Spiritual Fitness

Text:

1Corinthians 3:16:

 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

 

Colossians 1:9-12:

9   For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10   That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the  knowledge of God;

11   Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12   Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

 

Theme:

Spiritual Fitness

 

Introduction:

• The First Letter to the church in Corinth and the Epistle to the Colossians are letters written by the Apostle Paul to correct the erroneous information and divisive spirits that existed within the church. Paul wrote to set the record and the church straight!
• The text in 1Corinthians is specifically erected to address the church’s corporate denial of the sanctity of the church and human body. It’s just like us today!!
  • “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God”
    • A temple was an edifice erected to the service of God
      • What is special about the “temple” of God is that it is 1)devoted to His service and is 2)the peculiar residence of JEHOVAH
    • The corporate body of believers – the Church – is the “Temple” in which God dwells
      • Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
    • The body of the believer is the temple of God in which God dwells.
      • The soul is in the body. The Spirit of God dwells in the soul.
      • “the Spirit of God dwelleth in you”
  • We abuse the corporate body of believers – the Church
    • We should strive to do and be what edifies the church and not defiles it.
    • 1 Corinthians 14:12, “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”
      • We judge others, tattle, backbite, sow divisive spirits, and spread false teachings.
  • We abuse our bodies
    • Colossians 3:5, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
    • 1Corinthians 6:13, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”
• We are to take care of God’s “body”
  • Protect the body from external forces and dangers
    • Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
      • We are to be physically AND spiritually fit.
      • èSpiritual fitness is attained by having the whole armor on us
        • It is what God gives us that makes us spiritually fit
          • Ephesians 6:14-17, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
        • It is what we have (physical body) that makes us physically fit
          • Physical fitness, at some level, is necessary in order to work effectively in spiritual fitness
          • The Armor used in the symbol of the “Whole Armor of God” refers to the armor used by the Roman soldiers. This armor was extremely heavy due to its being composed of heavy metal layered to provide adequate protection to the soldier.  The armor covered all of the vital areas of the soldier except for his back.
            • The soldier had to be in some semblance of physical shape to be able to travel and move effectively while wearing the armor.
            • In the same way, the child of God must be physically fit to be able to withstand the trials and tribulations of the Christian walk and to be revered as a “Good Soldier”
              • 2 Timothy 2:3,6, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ….The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

Body:

• Let us look at an effective training program that bridges the physical and spiritual need for fitness:

Physical Conditioning/Training	Corresponding Spiritual Need
Commitment à Must be committed to training	Psalms 37:5, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
Stretching (7x per wk) à for the whole body	à         1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” à         2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” à         Psalms 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
Balanced Diet à carbs, fat, protein, fiber, vitamins & minerals	à         Job 31:6, “Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.” à         Proverbs 11:1, “A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”
Water à Plenty of water is critical	John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water 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.”
Cardiovascular exercise (4x per wk)à running, swimming, biking, walking, etc.	Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Strength training (3x per wk) à calisthenics, weight training…whole body	Acts 3:16,  “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
To build Endurance à high repetition, lower weight, full range of motion	Matthew 24:12-13, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
To build Strength à consistency, push beyond failure	Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
To build Muscle and Tone à consistency, higher weight, full range of motion – muscles tear and new muscle grows within the tear increasing muscle	2 Samuel 14:25, “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.”
Rest à regular rest to allow body to rest and muscle to develop	Hebrews 4:9, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”

 

Conclusion:

• It is God’s will that we be Physically and Spiritually Fit!
  • 3John 1:2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”
  • 1Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
  • 1Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Where Physical Fitness is to be in some level of health, the text in Colossians summarizes Spiritual Fitness for us:
  • “ be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”
    • Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
  • “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing”
    • Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
  • “being fruitful in every good work”
    • John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
  • “increasing in the knowledge of God”
    • Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
  • “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”
    • Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
  • “Giving thanks unto the Father”
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
      • I can’t help but tell Him THANK YOU for all that HE has done for me and is still doing!!!

#234