Deacon's Desk, February 2002

From the February, 2002 edition of The Doulos monthly newsletter

by Jay Brown

Are You Spiritually Fit?

With 2001 behind us, I guess some of us probably made that old familiar resolution to start a diet and exercise program in 2002 to shed some of those unwanted pounds gained during the Holidays (I know I did!). I wonder if when we made those physical fitness resolutions we stopped and asked ourselves how we could become more spiritually fit in the coming year. God has admonished each of us to examine our spiritual condition and to shed unwanted pounds (sin) that weigh us down and hinder our progress in the race of faith He has set before us as Christians (Hebrews 12:1).

To lose those unwanted spiritual pounds we must stop consuming spiritual junk food and concentrate on God's diet plan. His plan consists of feeding on the meat of the Word (Hebrews 5:14) and prayer (Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). We are commanded to resist the worldly desires and influences that cause us to become spiritually weighted down and not be in the tip top shape that God intended for us (Colossians 3:5-7; Titus 2:12; Romans 6:12-14). This is not always an easy task and at times we are tempted by strong fleshly desires to sneak a little "spiritual junk food" and in the process gain unwanted spiritual poundage. However, God provides us with the equipment and power to overcome worldly and fleshly temptations (Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 6:13-17) and thus remain faithful to His spiritual nutrition plan as designed.

Once we have lost the unwanted spiritual weight according to God's diet plan we must exercise to maintain our spiritual health and prevent the spiritual fat from creeping back into our lives and slowing us down in the race. We are commanded as believers to exercise by using our spiritual gifts according to God's will for our lives as healthy Christians (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10-11). By actively exercising our spiritual gifts through obedience to the Word and not passively sitting on our spiritual backsides, God has promised us blessings of spiritual vitality and health both as individuals and corporately as a church. When we fail to exercise our spiritual gifts we become weak, lethargic and lazy and are not effective for God's Kingdom as healthy, strong and mature Christians. Therefore, I urge you to examine your lives and ask yourselves if you are up to God's challenge to become spiritually fit in 2002.