Lesson 8: The Spiritual Disciplines of Devotion: Solitude, Meditation, Fasting, Simplicity

Note to class leader: Review the main points from Lesson 7. Ask students who are willing to share their personal prayers from Lesson 7.

By the end of this lesson, the student should:

(1) Understand the importance of the classic spiritual disciplines to spiritual formation.

(2) Have a better understanding of these disciplines.

(3) Begin putting these disciplines into practice.

Christians Living in Difficult Conditions

Daisy leads a congregation of overseas foreign workers (OFWs) in Paris. To survive financially, almost all of her congregation share small apartment spaces in quite crowded conditions. Most work very long work days with very little time off throughout the year. Can spiritual formation happen even in these difficult conditions?

Most Christians outside the USA live in overpopulated, urban cities. Most live in poverty, trying to survive on $4 a day or less. Many deal with long commutes, sometimes two to three hours a day. Most live with their extended families, or board away from their families with others. For these believers, finding a quiet time and a place of solitude is a great challenge; making prayer and meditation on God’s Word a daily priority requires tremendous commitment.

Christians Living Busy Lives

In the West, most Christians live in a very fast-paced material world. It’s tough to slow down long enough to become more spiritually minded. They usually have enough space, are living above bare survival, have access to quiet places, and if they simplified their lives a little they could free up time for the spiritual disciplines. Their challenge is often just seeing the value of the disciplines and taking the time to cultivate the presence of God.

At the front gate of the Marine training camp in Parris Island, South Carolina, is a sign that says, “Where the Difference Begins!” What is the difference for a United States Marine? Some of the differences in a Marine are: rigid body posture, a spotless uniform, a sense of focus and determination, personal discipline, physical and mental toughness, a readiness to follow orders, and the ability to function as a member of a combat team. These characteristics are developed during the serious training at Parris Island. The Marines know that their life may depend on the quality of their training. Training is where the difference begins![1]

► If an outsider looked at the Christians in your church, what would they list as the main differences between believers and non-believers?

The church, God’s army, has been called to “make disciples of all nations.”[2] This is more than bringing converts to a testimony of salvation; it is helping new believers form into the image of Christ. Their life, as well as the life of the church, depends on our faithfulness to this calling.

How do we accomplish this? How do we make devoted followers of Jesus? More importantly for this course, how will we develop more Christ-like character? How will we be transformed from a state of brokenness and self-centeredness to a state of wholeness and usefulness in God’s kingdom? Part of the answer is in the practice of the classic spiritual disciplines. Richard Foster says, “Superficiality is the curse of our age.... The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.... The classical disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths.”[3]

By “classic” we mean that they have been practiced by faithful Christians in every generation.

[1] Illustration and application adapted from Dr. Michael Avery

[2] Matthew 28:19

[3] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 1

The practice of the spiritual disciplines, along with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, will provide training for a victorious life. They are absolutely essential for moving beyond a nominal, lukewarm, often-defeated Christian life. Every faithful generation of Christians has proven this.

The spiritual disciplines were important in the life of Jesus; if we would be formed into his image, they must become increasingly important in our lives as well.

The Spiritual Disciplines Militate against the World, the Flesh, and the Devil[12]

It is best to understand the Christian life as a battleground.[1] The need for fervent, faith-filled effort and spiritual militancy is clearly emphasized by Jesus and the apostles. Jesus said, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence; and the violent (one armed, fervent hearted and deeply devoted) take it by force.”[2] Paul refers to the Christian life as a battle.[3] This battle requires alert, vigilant, wakeful Christians. Nominal, lukewarm believers just won’t survive.

In the allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, the main character, Christian, visits Interpreter’s house. There, Christian is shown a vision of an armed man rushing the gates of Heaven, overcoming the guards, and then entering the gates of the holy city with great rejoicing. Christian didn’t understand this vision, so Interpreter explains it. The vision means that urgent, zealous determination is required of every Christian who intends to enter Heaven, because all of Hell is out to stop us.

Practicing the spiritual disciplines will fortify our hearts and condition us mentally and spiritually for battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil.[4]

The Spiritual Disciplines Are a Means of Grace, Equipping Us for the Battle

On this battlefield, we need grace. You and I are no match for this world, the flesh, or the devil. Indeed, all human striving for righteousness is insufficient. Righteousness is a gift from God. There is nothing we can do to receive the fullness of Jesus. But God has given us the spiritual disciplines as a means of receiving grace. Richard Foster writes,

"A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plant, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain. This is the same way it is with the spiritual disciplines – they are a way of sowing to the Spirit. The disciplines are God’s way of getting us into the ground; they put us where he can work within us and transform us."[5]

Spiritual formation teacher and author Robert Mulholland writes,

"In the final analysis, there is nothing we can do to transform ourselves into persons who love and serve as Jesus did, except make ourselves available to God to do his work of transforming grace in our lives."[6]

He goes on to explain that there are three ways we are made available to God for spiritual formation: confrontation, consecration, and the spiritual disciplines:

(1) Grace flows through confrontation.

“Through some channel – the Scripture, worship... a brother or sister in Christ... – the Spirit of God may probe some area in which we are not conformed to the image of Christ.”[7]

(2) Grace flows through consecration.

"We must come to the point of saying 'yes' to God at each point of unlikeness. We must give God permission to do the work he wants to do... because transformation will not be forced upon us."[8]

We must open the door of our soul to God.

(3) Grace flows through the spiritual disciplines –

These are the acts of opening the door to God in a consistent manner.

► Questions for discussion:

• Is there any similarity between what happens in a military camp and what happens in your church?
• What about in your personal life?
• Do the Christians in your local congregation remind you of soldiers on an active battlefield or children on a playground?
• How differently do you think you would live if you really believed you were living on a battlefield?

The Spiritual Disciplines Provide Greater Enjoyment of God

Yes, we are soldiers. But we are soldiers on our way to a wedding feast. We often think of Christians who practice the spiritual disciplines as very serious and stern, even unhappy. Sometimes this is true; but we need to think of the Christian life not only as warfare but also as a wedding.[9]

We are the bride of Christ on our way to our wedding. Our wedding day will be a day of perfect union with Christ and a day of eternal feasting and celebration. As Christians on the way, the joyful anticipation we experience and the growing affection we have for Christ, our Bridegroom, gives us joy ‒ joy which often spills out of our hearts and into our daily lives.[13] The saints of God around the world who have most impacted my life are not sad and mournful. They aren’t depressed or negative. Their practice of the spiritual disciplines doesn’t make them spiritually proud or distant from “normal” people. They are alert and sober-minded for sure; but, like Jesus, they are the most humble, optimistic, and joyful people in the world.

Christians who walk around with the weight of the world on their shoulders aren’t practicing prayer, fasting, or Scripture meditation biblically. Practicing the presence of God, which is what the disciplines will help us do, will bring spiritual freedom. Anxiety, fear, and oppression will lose their grip on us in the presence of Jesus.

It is so important that Christians learn to celebrate the goodness and blessings of God, even on the battlefield. Our “little” celebrations along the way are foretastes of our wedding day! John Wesley taught that to love God is “to delight in him, to rejoice in his will, to desire continually to please him, to seek and find our happiness in him, and to thirst day and night for a fuller enjoyment of him.”[10] The spiritual disciplines should never become mere habits, but practices which lead to a fuller enjoyment of God and his many blessings.

We should be very careful not to view prayer, fasting, or any of the spiritual disciplines as a way to earn God’s favor, to put God in our debt, or even to gain some material “blessing.” Some Christians feel that if they make certain sacrifices, then God owes them something and will have to give them what they ask for. The spiritual disciplines are about cultivating a deeper relationship with God, not making him our debtor.

The Spiritual Disciplines Are Means of Grace to Form Ordinary Disciples into the Image of Christ

The spiritual disciplines are not for super Christians. There are none. The spiritual disciplines are for stay-at-home moms, farmers, factory workers, immigrants, professors, students, business owners, and... everyone.[14]

The disciples of Jesus were just ordinary fisherman; and yet, they learned from Jesus the practices of solitude, meditation, prayer, fasting, sacrifice, worship, service, and the Lord’s Supper. As they practiced, they became more like him. And through the practice of these disciplines, God’s power flowed in and through their lives.

James was quick to encourage very ordinary Christians that though

"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours... he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain.... And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.[11]"

God meets with ordinary people and uses them for his glory.

[1] 1 Timothy 6:12

[2] Matthew 11:12

[3] 2 Timothy 4:7

[4] Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 2:16

[5] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 6

[6] M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Invitation to a Journey (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 26, (emphasis added)

[7] Ibid, 37

[8] Ibid, 38

[9] Revelation 21:9

[10] See John Wesley’s sermon, “On Love.” Retrieved from http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-139-on-love/  December 21, 2019.

[11] James 5:17-18

[12]“The disciplines call us to move beyond nominal living into the depths of Jesus. They call us beyond casual Christianity to an energetic spiritual athleticism which will allow us to experience more and more of the ocean depths of God.”
– Richard Foster

[13]The spiritual disciplines should never become mere habits, but practices which lead to a fuller enjoyment of God.

[14]“God intends the disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. In fact, the disciplines are best exercised in the midst of relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, or friends and neighbors.”
– Richard Foster

In this lesson and the following, we will briefly explore some of the classic spiritual disciplines and seek practical ways to incorporate them into our walk with God.[1] Some of them will require more explanation than others.

The Spiritual Discipline of Solitude

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, he went out and departed to a solitary place; and there he prayed.”[2]

The meaning of solitude

Solitude is simply withdrawing from people in order to be alone with God and draw closer to him. As a spiritual discipline, solitude is not simply about being alone, but about being alone with the Lord. Solitude is a fast from friendships in order to focus on our primary friendship with God.

But we must understand solitude as not just withdrawing to a physical place, but to a mental place as well. Solitude is shutting the door of our mind, for a little while, to the outside world, in order to renew the inner man. If we think of solitude in this way, then perhaps a subway commute or a crowded doctor’s office could become a place of solitude when physical solitude cannot be found.

Solitude in the life of Jesus

Luke tells us that Jesus often “withdrew to desolate (lonely, solitary) places and prayed”[3] Why did he do it? Because serving people depleted his spiritual resources ‒ resources which needed replenished constantly. Though he only had a few years to finish his earthly work, Jesus intentionally arranged his life to slip away from his followers and to be alone with his Father.

The power of solitude in spiritual formation[65]

One of the church fathers, Diadochos of Photiki, observed that if the door of our lives is left open to other people for too long, the heat of our souls will escape.[4] I have observed this in my own life. I begin to become impoverished spiritually when I fail to sit at Jesus feet. Anxiety, impatience, loss of confidence, a pessimistic frame of mind, a sense of emptiness, a critical spirit ‒ these are often the result of neglecting solitude.

In solitude, we lose our unhealthy attachment to people. In solitude, we get our eyes off men and the ways they hurt or disappoint us and put them back on the Lord. In true solitude, we offer the Holy Spirit our full attention. He realigns our perspective and priorities to his and pours fresh peace, love, and joy into our hearts. In solitude, we find grace to return to our communities and responsibilities with the anointing of the Holy Spirit to make a lasting impact.

Solitude weans us from the deadly disease of busyness and a performance mindset. In solitude, we learn that God doesn’t value us because of what we do for him, but who we are – our inner being. Worldly-minded people value visible accomplishment far more than the renewing of our minds in the presence of God. Spiritually-minded people know the reshaping of our innermost being into the image of Christ is God’s primary purpose in redemption.

In solitude, we discover that the Holy Spirit can accomplish far more through our abiding in him than through our hopeless efforts to do something great for him.[5]

Practical tips for getting started with solitude

(1) Find a place that works for you.

Be creative. One student in an Asian Bible school crawled under her bed to be alone with God because it was the only quiet place she could find! Others, like myself, find that walking alone in a park near my home gives God space to speak. In the Philippines, a densely populated country, at least one pastor said he found solitude in the CR (Comfort Room) because it was the only place he could get away from people! Perhaps your circumstances right now make finding a quiet place nearly impossible. The Lord understands where you are and will help you if you’ll let him.

(2) Schedule a regular time of solitude.

For solitude to become a transformational discipline, it’s important that you find a regular time that works for you and stick with it. John Wesley said that “any time” is “no time.” In other words, unless we set a regular time to be alone with the Lord, it’s likely not to happen.

(3) Keep your focus on God.

Do not look for spiritual visions, dreams, or supernatural signs. Seek only to quiet your heart and commune with God, by his Holy Spirit, through his Word.

(4) Be patient.

Discipline always precedes delight! This is true of all discipline. Before we begin to experience the benefits of solitude, we’ll probably need to practice it awhile.

► Give group members an opportunity to express the most helpful teaching on solitude.

The Spiritual Discipline of Meditation

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers....”[6]

The meaning of meditation

Hagah (Hebrew) – To talk to oneself; to ponder.[7]

Meletao (Greek) – To carefully resolve in mind; to muse upon.[8]

Meditation on Scripture is pondering God’s Word by talking to oneself. We meditate on Scripture when we prayerfully turn specific portions of God’s Word over and over in our minds until the Holy Spirit begins to quicken it to our heart; until our heart receives its instruction, warning, and correction; until our soul tastes its transforming sweetness. As in every discipline, meditation requires the illuminating grace of the Holy Spirit.[9]

► Have someone read 1 Corinthians 2:9-14. Discuss what this passage teaches about the role of the Holy Spirit in illuminating God’s Word.

King David pondered God’s Word until he found it “more to be desired... than gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”[10] The Christian who meditates on God’s Word will not just read and forget, but will savor every bite and speak it into his life. This is one of the most transforming of all the spiritual disciplines. Many Christians read their Bibles, but few take time to savor it.

Biblical meditation is not emptying the mind but filling it with God’s Word.

Eastern meditation (Zen, yoga, and Transcendental Meditation) teaches mind emptying and is very dangerous. The mind that is left empty will be inhabited by demonic lies or even demons themselves.[11] Biblical meditation is focused on filling the mind with the Word of God. The psalmist exclaimed, “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”[12]

In Philippians 4, Paul exhorts believers not to empty their minds but to “meditate on these things.”[13] What things? Not past sin, past failures, or the faults of others; but things that are “noble,” “just,” “pure,” “lovely,” “of good report,” things of “virtue,” and things that are “praiseworthy.” If every child of God would choose moment by moment to replace negative, critical thoughts with thoughts of good, their spiritual lives would be transformed.

The purpose of biblical meditation in spiritual formation.

The power of meditation is that it provides the opportunity for a daily washing by the Word of God.[14] The Word changes the way we think and behave. The light of the Word[15] exposes every hidden sin[16] and every destructive lie of the Devil. The Word saturates our souls regularly with truth until we are trained to think and act like Jesus.

The reason so many Christians are losing spiritual battles is that they are exposed on the battlefield without a sword – the sword of the Spirit.[17] When Satan whispers, God doesn’t really love you, or, You’ll never make it, you are not really a Christian, you can’t live a holy life, everyone’s against you, God won’t forgive you... again, they have no defense. But through the discipline of meditation we replay God’s truth day after day, month after month, year after year until our faith is established in God and until every flaming lie of the Enemy is resisted and defeated.

The results of meditation on Scripture

1. The Word produces faith,[18] therefore meditation will strengthen our confidence in God.
2. The Word purifies the thoughts and life,[19] therefore meditation will replace wrong thoughts with right ones.
3. The Word provides an effective shield against Satan,[20] therefore meditation will protect us.
4. The Word prospers the believer’s life,[21] therefore meditation will lead to greater and greater measures of God’s blessing.

Practical tips for getting started with meditation

(1) Don’t make it complicated.

I love John Wesley’s simple approach to meditation:

"Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone: only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his book; for this end, to find the way to heaven. Is there a doubt concerning the meaning of what I read?... I lift up my heart to the Father of Lights: 'Lord, is it not thy Word, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God"?...' I then search after and consider parallel passages of Scripture, 'comparing spiritual things with spiritual.' I meditate thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which my mind is capable. If any doubt still remains, I consult those who are experienced in the things of God; and then the [historical] writings.... And what I thus learn, that I teach."[22]

(2) Find a quiet place. “Be still and know that [he is] God.”[23]

(3) Read and ponder with prayer for insight and a willingness to obey.[24]

(4) Be careful to guard your expectations. Don’t seek after signs or supernatural revelations. Seek only to know God and to be known by him.

(5) As you leave your quiet place, take at least one thought with you and ponder it through the day.

(6) Through the day, practice replacing defeating, intrusive thoughts with the Word of God.

► Let’s take 5 minutes to practice meditation together. Let everyone get very quiet and simply meditate on Joshua 1:8. Do not try to form this verse into an outline for a Bible study. Rather, put yourself in the story. Be Joshua! Meditate on what this message meant for him. Then think about your own life. What message does the Lord have for you?

The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting

"And he said to them, 'Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.'”[25]

Fasting is one of the most spiritually transforming, but also one of the most difficult – and therefore neglected – of all the spiritual disciplines. When practiced with sincere heart and combined with prayer, it is one of the most effective means of renewing our hunger for God, capturing wandering thoughts, restraining wayward desires, burning up the chaff of self, clarifying direction, receiving fresh spiritual insight from God’s Word, and retaining the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The meaning of fasting

Scriptural fasting is abstaining from food, (or exercising moderation in food intake), for spiritual purposes. Fasting is not dieting! Fasting seems to be distinct from other forms of abstinence—entertainment, sex (for married couples[26]), social events, or any other thing, though moderation and self-denial in these areas can be valuable for cultivating spiritual growth.

Fasting is not commanded, but it is assumed among Christians.

Scripture doesn’t directly command fasting, but it does assume its practice among Christians.[66] In the text above[27] it should be clear to us that Jesus assumes that every believer “will fast.” I was reminded of this one afternoon at a conference in the Philippines, where veteran missionary statesman Wesley Duewel was the lecturer. “Jesus said that his disciples will fast,” he said. “So, are you a disciple? Are you practicing this discipline?” The Word of God convicted me, and I realized that my Christian walk lacked power because of my neglect of this discipline.

Fasting held a very important place in the life of Jesus, the lives of the apostles, and the New Testament church. And it has been an important discipline in every great work of God. John Wesley said, “Everyone knows that every good Methodist fasts twice a week (Wednesdays and Fridays).” Epiphanus, church father and bishop of Salamis, Cyprus (315-403) said, “Who does not know that the fast of the fourth and sixth days of the week are practiced by Christians throughout the world?”

Biblical examples of fasting

The Scriptures are full of examples of fasting. Moses, Hannah, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, the prophets, Anna, John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, the apostles, the elders at Antioch, and Cornelius all fasted.[67]

As Moses fasted, God spoke with him face to face as a man speaks with a friend.[28] As Hannah fasted and prayed, God opened her womb and gave her Samuel.[29] As Daniel fasted and prayed, he was given “skill to understand” God’s Word,[30] the power of God was manifested to defeat the prince of Persia, and the answer to Daniel’s prayer was granted.[31] As Saul (Paul) prayed and fasted, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and his eyes were opened.[32] As Cornelius prayed, fasted, and gave alms, these sincere offerings rose as a memorial to God,[33] who answered Cornelius’s prayer by saving his entire household. These are just a few of the many biblical examples of the power of God released through fasting and prayer.

Five powerful results of fasting

(1) Fasting humbles the soul.

The psalmist said, “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting.”[34] Ezra knew that taking the Jewish exiles back to their homeland would require divine grace. In light of the many dangers and temptations ahead, he wrote: “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river… that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him the right way for us and our little ones… and he answered our prayer.”[35]

How does fasting humble the soul? Abstaining from physical food reminds the soul of its utter need for, and dependence upon, God; it reminds us that we are sustained by spiritual things rather than physical, material things. Biblical, Christ-centered fasting is a testimony to God and to our own soul: God, I’m hungry for you. Holy Spirit, I need you more than food, more than physical or material blessings, more than anything in this world!

I have found fasting to be a cure for spiritual barrenness. When I am dry and barren spiritually, fasting and prayer cultivates the hard-packed soil of my heart and makes it receptive to the implanting of God’s Word.

(2) Fasting subjects our natural appetites to our spiritual appetites.[68]

Fasting exposes areas of ignorant sin and selfishness, mortifying our strongest natural appetite; fasting keeps our bodies subordinate to spiritual things. Or, as one church father said, “Fasting ensures that the stomach will not make the body boil to the hindering of the soul.”[36] My Filipino brother, David Yucaddi, once told me that he knew he needed to fast when he felt improper desires begin to rise within! In other words, the slightest rising of pride or wrong desire is, for him, the trigger point for fasting. Other godly men have also testified that fasting quenches the fire of improper sexual passion.

After I had taught on fasting one Sunday, a Christian man felt convicted to incorporate this discipline into his walk with God. Sometime later he testified that fasting had made him aware of needs in his heart. “I never realized how impatient I was until I started fasting,” he said. “When I said ‘No’ to my body, I found myself becoming very impatient with my children!” We laughed with him because we could identify. Self-denial brings attitudes to the surface we have not known were in our hearts.

Richard Foster reminds us that, “The stomach is like a spoiled child, and a spoiled child does not need indulgence, but... discipline.” We all know what happens when we begin to discipline a spoiled child, don’t we? The more spoiled the child is, the louder the tantrum. Until he or she learns to submit to the word “no,” we will have a challenge on our hands. So it is with our own inner spoiled child!

(3) Fasting increases our spiritual appetite.

Jesus found far more satisfaction in doing the will of his Father than he did in physical food,[37] and he calls us to be like him. He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”[38] When I fast, and the hunger pains become strong, I will say to God, “Lord, these hunger pains are hunger pains for you. I want to be this hungry for you.” It doesn’t necessarily make me feel better at the moment, but I have never known God to ignore this sincere prayer. We must endeavor to turn our pains into prayers, believing that God will satisfy us with more of himself.

(4) Fasting makes us more spiritually discerning.

Through fasting, the New Testament church of Antioch discerned the will of God for the beginning of their mission ministry: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”[39] Focused prayer with fasting often brings more clarity in our lives and helps us make important decisions.

Jesus’ life of prayer and fasting kept him more aware of the spiritual hunger of people around him, kept his heart brimming with love for them, and kept his spirit alert to what his Father wanted him to do and say to spiritually hungry people. Like the disciples, we are often so preoccupied with ourselves and our own needs that we lose our affection for souls. Fasting helps to keep our appetites in check, so that we can see and hear the work of the Holy Spirit around us.

► Read John 4:27-34 together. Discuss the contrast between Jesus’ and the disciples’ relationship with food. What did Jesus mean by the statement, “I have food to eat that you do not know,” and “My food is to do the will of him who sent me”? Do you think it’s possible that the disciples’ love for food might have caused them to miss seeing what the Holy Spirit was doing in Samaria?

(5) Fasting strengthens our faith and, therefore, enables us to engage and defeat the enemy.

I believe that the reason so many good men and women are often weak and powerless is because they do not practice regular fasting. In Matthew 17, the disciples find themselves powerless to cast the evil spirit out of a young man. Jesus makes it very clear that the problem was unbelief: “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief.’”[40] Jesus then goes on to teach, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”[41]

What is the relationship between fervent prayer and fasting and faith? Fervent prayer (prayer with fasting) strengthens faith and increases our power and effectiveness in service to God. We are engaged in spiritual battle; without prayer and fasting, we will never experience God’s deliverance as he wants to reveal it. Paul often found himself in the midst of great spiritual conflict and therefore fasted often.[42]

My brothers and sisters who serve in developing countries often face demonic opposition. They know that without prayer and fasting they will never see spiritual strongholds broken through. They take Jesus’ words seriously here and therefore experience great manifestations of divine power.

Two primary forms of fasting in the Bible

(1) Normal fasting – abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water

(2) Partial fasting or moderation – restricting the diet, but not abstaining totally[43]

Practical tips for getting started with fasting

1. Take into consideration your physical condition and follow doctor’s recommendations.
2. Begin with a 24-hour partial fast. Go from lunch to lunch (two meals). Drink only fruit juices. Attempt this once a week for several weeks or months.
3. Attempt a normal fast of 24 hours. Drink only water. Take vitamins if necessary. Do this weekly.
4. After some time, move to a normal 36-hour fast. Fast from supper to breakfast on the second day (three meals). Do this once a week for several weeks or months.
5. Try fasting for several days. Here you may find a significant spiritual breakthrough in your life.
6. Make fasting a regular part of your life! Feel the pain of an empty stomach and depend on God to fill you with his grace.

► Feel free to share testimonies regarding this discipline. Practice fasting this week and be prepared to come back next week to talk about your experience.

The Spiritual Discipline of Simplicity

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For he himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”[44]

The meaning of the discipline of simplicity

The discipline of simplicity is the discipline of focusing on God’s priorities and arranging one’s lifestyle accordingly. It begins with an inner attitude of detachment from all but life’s highest pleasure – knowing and serving God. It results in lifestyle choices consistent with this attitude.

Outer simplicity is about doing our part to make our lives more spiritually and practically efficient; about ridding ourselves of everything which is stealing our joy; about removing from our lives the clutter which is troubling us, the chaos which is distracting us, the debt which is drowning us, and the activities which are controlling us.

God calls every Christian to an inner simplicity – a single-minded love for God and people and a single-minded devotion to seeking first his kingdom.[45] But inner simplicity will only be sustained when we intentionally arrange our daily lives in simple ways. Many Christians want to live more free and contented lives, but the bad habits of over-scheduling, over-speaking, over-committing, over-spending, over-collecting, over-working and even over-serving prevent them from the life they desire.

Simplicity in the life of Jesus

Jesus modeled the discipline of simplicity in his words and deeds. When we read the stories of his life, he never seems in a hurry, yet he accomplishes so much. His activities were always purposeful.[46] The Holy Spirit was always directing him in meaningful, purposeful ways.[47] He didn’t just work hard; he worked wisely, always doing the things that pleased his Father.[48]

Jesus’ life was not easy, but it was simple.[69] He knew what his life was about and from early childhood went about his Father’s business.[49] When Jesus spoke he used an economy of words.[50] His “Yes” meant “Yes,” and his “No” meant “No.”[51] He chose a simple lifestyle.[52] He left plenty of room in his day for “divine interruptions” and received each of them with grace.[53] People, not material things, were always his priority ‒ especially people who needed redemption and disciples who needed training. He lived the life of an itinerant evangelist, supported by others. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. As he died on the cross, his only earthly possessions were the clothes on his back. The discipline of simplicity in Jesus’ life kept him focused on the priorities his Father had given him.

The discipline of simplicity in the Bible

The Bible does not offer a set of rules for how we ought to simplify our lives, but it does present a number of warnings and admonitions. Jesus declared war on materialism. He taught that we cannot serve God and money. He warned us against laying up treasures on earth[54] and about covetousness, declaring: “A man’s life does not consist of the abundance of his possessions.”[55] He even demanded that the rich young ruler sell everything he owned in order to follow him.[56] Paul said that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation.[57] The psalmist warns, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”[58]

The power of simplicity in spiritual formation

The purpose of simplicity is simply to set us free. The simplification of our lifestyle will set us free from the tyranny of materialism and enable us to invest more and more time and resources into God’s kingdom, and it will deliver us from bondage to the approval of men. The simplification of our work and ministry will set us free to do what we have been called and equipped to do, and to do it better. The simplification of our words will free us from making promises and commitments we can’t keep and enable us to keep the promises we do make.

Dangers of simplicity

We must be very careful of certain dangers:

(1) There is the danger of legalism.

The Holy Spirit will not lead us all to the same lifestyle choices. The quality or style of clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the amount of money we save or give away is according to God’s personal dealing with us. Let us not judge one another.

(2) There is the danger of renouncing material things as bad.[70]

Simplicity doesn’t renounce all possessions (unless Jesus demands it) but keeps them in their proper place.

(3) There is the danger of renouncing God’s gracious gifts.

Paul came to a place of contentment with both sacrifice and abundance.[59] He could accept plenty as gratefully as accept sacrifice. If God is blessing you, rejoice and don’t be ashamed! Just don’t set your heart on the blessing. If you are suffering, “count it all joy”!

Practical advice for practicing the discipline of simplicity

1. Do not be enslaved by debt.[60]
2. Buy things for their quality and usefulness rather than their trendiness.
3. Develop the habit of giving things away.[61]
4. Learn to enjoy things without having to own them.
5. Learn to love the simple things of life, especially the natural wonders of God’s world.
6. Avoid get rich schemes, which feed a covetous spirit.[62]
7. Only make promises and commitments you know you can keep.[63]
8. Help break the tyranny of money by being generous.[64]
9. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

► Write down at least three ways you know you could simplify your life to focus more on your biblical priorities. Be willing to make these changes by the grace of God, and be prepared to share your testimony with your group during your next meeting.

[1] For these lessons on the classic spiritual disciplines I am relying heavily on the following three books:
+ Keith Drury, Soul Shaper (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013)
+ Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperCollins, 1998)
+ Dr. Dan Glick, Disciplines of Grace. (booklet).

[2] Mark 1:35

[3] Luke 5:16 (see also, Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42)

[4] Keith Drury, Soul Shaper (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013), 27

[5] John 15:4

[6] Psalm 1:2-3a

[7] Joshua 1:8, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from thy mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night.”

[8] 1 Timothy 4:15, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.”

[9] 1 Corinthians 2:9-14

[10] Psalm 19:10

[11] Matthew 12:44

[12] Psalm 119:97

[13] Philippians 4:8

[14] Ephesians 5:26

[15] Psalm 119:105

[16] Psalm 19:12

[17] Ephesians 6:17

[18] Romans 10:17

[19] Psalm 119:9; 1 Peter 1:22; Ephesians 6:17

[20] Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 6:17

[21] Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:3

[22] This is taken from the preface to John Wesley: Man of One Book.

[23] Psalm 46:10

[24] John 7:17

[25] Luke 5:34-35, emphasis added.

[26] 1 Corinthians 7:5

[27] Ibid.

[28] Exodus 33:1

[29] 1 Samuel 1:8, 17-18

[30] Daniel 9:3, 22-23

[31] Daniel 10:3, 12-13

[32] Acts 9:9, 17-18

[33] Acts 10:4

[34] Psalm 35:13

[35] Ezra 8:21, 23

[36] Asterius, in the fourth century

[37] John 4:31-32

[38] Matthew 5:6

[39] Acts 13:2

[40] Matthew 17:19-20a

[41] Matthew 17:23

[42] 2 Corinthians 11:27-28

[43] Daniel 10:3

[44] Hebrews 13:5

[45] Psalm 27:4; 40:8; Matthew 6:33

[46] Luke 4:43, emphasis added.

[47] Ibid.

[48] John 4:34

[49] Luke 2:49

[50] John 14:10

[51] Matthew 5:37

[52] 2 Corinthians 8:9

[53] Matthew 9:20

[54] Matthew 6:21

[55] Luke 12:15

[56] Matthew 19:16-22

[57] 1 Timothy 6:9

[58] Psalm 62:10

[59] Philippians 4:12

[60] Proverbs 22:7

[61] Luke 3:11; Proverbs 11:24

[62] Proverbs 28:20

[63] Psalm 76:11; Proverbs 20:25; Matthew 5:37

[64] Proverbs 11:25; 22:9

[65]“It can hardly be, that we should spend one entire day in a continued (conversation) with men, without suffering loss in our soul, and in some measure, grieving the Holy Spirit of God. We have need daily to retire from the world, at least morning and evening, to converse with God, to commune more freely with our Father which is in secret.”
– John Wesley

[66]“First, let [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on him. Let our intention be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father in Heaven.”
– John Wesley

[67]“Some have exalted fasting beyond all scripture and reason; and others have utterly neglected it.”
– John Wesley

[68]“Our human cravings are like rivers that tend to overflow their banks; fasting helps keep them in their proper channels.”
– Richard Foster

[69]Jesus left plenty of room in his day for “divine interruptions” and received each of them with grace.

[70]“Jesus calls us to a carefree unconcern for possessions (Luke 6:30).”
– Richard Foster

(1) Take a test based on the material from this lesson.

(2) Spend at least thirty minutes this week reviewing this lesson, including the Scripture references, asking the Holy Spirit for insight.

(3) Record in your journal any specific changes that ought to be made in your life, as the Lord reveals them to you.

(4) Meditate on at least one Psalm in your daily devotional time, and record in your journal what the psalmist says about the nature and character of God.

(5) Record in your journal a personal prayer for spiritual transformation and growth based on this lesson.

(6) Practice using Dr. Brown’s Daily Prayer Guide in your daily private prayer.

(1) What are two benefits of the spiritual disciplines as taught in this lesson?

(2) How do the spiritual disciplines cause me to enjoy God more?

(3) Give a Bible reference which shows how important solitude was in the life of Jesus.

(4) What does meditation mean?

(5) What are four powerful results of fasting?

(6) According to Richard Foster, “Our human cravings are like __________ that tend to overflow their __________.”

(7) Name two forms of fasting.