Heading to 'Training Camp' — Why Christians Need Spiritual Training
The end of summer and the start of NFL training camps are sure signs that the football frenzy is just around the corner. Even NFL players—the best of the best—need continued training, or the prize at the end of the season will slip through their fingers.
But do Christians need spiritual training? Absolutely. The Bible is quite specific in this regard. There's no confusing playbook jargon or jumbled mishmash of X's and O's here. In some ways, the training concepts for a believer are much simpler than what football players have to digest each year as they prepare to play. First, we must acknowledge that spiritual training starts with God's grace. God gives us Spirit-filled hearts that desire to follow him (Ezekiel 36:26–27), and his Spirit powerfully guides, empowers and equips believers to seek after the things of the Lord.
Here's a 10-step training regimen every believer should follow when pursuing God's glory:
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1. Study and meditate on Scripture often. The Bible is our ultimate training manual. Hebrews 4:12 speaks to Scripture's matchless potency: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Those who want to train in God-glorifying ways will "delight" in God's Word "as much as in all riches" (Psalm 119:14).
2. Pray continually. Just as praying daily is a critical way to keep your identity rooted in Christ, it's also a vital part of the Christian's daily training plan. Jesus prayed often (Matthew 26:36–44; Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21; 9:18) and encouraged his followers to "always to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Prayer helps us direct praise to its proper destination (Matthew 6:9), confess our sins (Psalm 51:1–12), draw spiritual strength from the proper source (Psalm 3:1–4), and kill our pride.
3. Be intentional with daily devotional times... Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles calls spending time in God's Word "getting fuel for the day." Even on the days when the rigors of his job dictate extra physical work, he doesn't sacrifice his devotional time. "For me, it's non-negotiable," he told me for my new book, "The Biggest Win." "If I've got to get in at 6, I get up at 4. If I've got to get in at 4, I get up at 2. I know what it's like not getting in the Word. My day seems to spin out of control."
Foles has something in common with the writer of Psalm 119: "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise" (vv. 147–148).
4. ...But also be flexible with your time. Christians should be intentional in their daily devotions but shouldn't let routine rule them. Create moments to worship God that are anything but routine. During the long football season, time is a luxury for Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. He has to be deliberate and resourceful to train himself daily. He fills his 30-minute commute with Christian podcasts or worship music. If he has a break between meetings, he'll find a quiet spot and open God's Word rather than hop on social media. Once the long day is done, he reads Scripture in the quiet moments before slumber.
To grow in the Lord, be flexible and resourceful. In those periods when your schedule doesn't allow a neat-and-tidy devotional time, will you neglect God's Word and prayer? Or will you treasure Christ above all, get creative and find times to seek the Lord, despite your circumstances?
5. Offer worship to God. Do you use your gifts and talents as an act of worship? Do you point others to God? Do you seek Christian community with other believers? Ephesians 5:18–21 provides a wonderful model of practical worship: "Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."
6. Practice the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 says, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." You can tell a fruit tree is healthy if plump, delicious produce is hanging from its branches. Similarly, Christians who are training for godliness seek to display the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. Have you seen the works of the flesh—"sexual immorality," "jealousy," "fits of anger," "rivalries," "dissensions" (Galatians 5:19–21)—in yourself? The results aren't pretty. What fruit is evident in your life?
7. Sacrifice yourself for others. Remember Jesus' words: "So the last will be first, and the first last" (Matthew 20:16). As you train for godliness, seek chances to serve others.
8. Fulfill the Great Commission. Shortly before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave one of his most important commands: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19–20). It's the Great Commission, and it's chief among our privileged duties in our divinely mandated playbook. Many Christians fail to share the gospel with others out of fear of rejection, claiming they don't know what to say or that it's not their "spiritual gift." Christ is dishonored when we choose not to proclaim his name. Look for ways to use your platform to advance the gospel. If this news was good enough for you to receive as truth, it's good enough to share with others!
9. Desire "solid food," not "spiritual milk." To survive in the NFL, players must adjust and mature. Christians go through a similar maturation process. As you train for godliness, remember the words of Hebrews 5:12–14: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." You don't shove solid food into a baby's mouth. It takes time for eating habits and digestive systems to adjust to solid food. Conversely, adults don't eat baby food. The goal of pursuing godliness is the rich, solid spiritual food of biblical theology, gospel centrality and Spirit-filled Christlikeness.
10. Remember: There are no shortcuts. Did you notice that there weren't any revolutionary new practices recommended? God's holy, inerrant Word has laid out clear, timeless instructions for what works. Technology might change, but the sinful condition and needs of the human heart apart from Christ do not. There are no shortcuts to becoming a great athlete. Training is imperative. Likewise, there is no shortcut on the path to godliness. It takes time, dedication, and hard work—and much of the blessing is in the process, not just the end result.
Adapted from "The Biggest Win: Pro Football Players Tackle Faith" © 2018 by Joshua Cooley. Used by permission of New Growth Press. Excerpt may not be reproduced without the express written permission of New Growth Press. To purchase this and other resources, please visit newgrowthpress.com.
