Contents

1 Three Kinds Of Fitness

2 Face Your Giant
3 Every Territory Has A Goliath
4 Spiritual Fitness & The Anointing
5 Developing A Strong Inner Man
 Chapter One
Three Kinds Of Fitness
"And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back, IS FIT for the kingdom of God."
Luke 9:62 (KJV)
There are three kinds of fitness that I want to discuss in this book. The
first is physical fitness, the second is academic fitness and the third is
spiritual fitness.
If you have ever been to a fitness center, you have most likely seen
people getting their bodies in shape. They were probably jogging or lifting
weights in order to tone and strengthen their muscles. They were becoming
fit physically. In America, people spend tens of thousands of dollars
becoming physically fit.
There is also academic or educational fitness that some choose to
develop. There are people who live their whole lives as professional
students. They are continually conditioning their intellect to work in a
certain type of career. They'll spend thousands of dollars to have somebody
teach them about a certain subject so they can be fit enough to work
effectively in that career. But there's a third kind of fitness that needs to
become a part of our everyday life. It's called: spiritual fitness.
A few years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "There is a
divine fitness that we must develop in order to carry and walk with what
God has given." We must develop "spiritual fitness" so our inner man can
carry the anointings that God is pouring out in these last days.
Spiritual Fitness Determines Success
Spiritual fitness will determine your success or your failure in life. Your
success will not be determined by how physically strong you are, how smart
you are, who you know, where you go or what you did. It will be
determined by what kind of spiritual condition you're in. There is a spiritual
fitness that you must develop if you want to live victoriously in this end-
time hour. Jesus says here, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God...." (Luke 9:62) In other words,
no one beginning the Christian life, starting in ministry or working for a
ministry, who looks back to their old way of life, is spiritually fit to be an
effective worker. If someone starts out following the Holy Spirit, and then
looks back, it is because they are not spiritually fit on the inside. A person
that is fit spiritually never retreats! A person that is spiritually fit, never
falters! The divine fitness on the inside enables them to keep on plowing!
Winning The Spiritual Marathon
You can tell if a person is spiritually fit by their actions and reactions to
the various circumstances they face. A person that is spiritually fit responds
to circumstances different than a man who is not spiritually fit. You can
walk into a church or into someone's home and you can tell how fit they are
spiritually by the words of their mouth and by their attitudes and reactions.
There are many who are against what the Spirit of God is trying to do
because they're not spiritually fit enough to see, hear and understand what
He is saying today.
A person, a family or a church that is not spiritually fit cannot run in
God's marathon. That's why some complain about living the Christian life.
They complain that all the activities of their church take away from their
family time. The reason they're complaining is because they're not
spiritually fit enough to do both. They want to begin to eliminate one to do
the other. Inwardly, their family is not spiritually conditioned to cooperate
with the pace of what God is doing today.
Many times these kinds of complaints are nothing more than excuses to
remain spiritually undeveloped. That's why some are saying "I can't pray
strong; I just don't have it in me." When you try to provoke some people to
pray with fervency, they short-circuit and shut down because their inward
man has not been trained and disciplined. (James 5:16) They have allowed
their fleshly nature to have its way and do what it wants to do. When their
soul is not entertained, their flesh gets tired and it shuts their spirit-man
down. They would rather go eat pie and watch TV than pray fervently in the
Spirit. That's why, when the storms of life come and they need to fight, they
are too weak to do it. It's not the devil's fault, it's theirs because they are not
spiritually fit.
We have to develop and condition our inner man in order to fulfill the
spiritual duties of the time we're in. That's the only way we can defeat the
"giants" that will come to intimidate and oppose us as we step out in faith to
obey the call of God.
 Chapter Two
Face Your Giant
In 1st Samuel 17, we find the story of David, the young boy who was
spiritually fit and went on to become one of Israel's greatest kings. In verse
11, we see the lack of spiritual fitness that was in the leadership of the
nation during David's day:
"When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were
dismayed, and greatly afraid."
1 Sam 17:11 (KJV)
These were the men who ruled Israel. King Saul was taller than any
man and had a large army of well trained soldiers following him. Yet when
the Philistine giant began to jeer and taunt, Saul and his great army
trembled and withdrew. Their inner man was afraid because they were not
conditioned for that kind of battle. Then in verse fourteen, David shows up:
"And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul."
1 Sam 17:14 (KJV)
David was the youngest member of his family. His father had sent him
to the battlefront to see how his brothers were doing and to bring some food
to them. While David was visiting with his brothers, Goliath began to taunt
the armies of Israel once again.
"And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the
Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and
spake according to the same words: and David heard them. And all the men
of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And
the men of Israel said, 'Have ye seen this man that is come up? Surely to
defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the
king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and
make his father's house free in Israel."'
1 Sam 17:23-25 (KJV)
Saul was not just intimidated, he was terrified! When you'll give your
daughter away to get rid of what's scaring you, you're in great fear! It's
amazing what fear will cause people to do! But notice how David
responded:
"And David," verse 26, "spake to the men that stood by him, saying,
What shall be done to this man that killeth the Philistine, and taketh away
the reproach of Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he
should defy the armies of the living God?"
1 Sam 17:26 (KJV)
David heard the same taunting that everyone else heard and he felt the
same fear that everyone else felt. So what gave David the ability to take the
stand that he took? David was spiritually fit! He did not live by his outward
feelings, he lived by what he knew on the inside. His inward fitness gave
him the ability to boldly say, "What shall be done for the man that kills
Goliath?"
Someone who isn't spiritually fit, cannot stand in the midst of an
atmosphere full of fear and say those words. Someone with an unfit spirit
will bow to the atmosphere and tremble with the rest of the people.
The Stench Of Jealousy
When Eliab, David's older brother, heard David speaking, he was
overcome with jealousy.
"And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and
Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, 'Why camest thou
down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou
art come down that thou mightest see the battle."'
1 Sam 17:28 (KJV)
David did not go to the battlefront for the sake of trying to become
famous or popular; he was simply obeying his father. His father had asked
him to bring food to his brothers and find out how they were doing. While
David was there, Goliath showed up and provoked the righteous indignation
within David.
When there is an inward fitness in someone and they are strong and
fervent, it will cause those who are spiritually unfit to bring forth false
accusations and misrepresentations. Someone with an unfit spirit can't give
honor when it's due. David's brother should have said, "We're all a bunch of
chickens! Praise God, somebody showed up to kill the giant!"
Religious Critics Are Spiritually Unfit
 When David showed up and said, "Let's kill this guy!" It infuriated his
older brother.
"Who do you think you are? How dare you say those things?" he said.
When the words of someone with a fit spirit hit the atmosphere, the
arrogant soul of those who are spiritually undeveloped will begin to react
with anger. That is why spiritually developed people will face persecutions
and false accusations in this hour. It will come against them because of the
fitness that they have in the spirit world.
Spiritually fit people have the ability to pray fervently for long periods
of time. They have the ability to cast out devils, without blinking an eye.
They have the ability to prophesy, move and initiate things in the spirit
realm. People with unfit spirits cannot initiate. They cannot believe long,
pray long or hold fast to the Word of the Lord.
What It Takes to See the Causes Of God
In verse 29, David said:
"What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"
1 Sam 17:29 (KJV)
People with unfit spirits cannot see the causes of God.
They are full of fear and they'll do anything to survive. Whatever it
takes to stay on the scene, they'll do—including compromise.
Someone with a fit spirit sees the cause of God and does not bow or
compromise in an atmosphere of fear. They stand in their inward character
and fight for the cause of God to prevail. They have the ability to stand and
believe alone, if necessary.
False Growth & Maturity
There is false growth and maturity that many are displaying in this hour.
It's not true spiritual maturity—it's intellectual and theological dominance
spewing its ignorance all over the Body of Christ. Where is the voice of true
revelation? Where is the voice of those who have the revelation of the Word
as well as the power of the Word working in their life? Why aren't they
speaking? Where are their mighty acts?
"Well I'm doing them."
Well, if you are doing them, why hasn't there been much change in the
spiritual climate of your environment? If what you're saying and doing
doesn't cause a change in the activities of the people in your territory, it's a
good sign that you need to develop a stronger inward man. You can't knock
out the Goliath of your territory unless you are spiritually fit! ■
 Chapter Three
Every Territory Has A Goliath
Every territory has a Goliath, and they all roar and taunt the people of
God. When a "roaring Goliath" speaks, the people of God in that region will
show whether they are fit or unfit by the way they respond. In the Bible,
when Goliath began to roar, the armies of Israel, along with their great king,
fled. David's reaction was the opposite of the others. Why? Because David
had developed a spiritual fitness on the inside of him. When the taunting
and the roaring began, David stood in Goliath's face and said, "Let's silence
this guy!"
Then David's jealous brothers said, "Oh you just came here to see the
battle. We know the naughtiness and the pride of your heart!"
Notice they accused David of having the wrong motive. The truth was,
David was inwardly fit and his brothers were not.
"What have I done now?" David responded.
When you have a developed spirit, there will be many reactions to you.
The majority of the human race does not spend much time developing their
inward man. That's why great men like Dr. Oral Roberts cause such a
dramatic reaction in the earth. He was able to stand and say, "I'm going to
build a Christian university," when other Pentecostal preachers said it could
never be done. Why did they say that? Because their spirit had not been
developed to the place of knowing that faith in God can produce the
impossible!
Undeveloped eyes can't see well. Undeveloped ears can't hear well.
Undeveloped feet can't go far or do very much. All those unbelieving
preachers had was a big mouth and a puny, undeveloped inner man!
How Do You Respond to Your Goliath?
You can tell what stage of inner development someone is in by the way
they react to certain divine announcements and by the way they respond to
the "Goliaths" of their territory.
David said: "Is there not a cause?" 1 Sam 17:29 (KJV)
 People with undeveloped spirits do not always understand why those
with developed spirits do what they do. That's why some say, "Why do you
have to pray so fervently in tongues? Why do you have to preach like that?
Why can't you be like all the others?"
Those with underdeveloped spirits do not see, hear, or understand why
things are the way they are. That's why religious conflicts arise. That's why
there are misunderstandings. That's why sometimes it looks like there is an
ungodly "split" or "tear" but it is really just someone with inner spiritual
development beginning to travel in the direction that God has called them.
There Is A Cause!
The new generation that God is raising up will be made up of
individuals who have developed their inward man. They will operate in a
different way than we've been used to, and those who refuse to develop
themselves spiritually will be the first to speak out against them and
persecute them. The undeveloped will do these things because they do not
have the depth of understanding that is necessary to see the causes of God
in this hour.
There is a cause for the spiritual activities of this generation! There is a
cause! And this generation must settle it now, no matter what people may
say: there IS a cause for strong prayer, governing churches, prophetic
utterances, strong music, warring against principalities for the sake of
changing climates, reaping the harvest and creating a spiritual atmosphere
that is conducive to the move of God! These things are essential to the
move of God in this hour!
It’s Time To Blow Up The Boat!
Someone with an undeveloped spirit will say, "Well, I don't see things
like that. I don't understand why you have to be so militant." Those who
make comments like that are usually honest and God will grace them with
understanding if they will be open their heart and mind to Him. But
sometimes there is an arrogance attached to those kinds of statements
because those with unfit spirits don't want to change. They live a shallow
spiritual life and call it deep. They like the way they live and they want to
just keep doing the same old thing. They say things like, "You don't have to
rock the boat!"
This new generation is not only going to rock the boat, it's going to
blow the boat clear out of the water! They will not be afraid of Goliath!
They will make a stand for the cause of God because their inner man is
developed and they are not afraid to confront!
David Was Being Obedient
"And Saul said to David, 'You are not able to go against this Philistine
to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.'
But David said to Saul, 'Your servant used to keep his father's sheep....'"
1 Sam 17:33-34 (NKJ)
Notice that David said, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep...."
This response shows that David was being obedient. A part of developing a
fit spirit is learning to obey with joy and without complaining. You'll note
that David didn't do what he wanted to do, he did what his father told him
to do. He was obedient to watch his father's sheep. Obedience brings
strength to a person's life. Paul said:
"You cannot correct disobedience until you've fulfilled your own
obedience."
2 Cor 10:6 (NKJ)
There are many churches trying to be governmental churches today and
that's a good desire, but they are not being effective because they're not
fulfilling their own obedience. You don't have the power to correct
disobedience until you are first obedient. And having a fit spirit means
knowing how to obey no matter the circumstance. You cannot wage war in
the heavens until the obedience of your private life is fulfilled. You have no
power to correct wrong unless your personal life has been corrected before
God. That's why much of the warfare message today has been overtaken by
hype. When you focus on the message and not the foundation of character
and right living, there will be no power to back the message. You see, many
who have raised their voices to bind the work of satan and to hinder his
activity in the earth have had no power against him because of their
personal disobedience. Disobedience can only be corrected by the
obedience that's in you. That's what gives you the authority to speak and see
results.
In 1 Sam 17 verse 34, the story continues:
"But David said to Saul, 'Your servant used to keep his father's sheep,
and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out
after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it
arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your
servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will
be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.
'Moreover David said, 'The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the
lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this
Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, 'Go, and the LORD be with you!'"
1 Sam 17:34-37 (NKJ)
King Saul was probably saying to himself, "What do a lion and a bear
have to do with Goliath?" It's all the same principle. It doesn't matter how
big the "Goliath"—if your insides are right, you can handle anything!
Some people say, "I can't handle Goliath but I can handle lions and
bears."
It's the same principle. David didn't grow any taller; he didn't pump any
more weight to have bigger biceps. When he came out to fight Goliath, he
wasn't wearing the armor of
Saul, he was wearing what he was familiar with—what he had proven—
what he was comfortable with in his spirit.
Run Toward The Problem!
A part of having a fit spirit is knowing what works and then not letting
go of it. People with unfit spirits will try everything but the right thing,
they'll run around trying everything except what God has really asked them
to do!
David's fitness on the inside gave him the ability to destroy Goliath. He
got five smooth stones and went out to face him. And David ran to meet
Goliath, he didn't just walk toward him casually! (1 Sam 17:48)
Someone with a fit spirit can run toward the enemy! He will never run
away from the problem! If you're facing something today and you're
running from it, stop in your tracks and turn around! Begin to develop a
fitness in your spirit so you can face your Goliath! It's not just the anointing
that you need, it's a fit human spirit! When you have a strong inner
development, the anointings that come upon you will remain and help you
bring forth fruit in your life!
 Chapter Four
Spiritual Fitness & The Anointing
Today there's a wrong degree of focus on the anointing. Many are
saying, "Oh, the anointing! We need the anointing!" Some people will try to
get the anointing without developing any inward character. They'll even
steal your Bible to get it! I've had that happen several times! I had one Bible
returned because I prayed conviction on the person who took it. I wanted
my Bible back; it was mine, not theirs! They brought it back to me and said,
"I stole your Bible because I wanted your anointing."
I said, "Well you can't get it by stealing!"
Today there are people who run to get an anointing, but they lose it as
fast as it hits them because they're not spiritually fit. They haven't
developed the inner strength and character they need to carry it.
There needs to come a strong focus on the development of the human
spirit in these last days. I know that doesn't sound as attractive as receiving
an anointing, but when the anointing comes, at least you'll be able to
contain it.
The Anointing Chasers
I had Benny Hinn speak at my Invasion conference one year. Many
times, people with no inner development will come to Benny's meetings to
receive the anointing from his ministry. They loose it as fast as they get it
because they haven't done what it takes to develop their inner man through
regular fellowship with the Holy Spirit, fervent prayer, worship and
consistent Bible reading.
It's not Benny's responsibility to prepare your inner man so you can
keep the anointing that God is imparting. That's up to you! Benny is doing
his part. Other men, other women of God are doing their part, but the rest is
up to you.
Many lose the anointing because they are not spiritually fit enough to go
through the persecution or the wars that come when they carry that type of
anointing. Some today have even become anointing "junkies" chasing
ministries for their anointings. If they would spend as much time
developing their inner man as they do chasing anointings, they would be
able to hold on to what God gives them and do some good in the earth!
Special Anointings
There have been times God has given me a special anointing to impart
to a church in a certain part of the world. I knew it by my inward man and I
knew it by my flesh, because I could feel it. I knew it was there. But when I
would begin to pray for them to receive it, I would feel it wane in me. It
was because there was no development in their spirit to handle the
anointing and the commissioning.
Don't be like that, my brother and sister! Only those who thoroughly
prepare their inner man will be able to carry the anointings that will be
given in this last great outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
God gave David the anointing because he was spiritually fit enough to
face Goliath and destroy him. Why wasn't King Saul able to do it? It was
because he had no inner development!
Inner Responses Attract Anointings
Inner reactions against evil will always attract anointings. Your inward
man's response to the evil activities of your environment will attract an
anointing that will empower you to break that which provokes you. That's
why the apostle Paul, when he saw the idolatry of Athens, was stirred in his
inner man. The idolatry provoked Paul inwardly and his inner reaction
brought the anointing he needed to hit the stronghold of the territory and
knock it out. (Acts 17:16-17)
God is wanting to give us stronger anointings, but He can't if we don't
develop our inner capacity to carry them! Some are losing some valuable
impartations of God because of their underdeveloped, unfit spirits. They
may have great hearts, good intentions, but there must be the right
development to keep what God gives in these final hours.
Come Out Of Soulish Activities!
Many try to keep the anointing through soulish activities. You can't do
it. That's why some preachers destroy their own families. They don't know
how to develop their inward man, so they can live strong and live right in
the spirit world even when they're home with their wife and kids. They live
in the soul realm instead. They don't know what it's like to be anointed and
to have that mighty power surging through their inner man!
When you're under the anointing, nothing bothers you! You feel like
you're the Jolly Green Giant stepping on ants! But when the anointing lifts,
you're supposed to live off the inward man's development and strength.
When people don't have that inward development and that anointing lifts,
there comes great trouble! They begin to try to live in the anointing for the
security, for strength and for the everyday happenings. Instead of going
home and being a husband and a dad, they stay a preacher and destroy their
home-life! They do it because they don't want to leave the anointing that
brings that feeling of strength and security. They don't know how to live in
the private side of their life because they haven't developed their inner man.
You Can’t Overcome Without A Fit Spirit!
You can't govern a territory without a fit spirit! You can't conquer a
principality without a fit spirit! You can't do great things for God without a
fit spirit! You can't do it! You have to
be fit for the kingdom work, kingdom life and kingdom duties.
David was fit and he killed Goliath. Daniel was fit and he faced the
lions' den without fear. Someone with an unfit spirit, will scream as he's
being thrown in! He will compromise and do whatever it takes to get out!
But someone with a fit spirit will go through a dark storm with inward
peace and come out on the other side with victory!
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had fit spirits. When
Nebuchadnezzar had music played, they refused to bow to his image! They
never wavered in their stand even when they were brought before those of
authority. When Nebuchadnezzar said, "I'll play the music again."
They said, "We still won't bow!"
What gives someone the ability to stand strong like that? It's not just an
anointing, my friend! It's that inward development; that inward capacity
which gives you the ability to stand against the odds. Anointings are not
given for your everyday life! They're given to help you get your God
appointed job done! When your job is finished, the anointing lifts and you
have to go back to living by your decisions. You have to decide to obey the
Word and the Spirit, my friends!
Don’t Live Off The Anointing
There are Christians today who try to live off the anointing and not by
the Word. That's why many mistakes are made. That's why there's trouble in
their life that they sometimes can't overcome. They live by the anointing
and not by the Word!
Anointings are like the icing of your Christian life. The Word of God is
the substance and the development of your human spirit.
 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had a clear understanding of God's
Word and they refused to compromise. When Nebuchadnezzar said, "Heat
the furnace seven times hotter," they were strong enough to say to him;
"Our God is able to deliver us; but even if you throw us in the fire, we're
still not bowing!"
Their fit spirits enabled them to survive the fiery furnace.
Such As I Have Give I Thee!
"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of
prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's
womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is
called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who
seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked for alms. And
Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave
heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said,
'Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 'And he took him by the right
hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received
strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into
the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."
Acts 3:1-8 (KJV)
Now notice what Peter says here, "Such as I have...." What you have on
the inside, you can give to others. Someone with an unfit spirit does not
have much to give. An unfit spirit gives opinions, gives fears and warnings
from soulish observations and not from true spiritual discernment; but
someone with a fit spirit, like we see here with Peter and John, has
something on the inside of them. Peter and John were fit enough to carry
the power that healed the man.
"Such as I have give I thee...," Peter said.
What did Peter have? He had inward fitness that enabled him to carry
the anointing that lifted the lame man out of his problems.
The miraculous in this day is not just going to come because of the
anointing that you carry, but also because of the development of your
human spirit. Great mistakes will be made in the name of the anointing
unless this generation understands these things.
Conflicts Accompany Anointings
Everyone wants a fresh anointing today. They'll come up to me in a
prayer line and say, "Pray for me, I want your anointing."
 "But do you want the conflicts I go through too?" I'll respond. "I'll pray
for you, and if God will give it to you, you can have it. But know this, when
you get it, there are great challenges that will come with it."
Many who aren't ministers don't understand what goes on behind the
scenes. They only see what is on the platform. They don't see the price that
is paid to get there. Do you truly know how many conflicts you're going to
have to fight to stay in the anointing? Do you know what it takes to carry an
anointing? It's easy to say, "Give me the anointing." It's another thing
entirely to carry it.
We've got to make sure we know what we're carrying, folks. I want
what God has to impart through men like Kenneth E. Hagin, Benny Hinn,
Dr. Morris Cerullo, and Dr. Oral Roberts. We need all that these men are
giving to our generation. When they lay their hands on us and speak those
anointed words, they transfer anointings to us by God's commission. We
must learn to carry them and keep them with us and not play games with
them. We have to develop our inner man and live right so we don't lose
these anointings when wars arise against them. If we don't develop our
inner capacity to carry these anointings, we will bow to the temptation to
quit and run away. It is essential that we hold on to these anointings and
keep them alive. ■
 Chapter Five
Developing A Strong Inner Man
I once had a well-known body builder come to one of my meetings. We
happened to be staying in the same hotel because we were going to be
interviewed on a television show that night.
"I've been listening to your tapes," he said.
"That's great. Do you like them?" I responded.
"Oh, very much Brother Roberts, but I have a problem. I'm tortured by a
certain type of spirit."
"Really?"
"Yea, it really tortures me. What am I supposed to do about it?"
"You said you've been listening to my tapes, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Have you heard them?" "Well I think so."
"How much weight can you lift?"
He named the amount and I was amazed. He could have picked me up
and threw me through a wall and that would have been the end of me! One
punch and I'd have been in heaven forever! He had tremendous physical
strength.
"How much do you work out everyday?" I asked.
He told me that he worked out for three hours in the morning and two in
the afternoon. It was obvious; this guy's arm was as big as my thigh! He
waddled when he walked because he was so big!
We went to a restaurant so we could talk further. He almost wore out the
waitress with the way he wanted his food cooked! He ordered three meals
and he had to have them all cooked a certain way.
I thought, "He does all this to stay physically fit. He lifts weights, wears
out a waitress to eat the right kind of food, but yet he has a problem
spiritually. If he would've used half of that workout time for spiritual
development, he would have developed spiritual muscles too. He would
have been able to knock out that spirit that is tormenting him."
 The reason some Christians are tormented in life is because they have
unfit human spirits. They don't have the strength to knock out the devil.
Sometimes Christians will say, "I read my Bible, I pray, I go to church, I
tithe, I do the things that I'm supposed to do— I must be spiritually
developed."
You're only developed to the degree of diligence you have applied in
these areas. There are degrees of faith that must be released in order to enter
into greater inner capacities.
Three Ingredients For Inner Development
There are at least three basic ingredients that are needed in order to
develop your inward man. The first is your Word level. Your Word level is
important to the development of your human spirit.
"But Pastor Roberts, I read the Bible today."
Yea, but did it feed your spirit or just your mind? Bible reading should
never be an intellectual activity. Some Christians spend all their time
investigating every Greek or Hebrew word in the Bible. They know so
much Greek that they can't even speak normal. When they get up to share a
revelation, no one gets it, not even themselves.
I'm not against the Greek and the Hebrew studies, but at the same time,
I don't want to get so "Greeked out" that there's no relevance to what I'm
saying. Head knowledge will make your head tilt to one side after awhile
because it has grown so big! When you read your Bible you have to make
sure your spirit is being fed and not just your mind.
Effectual Fervent Prayer
The second ingredient that you need to develop a strong inner man is
fervent prayer.
"Well, I pray everyday."
Yes, but do you pray fervently? In James 5:17 we read:
"The effectual FERVENT prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
James 5:16 (KJV)
Notice that this talks about fervent prayer. You can't develop a strong
inner man by praying casually. You have to pray with white-hot intensity!
You need to pray real strong everyday in your native language and in
tongues.
Tongues is supposed to be a major part of your prayer life. Praying in
tongues is not weird, it's normal. Praying fervently in tongues is normal too.
You need to yield to the different depths and utterances that the Holy Spirit
brings up in you when you're praying in tongues. The stronger and deeper
the utterance, the stronger your human spirit will become. A strong man's
prayers will sound strong and feel strong because they are coming from
someone with a fit spirit. Someone with an unfit spirit can't pray very long
with strength and authority. Their prayers are usually weak and wishy-
washy.
When they pray they say things like, "Lord if it is your will to do this,
then please do it, amen."
Then they'll try to tell you it is scriptural to pray like that! They call it
their doctrine; I call it ignorance!
Don’t Create Your Own Doctrines
Some people create their own weird doctrines because they're too weak
to live by faith! They haven't developed their inner man to the point where
they can believe the Word and confront Goliath! (Jude 1:20) They'll create
doctrines like, "God doesn't want to heal everybody. He puts sickness on
some so He can get the glory for it." That's called stupidity! Why would
Jesus pay the price of taking stripes on His back so we can be healed, and
then turn around and curse us with sickness and disease? How does He get
glory out of that? He receives glory when we receive the healing His stripes
paid for!
Attending The Right Church
Another ingredient that is part of developing your spirit life and
becoming fit is attending the right kind of church. I know this sounds basic,
but you'd be surprised by how many attend churches that don't help them
develop a strong inner man.
I've been in church all my life. The first place my parents brought me
after I was born was a church. I've gone to church more than any place else
in the earth. I've gone to more churches than movies. I've gone to more
churches than restaurants. All I remember when I was growing up was
being in church. I know what I'm talking about when I say that some
churches are not worth attending!
You have to find a church that will help you become spiritually fit. You
have to have a pastor whose preaching is confrontational! You need a
church that provokes you and challenges you so you don't end up thinking
that you're deep when you're really not! Confrontational preaching helps
bring a fitness to your spirit. Strong revelation will also help bring a fitness
to your inner man. Don't go to a dead church, my brother and sister; go to a
live one!
"How do I know if my church is dead or not?"
Answer these four questions. Do they give an altar call and get people
saved? Do they have opportunities to get filled with the Holy Spirit? Do
they pray for the sick and do they cast out devils? If they don't do these
things, then they're dead!
"Well, I know that my church is alive because we love each other."
Well sinners love each other too! You need more than that to develop a
strong inner man! A church that is alive will do more than just help you
become socially active! A vibrant church will help you develop inner
spiritual fitness so you can keep the anointings that God has given and live
strong in them!
A church should be spiritually active. It should be busy saving souls,
filling them with the Holy Spirit, healing people's bodies and casting out
devils. These are the four basics.
"Well, my church doesn't have any problems."
That's because it's probably dead! Something that's dead has no
problems! Only something that is alive can have problems! A living church
will have both victories and challenges!
Associate With The Right Kind Of People
You have to go to the right church and associate with the right kinds of
people in order to become spiritually fit.
"How do I know what the right kinds of people are?"
When you're with a person, or a group of people, what is the dominant
thing you're left with when you leave their presence? If you're left stuck in
your head, that will tell you where those people are at and what kind of
influence they're going to have on you. If you walk away in a critical state,
there's a good chance you've been with critical people! If you walk away in
a lustful state, it's a good chance that the people you've been with have been
involved in lustful activities. You have to know who you're hanging around
with and gauge them right.
When I'm with people, after I leave them, I check how I feel, physically,
mentally and spiritually. That usually tells me what kind of person I've been
with. If this wrong thing begins working in me, then I have to put myself
back in place and stay alert if I have to be around those people again.
 When you go to a church, if you walk out thinking, "I don't believe in
this, and I don't believe in that, and I'm scared of this, and I'm scared of
that," you went to the wrong church!
If you go to a church and you walk out wanting to do the gospel,
wanting to help people grow with God, wanting to build the kingdom of
God, you have found a good environment to grow in. Be submissive to the
leadership and enjoy the environment.
It’s Time!
It's time to develop your inner capacity so you can believe and live in
what God wrote in the Bible! Being physically fit is nice, being mentally fit
is good, but being spiritually fit is a must for survival in these last days!
 Roberts Liardon

Blessed with a gift of unusually strong preaching, Roberts Liardon has answered a
world-wide calling of God, which came to him when he was an eight-year-old boy. Having
preached in 94 nations, Roberts Liardon is founder and senior pastor of Embassy Christian
Center and Spirit Life Bible College, and was twice elected the Most Outstanding Young Man
in America.
A best-selling author, Roberts has written over 40 books, some of which have been
translated into over 47 languages, and his audio and video tapes have helped strengthen and
change the Body of Christ all over the world! ■
TOO MANY BELIEVERS ARE LOOKING FOR ALL THE RIGHT
ANSWERS IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES.
T hey spend thousands upon thousands of dollars seeking to increase their physical appearance, health and stamina. They spend years and thousands upon thousands of

dollars to have someone train them academically on how to fit in and secure just the right job to insure just the right career.

But yet, your real success in life will not be determined by how physically strong you are, how smart you are, who you know, how you know them, where you go and what

you do. Real success in life is determined only by your spiritual fitness.
At every new level in your life you will face a giant who wants to challenge your success and your fitness. It will take more than some sort of spiritual Tae Bo to win these

battles and achieve the true and lasting joy that is your rightful inheritance.

In this powerful book learn God's way to achieve spiritual fitness, and TOTAL VICTORY over every giant who strolls into your life. Its as easy as 1-2-1
-2-3 KICK!
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