How many people daily promise themselves: "tomorrow I'll start that
new diet, or start exercising, or go to the gym". Most will not keep
that promise; some will make the atempt, but then give up shortly
after they have started. So the age old question is WHY do so many
people give up and not follow through with these programs. WHY do so
many fall into despair?
Many purchase home videos, watch and begin exercising along with the program, but few continue long enough to see any real results. It takes a great deal of "will power" consisting of determination, persistence and discipline to stay focused and see visible results. Those who do see that all that hard work does pays-off in the end.
How many people have boasted of all the weight they are going to lose via this program or that program, only to end up giving these excuses for not follwing through:
A)..I really don't have the time.
B)..I'll skip today and start again tomorrow.
C)..They start out "this is easy" then a half-hour later "this is too difficult".
D)..This is sort-of boring!
E)..Hey! I'm healthy, I really don't think I need all this exercising after all.
F)..I'll never look like that instructor, why even try!
It can be very disheartening to many who really want to make a success and lose weight for whatever the reasons: health problems.. ongoing or preventive, to lose a little weight to fit into that new dress, or to take that major step lose all that extra weight that's keeping you tired, lazy, and physically out of shape constantly day after day, week after week, year after year. Many fall into despair and depression, giving up all hope of ever getting control.
Many Christians fall into the same problems when it comes to "Spiritual Fitness". A lack of true commitment and discipline keeps them spiritually weak and out of shape. A good diet of food is nessessary for the physical body to remain healthly and in good shape, so it is with spiritual food, those who neglect to study their Bible and pray become spiritual weak, backslidden and spiritually sick.
Christians need to exercise spiritually not only to lose the weight of sin or control sinful habits, but also to maintain a healthy spiritual balance in life. Some people only turn to God and His Word when the storms of life are already beating down on them. A small minority exercise consistently because they love God and His Word. Those who faithfully put forth the effort to spiritually exercise reap great benefits.
To stay in good healthy spiritual condition takes a lot of hard word through a disciplined life and a constant surrender of ones life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Once a Christian develops daily spiritual habits he or she comes to depend upon thier spiritual feeding as essential to their Spiritual well-being.
Bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto ALL things (I Timothy 4:8). God's word tells us that while physical exercise does profit the human body, it's far less profitable than godliness or spiritual exercise which is profitable in all areas of life.
Physical exercise gives us more energy, improves our intellectual capacity, and increases our productivity. It aids in weight loss, and protects us from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and osteoporosis. Exercise improves our overall health and well being. Now, if physical exercise, which profits so little, delivers all these benefits, how much more important is spiritual exercise? Every Christian benefits from spiritual exercise!
As Christians we must stretch our spiritual muscles through Bible study to become more "heart or spirit" smart from the Word of God. We must develop a consistent spiritual growth and remain faithful to see results. Finally, it is necessary that we lose that weight of sin by building spiritual muscles (good-strongholds) through Bible study, memorization of God's Word (beyond head knowledge, but futher heart knowledge) and a growing living-faith and trust in our heavenly Father at all times and in every situation we face daily.
Plenty of water
Water is an essential ingredient of your body and is necessary for digestion and absorption of nutrients. Inadequate water intake causes dehydration which can affect our energy level. As Christians, we must drink freely of Christ and His living Word. "...Whosoever drinketh of this water (natural water) shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water (spiritual water, His Word) that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be "IN HIM" a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14).
Proper Lifestyle
An athlete must keep his body healthy by avoiding harmful substances such as drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. The spiritual athlete must avoid all bad company and harmful substances. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16). "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, not siteth in the seat of the scornful"; "but his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doeth he mediate day and night"; And he shall be like a tree planted be the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoeverhe doeth shall propser" (Psalms 1:1-3).
Balanced diet
Food is the fuel for the body. We must maintain a balanced healthy (low fat and high fiber) diet along with exercise to have a truly healthy body. Breakfast is essential since the "fuel gauge" is empty in the morning.
How do we start our day with God? What do we feed ourselves throughout the day: television, worldly values? Does our spiritual diet consist of appetizers from Sunday sermons only, or do we eat the meat of the Word?
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat"; "For everyone that useth milk is UNSKILFULL in the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe"; "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses EXERCISED to discern BOTH good and evil (Hebrews 5:12-14)."
Proper Rest and Relaxation
The athlete must get his proper rest, both in sleep and from physical activity. The spiritual athlete must rest in God's care: "Casting ALL your care upon Him; for He careth for you" (I Peter 5:7).
Getting Rid OF Excess Baggage
Unless you are doing strength-training exercises, you don't want any extra weights. We need to set aside all weights. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
In our spiritual walk with the Lord, there are nine fruit of a Holy Spirit led life that should be manifested if we are spiritual fit, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law".
Our forgiving Heavenly is pleased when we recognize our weakness and exchange it for His strength. We can find encouragement in the promises of God's word.. "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man abide in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for WITHOUT Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
The key to John chapter 5 is the word "Abide"
To remain; to stand fast; go on being; to stay; reside in or at; to
await; to submit to; to live up to a promise, agreement; to submit to
and carry out a rule or decision.
Here's how the Webster Dictionary defines this key word...
Jesus was saying our responsibility is to remain in, Him. He was responsible for producing the fruit in me. That I must not try in my own strength, but to trust and become what God has called us to be, just like Jesus. If we will just be obedient to God's word (All of it) and will by faith ACT upon His Word not being hearers only, THEN can we rest in God doing His part, bringing to pass what He has promised us in His Word.
The Bible says many times to guard your heart and to be careful of what you allow to enter it. It needs to be looked after and norished with good spiritual food and company. This food is the Word of God!! Feed your spirit bad spiritual food or keep bad company and it will soon affect the way you're thinking. The way your thinking will affect the way your feeling and might lead to depression or actions that you may regret. Keep every thought captive and don't allow bad thoughts to take root (2 Corinthians 10:5-6).
It is clear from Scripture that all Christians are in a race. Therefore as spiritual athletes we must do our part to remain in good spiritual condition by staying in God's word, meditating on it day & night (Psalms 1:1-2); and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) being in a prayful state of mind; always ready to pray. And always being forgiving to everyone; ready to repent and seek the Lord's forgiveness & cleansing by His blood, when the Holy Spirit convicts us. A good healthy spiritual balance in life isn't always easy to maintain since we still live in these bodies of flesh, but with the Lord's help, instruction from His word and being obedient to it, we can learn to run our race with patience and win the prize of being with the Lord forever: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious apprearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)
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