian life or race. It is the Holy Spirit that strengthens and makes all believers strong. How would we pray this prayer today? We pray this prayer today the same as Paul. God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His Word does not change (Hebrews 13:8). We would ask God to strengthen us for the work of the Gospel, and that we will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit for our every need. Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Paul prays that Christ dwell in the believers’ hearts, because the “heart” is the center and source of the whole inner life. It is where our thinking, feelings, and volition/will come from. Paul is praying to God and asking believers to allow God to have a permanent habitation in their hearts. Isn't this already an established fact? This may be an established fact, but in God’s Word we have to be reminded, and not afraid to repeat a fact if it will save a person’s soul as Paul said in Philippians 3:1. Philippians 3:1 – “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” (KJV) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycin Posted April 26, 2013 Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man that we might have power in the Spirit. Today, we should pray that God strengthen and empower our souls to do His work. He prays that Christ dwells in believers' hearts because we tend to put other things ahead of God. We need for Him to take permanent residence within us and move through us with power. We cannot do these things on our own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onerivertrail Posted May 18, 2013 Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man so that you can better experience God, understand Him and start to realize the greatness of His Love! I would pray as Paul did. I would pray for myself for this enlightening so that I could pass the same on to others. God is a real wealth of what we need that is limitless. To pray for this empowering to be stronger will open the eyes of our hearts to what is now and before us. We need this strengthening. Paul prays for Christ to dwell in believers hearts. This happens when we accept Him as Lord but the empowering is the Holy Spirit. We need both actions in our lives. Paul knew this and passed it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted September 14, 2015 Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 The reason that Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man is because that is where everything that we think and act on is there. He is saying that we need to change the way that we think. We would prayer today that this would change our hearts. The reason that he prays that Christ dwell in our hearts is because this is what makes us do what we do. If we have Christ in there then we can be doing the things that he wants us to be doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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