The Power of Change: Spiritual Fitness Requires Intensity
Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen accidentally—it requires focus, effort, and training.
Wisdom Scripture
Luke 2:40 (NIV)
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Wisdom Quote
In the Old Testament (as in the New Testament), being wise is of supreme value. In a hymn extolling wisdom’s greatness (Job 28), wisdom is priced above gold, silver, and precious stones. In Proverbs 2, wisdom is to be searched for like “silver” or “treasure” (Prov. 2:2–4). Wisdom is beyond compare or price; it is worth acquiring even if it costs everything you have (Prov. 3:13–15; 4:5–7; 16:16).
Biblical wisdom comes from God alone, and the value of wisdom in Proverbs is intimately connected with godliness, piety, and obedience to God’s instructions (Prov. 3:1–12). Wisdom is given to those who seek it (1 Kgs. 3:9–14; Prov. 1:20; 8:1; Jas. 1:5).[1]
Insights: Spiritual fitness requires intensity
“Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
—1 Corinthians 9:26–27
Paul sets an incredible model with four parallel statements: I run, not aimlessly; I box, not just hitting the air; I pummel my body; I enslave my body. He is serious about spiritual fitness.
As a runner, Paul does not get distracted. He keeps his eye on the finish line and stays in his lane. As a boxer, he lands his punches. The Greek phrase translated “I strike a blow to my body” literally means to give a black eye. Paul’s language is intentionally graphic—he wants us to feel the intensity of disciplined spiritual effort.
Given his experience, Paul’s advice to his younger associate Timothy makes perfect sense:
“Train yourself to be godly… That is why we labor and strive.”
—1 Timothy 4:7, 10
The Greek word translated “train” is gymnazo, from which we get our English word gymnasium. Paul is essentially saying, “Exercise yourself to be godly.” The word translated “labor” is kopiao, meaning to exert oneself physically, mentally, or spiritually—to work hard, toil, strive, and struggle. And the word translated “strive” is agonizomai, meaning to fight or struggle, like an athlete or a soldier. Our English word agonize comes directly from this term.[2]
You are called to toil and agonize in order to change your character because:
“Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
—1 Timothy 4:8
Spiritual fitness offers greater value than physical fitness. Have you ever used an app like MyFitnessPal to track calories or a Fitbit to count steps? Consider the effort, planning, and discipline you put into physical fitness—and then contrast that with the effort you invest in your spiritual fitness.
[1] Nettelhorst, R. P. “Wisdom.” Lexham Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas Mangum et al., 2014. Lexham Bible Reference Series.
[2] Arndt, William, et al. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 2000, p. 558.
