Fasting as Training: Strengthening Your Soul for Righteousness

We don't drift toward Christlikeness. We have to aim for it.Hi, I'm Brad Coleman, the Campus Pastor at Christ Church Highland Park. Welcome back to our "Holy Habits" devotional series on fasting. We've explored the biblical foundation and fasting as worship. Today, we're looking at fasting as something else entirely: training in righteousness.In this devotion, we explore:The athlete's mindset: I swam competitively from age six through college—10 miles a day in training for a race that was only 200 yards. The training made the race feel easy.Paul's words in 1 Timothy 4:7-8: "Train yourself to be godly. Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things."The reality: Our hearts don't naturally move toward righteousness. We can easily be lured toward toxic and harmful desires. We need to train.Fasting as a teachable moment: Every pang of hunger becomes an opportunity to say "no" to an appetite—to practice self-control, which is the fruit of the Spirit.The outcome: Fasting is like lifting spiritual weights. It strengthens the presence and power of the Holy Spirit within us and diminishes the power of the flesh.A personal example: A nightly prayer walk—even when tired, even when it's 12 degrees—trains me to become someone more aware of God's presence and available for His purposes.Fasting is not something we do to earn God's favor. It's an act of worship—and it's training that shapes us into the kind of people who naturally love, think, and act like Jesus.Tomorrow, I'll share practical suggestions for experimenting with fasting. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss it!