Developmental Exercises
Settle what you believe! The Word of God is not true just because you believe it.
The Word of God is true, period. Make the Bible the final authority, develop
confidence in the Word of God (II Timothy 3:15-17).
When God put Adam into the garden, he was made a man. However, he had never
developed into maturity. Adam fell because he was still a babe in his mind. Adam
didn’t have any spiritual roots. Jesus came as a baby in the natural, however,
Jesus grew, and “waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was
upon Him” (Luke 2:40). Christians have been made the righteousness of God in
Christ, however, in their mind, they are babes and have to grow into Christ likeness
(Ephesians 4:12-15). We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of
His Son (Romans 8:29). Christians regardless of their natural age, when they come
to Christ they begin as babes and are told to study to show yourself approved (II
Timothy 2:15). Just like Jesus learned obedience, we have to do the same.
Crucify your flesh – exercise control over your flesh (flesh is the worldly
part of a person) (Romans 8:5-11, Galatians 2:20, 5:24-25). Present your body a
living sacrifice and renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2).
Spiritual exercise should be our goal because – our every blessing is from the Spirit
(Ephesians 1:3) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”, and remember
the Spirit is in you. Walk in the Spirit (in the Word of God) Galatians 5:16 “this I say
them, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”.
Jesus told a parable about the sower (Mark 4:13-20), satan can only take the word
you don’t understand. Get understanding (Proverb 3:13 “happy is the man that
finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding” Proverb 4:7 “wisdom is the
principle thing, therefore get wisdom and with all your getting get understanding”.
Jesus said in John 8:31:32 “If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples
indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. We can
pray for each other as Paul did (Colossians 1:9 “for this cause we also, since the
day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled
with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”.
We have to train ourselves to listen to the Spirit by following the Word of God
(Psalms 119:9-11). We are to be so dominated by the Spirit that we can be called
spiritual (Galatians 6:1-2). Focus on the finished work of Christ. Exercise being led
by the Spirit of God (II Corinthians 10:4-5, James 4:7-8). Exercise the spirit man
within you. We must acknowledge what God has put in us (II Timothy 1:7, Philemon
1:6).
Exercise casting your cares on Jesus (I Peter 5:6-10), put God in your problem and
see how small it becomes. Focus on God; remember Peter walked on the water.
Exercise unity and agreement (II Chronicles 5:13, Matthews 18:19, Philippians 2:2).
Agree with what God says about you. Now do as God says by “calling those things
that be not as they are” (Romans 4:17). In Joel 3:10 it says “let the weak say they
are strong”.
Think of who you are in Christ, focus on your spirit, remember Proverbs 23:7 says
“as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. The Bible tells us how and what to think of
(Philippians 4:6-9). Meditate on the Word day and night (Joshua 1:8).
Don’t get weary in well doing. We inherit the promise by faith and patience
(Romans 8:25, Hebrews 6:12). The biggest trick of the devil is to cause delay and
make you think that it will never happen. The Bible tells it a different way in
Galatians 6:7-9, so remember “it shall come to pass”.
Exercise your faith – feed your faith daily on the Word of God. Your faith grows by
what you say and believe (Mark 11:22-24). God says to “bring Me in remembrance
of My Word (Isaiah 43:26), remember the Word of God will not return void.
Practice submission to God and resist the devil (James 4:7). You submit to God by
applying His word to your life. As you read the word and something convicts you,
you start to do it, remembering that the word of God is true. You resist the devil just
like Jesus did; quoting the Word that cancels out what the devil says to you.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 12, 2006