This isn’t your typical editorial on health fitness and learning how to burn more fat. I’ve read enough of those articles to ignite a bonfire that would warm a whole city for a year. Like most women, I am interested in improving myself daily as I get older. Physical exercise has its benefits but I believe spiritual exercise is the most important.You can improve what's on the outside all you want but if you don't strengthen your inner beauty then it is pointless. Eternal beauty is lasting and physical beauty is fleeting.
Today, my usual monthly subscription of Fitness magazine arrived in the mail. As usual, it got thrown aside on the kitchen counter with letters, bills, and tonight’s taco dinner. Normally, I do most of my casual reading in the evening when I don’t have kids competing for my attention. So, I figured I would muddle over the guilt filled articles of how I should sculpt my muscles and eat better over a warm cup of coffee with an extra shot of caramel. I figured I needed the extra sugar to keep me awake as I read about exhausting calorie burning-just saying!
As I was reading, I thought of how I wish I could read more articles like, “How to sculpt spiritual muscles to burn more lies from Satan.” Now that’s what I am talking about! So, I put my thought into action. So here are just a few tidbits to help move you on your way to a healthier happier spiritual you! Hopefully, it will help you become that lean mean Satan fighting Machine!
Tip #1- Make a decision to be spiritually minded. It’s just like when you are dieting, you should be mindfully aware of the foods you eat. Remember you have an enemy out there that wants to steal, kill and destroy your peace and prosperity daily. The Word of God tells us to walk in spirit and in truth ( Mark 4:24). We must remember that God is spirit and we are made in His image so we must battle with the truth- God’s Word. Be aware of the thoughts you have throughout the day. Are they tempting thoughts that bring you strife, depression, shame or guilt? Or are they thoughts that help sustain your appetite for a happy healthy day in Christ?
#2 Incline Mind Press- Target your weak areas with scriptures that will help you strengthen your weak areas. At a physical gym, you would target those areas of flab that needed it the most, first, right? For example, if you have anger or forgiveness issues, then look up scriptures to memorize about what God says about anger and forgiveness. Write them down on index cards, recite them daily and incline your mind towards them when you are struggling with the weight of your weakness. Hold those thoughts captive to Christ so you aren’t tempted to indulge in lies that sabotage your mind health.
#3- Assisted Friend Machine- Use a friend to help encourage and strengthen you in your walk. Accountability is key when exercising because it keeps you on track so that you can reach your goals to improving your mind to fight those lies you have consumed all these years. Share goals and strategies with one another. Pray with each other. A friend is one of the greatest assets you can have.
#4-Stability Class- Sign up for classes that will challenge you spiritually. It can be at a church or just with friends over coffee doing a simple bible study. It helps being around other motivated people with like-minded spiritual goals. Seek out spiritually strong people who have been able to be successful in the areas of spiritual warfare and victory in Christ.
#4- Wear the Proper Gear- Ephesians 6: 10-18 tells us to put on the full Armor of God so that we can fight Satan daily. Again, in order to get the most out of your spiritual exercise you must be wearing the right equipment to help assist you. Do you need to put on some more truth to help conqueror your fear of becoming spiritual unattractive? Is your exercise attire outdated and you need to purchase some that help shape and properly fit you better- just asking?
I really really like that analogy. You are right! We are in a war and souls are at risk. We must stay a lean mean fighting machine. I've learned that I struggle more when I am not faithful to be in the word as I should be. The most important key for me is getting up early (even though I want to sleep) and get in his word and into his presence. When I fail at being faithful in this I am weak and less able to recognize the enemy's schemes and less able combat him as I would on other occasions. The great thing is that he is always faithful even when I am not! I've learned the hard way that I am NOT perfect and that I will fail sometimes, and that's okay because his love for me is unconditional!
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Thanks for sharing, Amanda! Getting up early is a struggle for me too because I love my sleep too much..or my flesh too much but I've learned that once we beat our flesh down that it is worth it in the end and we have more victory. Kind of like when we work out, when we beat that flesh into training then and only then do we get results physically!:
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