Session 6: Fasting & Spiritual Discipline

 

Hello my darlings,

How are you?

This week we didn’t just talk about fasting in the surface level sense that you often see (which i'm not turning my nose up at btw, its good for health  if done correctly). We went deeper into why fasting matters, especially for those of us who are serious about growth, discipline, and living intentionally on Gods path, His way..

The core message was simple but powerful:

Fasting is not about food. It’s about training your heart so you are not easily led.

This came from the Book of Proverbs chapter 7:18-27, where we see a man who didn’t fall because he was evil or because he was horrible, he fell because he was untrained. 

He was led by how he felt in the moment rather than by wisdom, discipline, or awareness. The situation didn’t look dangerous at first. It looked appealing, easy, and without consequence. That’s the reality we needed to confront.

Temptation rarely presents itself as destruction. It presents itself as something that feels justified.

And that’s where many people get caught.

We explored how this shows up in everyday life, not just in obvious “big” decisions, but in the small, quiet ones that build patterns over time. Notice the words 'patterns over time’.

Things like:

• Saying “it’s just one time”

• Making decisions when tired, emotional, or alone

• Thinking “no one will know”

• Rushing without pausing

• Justifying something because you feel you deserve it

These moments don’t feel like major turning points, but they are. Because they shape direction. And without discipline, it becomes very easy to be led rather than to choose.

That’s where fasting comes in.

We brought in the Gospel of Matthew 17:21 to understand that some things in life don’t shift just because we want them to. They shift through prayer and fasting only. 

Fasting helps us:

• Build resistance against impulse

• Get closer to God and hear Him better and break chains

• Increase awareness of what is driving our behaviour

• Develop self control in moments where we would normally react

It teaches us that not every feeling needs a response. Not every urge needs to be satisfied. And that in itself is powerful.

We also spoke about the different types of fasting and their purpose, from the intensity of the Esther fast, to the structure of a water fast, to the consistency of the Daniel fast. The key takeaway wasn’t to jump into extremes, but to start wisely, with intention and understanding.

Because if you’re just not eating, that’s not fasting. That’s dieting darling - trust me, I know, i’ve been on enough of them lol.

Fasting is when you replace what you’re removing with time spent seeking God.

A really important part of the session was balance (this is where the professional me kicked in). I made it clear that your body is not the enemy. It still needs to be supported properly outside of fasting. Proper nutrition, hydration, and minerals all play a role in how well you function, think, and maintain discipline. If your body is depleted, your ability to stay focused and make good decisions is affected. Eating the wrong foods for your body can also have you depleted - just because it's healthy, doesn't mean it's healthy for you.

So this isn’t about being extreme. It’s about wisdom.

Fasting is about discipline, not damage.

We also touched on prayer, because fasting without prayer misses the point. When you fast, you are creating space. And that space should be filled with connection, honesty, and intention with God. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be real.

We closed with a moment to reflect on where we each need more discipline, because this is personal. This isn’t about someone else or a general idea. This is about recognising where we may be drifting, reacting, or being led without even realising it.

And the final reminder we left with was this:

The man in Proverbs didn’t fall because he was horrible or nasty. He fell because he was untrained.

Fasting is how we train ourselves so we’re not easily led by what feels good in the moment but leads us in the wrong direction long term.

It’s how we move from reacting… to choosing.

And ultimately, fasting is how you become someone who lives intentionally Gods way, not emotionally.

Thats all from the boardroom, See you next session! 

Hannah-Curlita xx