Inner strength - It’s what we all need! In times of change in my own life, I have found that inner strength from God is the only thing that sustains me. We all need strength for daily life, but where do we get it?
When unexpected things happen in your outer life, what sustains you on the inside?
Well, it’s certainly not TV or Facebook. It’s got to be something more, something far deeper. God wants to build spiritual muscles in us that can overcome the world on a daily basis. He wants us to be able to react quickly to adverse circumstances.
We are presently visiting my husband’s family in New York. It was a long, tiring journey just to get here for the holiday weekend, but we finally made it. One day we went out to lunch to celebrate the occasion and were driving back to their country trailer. It looked like the safest place to drive - no cars, good weather conditions, and a beautiful country road. But was it?
Suddenly without any warning a mail car pulled out of a side street right into our lane. My husband, though extremely tired, in a split second veered into the oncoming lane to keep from hitting the car. Fortunately no cars were coming in our direction and we missed hitting the mail car by a fraction of an inch!
The mailman was not looking. He was probably in a hurry to finish his route because of the holiday weekend. There could have been a big accident. It could have cost us our car, our health, our time, everything. But Norm was alert and able to steer out of the way in a second. He was alert on the inside. He had the INNER STRENGTH AND ALERTNESS to drive carefully on an ordinary day with no foreseen danger even though he was tired. And it paid off.
So many people are like that mailman. They are going through life without carefully watching. They are busy doing things that don’t really matter, things that don’t count for eternity. They foolishly live for today without thinking or preparing for eternity. Perhaps you have neighbors or co-workers just like that. Ones that sit back, eating and drinking, but are unaware of the serious danger ahead. Failing to cultivate their inner spirit in Christ, when hard times come they collapse under the pressure.
We recently relocated to Kansas City and live 5 miles from the International House of Prayer. Recently major evangelical prayer leaders from around the U.S. led the prayer room for 66 hours. It was fantastic - it brought unity among the denominations - it united the generations, young and old. These prayer leaders were alert and watchful, so aware of the times we are facing, and it brought courage to the multitudes of young people who are living on this mission’s base.
The young people did the same to the older by contributing so much zeal and enthusiasm in prayer and worship. I am so challenged by the young people here because they are watchful, they are praying (many 4 hours daily), and they are alert to the hour we are living in. The combination of this multi-generational prayer focus brought great strength and momentum to the prayer movement. It brought INNER STRENGTH to everyone!
Yesterday the storm clouds rolled in. At night my husband and I went for a walk, and he took a picture of the turbulent sky across the background of the lush green trees blowing wildly in the wind. It was an ominous sight and quite unusual and unexpected for this time of year. You are I are in serious days where it is absolutely necessary that we build up our inner being in Christ. We read the Bible and know that we are facing the end-times head-on. Storm winds are blowing all over the world. We must be prepared and ready for any unforeseen emergencies that come our way. We must be God’s watchmen in fervent, united prayer.
This is not a time to be alarmed but to be strengthened on the inside. It’s not a time to sit back and watch it all happen before us, but we must strengthen and increase our prayer life. Passivity does not bring peace. We are God’s watchmen in prayer for such a time as this. It’s time to build up our inner being in the love of Christ. Intercessor, it is your greatest hour. You were born for such a time as this. It’s time to rise to the heights and live full lives, full in the fullness of God!
But how do you and I build our self up in our inner being? How can we be strengthened with power?
Prayers to Strengthen You on the Inside
“And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19-20, Message Bible).
The following are prayers you can pray to strength your inner being. I will use the acrostic FELLOWSHIP, because it’s all about fellowship and intimacy with God. This is our highest calling in life. Take hold of this and apply these prayers to your personal life on a regular basis. Build your spiritual muscles that will last, not only for this life, but for all of eternity. These prayers, adapted from Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer, will strengthen your inner being:
Fear of God - “Lord, release the spirit of the fear of the Lord into my heart. Strike my heart with Your majesty, Your power, Your glory, (name other attributes of God). Unite my heart to Your heart to fear Your name (Psalm 86:11). May my delight be in the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:3).”
Endurance - “Father, strengthen my spirit with endurance and patience so that I may do Your will and endure any test that I am facing with Your joy (name any trial that is tempting you to quit) (Colossians 1:11). Direct my heart into the patient endurance of Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5). Impart to me Your zeal (John 2:17).
Love - “Lord, I want to experience Your love. Pour it into my heart and give me revelation of Your love for me. Let it overflow back to You. Direct my heart into Your love (2 Thessalonians 3:5, Romans 5:5), and set me as a seal on Your heart (Song 8:6-7). Help me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). Teach me to abide in Your love, and help me to abound in love toward others (John 15:9, 1 Thessalonians 3:12).”
Light of Glory - “Lord, show me the light of Your glory. I want to encounter You on a deeper level. Lift up the light of Your countenance on me, and cause Your face to shine on me (Psalm 4:6, 80:3). Send out Your light and truth. Let them lead me and bring me to Your holy hill (Psalm 43:3). Open my eyes to see everything from Your perspective.”
One Thing Life Focus - “Lord, I choose to be a person of one thing. I choose to sit at Your feet. Align my life circumstances so that I can keep focused on You. Let me behold Your beauty (Psalm 27:4). Help me to pray Your Word and dialogue with You as I read it. Teach me to mediate and set You always before me (Psalm 16:8).
Worthy and faithful - “Lord, I want to be faithful to You all my life. Strengthen me to be faithful. Consider me worthy to walk in my highest calling in this age and the age to come (2 Thessalonians 1:11).”
Sanctify me - “Lord, sanctify me completely. May my spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless without compromise at the coming of our Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Establish my heart blameless in holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:13). Set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3). Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You (Psalm 19:14).”
Humility - “Lord, I want to learn to walk in lowliness and humility of heart. Teach me humility in my attitudes, my speech, and my actions (Matthew 11:29). I want to consider others as more important than myself and look on their interests. Let Your attitude of humility be in me (Philippians 2:3-6). I thank You for Your wonderful example and bless Your holy name.”
Insight and wisdom - “Lord, I ask for insight into your Word, will, and ways. I want to partner with you in every area of my life including my finances, physical body, schedule, emotions, fears, circumstances, relationships, and future. I pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You (Ephesians 1:17). Fill me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that I may have a walk worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:9-10).
Peace and Joy - “Lord, I pray that you would strengthen me with supernatural peace and joy that overpowers fear and anxiety. May your peace guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Fill me with all joy and hope in believing, that I may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).”
When you feel a sense of alarm because of all that is happening around you, it is not a time to panic. Simply get down on your knees, lay all your concerns before the Lord in an act of worship and surrender, and strengthen your inner man by praying these prayers. Arise strong in God’s Spirit! Out of His glorious riches He has strengthened you with power through the spirit in your inner being. Remember God can do anything!
“God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us” (Ephesians 3:20-21).
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Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
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