Prayer and What?

1. Prayer and What? What things do you do that help you connect with God, feel close to God, to hear Gods voice? spiritual practices, spiritual exercises, spiritual disciplines

2. Disciplines of Abstinence Disciplines of Engagement solitude prayer/meditation silence study fasting worship frugality/simplicity/enough celebration chastity service secrecy fellowship sacrifice confession vigil/watch submission/obedience exile journaling 1 Peter 2 v11 – “Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” “Keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” If we feel that any habit or activity, although harmless in itself, is distracting us from God and his kingdom, and is sinking us more deeply into the things of this world, then we should avoid it, so that we can recover its real value.

3. Abstinence must be balanced by Engagement, like outbreathing and inbreathing for our bodies. The disciplines of abstinence counteract the tendencies to sins of commission, while the disciplines of engagement counteract the tendencies to sins of omission. A proper abstinence breaks the hold of improper engagements with the world so that the soul can be properly engaged with and by God.

4. Matthew chapter 6  “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 16 ‘When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

5. The Purpose of Fasting 1.Fasting must centre on God, be directed to God, seek to connect with God and to glorify God. It was often practiced together with worship. 2. The purpose of a fast is to focus our attention on a matter of prayer or service. Devote the extra time to prayer & Bible reading. 3. More than other disciplines, fasting reveals things that control us. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things. 4. Fasting is a sign of humility, surrender/submission & reliance on God. 5. Fasting keeps a balance in our lives. 6. Fasting increases the effectiveness of prayer for others (intercession), guidance in decisions, increased focus, deliverance & healing, physical health, insight and spiritual breakthroughs. 7. We can also fast from other things that control/dominate/distract our lives – technology, TV, reading, sports etc.

6. The Practice of Fasting • Fasts can be a ‘normal’ fast of no food or liquid except water, or an ‘absolute/total’ fast of no food or water, or a ‘partial’ fast abstaining from selected foods like meat, wine, dessert or chocolate. • Fasts can involve missing one meal each day, like missing lunch, or be from lunch to lunch or dinner to dinner, for one day a week or a number of days in a row. • Fasts can be for 1 or 2 days per week - for 24 hours or from wake up to 6pm - for a number of weeks. • Fasts can be for multiple days consecutively - 3, 21 or 40 days are mentioned in the Bible. • "Therefore, in experiences of fasting we are not so much abstaining from food as we are feasting on the word of God. Fasting is feasting!"