Our physical and visible body (flesh) is what the bible calls the earthly tabernacle which shall be dissolved when the dust shall return to dust. It is also known as the old man or the body of sin because the soul became dead at the fall right into our birth from our mother’s womb. The first Adam was a living soul in an earthly body made from the clay, but was spiritually dead unto God after the fall. The last Adam (Christ) is the Lord from heaven who shared in the human nature though he is a quickening spirit who has come to restore spiritual life to the spiritually dead soul (seed of Adam) and to reconcile him back to God. 1Corinthians: 15:45. Man’s dead soul is quickened or made alive when he comes to God through Christ (in him was life) for salvation and regeneration. If the salvation encounter is real, fruits of repentance are visible through the changes wrought from within the changed heart where Christ is now dwelling by faith. In Christ, the believer does not only find rest for his soul, but he also possesses supernatural strength to yield to God and to win the battles against his soul. The inner man is not the spirit of man (the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all his inward parts). Proverbs 20:27. The inner man is the soul, the real man and the seat of his will, mind and his emotions which consist of his perceptions, imaginations, decision, thoughts, desires, love, grief, hate, determination, etc. Man’s soul is spiritually dead and was formerly captivated through sin by Satan. Now in Christ Jesus, the renewed soul has finally found a mighty companion and helper in the person of the Holy Spirit to empower and strengthen him against sin, the flesh, Satan and the evil in the world around him. If the redeemed soul (repentant sinner) will faithfully surrendered himself to such a great helper and divine changer, he will bring a striking inner transformation and changes in appearance and characters to redeem from all iniquity and purify unto the Lord as a peculiar person, zealous of good works.
Very much that Christ is the image of the invisible God, the inner man is the life and likeness of God that was lost in the fall but is now restored to the regenerate soul or the converted sinner thorough the new birth that the soul who was once in enmity with God by wicked works should to start to thirst, seek and live for God, growing in the spirit to attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The scriptures makes it clear that it is the will of God for us to be strong from within – that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might in the inner man. The strength or the weakness, the life or the death of the inner man depends on believer’s continuation to water the seed of life (seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever. 1 Peter 1:22 – 23) through wilful yielding of himself to God in obedience as instrument of righteousness unto holiness. In addition to this, his daily and constant meditation in the word of God every day and night is a paramount issue to his strength and victory. His admission to heaven or rejection to hell is determined by what he does with, and how he treats the inner man. Therefore, he should twice consider before anything that any false step in defiance against the word of God is against his soul. Anything, he does with his earthly body to honour or dishonour God is a seed of life or sentence of death either for his soul to live or to perish for eternity because fleshly lusts wages war against the soul and he should abstain from them. He is therefore warned that he no longer belongs to himself, but should glorify God in his body and spirit which are God’s.
The wellness and safety of the inner man are the works and products of the Spirit of God which was poured upon us in regeneration for a new life or the new creature, that we might live an undefeatable (the triumphant soul) spiritual life that overcomes the world, flesh, sin and Satan – whatsoever is born of God overcome the world. He is no more the defeated man we knew at Romans chapter 7 verses 14 to 23 (For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members) but the new man who has been set free by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus because of his constant walk and life in the Spirit not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh. The inner man (soul) is now spiritually alive to God, because he is born of him (quickened by God). We should reckon that when Christ died, we died with him, and when he rose from the dead, we were raised together with him. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth (as from conversion) we should not serve sin. As we have borne and shown the image and corrupt nature of the fallen Adam in our natural birth before conversion; even now it’s expected in our new birth to start manifesting the divine nature of Christ in us through the strength of the inner man by conforming to the likeness of our Lord’s death in our daily walk, putting off the old man and putting on the new man to manifest the nature and image of the risen Saviour in a transformed life by constantly applying the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which has made us free from the law of sin and death — the power and freedom from the indwelling sin. The kingdom of God is within you, he is the Christ in you, the hope of glory. If in this present state of grace and probation, we declined and refused to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness — if we shun to walk daily in the new creature – if we are unproductive in the fruit of the Spirit and are turning the grace of God into lasciviousness – if we are self-​willed and obstinate to the Spirit of God, instead of abiding in the doctrine of Christ – if we are overcome by the taunt of the mockers, unbelievers and the evil people around us to compromise and to despise the Spirit of grace, using the liberty in Christ as the means of indulging in unrighteousness; thereby fallen from the grace which ought to keep us tall and strong, and are dead again in trespasses and iniquities, then shall we reap corruption for sowing to the flesh– the soul that sin, it shall die. If we are not dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God for righteousness, then we are not standing in the true grace of God. The true grace (1 Peter 5:12) of God with eternal salvation obtained by our Lord is in the true liberty from sins. This grace is our spiritual checker and guidance into all truth, the source of our empowerment and transformation that is teaching us daily to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11 – 14. The false brethren and teachers eternal judgement shall be severe and worst place shall be appointed them in hell than the unconverted sinners (2 Peter 2:17) if they eschew to make use of the power and means given to them out of sin, but preferred to use it as the license and liberty to gratify the desires of the flesh and the lusts of their minds in false hope to continue in sin that grace may abound. Such naughty behaviour is called, ‘done despite (contemptuous disregard) to the spirit of grace’, the expectation and consequence of a frightful indignation of God, which shall destroy his adversaries. Psalms 68:21. Hebrews 10:29.
The believer’s appreciation to God for his salvation is manifested in his obedient and submission to discard all dirty behavior and the overweight of evil, and take into his soul without pride the living word which, being planted there, is able to give him salvation. James 1:21. This particular action is the true expression of his love to God. Loyalty is the expression of love and rebellion is the expression of self-willed and independent from God. As the believer abide to walk daily in Christ, so he’s conscious to the inner witness that he is a child of God and sensitive to the inner direction and signal of the anointing that he received of him (but the anointing which ye have received of him abides in you, and ye need not that any man teaches you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him) against wolves in sheep clothing. 1 John 2:26. The word of God is the food and strength (also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that haste with his feet sins. Proverbs 19:2) of the inner man. The inner man survives and exists only by the word of God and without the word of God he shall become weak and will timely die. Man (the inner man) shall not live by bread alone. Remember that Adam dies spiritually the moment he chose to ignore the word God to eat the forbidding fruit. The soul’s uninterrupted fellowship with God is through the quickening power of the Spirit in us until our heavenly Father accomplishes his work in us by the time he will give us a new glorious body in exchange for this present vile body as a reward for our constant yielding to be led by the Spirit of God. If the believer continues to yield himself as he that is alive unto God from the dead as instrument of righteousness, he is sowing to the Spirit, and he is sure to harvest eternal life when his body shall be transformed like the glorious body of Christ, according to the working (Spirit operation) whereby the Lord is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Romans 7:22. Philippians 3:17 – 21. The believer is said to be delivered from this present evil world, and he is no more of the world. It will be a great error on his part to be living in conformity to the ungodly practices of the world — signifying, misrepresentation of Christ and crucifying him again the second time and bringing him to an open shame. Any act of disobedient is an act of death, weakening the inner man and strengthening or reviving the old man who has once been destroyed (Romans 6:6) to rise up again. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Can we bear the eternal consequences of having begun in the Spirit, but made perfect in the flesh? Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit in corruption. Galatians 2:18 – 20. 1 Corinthians 15:50. Now that the heart is circumcised to love Jehovah with all our strength and soul, we should obey him to walk by faith and not by sight; committing the keeping our soul unto God as unto a faithful creator and his angels shall lead and bring us to the abode of the spirits of just men made perfect at death. Once the heart is circumcised, everything is seen from celestial viewpoint. The well of the living water is clean and from within he is led by the Spirit of God, speaks from within, see from within, think from within, know from within and learn from within, even from the Spirit of God springing up in him to life everlasting. The real man is the soul and not that well-built athletic, toned, slender build or rounded sexy body. Everything around us today in the world is about the outer man – the body enhancement, the breast enlargement, the sex improvement and the abs workout for muscle and fitness etc., but they speak and have little or no understanding about the importance of the healthy state of the inner man in Christ Jesus which has nothing to do with yoga (union of the individual consciousness or soul with the universal consciousness or spirit – which spirit? Demons of course) or the discovering your inner psychic, the discovering of inner peace outside of the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost – Christ is our peace.
The strength and spiritual state of health of the inner man will determines the height and measure of believer’s growth, fruitfulness, effectiveness and his true spiritual state of being before God. If he has not put off the old man with his deeds, then you will see a lustful, deceitful, carnal, corrupt, weak and worldly believer who is still sowing to the flesh –it is all from within. Where ever you see a Spirit led and filled believer, such are they that have put on the new man, walking daily in the new creature. They are strong in the grace and are daily renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created the new man. Colossians 3:9 – 10. The inner man can be the old man– fallen Adam nature, when the sinner is not yet a believer, and he is not crucified with Christ. The inner man can become the new man with divine nature in a repentant sinner, born again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts. 2 Peter 1:4. When the enemy attack you, he does attack not your body but your inner man and the damages wrought from within begin to manifest outside with time. When you are born of God, your inner man (your real life) is now hiding with God in Christ. This is why the holy writ declares that whatsoever is born of God overcome the world. You are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that lives in you, than he that lives in the world. Apostle Paul calls him the ‘inward man’ which is renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16. The daily renewal of the inward or inner man of a regenerated soul is made possible from the strength and power obtainable from the time and attention given to strengthen the soul in prayer, and nourishing it daily and nightly through meditation in the word of God (I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope): not just any word, but strong meat and undiluted word….that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Psalms 130:5. Ephesians 3:16. There is the probability of a specified outcome to increase and improve on whatever we give attention, time and focus upon — to become such. Those that are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh lusts and fights against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The new inner man can grow to overpower and totally subdued the ‘old man’ (the sin that dwells in us) in the place of spiritual brokenness. Likewise, if provisions are continually made for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof, the old man (the nature of Adam), will destroy the works and purposes of God in us. Romans 8:5. Romans 13:13 – 14.
If the believer should focus on the things unseen and above, eternal in the heavens, and will have his regards, desire and attention on the better country, hastening for the day of the Lord and willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord, these are the indications that his inner man is alive unto God. Then shall he know by experience through the fellowship of the Holy– Spirit as Christ said, ‘at that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you’. John 14:20.
There are three places and things to look into for any solution and a way out from the enemy’s assaults. They serves as the backup from losing what you have received of him and from yielding to external pressures – not to faint in the day of adversity (1) each day, afternoon and night, you must look up to God and always pray without ceasing. Psalms 55:17. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his forever more — I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help, my help comes from the Lord which made the heaven and earth. Though you are on earth in your earthly tabernacle (fleshly — body) but God has raised and seated you with Christ in heavenly places. God is on high and seated on his throne, but he says, ‘I will dwell in them, and they shall be sons and daughters, says the Lord God Almighty’. Speak and pour out your heart to him that lives inside of you but dwells in eternity. Cease from man but keep looking and seeking unto him who has the heart of men in his hand with power to direct and command the wicked, righteous, good or bad people, even your worst enemy to favour his righteous cause in your life if you will not be distracted to look away from Christ, who is the author and finisher of your faith. (2) Search and look into the scriptures every day and night and let the word of God dwells in you richly in all wisdom. This is the bread of life. It is the strength of the inner man. Your spiritual comfort, strength and victory over the wicked one is in the volumetric analysis of the scriptures stored up in you and released from your mouth to activate the level of the rising of the standard to which the Spirit of God shall surge in you against the sudden uprising of the enemy’s flood or attack. The scriptures learnt by heart and mixed with faith would renew your mind and fortify your faith so that your inward response and attitude to the outward challenges can transform you from one glory into another in your darkest hours when the enemy sought to overwhelm you; but instead, the Lord shall shine in your heart and be glorified in your situation – for the upright, there arise light (psalms 112:4) out of darkness. This is the light sent to show you where to lie down, even among the green pastures (fresh and life giving word) sent to position you besides the still waters (inner quietness) for the restoration of your soul, notwithstanding the troubles around you, beneath you, behind you, over you, behind or before you. (3) You must look inside of you. Everything required and necessary for the success and safety of this spiritual pilgrimage, warfare and race is embedded inside of you – the kingdom of God is within you. Except there is any other plant not planted by the heavenly Father which must be uprooted to give room for proper flowing of the rivers of life from your belly for spiritual glowing and growing –the kingdom within you is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost –keep looking up – never weary to search the scriptures for something new may pop up someday – keep digging deeper inside of you, for from within, out of the heart of man comes every hypocrisy, iniquity and defilement, so keep it with all diligent, out of it are the issues of life. If you will do this, then you will be keeping Satan and his demons at bay from your life and your conscience shall not condemn you for any wrong doing before him that searches the heart.