Text: Acts 14:21-28 | Listen to Message
How to build a strong, healthy spiritual life
If you want to build a stronger, healthier physical body, you’re going to need more than just a workout routine! You’re going to need several things that work together synergistically to produce real strength and endurance. Let’s look at 6 of them and consider how each has a parallel to spiritual growth and strength.
1. Nutrition. You’ve got to fuel your body with lots of good calories, protein, vitamins, and water. In the same way, you’ve got fuel your heart and soul with the life-giving, invigorating power of the Gospel.
2. Exercise. There are no shortcuts in bodybuilding. You have to work out a ton. Similarly, there are no shortcuts to spiritual strength and maturity. You have to exercise yourself for the purpose of godliness. You have to take sound doctrine and work it out in your life so that it shapes everything you do at the street level.
3. Resistance. We’ve all heard “no pain, no gain.” You’ll never get big, strong muscles without resistance and adversity in the gym. The same is true in life. Your faith will never grow as strong as it could be unless you experience trials and learn to recognize the value of adversity.
4. Coaching. In the gym, you want a personal trainer who’s been there, done that. You want someone who will encourage you, correct you, challenge you, and urge you on to be a better you. Spiritually, you need the same thing – and God calls some of them “elders.” These are guys with Christlike faith and character who will exhort you, challenge you, and cheer you on to grow in the faith.
5. Rest. Your muscles repair themselves and grow while you are sleeping. And in similar fashion, there are times that God renews your life while you do nothing but wait and depend on Him to do what only He can do.
6. Celebration. Everyone loves to be recognized for their progress in the gym, whether it’s a new personal record or fitting into a new pair of jeans. And everyone in the church benefits when we learn to celebrate “wins” together – giving praise to God for His work in and through us!