7 Practices for Spiritual Growth | Session 6: Fasting
Fasting Outline
- Introduction
- Fasting does not guarantee us a miracle, but it does produce the hope and reliance upon God needed for renewal and alignment with Him.
- Fasting is a practice that takes place in the physical and spiritual.
- Have you fasted before? What was the reason you fasted?
- Fasting as a Physical Discipline (From Science)
- Can promote blood sugar control.
- Promote better health by fighting inflammation.
- Fasting can improve blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol.
- Fasting can increase brain function.
- It can help with weight loss.
- Eat To Live
- “We do not live to eat, we eat to live.”
- Fasting should cause us to have a greater appreciation for what we put into our bodies when we don’t fast.
- Fasting As A Biblical Discipline
- Jesus in the desert.
- Deut. 8:3, “Man does not live on bread alone.”
- Fasting pops up in pivotal moments in biblical history.
- What Fasting Is Not
- Fasting does not guarantee a miracle from God.
- Fasting does not excuse your mistakes.
- Have you ever fastedc before to get a miracle from God? Did it happen?
- The Purpose of Fasting.
- Fasting is a realignment and catalyst for our reliance upon God.
- It’s a discipline that reinforces our worship of God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- Fasting during meal time should be replaced with “God time” not The Office.
- Fasting can be a great conversation starter.
- The Early Church on Fasting
- Didache shows the disciples fasted twice a week on Wednesday and Friday.
- “Give us this day our daily bread.”
- Do you believe that fasting is an important element to spiritual growth? Have you experienced it in yourself or others?
- Fasting Practically
- Fasting Food
- Fasting other things like social media, pop, etc.
