Twenty-One Benefits of Godliness (2 Pet 1:7,8)
"Add to your faith, goodness, knowledge, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and Christian love. For if these qualities are yours an increase they render neither useless nor unfruitful."
Many people are willing to discipline themselves to be more beautiful, to get a promotion or to avoid punishment from a superior. However, discipline done for selfish reasons usually leaves one empty. Paul wrote, "Discipline yourself to be Godly. For 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." (I Timothy 4:7,8)
Illustration: Godliness with contentment is great gain. --1 Timothy 6:6
When we consistently thank God from our hearts, we become more godly. This thought came to me while I was reading a letter from an elderly pastor friend whom I have known for more than 40 years. He marveled at the goodness of the Lord to him--a fruitful ministry into his eighties, a wonderful marriage for more than 60 years, a loving family, and a host of friends, many of whom became believers through his witness. Looking back over his life, he said, "I don’t know if I am finishing well, but I am finishing thankful." I told him I believe that anyone who finishes life thankful, finishes well.
I am convinced that genuine thankfulness is the wellspring of godliness. People who truly see their unworthiness of God’s favor and are filled with gratitude to the Lord for His goodness, mercy, and grace to them cannot be proud, discontented, selfish, unforgiving, or hateful.
If we daily reflect on all that the Lord has done for us, we will become thankful people. And thankful people become godly people. Indeed, "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High" (Ps. 92:1). (Our Daily Bread)
Gratitude to God leads to growth in godliness.
The Bible says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). That’s much harder to come by than mere prosperity. (Our Daily Bread)
Let us discover some of the basic processes that will facilitate training for Godliness.
1. Focus your emotional, mental and spiritual energies on following Jesus Christ in all areas of life. (Heb. 12:1,2) The Lord Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith that infuses us with emotional, mental and spiritual strength that is more than enough for every challenge. (Phil. 4:13) In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:3) Do not worry about the elements of life that you cannot control. Turn your worries over to the Lord and He will sustain, provide and pilot you in the way to go. (Phil. 4:6-8)
2. Praise the Lord Jesus that He provides us with the perfect reason for living. He satisfies our longing soul and fills our hungry mind with what is good. No other friend is as reliable as the Lord Jesus. When we are weak, He becomes our strength; when we are perplexed, He provides the answers for any problem; when we are overwhelmed, He shows us grace that is sufficient for any circumstance; when we are lacking commitment, He provides us with the inspiration to wholeheartedly serve the Lord with sincerity and truth; when we are discouraged, He gives us great hope, power and love.
3. Begin every day and task with prayer and study of the scripture to learn God’s will for every hour. Ask the Lord for the wisdom, knowledge and insight to discern more of the wisdom will of our heavenly Father. If you keep on asking, keep on seeking and keeping on knocking on doors, God will provide you with whatever you need! (Matthew 7:7)
4. Associate with other disciplined Godly people who can teach you by their example how to be more like Jesus. "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."
5. Do not take criticisms, failures or problems personally. Many people allow obstacles to get to them emotionally. Be bigger than every problem through Christ and His mighty power. (2 Tim 1:7)
6. Do not let set backs deter you from accomplishing, being in and thinking God’s will. No one can prevent you from doing God’s will as you live by faith and obedience - only your own poor choices.
7. God uses diversity so do not think you have to follow someone else’s paths toward Godliness. The Lord gave everyone a unique set of experience, personality, and perspectives that He works through. Phil. 2:13 Let the Spirit work in, through and with your own thinking.
8. Do not try to discipline yourself with your own human wisdom and strength. Abide in Jesus and He will help you bear much fruit as you surrender control of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors to His leading.
9. Be teachable through all the experiences, relationships and endeavors of life. Disciplined people are always learning better ways that they can grow in all aspects in to Christ. (Eph. 4:15)
10. Believe in God’s methods for training you. Know that the Lord has a unique plan, process and set of results that He has designed just for you.
11. Be confident that all you have to do is follow the specific ways that the Lord leads you to be, say, and do all that He wants just for your life.
12. Do not become a pawn for someone else to manipulate you into carrying out their plan for you. Only the Lord has the wisdom, power and foresight to know what is best for your life.
13. Do not let yourself become overpowered by temptations, distractions or maintenance ministries. Many people fail to consistently train themselves for Godliness because they settle for second best agendas. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
14. Remember that the biggest source of objections to Godliness will be in your own sinful human nature. Jesus said, "It is not what is on the outside of a person that defiles them, but what comes out of their heart." Do not over-rate your success or set-backs.
15. Know that it is OK to disagree with others as long as you are not disagreeable in disposition. Learn to think for yourself by analyzing each situation, evaluating decisions on the basis of Biblical criteria and then synthesizing creative solutions for every problem.
16. Program your thinking to love, serve, and maximize your contribution to the priorities of the Christian life:
1). To glorify God
2). To become more like Jesus
3). To help Christ’s church grow spiritually in qualitative and quantitative measures
4). To help fulfill Christ’s great commission of Matthew 28:19,20
17. Be wise as serpents, but innocent as doves when you are around people who are like the Pharisees. Jesus told all of us, "Before you take the speck out of someone else’s eye, first remove the log from your own.
18. Be willing to apologize and admit that you are not perfect. We all are in the process of growing, learning and trying to serve the Lord despite all of our inadequacies.
19. Remember that your life and circumstances will never be as bad as you think or as good as you like. Sometimes God may allow things to become worse before they can get better!
20. Know that "You can do everything God asks you to do with the help of Christ who gives you the strength of power!" (Phil. 4:12,13) Thank God that He allows you to learn to be content in every circumstance. Praise God that He helps you both abase and abound.
21. Be content with what the Lord gives you and bloom where you are planted! Paul ministered even while in the Roman prisons through His writing, witness and prayers. Paul was able to say, For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Phil. 1:21) Paul was confident that He who began a good work in him was able to complete it. (Phil. 1:6) Let that also be said of each one of us.
Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good:
Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good
(Rom. 12:21) (An exhortation to be offensive in our mission’s strategy instead of passive which is a formula for destruction as evil will overcome those who passively fixate on maintenance instead of harvesting.
1. Overcome with praise, goodness, good works, the gospel, truth, joy, blessings, the word, prayer, faith, hope and love
2. Overcome by affirming your status as more than a conqueror
3. Overlook faults & speak over evil with prayer of Eph. 6:10-18
4. Overflow with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-Control, speak against the power of darkness in the name of Jesus
5. Be Overjoyed in the Lord
6. Over-ride difficulties with the fact that God is greater than all problems
7. Overflow with power, goodness and gracious truth speaking
8. Overshadow with His Power, Presence, and Perspective
9. Overpower with the Spirit’s enabling, energizing, equipping.
10. Overwhelm with blessings, kindness & service, truth, love, grace, prayer
11. Overrule with the Word of God and the Spirit’s Presence & the identity you have as a conqueror
12. Overcome with praise, thanksgiving, and focus on the names of God
13. Overcome with His purpose, priorities, perspectives, piloting, problem-solving
14. Overturn with the promises of God. Greater is He /he in world
15. Overthrow the powers of evil in the name of Jesus, submit to God
16. Overthrow evil within and without
17. Overcome by declaring Jesus as Lord over-all and renouncing everything that sets itself up against God
18. Overcome by trusting & obeying
19. Over-lay with His rest & deliverance
20. Overcome with singing and music
21. Overcome with the full armor of God
22. Overcome with inspiration from godly
23. Overcome with saying to the mountain be removed and it will be removed
24. Overcome by asking, seeking and knocking and the door will be opened
25. Overview the situation so you can call in reinforcements
26. Do not Over-inflate negatives
27. Do not Over-estimate your own abilities
28. Do not Over-run God’s leading and time-table
29. Do not be Overcome by Evil by putting off evil and putting on what is good
30. Do not Over-look God’s sovereign plan and power
31. Do not Over-react to irritations, problems or people
32. Do not Over-state your difficulties or distress
33. Do not go Over-board by showing fear, anger or insecurity or frustration or disappointment
34. Do not be Over-whelmed by the opposition or adversities
35. Do not be Overly Critical of people, problems or yourself
36. Do not Over-Do What God’s wants you to do
37. Do not Over-Emphasize Hardships
38. Do not Over-Require understanding or demands or others or your situation
39. Do not Over- Expose yourself to stress or temptations
40. Do not Over- Emphasize Defense and hesitate to take the offensive
41. Do not allow others to Over-Direct you with their control, bureaucracy or influence
42. Do not Over-Intellectualize or over spiritualize things
43. Do not get Over-stretched
44. Do not get Over-stressed
45. Do not Over-rate success of failures or mistakes
46. Do not Over-Extend Your Supply Lines
47. Overcome as Jesus Overcame the World by following His example
48. Do not over-judge, be overly critical or over-analyze people
49. Do not be over-zealous, over-stretch
50. Do not others to be overly authoritative, bully or direct you
51. Do not over-lord others
52. Do not over-heat or over provoked
53. Do not be overcome by irritations
54. Do not be overcome by discouragement, distress or downers
55. Do not over-emphasize success or failures knowing judgment is God’s
56. Do not over-blow situations
57. Do not over rely on your own insights
58. Do not be over-taken with sin, self or situations that you can escape from
59. Do not over-reach or go beyond your God given limits
60. Do not let others over-encroach into your boundaries
61. Do not over-step your boundaries
62. Do not over-rate or emphasize your problems, pain or challenges
63. Do not over-state others faults
64. Do not over-state the facts
65. Do not over-exaggerate difficulties
66. Do not allow people to be over-bearing, over-manipulative
67. Do not get overly irritated or upset
68. Do not let others overly project their problems or responsibilities to you
69. Do not over listen to peoples complaints, problems or perspectives
70. Do not over focus on some good things while neglecting the best
71. Do not over-blow a situation or feeling
72. Do not over-expose yourself to risks, hardships or temptations
73. Do not over-embellish
74. Do not over-rate popularity
75. Do not fail to put away evil
76. Do not be overly perfectionistic
77. Do not be overly zealous
78. Do not over-sleep, over-eat or over indulge in anything
79. Do not over-do your efforts
80. Do not over-generalize
81. Do not over-simplify
82. Do not over-list items
83. Do not over-compare with others
84. Do not over focus on politics, people, problems or presumptions
85. Do not over-rely on anything except the Lord, His word and His will
86. Do not be over-provoked
87. Do not over-engage in any fantasy
88. Do not become overly anxious
89. Do not emphasize hurts or problems, fears, anger, needs or opportunities
90. Do not be overcome by anything but overcome evil with good (A promise)
