EXERCISE YOURSELF TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

This time of the year not many people are thinking about exercising and once you skipped a few gym sessions or jogging hours, it takes a while to get back into your fitness level where you stopped the exercises a few weeks ago. As we keep our bodies in shape and healthy, even more we need to take care of our Spiritual fitness. According to Yahweh’s word, bodily exercise is profitable to a little, but righteousness is profitable to all things and that we need to exercise ourselves to righteousness.

There must be only a few people in life that was not once a member of a gym or part of an aerobics class, or in a hiking team, maybe a bicycle team, running a marathon or swimming around an island, doing cross fitness classes, a park run or horse riding – not even to mention all the sports. Bodily exercises are very important to keep us in shape and healthy, but how do we exercise ourselves to righteousness and how important is it to be fit in the Spirit?

“But refuse foolish and old wives’ tales. And EXERCISE YOURSELF TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. For bodily exercise is profitable to a little, but righteousness is profitable to all things, having promise of the present life now, and of that coming.” (1 Tim 4:7-8)

Very interesting was when I looked up the word “exercise” in the Greek Strongs Dictionary Nr 1128, it is the word “GUMNAZO”. Now we know where gymnasiums got their names from – yes, the Greeks. Strangely enough the word gumnazo in the Strongs means “to practice naked” or “to strip”. Through history we can read that the Greeks did many of their games naked and when the Jews, who took on the pagan traditions, also joined the Greek gumnazo games, they didn’t want anyone to see that they were Jews because of their circumcision nakedness, so they tried to hide it with clothes. It sounds like Adam when he tried to hide his sin with leaves.

But in this case, Father wants us to strip ourselves from all the religion, ungodly and worldly things to become fit in the Spirit and to exercise ourselves to righteousness. We have to become naked in the Spirit and be stripped of everything that is not of Him. Then we can start with the training and exercise ourselves to righteousness.

So how do we exercise ourselves to righteousness? I was meditating on this Scripture and as we know we serve an Elohim with a sense of humour and He is very creative, so He gave me 8 Spiritual exercises that we can practise to get fit in the Spirit.

1. SCRIPTURE SIT-UPS

In Mark 22:24 we learn that we make mistakes because we do not know Yahweh’s Word and that is why we do not know His power. The core of our body is the central part and that includes our pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach. Core exercises train the muscles in your core to work in harmony. If we practise SPIRITUAL SIT-UPS in SCRIPTURE, then we are training our core in the Spirit. Yahweh’s Word must always be our CORE because everything evolves around and in His Word. There we will find all our answers and by spending more time in His Word, our Spiritual Core will get stronger.

2. PRAYER PUSH-UPS

“But you, beloved, building yourselves op by your most holy faith, PRAYING in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of Elohim, eagerly awaiting the mercy of our Master Yahshua Messiah to everlasting life.” (Judah 1:20)

The Greek word for “building up” in this verse is “epoikodomeo“, which means “to build upon“. This refers to rearing up your life on the measure of faith and erecting or building your life on the faith foundation.

“REJOICE ALWAYS. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.“

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of Elohim in Messiah Yahshua towards you.” (1 Thes 5:16-18)

The bodily push-up is a staple upper body movement in the training programs of athletes, recreational gymgoers, bodybuilders and those recovering from certain injuries. Interesting that the push-up can also be a sort of bowing down? If that is the case, while we are doing our Spiritual Prayer Push-ups, we are bowing low before Yahweh and strengthening our arms in the Spirit by prayer. The more you exercise doing your Prayer Push-ups, the closer you move to intimacy with the King to intercede for others and to praise Him for Who He is. And of course, the more you do your Spiritual Prayer Push-Ups, you may even become a Spiritual bodybuilder for Yahshua.

3. CROSS TRAINING

“I have been crucified with Messiah, and I live, yet no longer I, but Messiah lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of Yahweh, the One loving me and giving His life on my behalf” (Gal 2:20)

The goal of bodily Cross fit training is to improve overall performance and to know your identity in Yahshua who purchased your redemption by dying for you, will improve your overall performance in the Spirit too. Without His sacrificial death, we would not have the amazing gift of eternal life. If we want to exercise and be “Cross fit”, we need to step into that promise and identity that we are hidden in Yahshua with Yahweh (Col 3:1-3) and that Yahshua was the perfect sacrifice for our redemption and that we might live to righteousness and that we are healed through His wounds.

“Who Himself carried up in His body our sins onto the tree; that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness, of whom “By His wounds you were healed.” (1 Pet 2:24)

4. WORSHIP JUMPING JACK WORKOUT

“Shout joyfully to Yahweh, all the land. WORSHIP Yahweh with gladness; come before His face with joyful singing. Know that Yahweh, He is Elohim; He has made us, and not we ourselves, His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him; bless His name. For Yahweh is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His faithfulness to generation and generation.” (Psalm 100)

Isn’t this Psalm something to jump up and down about? Of all the Spiritual exercises I love this one the most! To worship Yahweh with everything in me and with everything I have. My heart, emotions, arms, legs, hands, feet, voice and my whole body. Flagging while singing, blowing the shofar and jumping up and down joyfully, praising the Most High Elohim, Yahweh and His Son Yahshua. Bowing down or laying on the ground, face down, kissing His feet and telling Him how much I love Him. After a worship workout in the Holy of Holies I feel refresh and alive! His mercy is everlasting, and His faithfulness is from generation to generation. Let’s exercise in the Spirit and do a worship jumping jack workout every day!

5. OBEDIENCE OBSTACLE CLIMBING

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or obedience to righteousness.” (Rom 5:19)

Obedience is a central theme in the Bible, reflecting our willingness to submit to Yahweh’s commands and following His will. Throughout Scripture, we find verses that inspire and challenge us to live a life of obedience. When we climb the obstacle course of obedience, we will experience the blessings that come from aligning our lives with Yahweh’s perfect plan. Even if it seems impossible for us to complete or do, He will always find a way to navigate us to the perfect step. All we need to do is to obey His commandments and hear His voice and walk in His will.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but Yahweh fixes his step.” (Prov 6:19)

This Scripture is clear proof why one’s heart and soul must be toward YHWH continually, as if we are making our plans based on His will, He will fix our path in the same manner, but if not, we will go through trial in our walk.

Typical obstacle courses involve obstacles the participants must climb over, crawl under, balance, hang on or jump through. Puddles or muddy water, ropes, nets and “not touch” restrictions are often used to make the course more difficult. Does that sound familiar in the Spirit too? We are often on a Spiritual Obstacle course, hanging on something, crawling under something trying to keep our balance or land in muddy water or is at a “not touch” spot. But if we are slaves to obey Yahweh, we will do anything for Him. We also need to stay focus and move in obedience because according to Scripture, we are slaves to whom we obey. If we are busy with this exercise, we need to train ourselves to obey in Yahweh’s Word and trust in His perfect plan for our lives and be slaves to obey Him to exercise ourselves to righteousness.

6. HIKING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do. But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions of man.

“Watch that there not be one misleading you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to THE TRADITION OF MEN, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Yahshua, the Messiah.” (Colossians 2:8)

Yahweh will never direct us to be prideful, arrogant, unforgiving, immoral or slothful or full of fear. We step into these things because we are insensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit within us. The Holy Spirit restores, comforts, guides, protects, and sustain us in the way of salvation. He draws and convicts us and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of Yahweh.

“But we all with our face having been unveiled, see as in a mirror, the glory of Yahweh, and we shall all be transformed into the same likeness, from one glory to another, just as the SPIRIT comes from Yahweh.” (2 Cor 3:18)

Let’s exercise to “hike” with the Holy Spirit, so that He will be able to lead us. Let us also be sensitive of the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the hike with Him, because He will show us the most spectacular views, mountains, streams and places of peace.

7. CARDIO COMMANTMENT TRAINING

“Everyone practicing sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is the breaking of the Torah.” (1 John 3:4)

Sin is clearly defined as the breaking of the Torah (Yahweh’s commandments). The Christian argument against keeping the Torah is extremely weak and non-biblical as if there is no Torah. Then there would be no sin, and then why would someone need a saviour? It is utterly evil to preach a lawless message of salvation.

Cardiovascular exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate, breathing and blood flow. Cardio can help you improve your health by reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. It improves your brain health that control memory and thinking skills and an interesting observation is that it also can help reduce the rate at which your brain shrinks as you age. Cardio also burns calories and can help you lose weight by burning more calories that your body consumes. Truly a very good exercise to do also Spiritually if you think about it.

To keep Yahweh’s commandments, you can also improve your health and reduce the risk of losing your life. By observing and obeying His commandments we can burn our Spiritual calories with all the wrong things we keep ourselves busy with that is an abomination before our King.

“Do not think that I came to ANNUL THE TORAH or the Prophets; I DID NOT CAME TO ANNUL, but to fulfil.” (Matt 5:17)

This Scripture from Yahshua Himself is extremely clear that His intention was NEVER to abolish the eternal Torah of YHWH, but to magnify the intent. Yahshua didn’t change it – He became it. But that did not give us the right to swipe Yahweh’s commandments from the table.

“And He said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One, Yahweh! But if you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt 19:17)

The question and answer are very simple: in order to receive eternal life, one is required to keep and obey Yahweh’s commandments. (Exo 20:1-17) May we make idols today, may we take the name of Yahweh in vain today, or do we not keep the Shabbat holy, or do we not honour our father and mother anymore? If the commandments are not applicable anymore, then we may murder someone without getting punished or bear false witness against our neighbours or eat pork? Not one of Yahweh’s commandments changed or disappeared. They are still applicable today. Yahweh does not change, and so does His commandments also not change.

“For this is the love of Yahweh, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not a burden to us.” (1John 5:3)

Yahweh’s character is only true love. His Torah and commands are only an extension of His character and love for mankind. One can memorize the Bible from cover to cover but if he is not obedient to Yahweh’s Torah his whole life is meaningless and self-righteous. The commandments were not meant to burden us but to help us and to guide us to a healthier life within the boundaries of our Master Yahweh. He created us, would He not then also know what is the best for us?

“So indeed the Torah is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Rom 7:12)

Take note, I am quoting all the Scripture here from the NEW TESTAMENT from the Hebraic Root Bible. The problem was never with the perfect Torah of Yahweh, but the inability of the people to keep it, (Hebrew 8:8) as it can teach you right from wrong, but it doesn’t change the heart; only the Holy Spirit can do that. In all of Paul’s epistles the argument is never whether one should obey the Torah, but the argument was how do we get justified before Yahweh? The Torah sanctifies a believer after he is justified and teaches him right from wrong. Obedience is the evidence of one’s faith.

8. RUNNING WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

“So therefore, we also, having so great a cloud of witnesses lying around us, having laid aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, through patience let us also RUN THE RACE before us.” (Hebrew 12:1)

The Bible uses running metaphors in various contexts to convey spiritual and moral lessons. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 the Apostal Paul employs the imagery of a race to highlight the importance of perseverance and discipline in our lives. This passage encourages believers to approach their spiritual journey with purpose, discipline and the goal of an eternal reward.

Now that we received our new Spiritual exercises, we know now how to exercise ourselves to righteousness with SCRIPTURE SIT-UPS, PRAYER PUSH-UPS, CROSS TRAINING, WORSHIP JUMPING JACK WORKOUTS, OBEDIENCE OBSTACLE CLIMBING, HIKING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and CARDIO COMMANTMENT TRAINING. More important than our bodily exercises we need to do our Spiritual exercises regularly to keep spiritually in shape and spiritually fit, then we also can say like Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”

REVIVE REPENT RESTORE ROAR

Shalom, Mattaniah