If spiritual health is having more of the Holy Spirit, then how can we position ourselves to experience more of Him? Two essentials are obeying God and loving / enjoying god. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love” John 15:10. In part 1, we discussed the importance of obedience; in part 2 we share 3 ways to enjoy God more: through nature, music, and evangelism.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

“These things I’ve spoken to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.” John 15:11

Key components to help us go from ho-hum, mundane spiritual life to “abundant life:”

1. Nature
2. Music / Special times of musical worship – either alone or corporately
3. EV
   
   Nature:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” Ps. 19:1
“Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Ps. 89:36-37
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.” Ps. 36:5-6
“Mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” Ps. 93:4
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” Ps. 113:3

The purpose of nature is to remind us of God’s faithfulness, power, and beauty, and lead us to worship. Nature is a gift of God to us, to open up our hearts to experience Him! 

Music:

“Come into His Presence with singing!” Ps. 100
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp.” Ps. 92:1-2
“My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!” Ps. 108
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Ps. 150:6 

Music is similar to nature in that it uniquely and powerfully opens up our hearts to experience more of God. God created music. He created people to create and enjoy music. It’s a bit mysterious how music affects us. I believe it can open up our hearts in special ways to experience God. For example, you can read truths about God in the Bible, and be struggling to feel them. And then when you sing those truths to God, He changes your heart and mood and may set you free from bondage to stress or busyness or fear! 

Singing worship to God is clearly commanded in God’s Word. It is part of God’s design for the Christian life. It’s all over Psalms!

Evangelism:

Sharing the gospel is included in the “obedience” aspect of this teaching. When we obey God in any way, such as sharing the gospel, we experience more of Him. But I believe sharing the gospel has a unique power in affecting our relationship with God, for a few reasons:

-Speaking the gospel truths out loud to someone who doesn’t know or believe them, actively builds up my faith in those truths, and makes me treasure them more. I am reminded of how terrible it would be to not know those truths or have Jesus in my life, so it floods my heart with thankfulness. It regularly changes my mood.

-Speaking the gospel usually requires stepping out of my comfort zone, dying to self, and sacrificing my time, which is good for my heart. It helps me surrender to the Lordship of Christ in my life, and reminds me that my life isn’t all about me and my happiness.

-Speaking the gospel sometimes results in seeing God work in powerful ways, which is also uniquely spiritually encouraging!

Recommended book: The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney