Soul Architecture: Mortify the Flesh // Rev. Matt Kennedy // Jan 25 2026

We live with all kinds of biological necessities and forces of nature that impact how we live our lives and how we plan our days (think of sleep schedules, bathroom breaks, shelter from weather). Perhaps the necessity we order our lives around most is food. When will you eat? What will you eat? With whom will you eat? For most of us, this physical necessity anchors at least three points in our day because it is essential for survival. So it makes sense that the Bible speaks often about food and diet, and one of its commendations is to sometimes not eat.Across both the Old and New Testaments the people of God practice the spiritual discipline of fasting, yet for many modern Christians (especially Protestants) we don't often have a strong sense of what fasting is for. Perhaps this is because we forget that your soul is not just what is done with your inner life (thoughts and emotions), but includes your physical body! (Romans 12:1). This week we'll consider scripture's teaching about spirit and flesh as we think about prayer and fasting. It seems especially important to note how often the people of God turned to fasting in times of social crisis (Esther 4:16, Joel 2:12-15). Perhaps this is a timely discipline as we pray for peace and justice in our own land.