Several years ago, when I was an Elder at the Huntington Chapel, one of my co-elders said that I should write a sermon about living a healthy life filled with exercise, proper nutrition and overall spiritual and physical wellbeing. I guess because I’ve been lifting weights my whole life, eating writing and overcoming sin on most days, he thought it was a good idea. Well, I prayed about it and this is what the Lord gave.
4th Sermon- Power, Love and Self-Discipline/Spirit/Soul, Mind and Body
The prophetic vision of the temple/body, this most remarkable truth, is found in the Old Testament
2 Chronicles 5:13
“13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good;
his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud,…”
2 Chronicles 7:1
“…and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
Restated in the New Testament: The majestic temple built by King Soloman ! God revered the temple, but he cherishes us so much more!
1 Corinthians 6:19,20
“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Then God’s instruction and Promise:
1 Corinthians 3;16, 17
“16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”
So, who is it that is most responsible for destroying God’s temple?
How do we honor God with our bodies?
How do we treat the temple?
How do we take care of it?
What do we eat and drink?
Do we exercise?
We live in a dangerous world but on a daily basis, no one is shooting at me or threatening me with violence. No one is forcing me to drink or drug or look at or watch something I shouldn’t be looking at.
We have a responsibility to receive and move in the power and healing the Lord provides.
I was an addict/alcoholic (quick testimony) but God healed me, gave me instruction and a choice:
Ephesians 5: 18-20
“18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
What a choice! God speaks straight. He doesn’t just tell us what not to do, but what he wants us to do instead. When people from the recovery community challenge me on my identity in Christ (I was an addict/alcoholic-but I have been healed), and ask if this means I can go back to drinking and druggin’ my answer is found in God’s Word where I find myself. I don’t find the terms addict/alcoholic in recovery. This is how the world wants to define me. Instead, I find my identity in Christ and the Word of God.
Identity in Christ-Hebrews 10:39 and 1 John 4:4
God provides further clear instruction:
Hebrews 12: 12,13
“12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
Here God is instructing us in the spiritual and physical. We are spirit, soul, mind and body. He means for us to literally workout to the extent that you are able. If he heals your back you must thereafter strengthen that area.
Christ is the best example-He was a carpenter-physically demanding occupation-He worked hard and built a hard body. A study of scripture reveals that Jesus walked an average of 20-25 miles per day during his ministry! He ate, mostly fish, he slept deeply, during storms both physical and spiritual (Do you pray before you go to sleep?)
We don’t have to walk 20 miles a day, but we should walk, in God’s glory (nature), if at all possible-studies show that walking in the woods stimulates the brain as much, if not more than, combat video games like Call of Duty.
There is no coincidence that God uses the image of an athlete to encourage us and instruct us in the need for Self-Discipline:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
This is all about self-sacrifice and discipline.
Hebrews 12:1,2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Do you see the distinction between what hinders us and sin? What’s the difference.
How can we do these things?
Philippians 4:13- 2 Corinthians 12:9
Are you tired? God’s answer is found in Isaiah 40-29-30
Are you afraid of injury and/or failure? God’s answer is found in:
2 Timothy 1:7
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
This is who we are in Christ! Let’s Pray.
Ray Lopez, evangelist, writer, ordained minister, ministering to the hardcore, one at a time. 