Prayer and Fasting in Community Strengthens Christian Men
Culture and Desire
- What are some of the strongest messages our culture sends to men about comfort, success, or “deserving more”? How do those messages shape the way you live?
- Discuss a time when you pursued comfort or convenience and it left you feeling less satisfied in the long run.
- What do you think happens to a man over time when he consistently chooses ease over discipline? How might that impact him physically, spiritually, and emotionally?
Self-Denial and the Way of Jesus
- Jesus calls his followers to deny themselves and take up their cross (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23). What do you believe self-denial looks like for you in your everyday life?
- Why do you think self-denial so often feels negative or undesirable in our culture?
- Where do you feel most tempted to let your impulses, emotions, or appetites lead rather than your convictions? Explain.
Learning Dependence over Self-Reliance Through Prayer
- When you hear the word “prayer,” what comes to mind first? Is it habit, struggle, comfort, confusion, etc.? Why do you think that is?
- Why do you think prayer can often feel difficult or awkward for men?
- How might prayer change you if you viewed it less as a task to complete, and more as an opportunity to create closeness with God?
- When you pray, what do you tend to pray about? How have you seen God respond?
Learning to Hunger for the Right Things Through Fasting
- What is your honest reaction to the idea of fasting? What feels challenging or uncomfortable about it?
- Have you ever fasted? If so, talk about your experience and how it went. What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about God?
- Fasting often reveals what we rely on for comfort. What are some things you turn to when life gets stressful or uncomfortable?
- How could choosing discomfort in small, intentional ways help strengthen your faith or self-control?
Wrap Up: Prayer and Fasting in Community
- What feels harder to you right now: Slowing down to pray, or giving something up through fasting? Why?
- What is one small, realistic step you could take starting now to grow in the disciplines of prayer and/or fasting?
- What would it look like for you to walk alongside other men to help one another pursue faithfulness over comfort and convenience through prayer and fasting in community?
As you leave this conversation about prayer and fasting in community, don’t let it end with good discussion. Choose action. Commit to showing up daily in prayer, even when it feels awkward or unproductive. Choose to fast in a way that stretches you, reminding your body and soul where true strength comes from. This is the hard work of self-denial, but it’s also the path to freedom. Walk it with courage and consistency, and trust that God will meet you as you take the next step.
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The Redeemed offers articles and resources on spiritual growth, relationships, family, overcoming trauma and loss, and more. Providing guidance for incorporating Biblical teachings into our everyday lives.
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