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• Join us online for Digital Service at 8:30am, 10am, & 11:30am on Facebook, YouTube, or on this page
• In person services are being held Sunday mornings at 8:30am, 10am, & 11:30am
• Kids Ministry is available ALL services for ages nursery through 6th grade!
• Community Youth for students 7th-12th grade meets during second service (10am) in the Upper Room. No sign in required, just drop your student(s) off upon arrival

Engaging and penetrating the darkness should be a normal Christian discipline. Because it is part of being the church that drives back the gates of hell. This next teaching in Matthew centers around the discipline of fasting. Which by the way is a major piece of our Christian arsenal. I’m going to take us into some of the deeper workings of fasting to hopefully encourage us all to utilize it to destroy the enemies' strongholds in our lives as well as the lives of others around us. I really hope you tune into this one. See you there!

Engaging The Darkness

1. Keep your fasting a __________________________ 

Matthew 6:16-18

2. Fasting and prayer __________________________

Matthew 17:2

*Fasting without prayer is simply __________________________

*Prayer links us to __________________________and fasting separates us from __________________________

3. Fasting teaches my flesh who is __________________________

Psalm 35:13

1 Corinthians 9:27

Isaiah 58:3-12

Most of the text we used was Isaiah 58:3-12. So, let’s begin there today. Read it multiple times because it is filled with the inner workings and results of fasting. I read it whenever I begin a fast. Write down your thoughts and questions to share with your group. 

1. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus gives us some of the what NOT to do when we fast. In your thinking, what does Jesus tell us not to do and WHY?

2. Quickly, compare Fasting/Matthew 6:16-18 with Giving/Matthew 6:1-4. What comparisons do you find? And what is Jesus trying to break us of? Explain

3. Looking at the early church, the first followers of Jesus in Acts 13:1-3, what is an obvious benefit of fasting? Why would this be so important in our spiritual life? 

4. In Isaiah 58:3-5. They were fasting, BUT HOW were they doing it wrong? Explain

5. Read Isaiah 58:8. It seems to me that this fasting benefit has personal benefits to our lives. Write out verse eight in your own words and share it with your group for discussion.

6. Isaiah 58:12 always cuts deep with me because the first part is about “those from among me.” Which I primarily think means, my offspring. They will do two things, “REBUILD ancient ruins” AND “RAISE up the age-old foundations.” What do you think it’s talking about? Explain

7. Finally, what is your favorite part of Isaiah 58’s description of the benefits of fasting and why?