Praying Through
Ephesians 3:13-19
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
3 August, 2008 AM
I.
Introduction (Ephesians
3:14)
A.
The theme this month is
Bow the Knee as Disciples – The need to become like our Master – like
Jesus
B.
That is what a disciple is – a
follower, a copy of Jesus Christ!
C.
Discipleship is not something
for a select few, but for all believers
D.
Discipleship begins with
change
1.
From physical emphasis, to
spiritual
2.
Not to the outer man, but in
the inner man!
E.
The apostle Paul prays for
five things in the live of every believer that would revolutionise their lives
if they were allowed to take effect
1.
For Strength in the Inner Man
2.
That Christ would dwell in our
hearts by faith
3.
That We would be rooted &
grounded in love
4.
That We would comprehend the
love of Christ
5.
That We would be filled with
the fullness of God!
F.
The next five weeks is going
to be awesome!
II.
Background – Developing A Christian’s True Strength
(Ephesians 3:16)
A.
Not external, or physical
power - A Christian has strengths available to him that are not connected with
his muscles, health, money, or abilities
B.
It is a strength that is found
in “the inner man” – a spiritual strength in the invisible part of you
1.
We all know what it means to
be strong – to be able to carry heavy things, lift weights, able to handle
physical attacks
2.
The question is how to be
strong spiritually
3.
Not found naturally in
ourselves – only found spiritually, only when spiritual, not physically strong
C.
It is a Strength to do what?
1.
To Speak up in the midst of
opposition, and against all obstacles! Witnessing, and even finding the strength
to say, “I forgive you!” to people that have so hurt you!
2.
To Support burdens (Gal 6:2) –
carry other people’s problems, along with your own
3.
To Stay faithful – against the
flow, against popularity, against demonic attack
4.
To Stay free from sin’s power
and guilt – who wants to get free from a sin only to become enslaved again, and
again, and again?
5.
To Sing and praise God when
everything is falling apart! What a power!
6.
More on these things next week
when I talk about Moving and
D.
There is not a person in this
room that doesn’t need THAT kind of a strength!
E.
Let me show you why
III.
Message
A.
Getting Under the Skin – The Trinity of Man
(1Thes 5:23)
1.
There is more to you than just
mind and body (Prov 23:7) – there is a heart in here!
a.
There is an outer man – my
body
b.
There is an inner man – my
soul (Rom 7:22)
c.
It is hidden from our eyes,
but is just as real (1Peter 3:4)
d.
There is a spirit in man
1)
It is where Jesus Christ wants
to dwell
2)
Until Jesus is in there, it is
a graveyard, full of unclean spirits and demonic powers
3)
When your spirit is “born
again” you become a spiritual man!
4)
More on this next week!
B.
The Priority of the Inside
(Mark 8:35-37)
1.
Physically, our “insides” are
more important than our outside
a.
Which is more important:
1)
A spot on your face, or a spot
on your lung?
2)
A mis-shaped nose, or a
mis-shaped colon?
3)
A limping knee, or blocked
artery?
b.
Just “touching up” our
outsides will not help what’s inside
1)
If you have a broken bone,
will a plaster do?
2)
If your appendix is about to
burst, will a new pair of shoes make it all better?
2.
Yet, when we face life’s
problems, we usually have all the Wrong Emphasis today…
a.
Body-building is no help for
heartaches and sorrows! And yet, people put so much time into their outer man!
1)
Loads of emphasis on everybody
eating right
2)
Sleep well
3)
Dress to impress
4)
New and fancier hairstyles
5)
New clothes
6)
New car
7)
Better friends
8)
New pub
9)
Different drug
b.
All try and make me feel
better about myself from the outside-in
3.
Our body (outer-man) matters
very little compared to our inner man – see even Jesus (John 6:56,59,60,63)
a.
If you had a relic of Christ’s
body, it would do you no good at all
b.
Only the words of Jesus have
value and power!!!
4.
Jesus only works from the
“inside-out”
C.
How Peter Was Turned Inside Out
(Luke 22:31-34)
1.
Jesus intended to make Peter
STRONG on the inside
a.
Strong in faith (Rom 4:20)
b.
Strong in spirit (Luke 2:40)
c.
Strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10)
d.
Strong in grace (1Tim 2:1)
2.
Peter started out Strong on
the Outside, and very Weak on the Inside
a.
He could fish all night – but
he could not stay up and pray all night
b.
He would fight at the drop of
a hat – not afraid of anyone – yet when a young girl pushed him about being with
Jesus he crumbled and ran like a coward!
3.
Peter, like all of us was
under constant spiritual attack
a.
Demonic thoughts and lies
(Matthew 16:21-23)
b.
Confusion
c.
All calculated to ruin Peter
d.
And it would have because
Peter was only strong on the outside
e.
But as you well know, the
enemy was already on the INSIDE!
4.
Yet Jesus Has a
a.
Prayer – a great shield of
protection comes only by prayer
1)
If it were not for the Lord
being on our side (Ps 124:1-8)
2)
If people were not praying for
me…
b.
A Pattern – Jesus constantly
said, “watch Me fight against Satan” – not with fist or fury
c.
Perseverance – just staying
faithful and full of faith, even when all your outer man’s strength is gone, is
the key (2Cor 4:16)
d.
Complete Conversion – Turning
Peter Inside-Out (Luke 22:60-62)
1)
Pressures revealed just how
weak he was
2)
Defeat revealed just how
sinful he was
3)
Remorse revealed just how
broken he was
4)
The cross revealed just how
loved he was
5)
The resurrection revealed just
how changed he could be
6)
Peter was
e.
Impact – Affect the people
around you for God
1)
Praying for, and encouraging
them – what incredible protection there is when we pray for one another!
2)
Showing them a pattern by YOUR
life – so lacking in Christianity today
IV.
Challenge
A.
Everything that’s important is
on the inside
1.
Without the new birth, all the
body-building, all the self-help, and self-confidence will not change you nor
truly help you – and will end you up in a devil’s hell
2.
But according to Jesus, once
you lose your life (you plans, your emphasis on the outer man), you will finally
find it (real life, eternal life), and it will only grow as it is tested,
stretched, and strengthened!
3.
Are you born again?
4.
Are you even growing?
5.
All you allowing your faith to
grow?
6.
Are you feeding only the outer
man, or feeding more the inner man?
B.
C.
Try a new diet
1.
Four chapters a day in the
Bible – food for the soul!
2.
Praying for spiritual strength
– asking God to make you strong in your spirit
3.
Don’t hide your weaknesses!
Rely on God’s spiritual strength – quit leaning on your own abilities, and
inabilities
4.
Believe God instead of your
feelings – just trust God’s promises
5.
Get faithful doing what God
says, and stay faithful at it for a while
6.
SEE if God is a liar or not!
D.
And it all starts with out
prayer-life!
E.
1.
Who We Pray To…
2.
How To Pray…
a.
Bowed
b.
Begging
c.
Believing
3.
The Power of Praying!
4.
The Riches we have Access to!
F.
Every week this month, I only
hope to enable every believer in here to experience true discipleship, through
that kind of prayer!
Craig Ledbetter | Pastor |