Worship & Exercise Combined: Greater Outcomes

Think about what people typically identify as successful fitness outcomes – what they want to achieve:

Reduce or eliminate obesity
Gain muscle and be stronger
Live longer and better
Be more active with less pain and exhaustion
Look better

Faith and fitness outcomes are similar but on a spiritual level.

REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SPIRITUAL OBESITY - Excess spiritual fat has a negative effect on your relationship with God and others. Those who successfully reduce obesity in their life are the ones who focus on a combination of strategies like getting better rest, exercising more and then planning and sticking to a good and healthy diet that works especially for her or him. That sometimes includes some sort of fasting.

GAIN SPIRITUAL MUSCLE AND BE STRONGER - Spiritual obesity, weather that be from the total lack of spiritual health to the other extreme of being engorged on legalistic doctrines and piety, is a spiritual killer. A combination of spiritually healthy practices along with spiritually guided fasting is necessary to overcome your spiritual obesity.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: People often fast purely for the physical benefits. What greater outcomes can be achieved when you fast with an intentional focus on God?

The greater outcome in ‘getting stronger’ happens when you and others become stronger in spiritual disciplines. That strength transforms all areas of life not just the physical and produces eternal value.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER IN CHRIST - Living longer and better becomes transformed by a Christ-centered perspective. It’s about a deeper journey in God’s Spirit. That means you realize that the length of your life is in God’s control – the exact measure of His fullness. Your pursuit of a continually ‘better life’ gives way to God’s definition, which may seem like anything but ‘better’, in fact it may seem worse, but ultimately it’s everything God wants for you. That may seem upside down – and it is – in a very good way.

BE MORE ACTIVE FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST - Worship and exercise combined results in you seeing very different outcomes. The world’s usual matrix and standards pale to all that God can achieve in you and through you for others. This ultimately leads to being more active – more active daily for the cause of Christ.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Describe an example of how you have been active for the cause of Christ. What was the outcome Would you say you were "All In"? What does God want "All In" to be for you?

LET OTHERS SEE HOW GOOD GOD CAN LOOK ON THEM - So many times, people pursuing a fit lifestyle do it because they want to look good in the sight of others. Christ helps us to see that our pursuit of physical good looks can and should give way to being spiritually attractive. When that happens others won’t just see God in you they will see a fuller view of God AND they'll start to see what it can look like to have God in their own life. Want to look like a model. When you pursue after God’s greater outcomes you'll model Christ in many ways and become an influencer on a God-blessed level.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Who is a social media influence you follow or you know is popular? What would it look like if you commit to being an influencer for Christ?