“ARE YOU IN SHAPE?”


On our third day at chapel, Richard began by reminding us that there are people who are not on the team today. Once they were, but for a variety of reasons they are no longer players, which is very sad. Richard also reminded us that the Lord is our coach, and that He calls the plays!

Then came the next question for us to consider: “Are you in shape?” Because in order to play the game well and to be a strong member of the team, you need to keep fit, exercising regularly and staying healthy so you are ready for whatever comes your way. Richard broke it down into three areas:


1. EAT RIGHT! Not “Christian junk food” that is tasty and satisfying for a few minutes, but doesn’t last. There is so much “Christianity Lite” being served up these days; books and conferences and music and teaching that offer “feel good” spirituality. Many believers settle for this quick and easy “fast food” fare that is being offered, rather than the healthy, hearty, balanced nourishment that is required if we are to grow deeper spiritually. We need to get beyond milk to the meat of God’s Word (see I Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12; my blog on Oct. 23, 2008). Richard shared how this gets tougher as we grow older because the Opposition wants to take us out--out of the game and off of the team. The more ineffective we are, the better! Richard suggested that we take the “No Bible, No Breakfast” challenge in order to maintain a healthy spiritual diet. The Enemy tries to keep us from this Book any way he can, and messing with our feelings is one of the biggest ways he does this. To grow strong, we cannot go by how we “feel.” If we do, we will never get in shape nor be able to go the distance required for God’s game. The parallel to sports is obvious. Superb, successful, winning athletes train and push themselves regardless of how they “feel” on any given day when they are working out. They are disciplined and committed to becoming a finely tuned competitor and capable member of the team and they never allow their personal, passing feelings to affect their training. Richard reminded us that “discipline” means doing what you know to be right even when you don’t feel like it. And it is this kind of discipline that is required in our spiritual eating habits, taking in God’s Word regularly, deeply, intentionally if we are going to get into shape and maintain our spiritual health.


Richard quoted Richard Wurmbrandt, founder of “Voice of the Martyrs” and who was held in a Romanian prison for 14 years: “I read (the Bible) when I feel like it, when I don’t feel like it, and until I feel like it!” He also offered us a picture of “a cord of three strands...not easily broken” (Ecc. 4:12), using the words in, around, and for:

•We need to be in the Word for ourself, learning and growing and maturing as we grow ever stronger and more familiar with its richness for our lives.
• We need to carry the Word around with us for others so we can share it and allow it to impact those we meet.
•We need to be under the Word from our pastors and leaders, submitting to its authority as it is preached and taught by our spiritual instructors, for the Word of God is never just a private, personal matter of interpretation and study.

When the Word of God is consumed in this way, it will strengthen and equip us as team members for the game.


2. DRINK RIGHT! “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into on body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (I Cor. 12:12-13) Richard reminded us how essential water is to life, and how quickly we die without it. It is the same spiritually. We need to drink of the Spirit ALL the time! This is what refreshes us, keeps us healthy, keeps us connected and unified as the Body of Christ. In the Corinthians passage, Richard pointed out that baptism is done to us, as we submit to God, die to self in the waters of baptism, and afterward enter refreshed into new life with Christ. But drinking of the Spirit is done by us. It is us taking in the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit, and allowing Him to continually refresh us, inspire us, lead us and guide us so we are fit spiritually. If we don’t drink of Him, we will quickly wither, dry up, and die.

Richard said that fear is the biggest quencher for growing spiritually. Fear of what will happen, and of what we will have to do, if we drink of the Spirit. He quoted I Thessalonians 5:19: “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” And fear always quenches the fire of the Spirit. He said that today in the Church there are many “charisphobics!” People afraid of the Holy Spirit, at least practically speaking, who are very doubtful, suspicious, and “hands off” about Holy Spirit stuff. Richard also said that anger is the biggest opposition against the Spirit and hindrance for growing spiritually. Anger hurts and grieves the Spirit, and can become a foothold for an “evil spirit” to take root in people. He said that fear is found more in introverts, holding them back so they don’t do what they should do, and anger is found more in extroverts, prompting them to do what they shouldn’t do. Both fear and anger must be overcome in order to “drink right” from the Holy Spirit and become fit for God’s game.


3. EXERCISE RIGHT! This is about our faith! About building strong spiritual muscles so we can play the game well and be a responsible, “in shape” member of the team! It means stretching ourselves, learning to trust God more, venturing out and pushing ourselves beyond what is comfortable, easy, and familiar. In order to build more muscle and burn off excess fat, athletes continually add more to their exercise regimen (more weights, more repetitions, longer distances, etc.). So it is for us if we want to grow stronger in our faith, and in our relationship with God. Exercise is not always fun or pleasurable either--we all know this! Sometimes we just don’t want to do it. We’re tired, or sore, or it’s too hard, or it’s gotten boring, or we want to do something else instead, or we just want to take it easy--and we give up! Stop. Forget how important it is to keep fit and healthy. Allow ourselves to get out of shape, flabby, lazy, slowly, first a day and then a week and then a month at a time, until exercise is no longer part of our lives. That “discipline” we once had is gone. We have capitulated to just doing what feels good, easy, takes no effort or energy or learning, and lets us zone out. The necessity of constantly exercising our faith is obvious.

Finally, Richard asked us this question What are you trusting God for this week in Mexico? He reminded us that GOD will touch someone or some people, drawing them to Himself. It takes faith for this to happen. It means we have to trust more, do more, let the Spirit take charge, exercise our faith, and then trust God for even more yet.

So can you go the distance? Can you play the full 90 minutes of the game? Can you take the “hits” of the game? The message is clear: We MUST be in shape! We need to eat right, drink right, and exercise right. This is the way to play the game--God’s game--and to be on the team with Coach Jesus!