God wants to bless you with a long life!
Let me start with some good news: God wants to bless you with a long life! Have a look at some of the scriptures concerning this.
Because he loves me, says the Lord, “I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name…..With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:14 – 16)
You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
– Job 5:26
For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. (Proverbs 9:11)
Not only does God want each one of us to have a full lifespan, but also to have a life of abundance, in every area concerning us – spiritually, materially, emotionally and physically. (John 10:10) The Word of God gives us certain straightforward principles that will enable us to enjoy a long life on earth:
1. Live by His word
God’s Word is life and so naturally he who holds His word close to his heart will literally see “life” rub on to him. If you ever get a chance to meet my husband’s parents, you will never be able to guess their correct age! Both of them look at least 10 years younger than their age, and friends and relatives who meet them are surprised as to how they keep looking younger with each passing year. If you ask them the secret, they will tell you that the key is to live by God’s Word. Not that they don’t have health issues to deal with, but day in and day out they choose to base their lives on what the Word of God has to say for their situations. When you show reverence to the Word of God by your simple obedience, it will add years to your life.
The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
– Proverbs 10:27
Proverbs 3:1-2 says: “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear The Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)
2. You are what you confess
Our words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). This is such an important principle. 1 Peter 3:10 says “For whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” If the words coming out of your mouth sound like: “I am sick ”, “my body is becoming weaker”, “I feel tired all the time”, “I am in the last phase of my life”, and so on – that is what will become real in your life. So, watch out for your words! Instead say words like: “I am getting younger. My best days are ahead”, “though the young may feel weary and faint my strength is being renewed everyday!”
3. Fasting prolongs your life
Regular fasting can have a positive effect on your life, both physically and spiritually. Talking about its physical benefits, Pastor Jentezen Franklin in his book Fasting says that fasting slows your aging process. Moses fasted often, including two forty day fasts, and the Bible said in Deuteronomy 34:7, “Moses was 120 years old when he died and his eyes were not dim, nor his natural vigor abated.”
In his book, 101 Reasons to Fast, Pastor Bob Rodgers cites many medical benefits of fasting. It cleans your body and eliminates toxins. Fasting not only prevents sickness, if done correctly, it holds amazing healing benefits to those who suffer illness or disease.
4. Have a balanced lifestyle
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:18, “The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.” I have often come across Christians specifically who pay no attention to their eating habits. They choose to focus only on spiritual aspects and neglect the physical body (i.e. they have become too spiritually minded to be of any earthly use). In order to avoid extremes, you need to live by the Spirit. One of the things that you will do when you live by the Spirit is that you will not gratify the desires of your flesh (Galatians 5:16). You will become conscious of what you put in your body. Also remember, everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).
The Bible also says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and so we ought to honor God with our bodies. Eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, take good rest and avoid stress. Be led by the Spirit in this area too and you will see amazing results.
5. Honor your parents
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you”. That’s the promise God gives us in Exodus 20:12. In the New Testament we read in Ephesians 6:1-3, “If a child honors his father and mother, it will be well with him and he will enjoy long life on the earth!”
I have plenty of examples where I have seen youth and middle-aged men and women not live their allotted lifespan because they simply never paid heed to this command. Your parents may not be your ideal role models and you may not have very fond memories of your childhood growing up with them either. However, it does not change God’s command, to honor them.
To sum it up
Live long, stay strong and glorify Jesus through your life!
If you have any further points to add to this post, feel free to add in the comments below!
This article was written by Kim D’Souza who, together with he husband Derrick, leads Kingdom Seekers International Church in Mumbai, India. Kim‘s calling is to encourage and edify believers through both the written and spoken word. She is an author and avid blogger, read more at www.olivedose.com.
