Title: Staying healthy in the Lord
Speaker: Dave Hawkswood
Date: 18th March 2026
Location: Bendigo, Australia
Summary: “Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” That single verse from 1 Timothy frames a very practical question: what does it actually take to stay spiritually healthy?
This episode draws a direct line between physical health and spiritual health. The same way a body loses muscle without consistent effort, faith can quietly weaken when left unattended. Through research into what happens when we stop building physical strength, the parallels to spiritual life become clear. We are either growing or shrinking, and without intentional effort, our default is decline.
Drawing from Ephesians 3, Isaiah 40, Hebrews 12, and Proverbs 4, this episode covers what it means to be strengthened through God’s Spirit, how to lay aside the weights that slow us down, and how to build the habits and discernment that carry us through for the long run. The goal is not just surviving spiritually, but walking strongly in the ways of the Lord right up to the day he returns.
Key Points:
- Spiritual strength does not maintain itself. Without intentional effort, prayer, and time in God’s Word, faith quietly weakens over time, just as a body loses muscle when it goes untrained.
- Waiting on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31) is active, not passive. It means keeping hope and expectation alive, and through that, God renews your strength.
- Laying aside sin and unnecessary burdens (Hebrews 12:1) is not about perfection. It is about removing what holds you back so you can run your race with endurance.
Reference Scriptures:
- 1 Timothy 4:6-8
- Ephesians 3:14-19
- Isaiah 40:28-31
- Hebrews 12:1-2
- Hebrews 5:12-14
- Proverbs 4:20-23