Introduction Many people are sedentary, especially in the winter, when it is cold and rainy. Health experts tell us that we need to exercise and there are many benefits. Exercise helps to combat chronic diseases, manage weight, boosts your energy level, improves your memory, promotes better sleep, you typically live longer & feel better. While exercising your body yields many positive results there is something even more important that you need to realize.

Introduction “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8) While physical exercise is very important for us to have good health it is of little value compared to exercising yourself to be godly. This morning we will examine physical exercises that help our bodies and we will make spiritual applications so that we can receive blessings from God both now and in eternity.

Walking Many studies demonstrate that walking is great medicine for living a longer healthier life and can significantly reduce your chance of a heart attack, stroke, and cancer. Why don’t more people do it? Because it takes a lot of discipline. Most people in the 1 st century had to walk everywhere they went and we don’t have to. It should be no surprise that the Bible teaches us how we are to walk or live. It should be no surprise that the Bible teaches us how we are to walk or live.

Walking Before we can walk, we must be able to see or we will stumble and fall. Before we can walk, we must be able to see or we will stumble and fall. (John 11:9-10) The devil blinds people to the fact that Jesus is the light of the world and thus they stumble and fall into sin. (John 8:12; 2 Cor. 4:4) But by burying that old man of sin through baptism into Christ, we can be born again to walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3) As a Christian, we are to live our lives by walking in good works rather than fulfulling the lust of the flesh. (Eph. 2:10; Gal. 5:16ff)

Running Running is much more strenuous than walking but it can help someone to stay in shape, lose weight, and feel good. As Christians we are all running in a race. How are we to run? The apostle Paul said that we must run in such a way that we might win. How are we to run? The apostle Paul said that we must run in such a way that we might win. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) We must exercise self control over our bodies so that we will not be disqualified for the eternal prize. (1 Cor. 9:26-27)

Running A runner will suffer pain through cramps or injuries, and the Christian will have to suffer through obstacles. (sins, stumbling blocks, or false teachers) A runner will suffer pain through cramps or injuries, and the Christian will have to suffer through obstacles. (sins, stumbling blocks, or false teachers) Galatians 5:7 If you are growing weary of doing what’s right, think of being in a stadium with people cheering you on If you are growing weary of doing what’s right, think of being in a stadium with people cheering you on to victory who endure through much suffering but overcame through their faith. (Hebrews 12:1) Instead of quitting, fix your eyes on Christ who is our Savior, Lord, Guide, and strength who finished the race. (Heb. 12:2-3)

Weight Training Walking and running help endurance and strengthens our heart muscles but the rest of the muscles need to be built up also. Through resistance training our bodies are pressed to struggle against weight and therefore the muscles are exercised in strength, tone, and size. The rest of our spiritual body needs to be strengthened also. We must do some spiritual lifting as we must bear His cross daily. We must do some spiritual lifting as we must bear His cross daily. (Luke 9:23; 14:27)

Weight Training We must lay aside every weight. We must lay aside every weight. (Heb. 12:1) The devil and his ministers are trying to pressure Christians to give up the faith through many “weights” ( The devil and his ministers are trying to pressure Christians to give up the faith through many “weights” (temptation, persecution, hardship, worries, etc.) (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Mt. 13:18ff) When we are weary and heavy laden with burdens we can come to Jesus for rest for our souls. (Matthew 11:28-30) The apostle Paul exercised all of his spiritual muscles with the strength of Christ to overcome his “weights” (Phil. 4:13; 2 Cor. 11:23ff) and so can you!

Conclusion With all the health benefits of exercise many people make excuses as to why they cannot do it for even 20 minutes/day. (“it’s too hard”, “I don’t have time”) Then they suffer the consequences from living a couch potato lifestyle and may say when they’re old, “if I would have known I would live this long I would have taken better care of my body”. But even if you have a healthy body from walking, running, & weight training and live a 100 years you are still going to die.

Conclusion With all the benefits of spiritual exercise (all the spiritual blessings in Christ and eternal life in heaven) many people make the same excuses as to why they aren’t godly. (“it’s too hard”, “I don’t have time”) If we say that we don’t have time now, there will be plenty of time in the future to regret, bemoan and suffer the eternal consequences in hell of that decision. We are either walking in the light or darkness. We are either walking in the light or darkness. (1 John 1:5ff)

Conclusion We are either running the race of faith fixing our eyes on Jesus or we are quitting. We are either training our bodies to be useful in the Lord’s service or the devil’s. We are either training our bodies to be useful in the Lord’s service or the devil’s. (Rom. 6:16) Are you spiritually fit in preparation for eternity? restored back to the Lord’s service? Do it now! Have you exercised your faith in obedience to the gospel by being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) or do you need to humble yourself in being restored back to the Lord’s service? Do it now!