While He critiqued the heart motivation behind the self-glorifying way the Pharisees fasted, Jesus assumed that His followers would continue to fast after He ascended into heaven. Jesus fasted to strengthen His soul in preparation to go to battle with the enemy. They cried out to God together through group fasts. It’s a way they lamented the brokenness sin has caused in this world. Communities reoriented themselves toward God through fasting corporately. It’s a method to remind yourself that humans weren’t created to live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It’s a means to starve the flesh and feed the soul. Fasting is a way of praying with your body. Both individual and corporate fasts are recorded in the Bible. Throughout the Scriptures, men and women fasted for various reasons. Fasting as a Discipline throughout Scripture As we fast together, let us pray with our bodies, training our hearts, to look forward to Jesus’ return as He brings heaven fully to bear on this planet. Peter instructs us to set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus. We’ll be focusing on this through a variety of ways, one of those being through fasting. Although there are a number of modern ways fasting is talked about, its original meaning is abstaining from food for religious or spiritual purposes.ĭuring this 2023 Lenten season we are focusing in on God bringing Heaven to Earth – starting in Eden, continuing through Jesus’ ministry, and culminating one day in His ultimate return. The goal of all Spiritual Disciplines is abiding intimacy with God resulting in abundant life, growing maturity, and effective purpose. Fasting During The 2023 Lenten Season February 22 – April 6, 2023
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