How American Ninja Warrior Can Challenge Your Spiritual Life

American Ninja Warrior, one of my favorite shows, ended this week. While watching the final competition, I was struck by how the challenges and obstacles these athletes face is similar to our spiritual lives.

In this episode, I talk about how American Ninja Warrior can challenge our spiritual lives as we seek to be trained daily and allow God to prepare us for any challenge and obstacle that may lie ahead in our lives.

I also give seven ways God often trains us spiritually so we can purposefully choose transformation and growth in our spiritual lives.

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Show Notes / Additional Resources

Seven Ways God Will Often Train Us Spiritually

1. Hardships and difficulties
2. Temptations (testings)
3. Discipline (daily choosing to focus and spend time with Christ)
4. Others in fellowship and accountability (iron sharpens iron – Proverbs 27:17)
5. The Word of God (be transformed by truth)
6. Choosing to walk in obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit
7. Turning outward and not concerning ourselves with … ourselves (evangelism, serving, giving, … walking in humility)

Scripture Verses Mentioned

• Acts 20:22-24 – “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
• 1 Timothy 4:8 – For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
• Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Question: How has God been training you spiritually as of late?

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About NRJohnson & the Deeper Christian Podcast

NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.

The Deeper Christian Podcast is the podcast to help you study God’s Word, know Jesus intimately, and discover how you can build your life around Jesus Christ. This weekly audio program, hosted by NRJohnson, dives into Scripture and encourages Christians to keep their focus upon Jesus Christ—equipping believers in how to study the Bible and know God’s Word, grow in their spiritual lives, and change the world. Main discussion topics center around practical advice on Christian living, Bible study, prayer, the Gospel, freedom from sin, evangelism and how to share your faith, the Christian disciplines, and the lives and messages from the Christian heroes from yesteryear such as A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Major Ian Thomas, Oswald Chambers, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Corrie Ten Boom, C.T. Studd, George Müller, Andrew Murray, Leonard Ravenhill, E.M. Bounds, and others. Learn more about the deeper Christian life.