The Daily Renewal — Its Power

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16.

"He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" Titus 3: 5.

With every new day, the life of nature is renewed. As the sun rises again with its light and warmth, the flowers open, the birds sing, and life is everywhere stirred and strengthened. As we rise from the rest of our sleep and partake of our morning food, we feel that we have gathered new strength for the duties of the day. The inner chamber is the standing confession of the need our inward life has for daily renewal too. It is only by fresh nourishment from God's Word, and fresh oneness with God Himself in prayer, that the vigor of the spiritual life can be maintained and grown.

Though our outward man perishes, though the burden of sickness or suffering, the strain of work, and weariness may exhaust or enfeeble us, the inward man can be renewed day by day.

A quiet time and place, with the Word and prayer, are the means the renewal. But only this when as means they are animated by the divine power which works through them. That power is the Holy Spirit, the mighty power of God that works in us. Our study of the inner chamber and the inner life it represents would be defective if we did not give its due place to the daily renewal of the inward man, which it is the function of the blessed Spirit ever to work. In the text from Titus, we are taught that "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” The two expressions are not meant to be a repetition.

The regeneration is one great act, the beginning of the Christian life; the renewing of the Holy Ghost is a work that is carried on continuously and never ends. In Romans 12: 2, we read of the progressive transformation of the Christian life, that it is by "The Renewing of the Mind.'' In Ephesians 4: 23, the word "put off the old man" (in the aorist) indicates an act done once for all, the word, "Be Renewed in the Spirit of Your Mind" is in the present tense, and points to progressive work. Even so in Colossians 3:10 we read, "And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” It is the blessed Spirit to whom we are to look, on whom we can count, for the daily renewal of the inner man in the inner chamber.

Everything depends, in our secret devotions, upon our maintaining the true relation to the adorable third person of the blessed Trinity, through whom alone the Father and the Son can do their work of saving love, through whom alone the Christian can do his work. That relation may be expressed in the two very simple words, faith and surrender. Faith. Scripture says, "God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

The child of God, the very feeblest, who would in his morning devotion offer up a prayer, that shall be pleasing to the Father, and be a blessing to himself, must remember that he has received the Holy Spirit as the spirit of prayer, and that His help is indispensable to enable us to pray effectually. Even so with the Word of God. It is by the Holy Spirit alone that the truth in its divine meaning and power can be revealed to us, and do its work in our hearts. If the daily renewal of the inward man in the morning hour is to be a reality, take time to meditate, worship, and believe with your whole heart that the Holy Spirit has been given you, that He is within you, and that through Him God will work the blessing which He gives through prayer and the Word.

Surrender. Do not forget that the Holy Spirit must have entire control. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

They walk after the Spirit, not after the flesh. It is the ungrieved presence of the Spirit that can give the Word its light and power, and keep us in that blessed life of child-like confidence and child-like obedience which is well-pleasing to God.

Let us praise God for this wonderful gift, the Holy Spirit in His renewing power, and let's look with new joy and hope to the inner chamber as the place where the inner man can indeed be renewed from day to day. So shall life be kept ever fresh; so shall we go on from strength to strength, so shall we bear much fruit, that the Father may be glorified.

If all this be true, what need that we know the Holy Spirit aright. As the Third Person, it is His office and work to bring the life of God unto us, to hide Himself in the depth of our being and make Himself one with us, to reveal there the Father and the Son, to be the mighty Power of God working in us, and to take control of our entire being. He asks but one thing, simple obedience to His leading. The truly yielded soul will find in the daily renewing of the Holy Ghost the secret of growth and strength and joy.