Inner Vows

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:33-37

Inner vows are common among most men. We make them as boys, teens, and young men. They range from what we’ll be when we grow up to who we’ll marry to what type of job we’ll secure. While these can be harmless aspirations and life goals, the critical point is when they become destructive because of the emotional framework being erected outside of God’s Will for our life.

Anything directed inward, as opposed to outward or upward to God, eliminates God from the process, and most importantly the outcome. Is accumulating wealth bad? No, God wants to bless us in all things, but when the accumulation was made as a result of an inner vow, then God was not part of the process. This opens the door for money to become your god (lower case g).

Three of the most dangerous aspects of inner vows are:

1. They are unscriptural:

God says do not swear at all (Matthews 5:33-37) because it doesn’t submit itself to God. Jesus says “perform your oaths to the Lord…” but with inner vows, there is no obligation or submission to God. Everything done and accomplished is done internally for self-gratification

2. They have an unseen effect:

You may not even realize that you locked your future self into a pattern of behavior outside of God’s will. This is called the “sleeper” effect and results from a vow lying dormant until triggered by an action or response. 

3. They are the most powerful form of commitment:

Inner vows are powerful because they were made by you, and at a time of hurt or turmoil that affected you. Because you personally removed God from the equation, you have a tendency to cling to the vow no matter what the cost to you or others. 

Inner vows are connected to the level of strong judgments and unforgiveness against people in your life. To break free and liberate yourself from the past pains that prompted the vows, you must identify them, confess them, repent and pray for God’s restoration. 

Call To Action 

1. Write out in detail what you understand to be your inner vows. 
2. Write out in detail what you remember as the cause for having made those inner vows. 
3. Write out periods in your life that you have condemned others with strong judgments that have led to making inner vows. 
4. Write out in detail one example of an inner vow and how it affects you today.