The Bible tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God that dwells inside each and every born-again Christian. No one is special enough to say that he alone has the Holy Spirit, because all of us who have repented of our sin and trusted in Christ for our salvation are promised to receive Him, the guarantee that we belong to God as His own. Yes, fellow believers, we have the Holy Spirit living in our bodies.
Knowing this, we should ask ourselves: have we been taking good care of our bodies? If God considered this earthly body, made of dust, to be a sacred dwelling for His very Holy Spirit, have we treated it as sacred? Have we cherished our health as much as we should have?
We all know that our bodies will soon expire, but while we are still serving the Lord and He isn't taking us home with Him away from earth just yet, we should at least take care of ourselves.
Here are some ways to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit.
1. Physical rest
Give your body time to rest and recover. Although studies will say that our bodies need such and such amount of time to rest, what matters is we give our bodies ample and good quality rest periods. We should not oversleep, and neither should we lack sleep. We should give our body just enough rest, proportional to what we do with it.
You should know when to stop working because your body has some limits. Lifting weights that are too heavy, working for far too many hours, and doing things beyond your physical capacity might cause over fatigue. Do make sure to take care of your body so that you can do more for God.
2. Get exercise
Yes, exercise is crucial. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle, because not only do you gain weight and a larger waistline, but you also expose yourself to dangerous health conditions such as heart disease, obesity and a weak immune system. Build those muscles – you'll be able to do more for the Lord when you reach out to help others, too.
3. Proper nutrition
No, this doesn't mean spending your hard-earned money on all those health supplements. Rather, it's about choosing the right food to eat. Did you know that God actually wanted us to eat vegetables (see Genesis 1:29-30)? This isn't about doctrine. It's about choosing to eat what's good for you.
4. Don't use it for sin
Because our bodies belong to God, we should not use it in committing sin. Romans 6:13 says, "Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."
5. Worship God
Rest in the Lord's presence. This is beyond physical and emotional rest – it's about us spending time with God, who heals all diseases. Enjoy His presence daily. Rest in His love, and trust in His goodness to take care of you. Claim His promises and believe His Word. Remember, by Jesus' stripes, we are healed (see Isaiah 53:5).
Better yet, fast. Fasting will not only starve the flesh, it will also build up the Spirit.
