Compound & Isolation Belief Workouts
By Steve Backlund
Experts recommend that we do both compound and isolation workouts in our exercise routine. There is much to learn from this that relates powerfully to our working out our beliefs.
A compound exercise engages multiple muscle groups across more than one joint. An example of a compound exercise would be a back squat, where movement in the ankles, knees, and hips, along with engaging numerous muscle groups are all required to perform the lift. Compound workouts are more general (not as specific) in the muscles being affected.
Isolation exercises are designed to “isolate” and strengthen a particular muscle. Situps (training your abdomen) and bicep curls are examples of isolation exercises. They are very specific in what muscles are being targeted.
There is certainly value in working out our bodies, but working out our beliefs is even more important. “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Godly behavior and godly attitudes primarily result from having life-giving beliefs.
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). “Re” means to do it again. We repeatedly inject new and higher thoughts into our thinking of God’s promises, our identity in Christ, and the specific directions we believe God has spoken to us.
The word repent means “to change the way you think”. Repentance is not an event, but it is a lifestyle. We are not done repenting in an area until we have glistening hope in that area. As we repent daily with specific truths, we are literally working out our beliefs to become stronger.
Strong beliefs will increase our:
Load-bearing capacity (our “cave in” point will be higher)
Resilience: (we will bounce back quickly from setbacks and challenges)
Adaptability: (we will thrive in diverse environments and situations)
It is important to understand the difference between faith and hope. Faith has very specific beliefs, while hope is more general. Faith says, “THIS is going to happen.” Hope says, “I am not sure what is going to happen but good things are coming.” Hope is an overall optimistic attitude based on the goodness and promises of God. We are wise to get a great plan to work out our hope and faith beliefs.
The first step is to decide what to believe (what beliefs will be worked out and strengthened).
A great place to start is the promises of God.
Everything in my past is being turned to good (Romans 8:28)
All of my needs will be met (Philippians 4:19)
God will complete what He has started in me and around me (Philippians 1:6)
I have supernatural ability to be successful in whatever I am called to be or do (Philippians 4:13)
Regularly renewing our minds with these promises is like doing a compound workout. As we meditate on these (Joshua 1:8), declare them to ourselves (Romans 4:17; 10:17), and imagine them (2 Corinthians 4:18), we strengthen these belief muscles to increase our load-bearing capacity, resilience, adaptability, and impact on others.
Isolated belief workouts focus on the specific promises, callings, and assignments for our lives. Abraham did this as he strengthened the belief he was a “father of a multitude”. I did this in the 1990's when I decided God wanted me to believe I was a powerful nation-influencer and an author.
As I began to repent and renew my mind with these beliefs, I discovered self-limiting strongholds in me that resisted these beliefs. My strongholds of insignificance, unworthiness, victimhood, and inferiority would scream at me saying, “No! You cannot do these things. Look at your past. You are not these things.” Even though it was challenging, I pushed against this resistance and strengthened my belief muscles with these identities. I have now experienced what once seemed impossible.
What we believe is more important than what we do. What we do is important but not as important as what we choose to believe. The question of the hour is not “What should I do?”, but it is, “What should I believe? What should I renew my mind with in this season?”
The renewing of the mind is not by osmosis, but it happens by deciding what to believe and then getting a plan to strengthen those beliefs.