“Spiritual Wellness”

There are many areas in our life that affect our Spiritual health, the areas I will cover today are; pride, coveting, jealousy, control, lies, and Asking for God’s deliverance. These are areas that we often struggle with, but because they are often interwoven in our character. We don’t pay attention to them. We exhibit the behavior, but we aren’t aware of how it affects our character, spirit, and life.

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What do I mean by “spiritual wellness?”

Wellness:

-the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

-an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

Just as we work on our physical heath to stay in good shape and good health. It is equally important for our spiritual wellbeing to be in Shape and in good standing in the sight of God.

Maintenance of our physical health means we can continue to function in life, healthy, without hindrances related to a disease process or a deficit in our bodies, such as arthritis which tends to effect a lot of people.

To maintain spiritual wellness is to ensure our spirit is in alignment with God. There are people who believe they have a healthy spiritual life, but their character, behavior, and actions in life break the rules of how God tells us to live in his holy scriptures.

Who does it affect?

Any person who is not striving to live according to God’s word. 

When is it a problem? The most profound problem lies with anyone who does not believe in God. 

The person who refuses to believe and follow God does not know what he tells us in scripture. Or if they have an idea of what his word says, it doesn’t them no good if they refuse to listen.

Why should this concern us?

It not only affects our spirit, it jeopardizes our soul’s salvation.

These are the characteristics we are discussing today. However, there are many things that can jeopardize our soul’s salvation.

The  talking points;  Coveting, jealousy, control, pride, are as important as any other topic that falls under sin. 

We often feel these traits but don’t look at them as serious enough to effect our salvation. We don’t think they are as serious as sexual immorality or and murder. However, sin is sin.

God speaks about these things in his Holy Scriptures. He knows how each one can infect our character and behavior. Yes, I used the word infect.

-To infect:

to affect or contaminate (a person, organ, wound, etc.) with disease-producing germs.

-to taint or contaminate with something that affects quality, character, or condition unfavorably

-to corrupt or affect morally

-to affect so as to influence feeling or action: His courage infected the others.

This influence can affect a person in a negative way as well, thereby affecting his or her character.

Where does it come from?

There are a lot of factors that influence and affect why or why not someone acts and believes the way they do.

-Personality, character, characteristics develop in individuals based on how we are raised. What we are taught, our culture.

-Not everyone is raised to believe in God

-As adults, we develop our own beliefs and practices based on how we want to live. Not everyone is influenced by their parents.

-Living in a world, our society, our culture plays a part also.

There are a multitude of religions, beliefs, gods, and practices that are intertwined in the different cultures of people on this earth.

Not everyone believes in the one and only true God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

Instead, each culture believes their gods are real. If a person is not rooted in Christ Jesus, their beliefs will not line up with our sovereign God.

In a previous episode, I spoke on pride. “The name of the episode is The Pride of Life”.

✨Pride: can stand in the way of the truth. Add arrogance and stubbornness to it, and it can cause a person to refuse to listen, argue or learn valuable information. It can be a stumbling block to the individual.

✨Control: to exercise restraint or direction over; dominate: command

The act of power or controlling.

Someone who is aggressive and attempts to control everything., like pride, refuses to listen. Their way is the way. 

Proverbs 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 

Pro 29:23  A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. 

✨Jealousy: feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages (often followed by of ):

is like envy. -a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, 

✨Coveting: and envy is coveting-to have an inordinate or wrongful desire.

-to wish for, especially eagerly:

Inordinate:

-not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive:

-unrestrained in conduct, feelings, etc.:

Exodus 20:17 NLT

You must not covet your neighbor's house. You must not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

In ancient days- they had ox and donkeys. 

But we are to want nothing that belongs to others; house, boat, car, clothes, jewelry, money, lifestyles, talent, whatever it is, it is a sin for us to covet it. 

Some people may desire what someone else has so bad they go into depression over it, cry about it, or take drastic measures to get something like it.

If someone has joined a club or anything that requires membership, it is a sin to think you have to join to just because someone else is a member. Stop coveting. Wanting what other people have. It is a sin and one of the Ten Commandments.

✨Lies:

-a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth.

-something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture:

Exodus 20:16 NLT - You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

To testify falsely is to lie.

Proverbs 14:5  A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. 

How do we correct this issue?

If we aren’t aligned with God’s truth it puts souls are at risk of eternal damnation. That is where being a witness for Christ comes in. Not everyone wants to hear it. When people start going to church or Bible study 

By being made aware of it. Choosing to make a difference in our lives by correcting the behavior. And asking for God’s deliverance to free us from this.

Ask God For Deliverance 

Only with God are these things possible. Do not doubt what he can do in your life. Allow this to settle in your heart then go back and ask him again. 

He is our Father, God on the throne. Who manifested as Jesus, walked this earth in the flesh as man. 

Here for the purpose to be the only qualified individual who could die the  pure sacrifice that opened the way of salvation for us.

God is the only one who can change it, re-arrange it, remove it, and make it right, It takes trusting him to do it. 

It is humbling and rewarding at the same time when God answers our prayers. 

start praying and asking God to help you change. Read scriptures that speak about asking and receiving

Be willing to make the necessary changes in your life. Do not deceive yourself thinking that you can continue doing wrong and unrighteousness living and expect God to answer prayers. 

While God can do what he chooses to do in our lives. He does expect us to put forth effort to live the right way.

1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

Scriptures regarding-Asking and Receiving 

Scriptures:

One of my favorite scriptures is Mark 9:23

Mark 9:23 "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." 

Mark 9:24 The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

Many of us do believe. But there are some things that hit our lives hard and because of the nature of it, we are intimidated by it.

It seems big, bad, ugly, and stronger than humans. This describes a lot of things, some places, and some people. Nothing; people, place, or thing is more powerful than God.

Getting this in our spirit is the weapon we need to bypass unbelief.

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Matthew 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Before you ask, know who you are asking, and seeking from. Make sure it is the one true God. Not everyone seeks from him.

Conclusion:

Ephesians 5:1-4 NLT

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 

Ephesians 5:2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 

Ephesians 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. 

Ephesians 5:4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Ephesians 5:5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 

Ephesians 5:6 Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.

Ephesians 5:7 Don't participate in the things these people do.

Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

These are some of the things that we can do to ensure our spirit is well with the Lord. They are not the only things. 

The Bible has many madates that God has given us to ensure we live right for him. Living these scriptures will give us spiritual wellness and make it well with our soul.

My closing Prayer:

Father, help us in this learning process to live as you desire. To ensure our soul is redeemed and remains in this state.

Touch our hearts and guide our spirits to live in alignment with you and your word. Let us develop spiritual wellness in your sight. In the name of Jesus. Amen.