How to Find Inner Power

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.

Ephesians 3:16

“If you want to be successful, you need to discover your inner power.”

“If you have faith in yourself, you will be successful in whatever you do.”

Sound familiar? Platitudes such as these are a dime a dozen. You can find them in bestselling books, on television talk shows, in greeting cards, and all over the Internet. You hear truisms like this in graduation speeches, infomercials, and even in sermons. But are they true? Can you find the power you really need inside of yourself?

The biblical answer is “no… and yes!” If we simply look inside of ourselves for power, truth, and salvation, we won’t find it. What we’ll find is a vacuum that can be filled only by God. But, if after you peer inside, you realize how empty you are, if you turn to God in faith, not only do you receive salvation by grace, but also the very Spirit of God comes to dwell within you. Thus, if you have a relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ, then God’s own power does indeed dwell within you.

This explains Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16: “I pray that out of his glorious riches [God] may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” There will be power inside of you, power to be discovered and used, but not power that emerges from your own inner resources. Rather, the true source of inner power is the Spirit of God.

When we draw strength from the indwelling Spirit, we find peace and confidence that exceed our own capacity. We find compassion to love those who are otherwise unlovable. We find strength to serve and sacrifice in ways that imitate Jesus. The Spirit of God empowers us to minister in the church and in the world—wherever we are—in amazing ways, so that God’s purposes might be advanced through us.

Something to Think About:

Where do you need God’s power today?

What challenges do you face that exceed your capabilities?

What opportunities might you pursue if you believed that God’s power lived within you through the Holy Spirit?

Something to Do:

As you consider the challenges of the day, ask God specifically to “strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

Prayer:

Gracious God, my heart echoes Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16. I ask that out of your glorious riches, you would strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being. Empower me, Lord, to say “no” to sin and “yes” to you. Strengthen me to serve others faithfully and sacrificially. Give me wisdom as I do my work today. Grant me faith to believe great things of you. To you be all the glory. Amen.

Explore more at The High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project:
The Face of Endurance