The Bible in our opening scripture says, "...refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7). Do you see the word exercise here? This is a very strong word—it's the biggest word in this verse. Exercise means to train; it means to train yourself for the God life.
Even though you are like Jesus already, even though you are born again and you have the life of God, you must still undergo training. Just as a child is born with legs but cannot walk immediately, they must train and practice walking. The Bible tells us, "Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). In the same way, you must train to live as a human being, and likewise, as a child of God, you must train to live the God-life.
Godliness means living the God-life, and the Bible instructs us to "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly" (1 Timothy 4:7 NIV). Even now, I am still learning and practicing. Years ago, I could not solve some personal problems, let alone help others. Today, I know how to use the name of Jesus to solve problems because I was trained. I reason differently now, as a child of God, having undergone training with the Word of God.
The Apostle Paul reminds us, "...physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV). Spiritual training benefits every area of life and holds promise for both this present life and the life to come. It reminds us that there is a life beyond this world, and the day will come when this Earth will end.
Take this to heart: God has placed His life in you, but it is your responsibility to exercise it. You are the architect of your life. You can create your circumstances, command favour, overcome sickness, and shape your world through faith and training. As the Bible says, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3).
Start today—train your spirit, pray in the Spirit, speak God's Word, and step into your God-designed life. Do not wait for others or for circumstances to change. Take action, knowing that your diligence in training will bear fruit both now and for eternity.