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Spiritual Conditioning

by Gary N. Patton

Millions of dollars are spent yearly for memberships in health clubs so that people can exercise and keep their bodies strong and healthy. This is good and all surely know the importance of trying to keep our bodies in relatively good physical condition. As easy as it is to see the importance of keeping up some type of a conditioning problem physically, it is amazing to see the unbelievably large number of Christians that see no need in keeping themselves in a "spiritual" conditioning program. It is so sad to look about us and see many children of God becoming weak in their faithfulness to the Lord. The enticements of the world, if given favorable attention, will rob the Christian of his strength, just as surely as a deadly virus drains the human body of its strength. There must be a concentrated effort on our part to remain strong spiritually. The Lord knew of the weakening effects of temptation day in and day out that His children would have to face. He also knows that we must strive to be strong, so he challenges us to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might." (Eph. 6:10)

The life of a Christian is filled with battles against evil and requires a constant program of spiritual conditioning. We must ever be conditioning ourselves to overcome temptations to do evil, temptations to quit and give up in despair, to defend the truth against false teaching, to work when all about us others are unwilling. The one who is unwilling to work at being strong spiritually will more than likely be overcome by evil and die the eternal death separated from God. To be able to fight the battles and overcome the wiles of Satan we must follow the Lord's instructions as to what we must do to remain strong and useful in His kingdom. It begins with letting "the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ..." (Col. 3:16). This comes from our being willing to "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of God." (2 Tim. 2:15). The Spirit moved Peter to admonish, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ..." (2 Pet. 3:18). When we constantly make application of these instructions in our life then He says we will be strong: "I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:14). Paul told the Ephesian elders, "I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up ..." (Acts 20:32).

The taking of nourishment is good for the body, but it alone will not give the strength needed to be victorious. There must also be exercise. We may read the Bible daily, be able to quote a large portion by memory and give the proper meaning of many passages, but if we do not put into practice those things we read, we will not become strong. We must preach, teach, defend, convict, admonish and comfort as we are instructed if we are to remain strong children of God.

A great factor in whether or not one remains strong in the faith is one's attitude. The proper attitude begins with the realization of one's own insufficiency. This means we realize that we will never be able to stand alone, but that we always need God's help to remain strong. The warning is sounded in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Paul realized his constant need for the Lord in his efforts to remain strong in the faith when he said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13). This proper attitude also involves a love for His Word and His Church. When we have a love for the work we are doing we will desire to try to stay strong spiritually so that our labor of love will continue until our death: a... Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of righteousness." (Rev. 2:10). Then we can hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matt. 25:21).

How strong is your desire to build and maintain your spiritual strength and usefulness to the Lord? If you find that worldliness is becoming more attractive to you, then it is certainly time for you to work on regaining your spiritual strength before it is everlastingly too late.  

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