“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;”
—2 Thessalonians 1:3

Reflection

When the apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus, he asked Father God to strengthen them with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith and they would be rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:16–17).

He went on to pray that they would comprehend the greatness of Christ’s love, which surpasses knowledge, and be filled up to all the fullness of God.

It’s interesting to note here that being strengthened by God’s Spirit in the inner man results first in faith.

Faith is a thing. It has substance. It has a spiritual fiber, if you will. It is power. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is the confident expectation that what you are hoping for will materialize and fully manifest. It allows us to think God’s thoughts, believe what God believes, and desire what He desires. Faith comes from God’s Word and from being strengthened on the inside.

When someone is strong inside by the power of God’s Spirit, that person has faith. There’s a life within those individuals that gives them faith, and this faith connects them to love because faith believes all things.

It’s impossible to have faith and fear in the same spot because faith connects us to love, and love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Fear is the opposite of faith, and faith is the opposite of fear.

Fear believes God may not come through for you. Faith believes God is good and that we are safe and protected in Him.

Consider children who are raised in safe homes. They trust in their parents’ love. They have faith that tomorrow is going to be a good day. And because they feel safe, because they are experiencing the goodness of their parents, because they know they’re loved, children growing up in this type of environment generally are loving kids.

Similarly, when we believe by faith in God’s goodness, when we believe in His promises, when we believe in His Word, when we know we’re safe, protected, and loved, the fruit of love is going to come forth from our lives.

The opposite is true also. People who don’t trust anyone around them feel unsafe. They’re not walking in love. They’re walking in self-protection, defensiveness, aggression, ambition, and fear.

Beloved, this is why being strengthened in the inner man is so important. As God’s Spirit strengthens us, our faith in His goodness grows. And as we become more confident in His love and promises, we are able to walk in love rather than fear.

Application

• Be strengthened on the inside. Spend time in God’s Word and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your inner man so that your faith will grow.
• Choose faith over fear. When fear causes you to become defensive or self-protective, remind yourself of God’s goodness, His promises, and His love for you.

Prayer

Father God, I ask You to strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner man. Give me supernatural faith to believe Your Word, trust Your promises, and know that I am safe and protected in You. Deliver me from fear, defensiveness, and self-protection. Root and ground me in Your love so that I may comprehend more fully the greatness of Messiah’s love for me. Let the fruit of Your love come forth from my life. In Yeshua’s name, amen.