Working it...

Blackaby began describing how God promised to give Israel the promised land.

Then went on to the New Testament where we, as those who have received Salvation, are to work out our Salvation.

Like he said, you think that Israel was hoping to cross over and find abandoned houses, fields at the ready.  A situation where all was furnished and ready to move into.   Hardly the case.   They faced giants, kings, etc. They had divine help but they had to work at it to get it. 

Spiritual exercise.

Then he jumps to the New Testament talking about believers.  How great it would be if, after coming to Christ, our minds would know the whole Bible. How fantastic it would be if we immediately had it memorized. No, we are told to work out our Salvation. 

Spiritual exercise.

As funny as it would be and as desirable as it can be.  Honestly we would hurt ourselves if, all the sudden, we had a perfectly physically fit body.  Muscular, healthy, lean.  Sounds great, at first.
But without control and understanding of it, we wouldn't know what to do with it.

Think of this example. All your life you have driven a simple 6 cylinder vehicle.  You like it, you know it's in's and out's. You know what makes it sing and you know it's limitations. 
You go out one morning to find a Lamborghini.  It's yours. A gift. You know there's a manual for it but hey, it's a car, you know cars!  Have driven one for years!
You get in it, starts right up for you. It's an automatic just like your old car.  You put it in reverse and take it for a spin.  Two minutes later you are giving your information to an officer of the law because you failed to control your vehicle.

In all your excitement you didn't read the manual.  You didn't learn, through working on it, what was necessary to use that car properly. 

We too, upon coming to Christ, can get very excited and jump at the chance to go out and tell others.  Sometimes that works well, sometimes it doesn't.  For me, it didn't.  I was ill equipped to handle the harrassment, the intimidation, the mockery of others my age. I hadn't had really begun to read my Bible.  Wasn't taught what to expect. Like our guy with the Lamborghini, it took years to get past those feelings. He had traffic court, raised insurance rates, driving instruction to look forward to.

Another analogy is do not put the cart before the horse. 

It takes time to learn.  Our minds aren't like computers, that we can simply download the whole Bible in seconds like it can.  We are in a relationship with Jesus, not at work with Jesus.  He isn't someone who is a Sunday acquaintance. At least He had better not be.
Jesus had some things to say about those who thought they were saved yet had no relationship fruit to prove it.

It's not about the work, it's about getting to know your Savior.  Getting to know what makes Him happy. Following in His footsteps. 

Sure, after our guy went through all that instruction, he could safely drive that car. But it takes time. We live in time. Christ does not.  We learn by experience, by doing. 

Those who walked with Jesus after His Resurrection were taught from the Scriptures from Moses through the Prophets all that was said about Him.
They were taught of God and it left an impression upon them.  They talked amongst themselves that didn't their hearts burn with excitement?
You can't help but get excited when you have been with Jesus. 

So get in Spiritual shape.  Pray, talk with Jesus.  Not as a coworker or casual acquaintance. But as your friend, as your Lord.  Get your head into the manual for your life, the Bible. Learn how to drive.

Funny, how when we first moved, the drivers around me scared the whatevers out of me.  Seeing people do things with vehicles that I didn't think could or should be done.  But in time I got used to them being that way and learned how to really drive myself. 

It's one of the reasons you need other true believers in Christ to be with. To learn from them. To understand how to make this vehicle called your body do what Christ meant for you to do. So if you are not in a Bible preaching, Bible believing Church, get into one.

Time to learn. It's likely going to hurt, but it's worth it.  Jesus makes of us what's needed in order to be more like Him.  But even physical exercise hurts. The fruits of it are at the other end of that work.