Spiritual Muscles
By Synthia Robinson-Pack
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. (I Corinthians 12:12-14)
The Christian Church is commonly referred to as the "Body of Christ." If the Church is the Body of Christ, then what is its muscular system? What gives the Church its power to accomplish simple and complex tasks? What allows the Body to move, individually and corporately, and to affect things around it? The answer is simple: The Body of Christ has a muscular system. . . Faith!
The muscular system of faith parallels that of our physical bodies. An examination of the importance of physical muscles reveals the significance of faith to the Body of Christ.
Every person has a muscular system.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)
Have you ever seen a person without any muscles? No. Although some people do have muscular disorders, everyone has a muscular system. Accordingly, we all have been given a measure of faith.
If we did not have basic faith, it would be impossible for us to ever be saved. No one has ever seen God but yet many have been saved. How? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.(1)
Faith allows us to believe in a God Whom we have not seen, to ask Him to forgive us of our sins, and to devote our lives to His Service.
Although we all have the same basic muscular structure, our strength varies.
A newborn infant cannot sit properly or hold his head upright. He needs someone to take care of him until his muscles are strong enough for him to do these simple tasks. Later the child's muscles will develop and he will become strong enough to walk, run and play.
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.(2)
It is a well known fact that a healthy adult's muscles are much stronger than a child's. However, we need to realize that we, as Christians, vary in our "spiritual ages." Some are infants trying to hold up their heads . . . some are toddlers taking their first steps . . . some are young people running around the yard . . . and some are frail seniors walking with their canes.
Muscles help us accomplish the simple and complex things we do.
Have you ever tried to blink your eyes without using your muscles? or walk across the room? It is impossible for you to do so. The same holds true for the Body of Christ.
II Corinthians 5:7 states: "For we walk by faith, not by sight. . ." The Body of Christ moves by faith. God gave us physical muscles to move physically and spiritual muscles to move spiritually.
If you do not use your spiritual muscles of faith, you will not be able to move spiritually without the assistance of others. You will be a spiritual invalid waiting for others to feed you, dress you and carry you around.
Muscles are designed to move in a certain way. If used improperly, damage may result: tears, sprains, etc.
Have you ever sprained your ankle? If so, you know that it is easy to do and it really hurts. You limp around for a while, trying to protect the affected area with a bandage, and wait for time to heal your muscles.
Spiritually we can sprain our muscles also. We can use our faith improperly and do more damage to our muscular system. We believe for things that we know are not in God's Will for our lives. When we don't receive our unrighteous desires, we get mad and tear our spiritual muscles, blaming God for the damage. However, James 4:3 explains: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
God is not our "genie in the lamp" Who has to do what we command. He is God! We need to seek His Will and not our own.
We have to exercise our muscles to keep them strong.
Like our physical muscles, our spiritual muscles will atrophy if not used. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.(3)
To keep our faith in shape, we must use it continually. As we regularly exercise our faith,our muscles (faith) will become larger and our fat (doubt) will decrease. Our spiritual body will become much more efficient, effective and attractive.
Our muscular strength determines the difficulty of each task we face.
A weightlifter slowly and consistently increases the pounds he lifts and the number of presses. As his muscles become stronger, he can lift more and more weight with less difficulty. Some men of God have become spiritual weightlifting champions: Moses, Joshua, Elijah . . .
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.(4)
So what shape are your spiritual muscles in? Are you a spiritual weakling? If so, start working out those faith muscles. Now, flex, two, three, four . . .
1. Hebrews 11:1
2. I Corinthians 3:1 - 2
3. James 2:26
4. James 5:16 - 18
© Copyright 1993, Synthia Robinson-Pack. All rights reserved.