Series: Balanced Living [#4]
YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH
1 Timothy 4:7-8
Introduction:
As we continue our series on “Balanced Living”, we are going to look at our spiritual health.
1 Timothy 4:7-8
The Bible says that in order to be spiritually fit, we need to exercise ourselves spiritually. How do you do that? For physical fitness, there are exercises. It is the same for your spiritual health- There are spiritual exercises. What are they?
Isaiah 40:31
1. Renew your strength through worship.
"They that wait upon the Lord", (that's what worship is- Focusing on God). As you go through the week, you get tired emotionally, mentally, and spiritually from all the activities of the week. You get worn out. Worship is a spiritual tune up. When you focus on God, it gets your eyes off yourself and you can realize that God is bigger than your problems. The alternative to worship is worry. When you focus on yourself, you are going to worry. When you focus on the Lord, you are going to worship. It will renew your strength.
Philippians 4:5-7
2. Deepen your peace of mind through prayer.
There are 2 options in how you respond to stress. You can pray or you can panic. When life gets tough, what are you going to do? Pray or panic?
Hebrews 10:24-25
3. Strengthen your commitment through fellowship.
You cannot be a spiritually fit Christian without some Christian friends. You need support. You need joy. When you take a Christian away from other Christians, they lose their enthusiasm, joy, and commitment. Scripture tells us to “bear one another’s burdens”. We strengthen each other.
John 8:31-32
4. Expand your perspective through Bible study.
Stop looking at things from a narrow, personal view; and see the bigger picture. Freedom comes from seeing the whole picture. You don't focus just on your problems; but you see that God is bigger than all of those things. You should do 3 things with God’s Word- Read it; study it; and memorize it. Fill your mind with God’s Word.
1 Peter 3:15
5. Increase your joy through witnessing.
When you see the word "witnessing", what is the picture that comes to your mind? Witnessing is a great word. It simply means telling your story. Every Christian is a witness- Telling your story.
2 Corinthians 8:7
6. Practice your love through giving.
The Bible says that you cannot separate love and giving- They go together. You can give without loving; but you cannot love without giving.
Colossians 3:23
7. Develop your talents through service.
When you have a job, do it as if you were doing it for Jesus Christ. The heart of Christian living is helping other people. Jesus said, "I didn't come to be served. I came to serve. I didn't come to be ministered to. I came to minister." God didn't bless you with your talents just to use them all on yourself. God gave you your talents, not only to bless your own life; but to bless other people's lives.
Mark 9:23
8. Stretch your faith by risking.
Is risking part of the Christian life? It is absolutely essential. God says "You get to choose how much you want in your life. According to your faith it will be done unto you."
Hebrews 11:6
I don't know about you; but there were some things I did this week that didn't please God; because without faith it's impossible to please God.
Faith is like a muscle- It must be stretched. It's the bottom line of the Christian life.
Conclusion:
All of these 8 exercises will produce tremendous benefits in your life. They are good for you; but they take time. Some of you are saying, "I don't have the time" and I say, "You're right!" You don't have the time. You must make time. We make time for the things that are important in life.
