The Bridge Church
Praying and Fasting Like Jesus
January 9, 2022
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Spiritual growth is built on habits; it is not automatic.
1. Prayer is an ongoing conversation with a loving God
Pray sincerely
Pray secretly
Pray simply
2. Fasting means to voluntarily abstain from anything, to grow closer to Jesus
3. Prayer and fasting draws us closer to God and the things of His kingdom
“Whenever God determines to do a great work, He first sets His people to pray.” C.H. Spurgeon
How is God calling you to draw closer to Him through prayer and fasting in 2022?
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized on Sunday, February 13
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point on January 9
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized on Sunday, February 13
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point on January 9
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
Dig Deeper
1. What are some habits you have, both good and bad? How can you develop spiritual habits? Why are these habits so important?
2. How would you define prayer?
3. Do you pray regularly? Do you fast regularly? Why or why not?
4. Do you feel like you know how to pray when you pray? Is there a correct way to pray? With what attitude should we pray?
5. How does it feel to know that “your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him”? Does that change your perspective on how to pray? Why or why not?
6. Why is it important to have an ongoing prayer life/conversation with God?
7. Which of the components of prayer – sincerely, secretly, simply – stand out to you the most? Which one do you find most comforting? Why?
8. Regarding the Lord’s Prayer - have you been a member of a tradition that prays this prayer religiously? If so, how has it shaped your view of this prayer? The irony is that this prayer is given by Jesus in the context of telling his disciples not to pray with “vain repetition,” yet for many this prayer has become a vain repetition. Whether you recite these words or not, do you find yourself praying the same thing repeatedly and, when you really think about it, you didn’t really mean or know what you were saying? How can you avoid doing this in the future?
9. Jesus tells us to ask God for our “daily bread.” Sustenance only for the day requires great trust in God. How has our current cultural understanding of wealth building and retirement funds (which are not necessarily unwise choices) changed how we pray and trust in God? How does this also shape our view of fasting?
10. Jesus tells us to pray for our debts to be forgiven, and in vv. 14-15 he says that we need to forgive those who have sinned against us. Is it difficult for you to pray in this way? Discuss this tension between being saved by grace alone through faith and these words of Jesus.
11. C.S. Lewis said: “I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.” Do you identify with what C.S. Lewis states? Why or why not?
12. What is your first reaction when someone mentions fasting? Why?
13. Describe a time when you have fasted in the past and seen God move in a mighty way during that time.
14. Read Matthew 6:17-18. The Bible doesn’t command fasting, but it does assume it. Why is fasting something people are hesitant to do?
15. How is fasting from food different from fasting from other things?
16. Which one is the most challenging for you – prayer or fasting? Why?
17. How is God calling you to draw to closer to Him through prayer and fasting in 2022? How will you respond?
Reading Plan
Monday – Matthew 6:5-18; 2 Chronicles 7:14
Tuesday – Matthew 26:36-46
Wednesday – Luke 11:1-13
Thursday – James 5:13-18
Friday – 2 Chronicles 7
Saturday – Philippians 4
Suggested Resources
“A Simple Way to Pray,” by Martin Luther
“The Power of a Praying Husband,” by Stormie Omartian
“The Power of a Praying Wife,” by Stormie Omartian
“The Power of a Praying Parent”, by Stormie Omartian
“Prayer,” by Tim Keller
"Circle Maker," by Mark Batterson
1. What are some habits you have, both good and bad? How can you develop spiritual habits? Why are these habits so important?
2. How would you define prayer?
3. Do you pray regularly? Do you fast regularly? Why or why not?
4. Do you feel like you know how to pray when you pray? Is there a correct way to pray? With what attitude should we pray?
5. How does it feel to know that “your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him”? Does that change your perspective on how to pray? Why or why not?
6. Why is it important to have an ongoing prayer life/conversation with God?
7. Which of the components of prayer – sincerely, secretly, simply – stand out to you the most? Which one do you find most comforting? Why?
8. Regarding the Lord’s Prayer - have you been a member of a tradition that prays this prayer religiously? If so, how has it shaped your view of this prayer? The irony is that this prayer is given by Jesus in the context of telling his disciples not to pray with “vain repetition,” yet for many this prayer has become a vain repetition. Whether you recite these words or not, do you find yourself praying the same thing repeatedly and, when you really think about it, you didn’t really mean or know what you were saying? How can you avoid doing this in the future?
9. Jesus tells us to ask God for our “daily bread.” Sustenance only for the day requires great trust in God. How has our current cultural understanding of wealth building and retirement funds (which are not necessarily unwise choices) changed how we pray and trust in God? How does this also shape our view of fasting?
10. Jesus tells us to pray for our debts to be forgiven, and in vv. 14-15 he says that we need to forgive those who have sinned against us. Is it difficult for you to pray in this way? Discuss this tension between being saved by grace alone through faith and these words of Jesus.
11. C.S. Lewis said: “I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.” Do you identify with what C.S. Lewis states? Why or why not?
12. What is your first reaction when someone mentions fasting? Why?
13. Describe a time when you have fasted in the past and seen God move in a mighty way during that time.
14. Read Matthew 6:17-18. The Bible doesn’t command fasting, but it does assume it. Why is fasting something people are hesitant to do?
15. How is fasting from food different from fasting from other things?
16. Which one is the most challenging for you – prayer or fasting? Why?
17. How is God calling you to draw to closer to Him through prayer and fasting in 2022? How will you respond?
Reading Plan
Monday – Matthew 6:5-18; 2 Chronicles 7:14
Tuesday – Matthew 26:36-46
Wednesday – Luke 11:1-13
Thursday – James 5:13-18
Friday – 2 Chronicles 7
Saturday – Philippians 4
Suggested Resources
“A Simple Way to Pray,” by Martin Luther
“The Power of a Praying Husband,” by Stormie Omartian
“The Power of a Praying Wife,” by Stormie Omartian
“The Power of a Praying Parent”, by Stormie Omartian
“Prayer,” by Tim Keller
"Circle Maker," by Mark Batterson