Spiritual Fitness

Training Begins – Heb. 5:13-14 – For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But soil food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

1. Our senses need to be trained in discernment of good & evil.

• This starts with our call to salvation:

• Our senses refers to our natural and spiritual sense, reason, and understanding.

• Babies begin life drinking milk and sensing the people and environment around them.

• Move on into eating foods when mature enough for them. We want to be of full age!

Anointing – I Pet. 2:4-5, 9 – Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1. Chosen and Called – to be His living stones with specific identity: royal priesthood

• Called into priesthood – this gives us access to Father God as His Anointed, just like Jesus!

• Anointed on ear, right thumb, right foot – Lev. 8:23 – affecting how they heard & what they did.

• Blood of consecration (v.22) – setting apart; purpose – legal recognition to come before God.

2. Character define: Holy and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ

• The blood of Christ has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, wrong.

• Holy means to ‘be pure’ or blameless. What’s in your past that displeased God is gone.

• Chosen by God to be carriers of His Presence. We walk with Him residing within us.

Character Development – I Pet. 1:17 – And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your father, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

1. Love = Agape – unconditional

• A Believer’s fulfillment of God’s promises will be measured by his willingness to learn and

live in submission to Christ.

• I Pet. 2:13-17 – Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the kind as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men – as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

• Examples: -Golden Rule – how you treat others will be measured back to you.

o Integrity of heart – overcoming jealousy, unholy competition, sexual temptations,

temptations to gossip (i.e., tell facts that aren’t necessary; malicious talk); lying to

get out of something; manipulation….

o Pro. 4:23 – Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

o 2 Chr. 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to

show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Training in Wisdom & mind – I Pet. 1:13 – Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1. Our mind is the battleground

• 1500 words a minute pass through mind subconsciously (internal dialogue)

• Pay attention to the Red Flags inside of you.

o Remember (write them down) the things God has done for you.

o FIELD DAY – (Fasting; Intercession; Empowerment; Listening; Direction) – get alone with God.

o What are you filling your mind with? (too many novels, TV, judgments, criticisms, gossip, excuses, condemnations….

Skill development of Gifting through Service – Mt. 5:39-48 – eye for eye, tooth for tooth, but I say resist an evil person. Whoever slaps you, turn to him the other cheek also…

1. Kingdom behavior vs Natural behavior – we live out of God’s love and mercy, not judgment and retaliation.

• Resist evil by doing good

• Being willing to suffer (not continuously, but in the moment without malice)

• Go the extra mile – give generously of your time and resources.

• Love your enemies by blessing (speaking well of) them and doing good to them (with an attitude of excellence towards them by honoring them)

• Pray for the ones who are spitefully using (insulting or slandering) or persecuting you (causing fear that makes you want to ‘fight, flee, or freeze’)

2. Grow in Who God has called to be in the way He has designed you to function.

Ro. 12:4-8 – For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophesy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering, he who teaches, in teaching, he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Starts in seed-form, grows through use

o Develops in the natural arena of life as well as the spiritual settings

o Identify your gifts.

o Give yourself to that gift’s development with diligence/excellence (I Cor. 12:1 – desire spiritual gifts)

• Lk. 3:10-14 – the people asked, “What shall we do?” Answer: “He who has two tunics, give to him who has none; he who has food, let him do likewise. To the tax collectors: collect no more than what is appointed for you. To the soldiers: Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages. “

This is the lifestyle of the believer who is growing to maturity.