What does the Bible say about exercise?
The Bible has a lot to say about physical fitness and working out our bodies. Exercise is essential because taking care of our body is essential. Scripture tells us to honor the Lord with our bodies. Let’s show our appreciate for what God gave us by exercising and eating healthier. Here are some 30 motivational and powerful verses about exercise.
Daily exercise makes life easier
There are several benefits to working out your legs, chest, arms, and more. Exercise helps you to control your weight, reduce stress, get things done, boosts energy, sleep better, improves bone health, and helps your skin. In the Bible, we notice that there are benefits to being strong.
1. Mark 3:27 “Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.”
2. Proverbs 24:5 “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.”
3. Proverbs 31:17 “She surrounds her waist with strength And makes her arms strong.”
4. Ezekiel 30:24 “I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.”
5. Zechariah 10:12 “I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.”
Godliness is of more value
There are several benefits to working out. However, make sure that you are working out yourself spiritually. If you can go hard in the gym, make it your goal to pursue Jesus even harder. Why? He is greater! He is far more precious. He is more valuable. Godliness should come before physical training.
6. 1 Timothy 4:8 “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.”
7. 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
8. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
9. 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
10. 2 Peter 3:11 “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness.”
11. 1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Boast in the Lord
It’s so easy to become conceited and vain when we start to notice changes in our body. Keep your eyes focused on the Lord so that you boast in Him. The way that we dress is another way of being boastful as well. When you start seeing improvements in your body, be careful. We have to judge our motives for saying, wearing, and doing certain things.
12. Jeremiah 9:24 “but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.”
13. 1 Corinthians 1:31 “Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.“
14. 1 Timothy 2:9 “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.”
15. Proverbs 29:23 “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”
16. Proverbs 18:12 “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.”
Exercise glorifies God
Exercise glorifies and honors God by taking care of the body that He gave us.
17. 1 Corinthians 6:20 “you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
18. Romans 6:13 “Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.”
19. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
20. 1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
Exercise for the glory of God
If we’re honest, we struggle to exercise for the glorify of God. When is the last time that you started running for God’s glory? When is the last time that you praised the Lord for the ability to work out? God is so good and physical fitness is a glimpse of God’s goodness. I love honoring the Lord by praying before exercising and even talking to Him while working out. Everyone is different. but I encourage you to see the joy of exercising. See how much of a blessing that it is. See it as an opportunity to glorify God!
21. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
22. Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
23. Ephesians 5:20 “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Bible verses to encourage exercise
24. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
25. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
26. Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
27. 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
28. Colossians 1:11 “being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully
29. Isaiah 40:31 “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
30. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
