"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." Deuteronomy 8:3
You are probably more familiar with this verse when Jesus quoted it to satan while being tempted in the desert after a 40 day fast in Matthew 4:4. The Words of God are more essential in our lives than the food we eat. We understand we must have physical food to live in our physical bodies while on earth, but do we realize our spirit which is eternal must have the Word of God to live eternally in heaven? Feeding our spirit the Word of God is what keeps our spirit man alive. It has the power to sustain us through any battle we may encounter as the war continuously rages on between our flesh and spirit. Paul warns us in Galatians 5:17:
"For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things you please."
Unfortunately most of us definitely see food as more essential than the Word of God in our lives, but it doesn’t make it true. Whichever we feed the most wins the war. In Galatians 6:8 we read:
"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
We must rely on the Word of God for truth. The truth is what sets us free from ourselves, our flesh, which is our greatest enemy. When satan was tempting Jesus with food for His survival Jesus spoke the Word of God to counter the lie the enemy was trying to get Him to believe. Satan is a liar. In John 8:44 Jesus Himself describes satan to the religious leaders who were unbelievers:
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
Are we beginning to see why daily feeding our spirit the Word of God is more essential than the physical food we devour? Most of us overeat, pleasing our flesh, which as scripture warns causes us to be obeses and obesity is the root cause of most chronic diseases which eventually kills us. In Hebrews 4:12 we read the power of the Word of God in our lives:
"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
The only way we can know the truth about our inward selves is through the Word of God, the sword of the spirit. Remember, the truth is what sets us free from ourselves and the lies of the enemy. Jesus declares in John 8:32-33:
"If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
What a promise! Hopefully we all have a better understanding of the importance of feasting on the Word of God continuously. Let us take our physical hunger and convert it to feeding our spirits that we might overcome our flesh. Not only will we acquire better health, but we will have true freedom from all the chains we cannot see that we are enslaved to. I admonish you to begin each day with a large portion of the Bread of Life for your spirit man that we might be led by the spirit and not our flesh.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the true sons of God." (Romans 8:14)
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly which He abundantly did on this morning run!
