Practicing the Spiritual Disciplines 1.

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Heart: Love the Lord
No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who
enlisted him as a soldier. And also if any one competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he
competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.
II Timothy 2:4 - 6

To see your inner life developed through embracing and practicing the spiritual disciplines, which would
result in a deeper passion for God and zeal for the things on His heart.

Desired Outcomes:
Vision  Growing desired to practice the spiritual disciples because it draws
you closer to Jesus
 To know and understand what the spiritual disciplines are and the
benefits associated with practicing them
 To distinguish between spiritual discipline and legalism
 To begin to incorporate the practice of the disciplines in your
Christian walk

Education Task #1 Bible Project

This could be done as a self-study or small group. Think through
the disciplines and ask which are present in my life now? Which
of the areas do I want to grow in? Be prepared to discuss with
trainer.
Spiritual disciplines are activities that we practice that help us to experience
the presence of God. They help us to be more keenly aware of God’s
leading, able to hear Him more readily when He speaks to us and sharpen
our ability to discern truth from error. In I Timothy 4:7 – 9 the apostle Paul
writes, “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.
On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for
bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for
the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.”

Although there are many different practices that are considered to be spiritual disciplines, the following
are among the most common:

1. Fasting – Matthew 6:16 – 18. Jesus assumed that His disciples would fast just like He Himself
fasted. As we struggle to transfer our dependence on food to a greater dependence on God, we
eventually become more in tune with Him.

2. Prayer – Matthew 26:41. Prayer helps us to be spiritually alert. It is hard work so we easily
grow weary in praying which is one reason it is a discipline.

3. Simplicity – Matthew 6:33 – 34. Pursue a life free from striving after material things. Do not
worry yourself trying to get the latest and best of every new item that comes on the market.

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Heart: Love the Lord
Determine not to be enslaved to material possessions and excessive busyness that is so tempting
in today’s culture.

4. Meditation – Psalm 1:2. Take time to be immersed in the passage. Don’t rush; linger over it
and let it speak to you.

5. Silence and Solitude – Mark 1:35. Get away from the distraction or people, phones, internet,
music, traffic and be alone and silent in the presence of God. We have Jesus’ example. If He
needed solitude and silence, how much more do we.

6. Scripture Memory – Psalm 119:11. Memorizing Scripture makes it readily available to us at

any moment. The Holy Spirit can bring it to our minds only if we already know it.

7. Abstinence – Matthew 16:24. Occasionally Jesus calls us to abstain from something for a time
in order to follow Him more closely and more deeply. These things will be different for each
person. For example, someone could decide not to surf the web or eat a certain favorite food
for a period to time especially of these things are beginning to have an unhealthy hold on them
or if they simply want to focus more on the Lord during a specific period of time.

These disciplines have no power in and of themselves. No one can produce any change in himself that
honors God or will last. It is God’s grace at work in us that produces change. We can try on our own
strength to practice the disciplines, but eventually most of us will fail and give up. If some people succeed
in practicing them only through their own efforts, many will likely become prideful which will only defeat
the purpose of these disciplines and return them right back to square one because they will have
achieved nothing. Others will believe that God owes them something because they fulfilled their end of
the bargain. We do not engage in these disciplines out of obligation but out of a desire to see God use
these means to draw us to a deeper understanding of who He is, what He’s doing in our lives, and to see
Him more clearly. Philippians 3:13 says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work
for His good pleasure.” Likewise Jesus, through the apostle John, gives us the following reminder, “I am
the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me
you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Exposure and Task #1 Putting into practice

Pick two disciplines that you will personally implement. Determine
Experience with your trainer when and for what period of time.

Pick two disciplines that you will personally implement. Determine with your
trainer when and for what period of time.

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Heart: Love the Lord

Task #2 Teaching another

Prepare a Bible study on one of the disciplines and look for an opportunity to share it one on one with
someone or in a small group. Discuss with trainer before and after study.

Evaluation 1. At the end of the time period during which you’ve practiced the
and disciplines you’ve chosen, write a paragraph or two of what impact
this had on your life.
Assessment 2. Teach the Bible study that you prepared with your trainer observing
you. Receive feedback about the bible study.

Optional: GO DEEPER
Articles:
Discipline of Simplicity by Thomas Kelley
Discipline of Contemplative Prayer by Henri Nouwen

Books
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard