Quizzes
Factors That Inhibit Christians from Fasting
"Fasting gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful; fasting makes lawgivers wise. Fasting is a good safeguard for the soul, a steadfast companion for the body, a weapon for the valiant, and a gymnasium for athletes. Fasting repels temptations, anoints unto piety; it is the comrade of watchfulness and the artificer (i.e., a skilled craftsman) of chastity. In war it fights bravely, in peace it teaches stillness."
What is stopping you?
Jesus gave us instructions for when we fast not if we fast. What does that mean? It means that Jesus expected us to fast! If Jesus wanted us to do it, that implies that He had good reason for us to engage in fasting. In theory, many of us know that we should fast but never get around to doing it.
Fasting Causes us to Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness!
There are natural and spiritual forces that will try to hold us back from fully engaging with the practice of fasting. Life circumstances, bad attitudes, inconvenient timing, grief and loss, family commitments, spiritual warfare, and many other factors can make fasting seem like an impossible commitment. But it isn’t. You can step into this disciple and begin to grow in it. You will have to make some choices that will seem difficult, but through Christ you can do all things!
Test Yourself
Answer
Because Jesus fasted, we should too.
Think About It:
There are factors that hold us back from fasting, which include:
- Ignorance
- Selfishness
- Indifference
- Lack of self-control
- Misguided priorities
- Delusional Christianity
If you were honest, which of these would you recognize as the greatest inhibitor of engaging fasting for yourself? Why? How can you begin to overcome this problem?
Further Resources
- Sheldon Juell Ph.D., "1.4 What Are the Factors That Inhibit Christians from Fasting - Class Notes"
- Sheldon Juell Ph.D., "Should Christians Fast Both Individually & Corporately"
- Sheldon Juell Ph.D., "Divine Promises For Those Who Walk in Communion with the Lord"
- NIV, “Biblical Fasting: Why, When, How, and How Not to Fast”
Congratulations on finishing this lesson!
If you feel like you are ready to take a quiz to review what you have learned in this lesson, go on to the next step.
Otherwise, it might be a good idea to review the last few topics again.