And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Ecclesiastes 4:12.
*Fitness tip: Spiritually fit people find a healthy, supportive group, and avoid living in isolation. They see the value of supporting and encouraging others, and receiving support when they are going through a difficult time.
T - TRAINING (discipleship/mentoring) Matthew 28:19, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...." In order for someone to teach something, one has to have been taught. No one can teach what they do not know. The 12 disciples were all taught by Jesus before they were told to "Go, into all of the world." Paul was taught by God, before God sent him into his arena for sharing the gospel. (2 Cor. 12:1-4). He trained people who later were instrumental in training others. Priscilla and Aquilla are two in particular that come to mind.
Acts 28:26, "Apollos began to speak very boldly in the synagogue, and when Priscilla and Aquilla heard him, they took him to their home and helped him better understand the way of God."
Barnabas taking John Mark aside to further equip and train is yet another example. There are many instances that lead us to have confidence that this is part of the process of the Children of God maturing and becoming the Sons of God.
Being led by the Spirit of God to who it is He desires you to be mentored by is critical. Not all teachers train others well. If your heart is teachable, God will teach you however He has in mind. Then, at some point, He will lead you to train others as you are willing. We never outgrow being trained.
*Fitness tip: Spiritually fit people place themselves under others as God leads them, to be trained. In time, they begin training others while keeping wise counsel around them. (see Prov. 12:15b; Prov. 19:20).
N - NETWORKING (team work). Ephesians 2:10, "God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing."
No one will ever have all of the revelation on any topic. Since God has designed us to be interdependent, He develops each of us uniquely for our own unique function for our life here on planet earth. Not one person can be (nor should they even try to be) all things to all people. For that reason, it is healthy to have relationships with many people, allowing God to lead in the formation of the right connections. Having others around us who are stronger in areas where we may find ourselves lacking certain insight, and revelation is an asset. Pride will keep us from forming these kinds of connections. There needs to be no spirit of competition or insecurity. We all are strong in what God has purposed and designed each of us for. Blessing and encouraging each other is paramount in any of us walking out our own destinies. God has planned for us to receive from each other as He inspires and directs.
Have you ever thought that if we each have the idea that we have to know everything and do/be everything, that it actually deprives others of having opportunities to walk out what God is desiring them to do? It also contributes to our being a sort of "jack of all trades, yet master of none". If we each focus on letting God further develop our strengths, and let Him bring others into our lives who are strong where we are 'weak', everybody "wins" and there is no 'toilsome labor' involved. Everyone gets to do what they are good at and enjoy!
*Fitness tip: Spiritually healthy/fit people are confident in their own strengths with which God has equipped them. Inviting others into their own spheres of influence to share insight they may not yet have received is not threatening to them. Fit people remain teachable.Barnabas taking John Mark aside to further equip and train is yet another example. There are many instances that lead us to have confidence that this is part of the process of the Children of God maturing and becoming the Sons of God.
Being led by the Spirit of God to who it is He desires you to be mentored by is critical. Not all teachers train others well. If your heart is teachable, God will teach you however He has in mind. Then, at some point, He will lead you to train others as you are willing. We never outgrow being trained.
*Fitness tip: Spiritually fit people place themselves under others as God leads them, to be trained. In time, they begin training others while keeping wise counsel around them. (see Prov. 12:15b; Prov. 19:20).
N - NETWORKING (team work). Ephesians 2:10, "God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing."
No one will ever have all of the revelation on any topic. Since God has designed us to be interdependent, He develops each of us uniquely for our own unique function for our life here on planet earth. Not one person can be (nor should they even try to be) all things to all people. For that reason, it is healthy to have relationships with many people, allowing God to lead in the formation of the right connections. Having others around us who are stronger in areas where we may find ourselves lacking certain insight, and revelation is an asset. Pride will keep us from forming these kinds of connections. There needs to be no spirit of competition or insecurity. We all are strong in what God has purposed and designed each of us for. Blessing and encouraging each other is paramount in any of us walking out our own destinies. God has planned for us to receive from each other as He inspires and directs.
Have you ever thought that if we each have the idea that we have to know everything and do/be everything, that it actually deprives others of having opportunities to walk out what God is desiring them to do? It also contributes to our being a sort of "jack of all trades, yet master of none". If we each focus on letting God further develop our strengths, and let Him bring others into our lives who are strong where we are 'weak', everybody "wins" and there is no 'toilsome labor' involved. Everyone gets to do what they are good at and enjoy!
E - ENGAGE as in "to mesh, involve, to induce to participate, to begin and carry on an enterprise or activity,
be or become in gear, committed to or supportive of a cause. involved in activity.."
God has chosen to place Himself in His children. His Spirit is joined to our soul, and makes us one--joined together--in Him. In essence, we are "glued together." We are no more two, but one. (See: Romans 6:1-5; 7:4; Eph. 2:5; Gal. 3:26-29. We have been made one, AND we are in the process of learning to live, and move 'as one.' A healthy marriage is an example. We were made one in an instant. And, we are in process all of the rest of our married life of learning how to function together as one unit, not two separate individuals living in the same house. Have you noticed how couples who have been together for many years actually have taken on characteristics of each other? Many times, they can finish each other's sentences because they intimately know the heart of the other person. They can 'read' each other by simple movements or gestures by which guests can be amazed because they KNOW each other so well.
Likewise it is with our relationship with God. We are one, and we are becoming one, at the same time. We have to be trained to know and recognize His voice. This is intimacy. Through time spent with Him, we have our senses trained as well. His unctions, our sense of "knowing" become more apparent to us, and we can know His desires at any moment. It is from this place, faith is strengthened. "The just (Believers) shall live by faith," as I shared above.
God has chosen to limit Himself by allowing us to choose whether or not we'll cooperate with His desires. For example, He desires to minister to the mail person. Well, He is not going to pick your body up and move it out the door toward the mailbox, and them force open your mouth to wiggle so His words come out in spite of you. Rather, He indicates His desire in unctions, pictures in your mind, a sense of knowing, or flat out direction. Then, YOU decide if you are going to go out to the mailbox. If you believe He is leading you, that is 'faith', in that you are persuaded that God wants you to be available to the mail person. By faith, you continue believing that God will bring what He wants said, to your mind. When things come to mind, by faith, you believe--are convinced, persuaded--that He wants you to open your mouth and let HIS words come out. This can happen so quickly you may not recognize it. Learning to cooperate with God is a life-long journey in learning to flow together 'as one'.
*Fitness Tip: Spiritually Healthy/Fit people know they are "one" in Christ, and they understand that there is also a continual growing in this oneness--just as in any healthy marriage, for example. Through spending quiet, intimate time together, they begin to understand how God speaks to them--they recognize His voice. By faith, they believe they hear what He desires to do, and then they "engage" by cooperating with His desires.
S- SPIRIT EMPOWERED 1 Cor.2:10b-13,16, "The spirit searches out all things, even the deep things of God....Only a person's spirit that lives within him knows his thoughts. It's the same with God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God......but we received the Spirit that is from God so that we can know all that God has given us. And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths to spiritual people.... Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been able to teach him? BUT, we HAVE the MIND OF CHRIST."
The Spirit of God lives in every Believer. We have His mind that is FULL of Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. He speaks to us through a variety of ways. We are continually learning the many ways He speaks. Being led by the Spirit of God is to seek His thoughts regarding anything and everything. When we don't understand something, we ask Him. When we don't know what to do, we ask Him to show us. By faith, we listen with the intent of doing whatever we believe He speaks to us via the Word of God, by someone who just 'happens' to say something that gives us the information for which we were asking God, via a dream that contains the message for what we needed to know, through something in nature....etc. Anytime you get an 'aha moment' about anything, is revelation. If you aren't sure, check it with the written word. You many not find the exact word in Scripture, but you should find a premise, an application, or the like, that supports what you believe you heard. Then, trust God.. When you are teachable you'll know when God may lead you to pull-back, or make a turn, so you just shift. There's nothing to fear. God wants you to understand Him more than YOU want to. It's a walk by faith. A child doesn't learn to walk completely independent of its parent overnight, so neither will any of us. Falling down is part of learning. Just get back up, ask God for further insight, instruction and have another go at it. Never allow yourself to give up.
*Fitness Tip: Spiritually healthy/fit people learn to walk by the Spirit. They train their ears to hear God. When they realize they have made an error, they stop, ask and listen to God for more instruction, then get up and go forward again. They will not let mistakes hinder them.
S - SUCCESS Psalm 1:2-3, "They love the Lord's teachings, and they think about those teaching day and night. They are strong like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season and its leaves don't die. EVERYTHING they do will succeed."
Romans 8:5b,"... But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do.....If {people's} thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. 14. The true children of God (Sons) are those who let God's spirit lead them."
Living in peace is prosperity. Prosperity is success. When we live in peace, that is supernatural. This world will not contribute to anyone living in peace. At best, for increments of time, it may be possible, but that is peace dependent upon circumstances, situations.....things that are "happening." Peace from God is in spite of what's happening. As we allow God to give us direction, and we live and move as one in whatever we believe He is saying or leading us, we are experiencing God's success. HE is the God of results, and we are not. When we hear Him and cooperate with Him that is success. The world or even other Believers may not see it that way It is the opinion of God alone that matters. Each of us have to be settled in our mind that we heard God say something, and we chose to follow along with what He said, and not be swayed by anyone's opinions....not even our own.
*Fitness Tip: Spiritually Healthy/Fit people live focused on God, actively listening to His Voice, meditating on His Words, and living and doing as they believe--by faith--God is leading them. They know that God makes their way peaceful allowing them to experience His good success.
I believe we all desire to be healthy and "fit". A physically fit individual is continually training his/her muscles by working out. They don't arrive at their goal, and then sit it out for the rest of their lives. They remain active. So it is in the Spiritual realm. We continue to be trained, and train others. Here's one last acronym:. FIT: FAITH IN TRAINING. That is how we live our lives here. We are in training for reigning with Jesus. It's by faith that we are trained for all God desires.
*Fitness Tip: Spiritually healthy/"fit" people continue to allow God to train them without becoming discouraged and giving up. They stay the course and finish their race!
Blessings
