Why is this section on Spirit/Soul so crucial to your health and fitness goals? Because God's entire process for change concerns your spirit, your soul and your body. There is no way around it.

Sure, you can greatly change your body by simply changing your eating and exercise habits. I've lost weight so many times I couldn't begin to count them all. But each time I would gain the weight back. Why? Because I was not changing myself from the inside out. Even when I was thin, I was still a glutton while at the same time tormented by the fear of gaining back the weight. When I did gain the weight back, the cycle would start all over again.

Not only have I experienced this myself, but also I see it all around me—this constant quest for freedom. So, here is the million-dollar question: If we continue to spend more and more money each year on weight loss products, why are we getting more and more obese? The answer is simple. The key to a healthy lifestyle is spiritual freedom and permanent change. God's order of permanent change is Spirit, Soul, and then Body.

Look at what Paul says in Romans 12:1,2 (Amplified). In verse 1, he writes to the church, "Please, because of God's mercy, give to God your body and mind (faculties) as a living sacrifice."

This tells us that our minds and bodies should be set apart and that this is a rationale, reasonable and intelligent thing to do. It is a form of spiritual worship. Any time we need help, change or freedom in an area of our life, we must submit ourselves to God's will and authority. This is how my victory came. I realized that every effort I made toward losing weight and keeping it off was simply a work of my own thinking and my own flesh. Oh yes, I wanted God's help more than anything else—only I was not willing to submit to Him where my eating and exercise habits were concerned.

The day I realized this was the day it all turned around for me. I finally got it! This was no longer about being a certain size or looking a certain way. This was about God wanting all of me. God wanted to be my God instead of food being my god. Oh, the power in this revelation. God wants us free. He wants us healthy. And I believe that He wants us to feel good about how we look. He does not, however, want us to seek food for comfort or a certain body size for value. It has taken me many years to find a healthy balance in all of this.

Now, look at the second verse in that scripture. Paul tells us that transformation comes from renewing our mind. When I received the spiritual freedom that I mentioned earlier, it was monumental. However, it was the continued process of spending time in God's Word that changed my thinking permanently and maintained my freedom. Without this ongoing step of keeping my thinking in line with God's Word, and what He says about my health, I never would have developed the habits it took to maintain my freedom. Had I not kept my mind renewed to God's Word, I would have easily fallen into temptation. It takes time to develop self-control, faithfulness and endurance. It is the continual act of keeping our thinking in line with God's thinking that enables us to make the right choices and prove God's will in our lives.

Now, perhaps you can see why I have included this Spirit/Soul section on the Higher Fitness Web site. I want to help you feed your spirit and renew your mind with God's Word, and with other resources such as articles, tips and exercise and fitness strategies so that you can keep your mind filled with important truths and information.

Please consider joining the Higher Fitness Prayer Team, as we continue to experience the value in praying for each other.

Let me tell you something, my friend. God wants you free, healthy and feeling good about yourself. The first step is simple. Just say, "Father, I recognize that my body and my mind belong to you, and I offer them to you as a living sacrifice. Holy Spirit, show me how to go higher in my eating and exercise habits, in Jesus' Name, Amen."

Praise God! Once we come under God's authority in a certain area, whether it is weight loss, drug, alcohol or sexual addiction, or just attaining a healthier lifestyle, once that decision is made, we open the door for God's power to flood in. He is forever right there, waiting for us to ask for help and to submit to His authority so that He can rightfully help us. This step of continually renewing your mind will enable you to prove God's will in your life—and His will is Higher Fitness.