Ephesians 3:16-17
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
This is the hour in which we are meant to be awakened from our slumber and become more sober-minded than distracted or sidelined. Readiness and preparedness are vital to all of us, but divine order must not be minimized or overlooked, lest we fall into the traps of human wisdom or fearful reactions.
The priority of God, His first work, is the Internal. It is the establishing of the mind of Christ in His wisdom, understanding, and revelation which should and must lead us in proper outward response. This response must come from inward communion— waiting and listening to His voice. It is reckless to move first to outward preparation without inward revelation and without the establishing of His wisdom inwardly so as to clearly know the action we are to take. Before strong outward action is taken, we first need His strengthening (the divine replacement of voluntary weakness so that His strength alone may operate) in the inward or inner (spirit) man. If this divine order is not our experience, then we will certainly be like those who left Egypt physically but who were still slaved to themselves and the enemy internally.
The spirit of Christ’s first work, in an ongoing way, is the establishing and formation of Christ as the government and life of every believer. This alone brings true internal freedom and divine understanding and order into us. This outward chaos and disorder should not and will not rule our souls.
If we will allow the Spirit of Christ to have His way in this work, then we will see the glory of the Lord from within to without and will be the city, the heavenly one, set on a hill being His light to all peoples.
Perhaps the first step in this internal preparation is the breaking up of our hardened ground. This may especially be true in what I think I know, or perhaps what I believe. Let us give Him permission now to discipline, correct, and train us inwardly in this hour. May we not run ahead of inward revelation, but may we keep in step with the Spirit internally and externally.
Lord, prepare my inner man for disruption and revelation, Amen.