The spiritual athlete and how he trains

Introduction

I have been exceedingly interested in looking through the advance sheets of this little book.

The great need of the church and the world to-day is what has always been the need since the beginning — men of God. The spiritually strong man is born, not made. The source of his strength is his direct connection with the Source of all strength. He is not strong because he tries to be, but because he cannot help it. The seci-et of spiritual vigor and efficiency is in being in all things like unto Christ, who Was able to say, *My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me. *

I remember some years ago hearing a recent convert say that he had not understood what Paul meant when he said he "kept under his body.^' He did not comprehend how he could get under his body, but, he said, as he had grown in the knowledge of God, he had come to realize that what Paul meant wa^, that he kept his body under him.

INTRODUCTION

The man whose thoughts and feelings and purposes are all born of God is the strong man, and the only man who ever is strong. For His workmen God has, as our brother says, prepared food; and he must have vigorous daily exercise. To neglect either will be to grow weak and worthless, or to perish. "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."

That the stirring words of our brother in this little treatise may have many readers, and that those who read may be led thereby into the secret of Him, who said, "Thy God hath commanded thy strength," is the sincere prayer of

His Friend,

B. Fay Mills.

Preface

To be strong physically is commendable, to be strong socially is desirable, to be strong intellectually is valuable, but to be strong spiritually is inestimable.

This little volume was not written for the gratification of the author but for the edification of the reader; if the reader by it be edified, then surely the author of it will be gratified.

The great need of Christians is not so much to know more as to do more. Not always those who know the most do the most; some know much and do little. Others know little and do much. This humble effort was intended that you should not only know more but that you might also do more. That coin which is not put into circulation is worthless; that talent which is not put to use is useless.

To see so many Christians who are educated and so few who are consecrated is lamentable; if they were no less educated but far more consecrated it would be far preferable. The

6 PREFACE

cause of Christ needs no less education but more consecration. We do not need more strength so much as we need to use our strength more.

If we would become strong physically, we must obey the laws that will strengthen us physically; if we would become strong spiritually, we must obey the laws that will strengthen us spiritually. I have selected two of these which are most prominent and to which all others are subordinate; viz.: eating and exercising. If these laws are properly obeyed our spiritual strength will be greatly increased, if they are violated, they will be very much diminished.

Reader, this is the desire of the author — that you may be led spiritually to eat properly and exercise regularly — to study the word of the Lord and engage in the work of the Lord that you may grow strong in the Lord.

Yours in the Master*s name,

W* A. BODELL.

This is a question that many are asking. It is not, Have I sufficient strength? but, How can I get more? Few have more strength than they desire; none more than they need.

Of consecrated strength there is not enough; of desecrated strength there is too much. Strength used for good is blessed; strength used for evil is cursed. The one is used; the other is abused. The one is honorable; the other is dishonorable. The one has been used as it ought; the other has been used for naught. If we use our strength for the end intended, there can be no doubt but that our work will be rewarded.

What is the desire of our young men to-day? Is it not to get physical strength? They would rather be athletes physically, than be giants spiritually. You hear them talk more frequently about their muscle than about their mental caliber. The development of their bodies is to them of more importance than the development of their souls.

The care of the body is important, but the 7 care of the soul is urgent. To care more for your body than for your soul, is building for time; but to care more for your soul than for your body, is building for eternity.

Who is the hero amongst our young men.? Is it the man who is always lagging behind, who goes moping along, whose tardiness is indicative of his laziness .^^ No! It is the man that can jump the farthest, can run the fastest, can do the most daring feats; whose soul is buoyant, whose life is a pleasure, whose hope is an inspiration.

Who is it that our young men envy? Is it the man with puny body, bent form, slackened gait and sallow complexion? By no means ! It is, after all, the man who looks the best, is the best, does the most, that they admire.

But it is not only so with the individual, it has been so with nations. Their games and combats, in which was displayed much physical strength, were a part of their religion. Greece had her heroes; she esteemed them gods. To the Grecians, to be victorious in the games was the greatest honor. Kings envied it; poets sang of it. To be victorious in war was much; to be conqueror in combat was more. Rulers were honored ; victors w^re

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worshiped. Hercules, Theseus, Castor and Pollux were subduers of monsters. They slew lions, strangled serpents, overcame giants, were valiant in war, and were worshiped as gods. The Greeks had Ajax wrestling with Ulysses; Hercules with Achelous. To overcome in these, to the Greeks there was no higher honor. Who of them honored not Polydamas? They were more zealous for their physical beauty than for their moral integrity. They thought more of men's bodies than of their souls. They cared more for flesh than they did for spirit; more for the house than the one that lived in it.

Nor was Greece alone in this; other nations were like her. Rome had her games and tests of physical strength and endurance; no less than Greece did she esteem her strong men. These were her heroes. She had them enshrined in her temples as types of physical form and beauty.

god's strong men

Nor have nations only valued physical strength; God himself has chosen strong men. Moses was a man of strength; else the flight into Midian would have exhausted him; the anxiety of the Exodus would have crushed him; the trials of the wilderness would have killed him; yet he withstood all, and when the Lord took him "his eyes were not dimmed, nor his natural force abated."

Elijah was a physical as well as a spiritual athlete. The eighteen-mile swift run in front of Ahab's chariot — how could he have accomplished it? the forty days' rapid flight through the desert — how could he have endured it? He was trained on the mountains; he was tried in the desert.

Saul was a strong man, of great stature — higher than any of the people, from his shoulders upward. But Saul prostituted his strength when like David he should have exclaimed, "My strength faileth because of mine iniquity." Though he at one time stood head-andshoulders above his people, at another time he had sunken over head-and-shoulders into iniquity. His physical strength that crowned him was an awful contrast to the moral weakness which ruined him. Though he was a giant in physical strength without, he was too weak in spiritual strength to subdue the giant within.

Daniel was a man of strength, well-favored and without a blemish. He was worthy to stand before kings; but his moral strength was far greater than his physical strength.

Paul was a man of great strength and physical endurance; though he had a thorn in the flesh he nevertheless had strength in his body; he accomplished much but he also endured much. "In labors he was more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received he forty stripes save one. Thrice was he beaten with rods, once was he stoned, thrice he suffered shipwreck, a night and a day was he in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ^^

Oh, what a test of strength ! What a fight he fought ! What a race he ran ! Who ever suffered as much without being exhausted.'^ Who ever endured as much without being prostrated? But Paul was not more noted for his physical endurance than for his spiritual diligence. He was a trained athlete in the spiritual sphere; and the law of his life was, "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high caHing of God in Jesus Christ."

THE STRENGTH OF THE BODY

Who would disparage the importance of physical strength? The body is the .instrument of the will. We usually will what we do, but we do not always what we will. Sometimes we will more than we are able to do. The body often forsakes what the will undertakes. The rapacity of the will is often more than the capacity of the body. Our wills often attempt what our bodies prevent. Where is the profit in having a strong will and a weak body.'^

Napoleon had an indomitable will but he had also enduring strength; he had a will that dared much but he also had a body that endured much. Had his body been inefficient, then his will would have been more than sufficient. To have more strength than you have will is useless; to have more will than you have strength is weakness. Many have desired to do good who have not been able; many have been able to do good who have not desired it. Who would be weaker than is necessary? Who would not rather have strength to accomplish what they desired, than desire what they are not able to accomplish ? To have a tenacity of purpose and no purpose of tenacity is useless; to have one and not the other is fruitless; to have both is to accomplish whatsoever we desire; but let us be careful that we desire only what is right to accomplish.

Let us get strength and for good use it ; rather than having it and for evil lose it.

THE STRENGTH OF THE SOUL

But however important physical strength may be spiritual strength is more important.

"Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For exercise profiteth a little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

"But know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost.^^"

To care more for your body than for your soul would be like taking care of the altar and letting the fire go out that is to burn thereon. Who would throw away the sword and keep the scabbard ? Who would throw away the jewel and keep the casket? To neglect our souls for the sake of our bodies would be throwing away the gold and keeping the dross. Our souls are as far more important than our bodies as eternity is longer than time, or as heaven is higher than the earth. There is a natural and there is a spiritual body; the first is of the earth earthy, the second is from heaven heavenly. Our bodies are temporal but our spirits are eternal. Our body shall return to dust and ashes, but our spirits unto God who gave them.

You may destroy the body, but you cannot destroy the soul.

I would not discourage you in getting physical strength, but I would encourage you in getting spiritual strength. If the one is valuable, then the other is inestimable.

**Thou shalt need all the strength that God can give, Simply to live, my friend, simply to live.'*

"For we wrestle not against flesh or blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Spiritual foes cannot be overcome by carnal weapons; spiritual giants cannot be overcome by physical strength. David could slay the giant of the Philistines with a sling and a §tone, but he could not overcome the giant within him, with all the power at a king's command. If we want to overcome our spiritual enemy, Satan, we must use spiritual weapons. Take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; with it the Saviour foiled the Devil. "It is written, It is written, ^^ is worth more than a Damascus blade; "And thus saith the Lord," more than a swift-flying arrow. Wherefore take the whole armor of God. Notice we are to take it, not to make it. Our king furnishes it, and we must use it; but if we are to use it, we must have strength to wield it. Either Saul's armor was too much for David, or David was not enough for Saul's armor. He could not fight Goliath with that; so he put it away from him.

Oh, that there were multitudes of men spiritually strong, that they might take the whole armor of God and wield it ! Oh, for strength — spiritual strength — that we might slay spiritual giants, be valiant in battle and overcome our spiritual enemy !

"Be strong, be strong!" that is the admonition; to him that overcometh is the reward. But how shall we overcome when we are spiritually undone.? Unless we conquer Satan he will conquer us. We shall never conquer him unless we have strength to overcome him.

THE WAY OF STRENGTH

But how shall we get strength?

How do we get strong, physically? By believing in some theory of physical culture? By having faith in some system of gymnastics? Will that give us strength? Whoever developed muscle by simply believing that there was a way by which it was done? No one. Nor can we; it is impossible. Yet some think they can obtain spiritual strength after this fashion. There are only two ways in which it can be obtained:

1. By Eating.

2. By Exercising.

These are the conditions of gaining physical strength; they are also the conditions of gaining spiritual strength. If it is impossible to gain physical strength by a theory then it is impossible to gain spiritual strength without practice. It may thus be desired but it cannot thus be acquired. The same law that rules in the physical sphere also rules in the spiritual sphere. There are two principal conditions in gaining physical strength; there are also but two in obtaining spiritual strength; viz: Eating properly and exercising properly.

SPIRITUAL FOOD

First, then, we must eat. Jeremiah declares that "The words of the Lord were found and he did eat them/^ The Lord said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, eat this roll." What did he mean.? Literally that he should eat the roll.'^ Yes, he was to feed upon it spiritually as men feed upon food physically. He was to read it, study it, believe it; just as with food, we are to eat it, masticate it, assimilate it. As we convert what we eat into physical muscle by known physical laws, so we are to convert what we read into moral muscle by similar spiritual laws.

But instead of feeding upon the word many are destroying it. There are two ways of treating seed. The naturalist cuts it up and discourses upon it; the husbandman reaps it and feeds upon it. The one may ascertain the characteristics of it, but the other derives strength from it. Similarly men are treating the gospel. The critic dissects it, raises a mountain of doubt about it, but does not receive any strength from it; the simple-minded husbandman sows it, reaps it, and lives upon

it.

So we are to feed upon the word. What would be the result physically if we stopped eating? We would soon die. But what is the result spiritually of those of us who stopped reading? Many of us are dead.

I fear of many it might be said as was said of the church in Sardis, "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.'*

Many of us have starved our souls. Our souls can no more live upon nothing than our bodies. It is by eating that we sustain life. When we stop eating we stop living. Where there is life, there is growth; when we stop living, we stop growing. A tree that has no life has no growth. Where there is growth, there is strength; that which has no growth has no strength. Where growth ends, strength declines; where it continues, it remains. Would we have strength ? Then we must have life. Would we have life? Then we must do that which sustains life — we must eat.

HOW TO EAT

So we must do spiritually; our spiritual natures must be fed. There is a natural and there is a spiritual body; we care for the natural, but shall we starve the spiritual? We are careful of the less, but do not care much for the greater. If our bodies have no nu-

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triment they will soon suffer detriment. If our spiritual bodies fast long they will not last long. Our spiritual bodies are not to be fed upon natural food, any more than our natural bodies are to be fed upon spiritual food. The natural is from below, but the spiritual is from above. Shall we feed that which is from above by that which comes from below ? The one is to be fed on natural food, the other on spiritual food. But how shall we eat spiritual food ? Very much in the same way that we eat physical food; the one goes into our mouths, the other into our minds. As we masticate physical food with our mouths, so we absorb spiritual food with our minds. Eating is reading; digesting is studying; assimilating is believing. The physical food that goes through this process becomes physical strength; the spiritual food that goes through a similar process becomes spiritual strength. The food that we eat has become a part of us, after we have assimilated it; so the matter that we read has become a part of us, after we have believed it. If we want to feed upon the word of God, let us read it, study it, believe it, then it will beconie a part of our spiritual body, as the food we eat by a similar process becomes a part of our natural bodies. But what shall we say of those who never eat spiritually? Never eat anything that will strengthen their spiritual bodies? They are skeletons! hideous, frightful! Oh, that we could only see ourselves spiritually as we see ourselves physically. What hideous things we would behold !

I shall never forget the impression made upon me, when, a few years ago, I saw a man who had determined to starve himself; he had concluded that it was all foolishness to eat, so he determined to eat no more. When I saw him he had taken no food for several weeks; and what a sight! A living man with a body like that of the dead; pale, emaciated; eyes sunken, cheeks fallen, beauty of form gone, his body a skeleton, his limbs like sticks, his fingers like claws. Could the graves give up their dead, none more horrible could come forth. It was a deathly picture of a living being! But, my reader, could we but behold our spiritual body we might see as terrible a spectacle as this. Because we cannot see our spirit and do not realize its condition we think it is not so bad. But unless our spirit feeds carefully, it will look as terribly.

WHAT TO EAT

Much also depends upon zv/ia^ we eat ; eating nothing is bad, but eating everything is Httle better. If we eat nothing we will soon be famishing. If we eat everything we will soon be perishing. If we do not eat carefully we must suffer accordingly There is some food which will strengthen us, but there is also food which will weaken us. Eating food which is substantial, is doing that which is essential. Animals eat by intuition; we eat according to fruition. Animals seldom eat what is not meet; we often eat what we do not need.

Thus it is physically, but how is it spiritually.? As much depends upon what we eat, so much depends upon what we read. If by eating improperly we can ruin our bodies, so by reading improperly we may ruin our souls. Care in eating is not more important than care in reading. Upon what, then, have we been living spiritually.? Have we been living upon strengthening meats or upon softening sweets.?

It is not very difficult to tell upon what some men feed. Whatever our natur^x craves, that is upon what we generally live. Few eat what they would not; many eat what they should not. Some of our appetites are depraved, and we often feed upon what we should not have. When we only eat what we would, and cannot eat what we should, then, alas, what is our condition? We are to know men by their fruits, but more often we can judge them better by their pursuits. What we desire often shows the brand of us better than what we require. We do not always have the greatest greed for that which is our greatest need. If we have an appetite for sweets, we seldom live on meats.

FEEDING ON ASHES

Look at some of our young men! Upon what do they feed their spiritual bodies.? Their countenance speaks it, their conversation reveals it, their associations tell it, their life confirms it: "They feed on ashes." Some of our young men, who go about our cities without a fiber of Christian strength, with more collar than conscience, more cane than character, more starch than "stuff'' — it is not difficult to tell upon what they live. It is this miserable saloon, billiard-hall, gamblingden, street and alley bill of fare. It comes up from the pit. It smites and blasts and destroys whoever partakes of it. Like salt at

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the roots of a tree, it will kill it. There is no spiritual strength derived from these for our spiritual nature, unless our spirits are of a very vicious nature. Satan's food will be for Satan's good; he who feeds upon it will sooner or later suffer from it.

THE WORD A TABLE

But you say. Where shall we get spiritual food ? If we would get strong in the Lord we must feed upon His word. The Lord has given us our spirits, and He has not left us without food for them. Read the word, study it, believe it. It is a table prepared by our Master; loaded with good things for our spiritual bodies. How many might partake of it, who, alas, never taste of it. But for what we have no desire, that we think we do not require. Medicine is often bitter to us, but nevertheless it is necessary for us.

But why do we not eat that which is good, that our souls may delight in fatness? If we fed upon the word of God, we would never be found in spiritual weakness. But, you say, I would read the Bible more if it were not so tedious. But is it not because you ^re irreligious.^ If we always feed upon that only which is agreeable, we will at last be found wanting, and be eternally miserable. Simply to eat what we crave is often to feed the depraved nature that we have. To read only what we like, often tells that we like what we ought not to read. If we say that we cannot feed upon the word, then our taste has been very much perverted; and the only remedy for such perversion is a genuine conversion. To read simply to gratify our taste, may, instead of strengthening us, spiritually ruin us. We may have the appearance of life, but, like a tree smitten with the blight, there is the presence of death.

The reading of healthy books is good, but the reading of the Book of books is far better. I would not say that we should read the former less, but I would say read the latter more. How many give other advice ! They say, Read everything. That would be as disastrous as to eat everything. They will tell us that the Bible is a dead book, because they get no life from it ; that it has no strength in it, because they derive no strength from it. They would have us believe that if we desire to be wise we must read everything. That is the voice of Satan; it is the same story that he told in Eden. It is the same lie that he had Adam and Eve believe.. The Lord told them not to eat of the fruit of the garden, but Satan persuaded them that the Lord was mistaken, and that if they ate of all the fruit of the garden, they would be as gods, knowing good from evil. They ate and their eyes were opened; but oh! what a sad revelation it must have been ! True, now they began to know good from evil, but hitherto they had known no evil. But from hence, alas, they began to know less of good than they did of evil. And now ye who tempt us to read that which is not good, are you not like Satan.'* The fruit that you are trying to have us eat, is it not forbidden.^ You tell us that there is nothing gained in reading the Bible, read something that will give large ideas ; get a knowledge of the world; read something that will give an idea of the other side of life. What if we follow your advice? What a sad experience we will have. Instead of becoming as gods, we will more likely become as devils. Before we had known no evil, therefore we did that which was good; now we know but little good, therefore we do that which is evil. Better to have no experience than to have a sad experience ; better not see than to see only that which is evil; better know nothing at all than to know only that which will cause us to fall.

He who knows nothing but good is sometimes called a fanatic; but he who knows nothing but evil ought to be regarded as Satanic. To see nothing but good may be short-sightedness; but to see nothing but evil ought to be regarded as terrible wickedness. To know both and do that which is right is good enough ; but to know both and do that which is wrong is bad enough.

HOW TO HEAL DISEASES

Now there is something in that Book of books for every weakness. There is no spiritual disease but that there is a prescription for it. There is no spiritual ailment but what there is a remedy for it. Physicians prescribe different diets for different diseases; so in this book there are special portions for special difficulties. If we are following afar off, read the abiding chapter (John 15); if we have backslidden, read the backslider's chapter (Jer. 3) ; if we are hungry, read the bread chapter (John 6) ; if we have no moral strength, read the character chapter (Job 29) ; if we are halting, read the come chapter (Isa. 55;; if we are being overcome, read the conquerors' chapter (Luke 4) ; if we are enslaved, read the deliverance chapter (Psa. 18); if we

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are unbelieving, read the faith chapter (Heb. iij; if we are thirsty, read the Hving water chapter (John 4) ; if we are weary, read the rest chapter (Heb. 4) ; if we are wandering, read the refuge chapter (Psa. 46) ; if we are weak, read the tonic chapter (Psa. 27); if we are lazy, read the work chapter (J as. 2).

There are as many diseases of the soul as there are of the body; but there are also as many remedies for the diseases of the soul as there are remedies for the diseases of the body. Drunkenness is a spiritual dropsy, but Prov. 20: 1, with Cor. 12:9, ought to be a sufficient remedy. Self-confidence is a spiritual lethargy, but I Cor. 10:12, and Matt. 26:41, ought to wake us from such vanity. Envy is a spiritual canker, but Matt. 5:29 to 30, ought to do away with the "blear-eyed monster." Lust is a spiritual fever; Gal. 5-6, ought to check it forever. Backsliding is a spiritual relapse, but Jeremiah 2:19 and 3:12 to 13, ought to restore us to our former state. Hardness of heart is a spiritual stone, but Jeremiah 23:29, ought to break it to pieces. A seared conscience is a spiritual apoplexy; Hebrews 9: 14, ought to arouse it to great activity. Pride is a spiritual tumor, but Proverbs i6: i8, ought to awaken us to its danger. Be sure we read just what we need; to read what we ought not to read is as disastrous spiritually, as to eat what we ought not to eat physically. If we knew the consequences of eating carelessly, then we would take heed to the consequences of reading foolishly. Could we but see the consequences spiritually as we see them physically, then would we still be so foolish } If we but saw the consequences physically would we still be so careless.? Are we to eat indigestible food for poor digestion.? Then are we to recommend the hardest portions of the word for a weak Christian.?