New Hope Notes

Getting In Shape

Pastor Elwin Ahu
November 4, 2001 - W0144

We live in a society obsessed with fitness, donít we? Good Housekeeping magazine wrote an article which said, "No one wants to pack on the four to seven pounds that many women will gain between Thanksgiving and New Years." It continues to say, "The secret to enjoying the seasonís bounty without going up a dress size is to plan in advance how you are going to get through this ëstuffing seasoní." The article then lists various health and fitness products that will help you get in shape for the holidays. Americans have spent over forty million dollars on these "gut buster" products and programs. Now, there is nothing wrong with that because the Bible tells us that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and we are to be good stewards of this temple God has given us. However, the Lord wants us to spend more time on developing our spiritual nature in addition to conditioning our bodies. The same thoughts ran through Paulís mind as well.

"Ödiscipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Being spiritually fit will enable you to overcome challenges you face each day and prepare you for the life to come.

So what does it take to get into good spiritual shape? I will give you three steps that will move you toward a discipline of getting yourself into spiritual shape:

  1. COMMIT TO TRAIN

The people to whom Paul was writing were very familiar with athletic events and contests. In fact, the Olympics actually started in that region of the world. So Paul used metaphors of athletic contests to drive home this point. Letís read again:

"Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and next." (1 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT)

Paul knew that the people understood that a teamís performance or a personís victory in competition relied on the developmental process that an athlete commits to as part of his training.

The same is true of our Christian walk. Like an athlete, we must apply the same

principles of regular, disciplined, and consistent training in order to prepare for the

challenges we face everyday. We are in the heat of battle with the master deceiver and God chose all of us to run in the marathon of life. There is no option so we must run according to the plans He set for us in such a way that we might win.

Question 1: How will you commit to train for the marathon of life today?

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." (1 Corinthians 9:24)

"You did not choose me, but I chose youÖ" (John 15:16)

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5)

How will you make a difference in your family, in your community, in your workplace, or in the world? It starts with having a:

2. HEALTHY DIET

If you want to be in good physical shape, you have to have a healthy diet and watch what

you eat. If you disregard what you intake, your body will reflect that choice in your physical shape no matter how many hours you spend at the gym. The same is true with your spiritual condition.

"For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart and the good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good. And the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil." (Matthew 12:34-35)

What comes out of our mouth is a clear indication of what we are ingesting. But we cannot just change the way we speak; we need to change what we are depositing into our hearts because it affects our spiritual health.

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

Question 2: What is the difference between just changing our speech and changing our hearts?

It is so important to ingest and digest the right things. So often we feed ourselves with the things of life instead of the things God has for us. We concentrate on external factors and begin to blame others for our struggles.

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about." (Philippians 4:8 LB)

How sweet are thy words to my taste, yes sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Psalms 119:103)

What are some of the things we should be eating? It is Godís word that will fill our spirit and daily devotions are the spiritual food essential to developing a proper training habit to become spiritually fit.

"Blessed is the who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Heíll be like a tree planted by the streams of living waters, to bear fruit in its season and itís leaves will not wither and in everything he does, heíll prosper." (Psalms 1:1-3)

Godís word will:

    • Lift you up when youíre down
    • Find your way when youíre lost
    • Give you courage when youíre fearful
    • Strengthen you when youíre weak
    • Heal you when youíre hurt

 

  1. REMAIN FOCUSED

Remain focused upon what God is asking you to do and who you are becoming as God shapes and molds you into His image.

"Ölet us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be His afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside Godís throne in heaven. Think about all He endured when sinful people did such terrible things to Him, so that you donít become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT)

Jesus did so much for us because He loved us. With that kind of love, how can we not shed the weights and sins of our life that impede our progress from becoming all God wants us to be in the image of Him?

"I have come that you may have life and that you may have it abundantly". (John 10:10)

"Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw was from the hand of God." (Ecclesiastes 2:24 NKJV)

Question 3: Do you believe God wants you to enjoy this life, why or why not?

About a week ago I had an opportunity for a massage. However, since Iíve never had a massage, I wasnít sure what to expect or just how much I should disrobe. Needless to say, because of what I was thinking, tension started to build. But, when I finally remembered why I was there, and began to relax and enjoy the massage, guess what? My time was up.

Too often we allow tension to build because of what we ingest in our spiritual diet. We forget about the grace of God and that it flows so freely through us. If we lose sight of why we are here, soon our time will be up and our chance will be lost. So donít lose focus because God wants us to enjoy this life.

Question 4: What are the things in your life that hinders you from keeping focused? How can you relax and release that tension?

God wants you to have an abundant life and He will continue to shape, mold and even massage you into the shape He wants you to be. Enjoy the life Heís given you and set your mind on the eternal plan with a commitment to train to be spiritually fit.

"Set you mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2)

Question 5: How will you be different from what you learned today?

Summarized by: Rhonda Pang