Introduction
This morning I want to discuss with you your DIET.
· Not a diet plan that slims you down, but one that bulks you up in the things of the Kingdom of God.
· The diet I want to speak to you about today is your spiritual diet. It very much mirrors a fleshly diet because it requires us to change our habits.
· This spiritual diet will help you die to the flesh, increase your time with God, help you exercise your faith and provide you with testing that leads to transformation and the treasures of God.
·Let us look to the Word of God this morning as we discuss our DIET.
A. Die to the flesh.
(NKJV) Romans 8 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
1. Like in any diet, we must die to the flesh. We must put away the old things, methods, ways, and cravings of the flesh.
2. We must adopt a new way of thinking…. based upon the Word of God.
3. We must grow up & mature in the ways of the Lord.
4. Pride, unforgiveness, walking without the wisdom & knowledge of God leads to stress and early death.
5. We must put aside self and walk in the love of Jesus.
B. Increase our time with God to feed our Spirit man.
1. We must increase our time in the Secret Place of the Most High. We must dwell in His presence daily.
(NKJV) Psalm 91 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. Meditation, daily Bible reading, praying and fasting places us in the presence of God. When placed in the light, you grow up like the seed that has been planted into your heart.
3. You feed on the Word by reading and meditating on it. This provides nourishment for your spirit. Drink of the Holy Spirit.
4. God must increase and we must decrease in order to maximize God’s plan in our life.
(NKJV) John 3 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
C. Exercise your faith.
(NKJV) James 1 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
1. In the flesh, we can know how to diet and exercise, but doing it is something else. We must put action to what we know!
2. Knowledge by itself will not grow you up—it is your acting on knowledge that helps you grow.
3. We must use our faith muscle to see increase in our lives.
(NKJV) Hebrews 11 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(NKJV) James 2 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
4. Exercising your faith makes you a strong Christian. God will use you to bring glory to His name; however you must be strong in Him.
5. Strength comes when you exercise your faith. (Doer, not hearer only).
D. Testing, Transformation, Treasures
(NKJV) James 1 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
1. When you diet in the natural, you are tested and tempted to make wise food choices. It is no different in your faith walk with God. We will be tested, but stand true to the truths of the Bible.
2. When you are tested, stand strong on the Word. God is perfecting you, making you more like Him.
(NKJV) Romans 12 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3. To renew your mind is to change the way you think by applying the Word of God where your mindsets are concerned. Dieting is no different; it is a change of mindset.
4. Testing brings forth transformation. (Look back on your walk with Jesus; he has drawn you closer through the tests.)
5. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man (Ephesians 4:23-24).
a. Renew your mind so you can present your body as holy before God.
6. The rewards of following a diet are weight loss, increased energy level, stamina, a healthy body, etc.
7. All the testing and hard work brings forth a transformation. This transformation brings forth the treasures and rewards for following the diet plan.
8. Our spiritual walk with God is no different. God rewards those that diligently seek Him. His treasures are heavenly!
9. The treasures that God bestows on you will over take you. God openly rewards when you are about His business.
Conclusion
· The diet plan this morning consist of dieing to the flesh, increasing our time with God in order to feed our Spirit man, exercising our faith and being tested in order to be transformed in His image and then we reap the treasures and rewards of God.
· Church, we must be about our Fathers business. We must be thirsty for the things of God. We must feed on His Word.
· We must be exercising the Word that we study in order to be used mightily by God. He has set you up to complete what He has started in you.
· Like a diet, we must work it every day; make wise choices, pressing through tough times of testing.
· Once we work the DIET PLAN…GOD’S PLAN, we are transformed into His image and we reap the treasures He has promised.
· The treasures He has promise, He will deliver to you on earth and in Heaven.
· This morning, stick to the DIET.
· Let us pray!
Salvation Call/ Altar Call
