Last Sunday morning learned that spiritual fitness training begins with Preparation or a passion. If you have no passion to become spiritually fit, you won’t. Last Sunday evening we learned the importance of self-control. We must rule over our desires and prevent harmful choices. This morning we will look at the role that discipline plays a role in our spiritual fitness training. The kind of discipline we are talking about this morning is a disciplined life. It is the grit needed to govern your life as you train for spiritual fitness.

Transition

Our text reveals three characteristics of a disciplined life.

The first characteristic of a disciplined life is a …

Distinct Direction (v.26)

  1. For this we are pointed to the previous verse
    1. The word “therefore” points us back to verse 25.
    2. We learned from that verse …
      1. That everyone who wants to win must be temperate
      2. That temperate means self-controlled; preventing harmful choices that hinder God’s will
      3. That those who are self-controlled may win God’s incorruptible crown – one that will last for eternity.
  2. Direction follows self-controlled
    1. Paul said that he “so ran” (in this manner) NOT as uncertainly (unclearly). A runner who longs to win a race knows the rules, waits for the starting signal and stays within his lane. In other words, Paul was saying that he ran the Christian race with a clear or distinct direction. He knew God’s rules and he obeyed them.
    2. Paul went on to say that he in this manner swung his punches – NOT as beating the air. A boxer who longs to win seeks to make every punch reach its target. Comparing this to the Christian life, Paul was saying that everything he did was carefully aimed at a target.
    3. A Christian who goes through life with no distinct direction will never win God’s crown. Many Christians do not know God’s will is for their lives. God is not saying that we cannot relax, but He is saying that our words, entertainment, and actions must have a distinct direction. They must meet God’s standard for the Christian race. (Psalms 19:14) “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Colossians 3:17) “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
      The second characteristic of a disciplined life is a …

Determination to Do Right (v.27)

  1. Determination is the opposite of carelessness
    1. This verse begins with the word “but”. This is the Greek word alla which describes a complete contrast.
    2. Instead of being like the uncertain runner or the boxer that beats the air, we must be the opposite. We must prepare ourselves well. We must train for excellence.
    3. We need determination to our best that will motivate us and push us when start to feel lazy and when the devil tries to tell us it is not worth the effort.
  2. We must keep under our bodies
    1. This is an interesting phrase in the original language of the Bible. It means to beat one’s body. It describes the athlete who endures harsh training to improve his skills.
    2. Our bodies have a stubborn, selfish sin nature that does not like to obey God. We must push our bodies with harsh training that forces us to practice doing right. We must determine to do right no matter what.
    3. We must stop thinking and praying that God will zap us with spiritual fitness. That will never happen. Spiritual fitness requires harsh discipline. Our flesh is stubborn. Our will is selfish. Force yourself to do right!
    4. Yes, we are to allow God to help us. (Ephesians 6:10) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” However, God expects us to be self-controlled and determined to do right. We must do our part. Spiritual fitness is not passive, it is ACTIVE. (Galatians 5:25) “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 4:22) “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” (Colossians 3:8) “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” (2 Timothy 2:22) “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
  3. We must force our bodies to submit
    1. We must bring our bodies into subjection. That is, we must force our bodies to do right. All sinful words and activities hinder your spiritual fitness.
    2. Many people today let the desires of their bodies control what they do. They yield to trends, peer pressure, lust, advertisement, feelings, tastebuds and pride. If we are going to be spiritually fit and winners in God’s eyes, we must control the desires and passions of our bodies. We must force the desires our bodies to submit to God’s standards. In 1John 2:15 God commands, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” In 2 Corinthians 6:17 God commands, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”
    3. Subjection always involves obedience. If we say that we submit but we do not obey, we are deceiving ourselves.
    4. A preacher of years gone by used to thunder out the words, “DO RIGHT TILL THE STARS FALL!”
      1. When you don’t feel like obeying God, push yourself do it anyway.
      2. Though friends are doing wrong, force yourself to do right.
      3. Do right like Joshua who said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh 24:15)
      4. Do right like Esther who risked her life to protect the Jewish nation when she said, “if I perish, I perish.” (Est 4:16)
        The third characteristic of a disciplined life is a …

Dread of God’s Disapproval (v.27)

  1. Remember that God is the Judge
    1. The world does not set the rules for God’s race. God sets them. The peers, movie stars, and heroes that people mimic today will not be our judges on Judgment Day. God will be our Judge.
    2. (Romans 14:12) “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
  2. We ought to fear being a castaway
    1. The term “castaway” describes one who is disqualified. It is one who fails the test. It describes those who are unfit for a crown or reward.
    2. Paul dreaded that he might hear God say that he was disqualified. This dread motivated him to force himself to live self-controlled and to live a disciplined life. Paul knew that even preachers could be disqualified in the Christian race if they did not control their desires and discipline their lives. If that is true for preachers, it is certainly true for every other Christian as well.
    3. God has an incorruptible crown that you can win, but you must dread being disqualified strongly enough to beat your body into subjection and obey God.

Conclusion

Are you living a life of spiritual discipline? Do you have a distinct direction for your life? Do you have a strong determination to do right? Do you have a dread of God’s disproval? How we live our lives does matter. Every Christian will stand one day before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give account of how he or she lived. God will reward faithful service but will rebuke and retract rewards from those who disqualify themselves. Let’s run for the incorruptible crown!

Are you 100% positive that God has saved you and changed your life? That is absolutely essential for spiritual fitness. If unsure, please talk to me about it.

Song: Will Jesus Find us Watching? 148
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Spiritual Fitness Training “Discipline”
8 January 2017 AM – 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 – Scott Childs