Psalm 63:1-5

We haven’t ventured away from

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long enough to see what’s on the other side.

“Our ancestors were victims of scarcity. We, in contrast, are victims of abundance.” —Jay W Richards

Is there a practice from the Way of Jesus that weans us off the

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principle and ushers us into a deeper union with God? Yes, it’s the practice of

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.

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What is fasting?

It is

from food for a set period of

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.

4 Reasons to Fast:

1. To say no to cheaper desires

2. To say yes to deeper union.

3. To confess your need

4. To contend for your neighbor

Physical Benefits

First 4 hours:

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At 16 Hours:

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At 24 Hours:

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How Often Do We Fast?

Fasting as

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& Fasting in

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“Do not let your fasting be with the hypocrites, for they fast on Monday and Thursday; but you should fast on Wednesday and Friday.” —Didache

“I fear there are now thousand of Methodists, so called, both in England and Ireland, who, following the same bad example, have entirely left off fasting; who are so far from fasting twice in the week, (as all the stricter Pharisees did,) that they do not fast twice in the month… What excuse can there be for this?” —John Wesley

“A careful outsider observer circa AD 600 would have noted that Christians ate modestly on most days; ate little or nothing on Wednesdays and Fridays; and feasted on Sundays… Right away, you’ll start to acclimate yourself to the pattern you should follow for most of your life: regular eating much of the time, fasting some of the time, and feasting every so often.” —Jay W Richards

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Matthew 6:16-18

“Being seen fasting and fasting to be seen are not the same.” —John Piper

Matthew 9:14-15

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THE DOCTRINE OF UNION WITH CHRIST

1 - Right

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with God.

Fasting doesn’t earn you God’s love

2 - Light

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with God

“Although all believers have this union, if you do not exercise your faith—build it up, make it strong, depend upon it, engage in all the means of grace as often as possible—the blessings of it might not flourish as God intends. When union with Christ is not enjoyed, the cares of the world sneak up and steal our joy in the Lord and weaken our faith.” —Rosaria Butterfield

Psalm 63:1-5
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Psalm 23:6

We don’t fast to make ourselves more

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to God. We fast to make

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more precious to us.

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How do you know you’re deepening your union with God?

Psalm 63:1

A sense of God’s

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is a sign of God’s

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.

THIS WEEK’S PRACTICE

1. Choose one or two days to fast this week.

2. During your normal mealtime, pray.

3. Memorize John 15:5-8

4. When a hunger pang comes up, use this breath prayer: “More than I want food right now, I want You.”