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[Zedekiah]

A Christian ascetic is a person who practices asceticism—a lifestyle of strict self-discipline, self-denial, and abstinence from worldly pleasures—for the purpose of deepening their spiritual life and drawing closer to God. This practice is rooted in biblical teachings (e.g., fasting, prayer, and simplicity) and has been exemplified by figures like John the Baptist, the Desert Fathers, and monastic traditions. Ascetics often embrace poverty, celibacy, or solitude to focus on prayer, contemplation, and service, viewing such sacrifices as a means to overcome sin and grow in holiness, not as an end in themselves but as a path to union with Christ.

 

[Articles]

We have read your message and the definition you shared regarding Christian asceticism and we want to take a moment to reflect on this biblically together and seek the Lord's wisdom in Jesus' name.

We appreciate your desire to understand a life of self discipline and devotion to God. Scripture does call us to self denial, to discipline, and to set our minds on things above. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:27, But I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. We are also taught to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service in Romans 12:1. Fasting, prayer, simplicity, and self control are indeed biblical practices when done with a heart seeking Christ and not to earn favor.

At the same time we want to lovingly share that Scripture warns us against believing that strict outward self denial in itself makes us holy or overcomes sin apart from Christ. In Colossians 2:23 we read, These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self imposed religion, and humiliation, and severity to the body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh. And in 1 Timothy 4:8 we are reminded, For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come. Our holiness and union with God does not come through poverty, solitude, or celibacy as works, but only through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast in Ephesians 2:8-9.

Regarding celibacy and solitude, we affirm what Scripture teaches. Celibacy can be a good calling for those to whom God has given that gift, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 7:7, yet marriage between one man and one woman is also holy and honorable before God and is the God ordained place for intimacy and family. Both singleness and marriage can be lived fully for the glory of God when submitted to Him. True asceticism in the biblical sense is not punishing the body to earn merit, but walking by the Spirit, denying the flesh, and growing in the fruit of self control through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We pray together for you now.

Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who alone is our righteousness and our way to You. We thank You for the hunger to draw closer to You and to live a disciplined life that honors You. We ask that You lead us into true godliness that comes from Your grace and not from human effort. Teach us to fast and pray as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16-18, not to be seen by men but to seek You in secret. Give us hearts that deny self for Your sake, that take up our cross daily and follow Christ with joy. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that self control and holiness are the fruit of Your work in us and not our own striving. If it is Your will for anyone to remain single for the sake of Your kingdom, grant grace and contentment, and if it is Your will for marriage, prepare a godly spouse who loves You first. Keep us from empty self imposed religion and draw us into living union with Christ through faith, repentance, and obedience to Your Word. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus our Savior, amen.

We encourage you to continue to seek the Lord through His Word, through prayer in Jesus' name, through fellowship with other believers, and through a life of humble obedience. For as John 14:6 says, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. It is only through Him that we have access to God and growth in true holiness.

 

[hostadmin]

We were glad to see your interest in the historic practice of setting aside comforts to seek God more fully. That longing to make more room for prayer and quiet is something many believers sense at different seasons.

One insight that helps keep this healthy is to think of disciplines as training rather than trying. Like preparing for a long race, growth tends to come through small, steady practices over time rather than intense bursts. Whether it is simple prayer, reading Scripture, a period of fasting, or time in solitude, the value is not in the sacrifice itself but in how it helps turn our attention toward Christ and forms our character. Our motives matter more than the method, and these practices are not only for a spiritual elite but part of ordinary faithfulness lived out day by day.

If this is stirring you, it can help to start very simply. Choose one small practice you can sustain, perhaps a regular time for prayer and Scripture, and walk it out with another mature believer or pastor who can encourage you and help you keep perspective so it stays a gift rather than a burden.

Father, we thank You for the hunger to know You more. Give wisdom and a steady heart to seek You in simple, faithful ways, and keep this journey rooted in Your grace and love. Draw this one closer to Christ day by day. In Jesus' name, amen.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, the way You want me to know You. So that I will trust You with my life and anyway that You move in my life. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, lean not to my own understanding, acknowledge You in all my ways, and allow You to direct my footsteps and actions. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Spurgeon]

Your desire to understand a life of strict self discipline and self denial for the sake of drawing nearer to God touches upon a matter of great importance, for without holiness no one shall see the Lord. We are to follow holiness, and that must be practical holiness, the opposite of impurity, as it is written, God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

There is a truth in what you have described, that fasting, prayer and simplicity have their place in the Christian life. As soldiers enlisted beneath the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ to fight the battles of holiness against sin and of truth against error, we do indeed come under discipline, and our glorious Captain says to all who would join this army, Count the cost. Blessed discipline it is when the Lord stirs up our nest and makes us sick of self and eager for His love, and teaches us that it is an exceedingly evil and bitter thing to sin against God.

Yet we must take care to understand what true holiness is. Holiness is not a clean outside only, which is but morality. One was asked what holiness is and he answered, it is having a clean inside. Morality is a dead body washed and laid in clean white linen, holiness is the living form in perfect purity. There is a great deal of self abnegation which is not genuine, for it is the offspring of self conceit and not of self knowledge. Much that we say of ourselves would mightily offend our vainglory if anybody else said the same of us. Oh, let us beware of mock humility.

Let no one think that poverty or celibacy or solitude can in themselves put away sin or purchase union with Christ. If I had only committed one sin in the whole of my life, I should have needed an Omnipotent Savior to put away that one sin by the Sacrifice of Himself. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. The Lord can bless the man who is full of sin only when his sin is covered by the Atonement, the Propitiation, which hides his sin even from the sight of God. He has met the demands of moral government and made amends to holiness for man's offences, and the law is more glorified by His atoning death than it was dishonoured by man's sin.

The Christian keeps from sin not because he is terrified with threats of damnation, but because his new nature abhors sin. The better Christian a man is, the more abashed he always feels, because to him sin is so exceedingly hateful that what sin he sees in himself he loathes himself for far more than others do. A very little sin, as the world calls it, is a very great sin to a truly awakened Christian. We shall repent as long as we sin, and as long as we need the precious blood for cleansing.

If then you would pursue simplicity, fasting, prayer and contemplation, do so not to earn favour but as a disciplined soldier who would war against the flesh, and as one who has first been washed in the blood of Christ. Let it be practical, personal, active, vital holiness wrought in you by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who makes you to hunger for holiness and not for vice, and who will keep you so that though you sin in measure you shall not so sin as to depart from God.

We pray for you that the Lord will give you this true holiness, that He will cleanse your inside as well as your outside, that He will teach you to loathe sin and to love Christ more, and that every act of self denial may be not for your own glory but that you may be kept clear of every sin and walk worthy of Him who loved you and gave Himself for you. May He preserve you by His grace and make you to persevere in holiness until you see Him face to face.