God's Spiritual Fitness Plan

Up until a few of years ago, my husband and I would ride our bikes several miles a week. As we began training for a ride across Iowa (Ragbrai), we would ride up to 50 to 65 miles a day on the weekends and 20 to 30 per day during the week. People who didn't ride would think it was incredible and they'd say that was something they could never do. The truth is any healthy person can accomplish that. 

Endurance doesn't just happen overnight, but it starts by small steps that are gradually increased. Yes, there are times you must push through the pain with tenacity, but that only serves to make you stronger. At first, the baby steps can be quite frustrating but it's the only way to build our strength and endurance. 

Likewise spiritual growth doesn't happen overnight. Those muscles need to be stretched and exercised to be prepared when opposition arises. Why is it that some people seem unaffected by trials that have the potential to devastate others? They've entered the battle prepared and strong! The Word of God tells us that our faith can only be built by hearing the Word of God. You have no ammunition against the forces of hell if you don't know His Word. It's a powerful force against evil and the trials in our lives. God says His Word never returns void and He's not a man that He should lie. That means if He promised it and you have faith to believe it, He'll do it, but if you don't know the Word, you're a sitting duck. 

Even Jesus used scriptures in His encounters with Satan. As the enemy tried to tempt Him, His response was always, "IT IS WRITTEN..."

God's Spiritual endurance plan is attainable to all, and the process brings incredible rewards. We must develop a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus and a greater knowledge of His heart through His Word. Get prepared by spending time in prayer, worship and studying your Bible. Nothing can stand against that! Begin to exercise your faith as you trust God with small things and when you begin to see the power that is manifested through your prayers you'll be prepared when you stand before a giant! David would not have had the faith or audacity to believe he could defeat Goliath had he not first seen the power of God in His life as He was given strength to kill a lion and a bear. God is faithful, we just need to put in the effort it takes to position ourselves to believe it. 

Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

1 Samuel 17:34-37 (KJV) And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered