Feb. 8, 2010 - Exercise Your Spirit

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 - 5:46 PM CST

By Steve Green

With New Year’s Resolutions in recent memory, we find ourselves sneaking peeks into the mirror, critically checking for flabby bulges or the pasty pallor of winter skin. The lazy routine of cold weather indolence with it’s attractions of holiday foods, sofas and the remote control have probably left their mark on our flesh, just as winter coats and sweaters have slowly deteriorated the bronzed glow of last summer’s tan.

Whether the motive is health, vanity or simply building confidence, exercise is one sure way of reaching our goal of a slimmer, trimmer self. A disciplined workout routine will help us to tone, trim or totally redo ourselves into the awesome athlete we know ourselves to be.

Exercise is important for the Christian, too. If we were to look in a spiritual mirror, what would we see? (Be honest) How good of shape are we in spiritually? Throughout Scripture, physical fitness is used as a metaphor for spiritual fitness, as in “running the race,” or “fighting the good fight.” Paul wrote to Timothy, encouraging him to “exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7,8, NKJV).

Just as physical exercise develops and maintains our physical bodies, spiritual exercise will improve our spiritual life. What exercises can the flabby Christian do to become limber, healthy and ready for action? Here are some suggestions:

Stretching: a limbering exercise with multiple benefits. Stretch your horizons. Gain a vision of what God is doing beyond your doors. Stretch your faith. Go for the gold, not just the good enough. Your impossibilities are God’s possibilities. Stretch out your hand. Reach out to others with Christ’s love and compassion.

Bending: an exercise that cures a stiff neck and helps improve our posture. Bend in prayer. Humble yourself before God. If you keep your priorities clear, He will keep your path straight. Bend with meekness. Humility before others can build relationships and ministry partnerships.

Walking: steady exercise that does the heart good. Walk in the Spirit. This allows you to cruise past temptation (Galatians 5:16). Walk in love just like Jesus did (Ephesians 5:2). Walk in the Light (1 John 1:7), a sure-fire way to avoid running into something nasty that you didn’t see.

Running: take your exercise to the next level. The wise Christian will both run from sin and run to Christ. Run your own race. Watching what everyone else is doing usually means that you’re behind them. Run to win and toward the goal. Don’t let short cuts or distractions compromise the most important race you will ever run.

Lifting: Jesus’ original power lifting was prayer. Lift up others in prayer. You provide a useful service, become a blessing and build up your own faith. Lift up your needs. You have a Great Physician on your team, and He wants to know what’s going on in your life. Remember, it’s almost impossible to run and limp at the same time. Lift up your eyes. Maintain a positive outlook. Focus your eyes on Jesus, not the gravel you are trotting over. Lift up your hands and voice in praise. God’s presence will strengthen and help you throughout your race. With the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit behind you, you can go anywhere and do anything that needs doing.

So say goodbye to that lethargic flab and commit yourself to a regimen of spiritual exercise. You can’t lose. You’re a winner in Christ!

— Steve Green pastors Fleming Assembly of God in Fleming, Colo.