STEP 7: SPIRITUAL HABITS

BEcome like jesus

The second lifelong pursuit of every disciple of Jesus is to become like Jesus. Whether we realize it or not, all of us are being formed into the image of something—good or bad. One of the influences that form us is our habits. Things we do regularly over the course of days, weeks, and months are shaping us into the image of something.

First, think about this on a merely physical level.

What are some examples of habits that promote physical health?

What are some examples of habits that are physically unhealthy?

Habits also shape the person we are becoming on the inside. For example, many people have a habit of looking at their phone when they first wake up in the morning. Some people might look at the news or email, others a calendar or to-do list, others might look at social media, and others might look at YouTube.

What might this habit reveal about what someone values most if they look at the news?

How would that compare to the person who first looks at their to-do list? The person who first looks at social media?

Habits not only reveal what we value, but they also reinforce values, shaping and teaching us to care more about these reinforced values.

How would it change you if you made it your habit not to touch your phone in the morning until you had prayed, read the Bible, and, if you live with others, served them in some way first?

In pursuit of our goal to become more like Jesus, we want to ask, “What habits will form us to become more like Jesus?” The answer is that habits create opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and lives, forming us into the image of Jesus. These are spiritual habits. Others have called them spiritual disciplines, godly practices, or Christian habits.

1 TIMOTHY 4:7-8

7 …train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Similar to the way physical training requires work, so it is with spiritual training. We will not be formed into the character of Jesus by being idle and doing nothing. It is the Holy Spirit who does the work of changing us and we must provide the opportunity and create the environment in our lives so he can work. We do this by devoting ourselves to spiritual habits.

What are spiritual habits? We have actually already studied many, including prayer, Bible reading, meditation, and gathering with other Christians. Remember the disciples in the first century devoted themselves to various spiritual habits—breaking bread and the prayers are examples of two.

ACTS 2:42

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

In this step, we will focus on the spiritual habits that Jesus taught. These habits strategically target the primary idols in our hearts. Idols are not only physical statues of false gods. Idols can be anything that we look to for ultimate life and satisfaction rather than God. They can often be discovered by completing this sentence: If I could have _________, then I would be happy. If the thing that we fill in the blank with, the thing we look to for happiness or fulfillment, is not God, then it’s an idol. These answers stem from the four primary idols of the human heart which are:

The four spiritual habits that confront these sinful desires in our flesh are:

Disciples should practice these spiritual habits regularly. Disciples should also practice a specific habit when they are feeling particularly tempted by the corresponding desire of the flesh. Let’s take a look at each of these habits:

HABIT 1: GIVING

In the New Testament, Jesus talked about money more than any other topic except for the kingdom of God. In general, the Bible teaches us to give money in two ways: by tithing and out of generosity.

Tithing is the Christian practice of returning 1/10 of our income to God. The foundational concept for tithing is that 100% of everything we have belongs to God. God asks us to return 1/10 (10%) to him by giving to our local church. 1

When tithing is regular, planned giving, it teaches our hearts to trust in God for our security and safety. 2 God promises that if we return the first 10% to him, he will bless us with the rest and meet all our needs. 3 Jesus said the following about how we use our money affects our hearts.

MATTHEW 6:21

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The spiritual habit of regular giving (tithing) trains our hearts to look to God for our ultimate safety and security. We can also train our hearts by giving generously when we see the needs of those around us. 4

1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

HABIT 2: SILENCE AND SOLITUDE

Just like disciples cannot serve God and money, so we cannot seek the approval of God and people. 5

GALATIANS 1:10

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

When we feel our hearts yearning for the praise and approval of people, we need to retreat and be alone with the one who loves us unconditionally—God. Jesus exemplified this habit for us.

LUKE 5:16

16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Furthermore, Jesus encouraged his disciples to retreat to solitary places after times of busyness.

MARK 6:31

31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

What did Jesus think about and pray about when he was alone in the desolate places? Perhaps Jesus reflected on the words of his Father at his baptism:

MATTHEW 3:17

17 …and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

There were many other voices with opinions and expectations bombarding Jesus from all sides. But ultimately, only one voice was true and mattered—God’s.

Regularly retreating to a quiet place (it doesn’t have to be a desolate desert place!) to pray and read God’s word helps form our hearts to put our hope in God’s approval of us in Christ.

HABIT 3: FASTING

Fasting is abstaining from eating food for a period of time for the purpose of godliness. (In the Bible, people also fasted for the purposes of prayer, confession, mourning, etc.) Fasting confronts the idol of comfort. Comfort is often the deepest, or heart level, motivation for many sinful desires such as sexual immorality, greed, and covetousness. When such desires tempt us, we believe that if we satisfy our comforts and cravings, we will be happy and satisfied. We turn the satisfaction of our desires into our idol. 6

Fasting trains our bodies and minds to find satisfaction in God, not the gratification of our fleshly desires. Food is not bad; we can and should eat and drink to the glory of God. 7 But abstaining for a brief period of time (even one meal) teaches us that God is even more necessary to us than food.

Jesus exemplified fasting for us.

MATTHEW 4:1-2

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Though Jesus’ disciples did not fast while he was with them, he taught disciples how to fast and said that after his departure his disciples would also fast. 8

LUKE 5:35

35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

The “bridegroom” here represents Jesus, and “them” are the disciples. You should take necessary precautions when fasting, such as beginning with a very short fast (one meal or a few hours). Pay attention to your body’s reaction, and consult with a doctor if you are concerned. In some cases, it may be better to fast from a specific type of food (such as desserts or coffee) rather than abstaining from all food.

Many early Christians fasted twice a week. Regular fasting is helpful, as well as beginning a fast when you feel particularly tempted by sins rooted in an idol of comfort.

HABIT 4: SABBATH

The Sabbath was a day of rest exemplified by God in creation9 and given to the Israelites as one of the Ten Commandments. 10 According to Jewish tradition, the Israelites were to refrain from doing work on the Sabbath (which is the last day of the Jewish week—Saturday).

Sabbath is the only one of these spiritual habits that Jesus did not specifically teach about in the Sermon on the Mount. 11 Furthermore, some accounts from Jesus’ life seem to teach his disciples that they did not need to keep the Sabbath. 12 This wasn’t a prohibition of the spiritual practice of resting on the Sabbath. Jesus was inviting his disciples to practice the ultimate fulfillment of the Sabbath—rest in Jesus.

MATTHEW 11:28-30

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The Jews in Jesus’ day misapplied God’s intention for the Sabbath, so Jesus corrected their legalistic thinking.

MARK 2:27

27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

The Jews in Jesus’ day needed to learn the second half of that statement. In our day, we need to learn the first: “the Sabbath was made for man.” In other words, God gave humans a day of rest as a gift.

Practicing a day of rest each week confronts the idol of control and power because when we desire control, the last thing we want to do is stop working and striving to try to achieve our goal. When productivity, busyness, and accomplishment are rival priorities in our lives with God, we need to stop and rest. When we stop and rest, it reminds us that God is ultimately in control.

Each evening, when we stop working, and at night, when we go to sleep, God stays awake. 13 God continues working. 14 God holds the world together 15—not us. Ceasing from our work nightly and for a whole day each week trains us to hope in God’s sovereignty and not our control.

Which of the four spiritual habits (giving, silence and solitude, fasting, Sabbath) have you practiced before?

How has the habitual practice of any of these helped form you into the image of Jesus?

Which of these do you particularly need to prioritize practicing in your life now?

1 Malachi 3:8-10

2 Deuteronomy 14:22-23

3 Malachi 3:10

4 2 Corinthians 8-9

5 Matthew 6:24

6 Philippians 3:19

7 1 Corinthians 10:31

8 Matthew 6:16-18

9 Genesis 2:1-3

10 Exodus 20:8-11

11 Matthew 6:1-18

12 Matthew 12:1-14

13 Psalm 121

14 John 5:17

15 Colossians 1:17