All Things Spiritual, Biblical Spirituality That Is

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We may claim to be a spiritual person. Is it, however, biblical spirituality?

How the Bible Defines Spirituality

Biblical spirituality is more than a bent toward God or being a good, moral person. We find a distinction between the natural and spiritual in 1 Corinthians 15:46-49 as that which comes from earthly origins versus heavenly. Hence, biblical spirituality takes us out of the natural and into the supernatural requiring God’s power to be at work in and through us. We cannot be spiritual, biblically speaking, without pulling on His divine power. — “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Pet. 1:3)

Two elements integral to biblical spirituality:

Spiritual - Biblical Spirituality
1) Biblical spirituality ties into who we are in Christ.

2) Biblical spirituality reflects the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Many Terms Used to Describe All Things Spiritual

Living within who we are in Christ and the Spirit at work in and through us involves so much it’s difficult to find one term that describes it all. The following list includes some terms or concepts found in the Bible. We don’t find the word “spiritual” in front of every one of these terms in Scripture but it’s implied if you look in the context showing that these are realities that take us beyond the natural.

spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3)
what we have been given as a result of our life in Christ
spiritual disciplines (1 Tim. 4:6-8)
activities that will help us live within the framework of who we are in Christ
spiritual drink (1 Cor. 10:3-4; Jn. 4:10-14)
the living water that quenches our deepest needs freely given to us in Christ Jesus
spiritual fervor (Rom. 12:11)
the passion or zeal we possess when living in and for Christ
spiritual food (1 Cor. 10:3-4; Jn. 6:32)
the Bread of Life, who is Christ Jesus, that nurtures and sustains us
spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23)
Christ-like qualities developed in us by the Holy Spirit
spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Cor. 12)
divine empowerments to serve given by the Holy Spirit
spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5)
the building up of all who are in Christ Jesus together as a spiritual family
spiritual milk (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:12)
the basic, elementary truths of God’s Word and life in Christ
spiritual realities (1 Cor. 2:13)
the truths about life in Christ only known by His Spirit
spiritual rock (1 Cor. 10:3-4; 1 Pet. 2:4-6)
Jesus Christ who is the rock upon which we stand, a firm foundation
spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. 2:5; Ps. 51:16-17; Rom. 12:1)
our own will laid down in order to live a life in worship of Him

Struggles in Our Quest to be Spiritual as in Biblical Spirituality

While Jesus came to give us abundant life, the devil comes like a thief “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn. 10:10). While the Spirit leads us into truth, Satan seeks to lead our minds astray from “sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3) with lies (Jn. 8:44; Col. 2:8) and accusations (Rev. 12:10). Some of the lies Satan perpetrates includes confusion about what truly defines spirituality. If we redefine it in accordance with the world or what might be politically correct, being swayed by the spiritual forces of evil, we will fail to live that godly and full life only found in Christ produced within us through His Spirit.

But, in Christ we also have spiritual weaponry that enables us to stand firm against the devils schemes (Eph. 6:10-18).

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:4-5)

God equips us and empowers us to rise above and view life from our position with Him “in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). This is no pie in the sky type of spirituality. Rather, it is something that makes a difference here and now.

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Acquiring Wisdom

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No one can dispute the need for wisdom in today’s world. Who doesn’t need it? Needing wisdom, however, isn’t new to our generation or to the times in which we now live. God provided an entire book of the Bible, Proverbs, written for the purpose of “gaining wisdom and understanding” which begins with a process for acquiring the wisdom we so desperately need.

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance … (Prov. 1:1-5)

Process for Acquiring the Wisdom Needed

Take a closer look at Proverbs 1:1-5 and you’ll find a process for acquiring wisdom that we would do well to follow.

1) Instruction: to know

We will not know how to walk in wisdom without instruction.

2) Insight: to discern

We must get to the root of issues, looking beyond the obvious.

3) Implication: to be prudent

We must go beyond mental discernment, however, to seeing the practical use of truth in our daily life situations and relations.

4) Implementation: to be disciplined

We must actually plan how to realistically apply this good judgment to situations with which we must deal in life.

5) Intake: to add to your learning

We must realize that we will never stop learning, that there is always something new to take in.

Knowing what to do is usually the easy part. Figuring out how to apply it to specific situations and then doing it is where wisdom really comes in.

Starting Point in Our Acquisition of Wisdom

The wisdom we need must begin with God. Otherwise we’ll simply have human wisdom which so often fails us.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7)

For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Prov. 2:6)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

If we don’t start on the right foundation, we might build a structure that seems to make sense but won’t be able to withstand the strong winds of adversity (Matt. 7:24-27).

Acquiring Wisdom to Walk in Wisdom

The Walk the Walk in Wisdom Devotional Study Guide pulls on verses from the book of Proverbs, using the first four “I’s of Wisdom” as a pattern in each of the 30 devotions. It comes with the prayer that you will then continue to add to your learning (the fifth “I”, intake) to keep growing in your walk as a result.

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But It Hurts!

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Have you ever noticed how we as Christians makes excuses for ourselves for having bad attitudes, negative thinking, and ungodly reactions?

I don’t feel good.
I’m under a lot of stress.
I’ve been hurt real bad.
I’m tired.

Yes. We feel pain and disappointment. We face struggles and obstacles in our way. We don’t always get treated the way we should. While we shouldn’t deny the reality of how we feel and what we have experienced, does that excuse us from demonstrating God’s love to those around us by lashing out at them or making their lives miserable? Does that excuse us from walking the walk?

No Loopholes in Scripture for When It Hurts

Read through Scripture and you’ll find verses like the following:

And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. (2 Tim. 2:24)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. (Phil. 4:4-5)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph. 4:2)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rather rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Cor. 13:4-7)

Somehow we think we are the exception, that our situation is different. Scripture, however, makes no distinctions. We are to walk the walk even when it hurts because we have help for when it hurts. God knows what we’ll face in life and provides what we need to rise above.

  • God knows we’ll have situations in life causing us to hurt and grieve so He provides comfort.
  • God knows we’ll have stressful and anxiety-producing circumstances so He provides peace.
  • God knows we’ll have sorrow and sadness in life so He provides joy.
  • God knows we’ll have plenty of temptations so He provides grace to overcome.
  • God knows we’ll have troubles of various sorts so He provides hope of a better day.

A Biblical Example of Walking the Walk Even When It Hurts

King David of the Old Testament was no stranger to suffering. Read through the Psalms and you’ll notice his candor in talking about his feelings but then it’s like as though he would catch himself and say “Why so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Ps. 42:11). He had a keen awareness of what God offers to those who hurt.

Walk the Walk Even When It HurtsDavid penned the words,

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Ps. 23:4)

The entire Psalm 23 forms the basis for the devotional Bible study guide titled, Walk the Walk Even When It Hurts. As you work through the devotions, you’ll encounter a realistic view of struggles and hardships, the valleys of life, yet encouragement that it is possible to rise above.

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Ministry Resources

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Learning from what others have written about ministry in their books, articles, and video presentations can be quite helpful, keeping you from having to always learn the hard way. Using curriculum and other ministry tools already developed saves time so you can focus your attention elsewhere. For this reason, Ministry Tools Resource Center provides pages devoted to listing ideas and resources to enhance your learning and better equip you for ministry. Check out the List of Ministry Resources Pages pointing you to resource pages for church life (i.e., body life, fellowship, spiritual gifts), doctrine, equipping & ideas for ministry, holidays & seasons, and people groups — currently near 90 different topics.

While all of those pages may contain beneficial resources, we’d be remiss to think it’s all we need for effective ministry. And, we’d be unwise to view those resources as our starting point.

Begin with God When Looking for Ministry Resources

God does encourage us to consult with and learn from others (Prov. 15:22) but He also says “the fear of the Lord is THE BEGINNING of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7) and “the fear of the Lord is THE BEGINNING of wisdom” (Ps. 111:10). The more we know and love the Lord our God in the fullness of who He is, the more we’ll trust Him to be our all in all, leading to a realization of His power at work in and through us. That’s where we begin!

Ministry Resources from His Divine Power

 

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Pet. 1:3, NASB)

Only the unchanging character of our glorious God gives us a firm foundation upon which to stand (Ps. 40:2) as well as a shield and fortress to shelter and protect (Ps. 18:2; 94:22; Prov. 18:10).

When we start with God, we’ll be in a better position to discern and filter what we read from other resources so we apply what is not only doctrinally sound but also a good fit for our situation. God promises to direct our paths when we trust in Him with all our heart rather than lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6).

When we begin with God, we’ll be better able to withstand the pressures and stressors of ministry, knowing that He not only has the best answers but also the ability to calm the soul just as Jesus calmed the raging sea (Mk. 4:35-41).

Be Sure to Check Out: The Ministry Worker’s Devotional: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

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Help Keep Ministry Online Using iGive & Affiliate Links

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Do you shop online? Do you appreciate this ministry?  You can help keep God’s work through Ministry Tools Resource Center online without any extra cost to you. Simply search for one of the over 2300 online stores in the iGive network after clicking on our iGive link and a portion of the money you spend benefits Ministry Tools Resource Center.  You pay the same price at the store you normally would, perhaps even less if you find a coupon or deal on iGive.  It won’t take long setting up an iGive account, making Ministry Tools Resource Center as your cause.

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Ministry Tools Resources is also an affiliate with a number of retail stores. When you purchase through the links on the following page, a small commission from your order goes to this ministry:

Check out: Complete List of Affiliate Stores

The following pages provide links to the same stores but give you targeted resources:

Any purchases you make through links on those pages will help keep this ministry online. You’ll have a part in equipping believers around the world. And, it is greatly appreciated.

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Train Small Group Leaders

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Due to the potential of life change that can come through small groups, it’s always been important to have leaders who are trained, not only to facilitate discussion, but also to shepherd members of their group. Take some time to examine what you’re doing to train small group leaders in your church. What kind of training do you provide? How encompassing is your support and encouragement?

Train Small Group Leaders to Meet the Challenges of the Days in Which We Live

Small groups form for various reasons and so training always needs to be specific to the focus and primary agenda for their meeting. But, in addition, training needs to prepare small group leaders for challenges relevant to the days in which we live.

  1. Since a question for small groups may no longer be about the “place” where they should meet but rather the online “platform” they should use, additional training may be required.

Some groups may meet online temporarily with others meeting that way for the long haul. Some may use a combination of online and in-person. Small group leaders need to be effectively trained to not only know how to use technology but also how to use it in ways that are safe and productive for their small group.

You’ll first need to determine the best platform for your small group needs (based on number of participants, length of meeting time, cost, group member’s ability to access it, etc.). Some common platforms include:

Church Online Platform
FaceTime
Google Meet (was Google Duo)
Google Chat (was Google Hangouts)
GoToMeeting
Microsoft Teams
Skype
Zoom

Also be sure to train small group leaders about the differences of leading a group online versus in-person. Here are some articles on other sites that can be of help:

  1. Though support groups used to be the main type of group for helping people work through addictions and mental health issues, more and more people are experiencing anxiety and depression today. Almost any type of group will consist of people with these kinds of needs more and more. Are your small group leaders prepared?

Small group leaders need to be trained on how to respond both within the group meeting and one-on-one. How can they and the group be a support system to one another? When is it time to guide the person in finding help outside of the group?

As relates to the days in which we live, perhaps providing leaders with coping skills suggestions to pass on would be helpful. Also remember that leaders too need support and comfort. Here are some articles on other sites that may be of help:

Maybe a study on dealing with anxiety and depression would be beneficial. The following links will take you to one of our affiliate stores:

If meeting online, people may find it easy to hide their feelings behind the screen. Small group leaders need to learn how to observe, connect, and engage with people in ways that get below the surface.

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