Isaiah 64:8 O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. FASTING - A tangible way of saying no to ourselves, and saying yes to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. When to fast? 1. REGULARLY - TO PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELF AND YES TO GOD. Matthew 16:24 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 1 Corinthians 9:27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 2. WHEN WE’VE FORGOTTEN OUR FIRST LOVE. Revelation 2:4-5 But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me rom your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 3. WHEN MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. A change of place + a change of pace = change of perspective. 4. WHEN YOU HAVE A BURDEN Nehemiah 1:4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 2 Samuel 24:24 I will not present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that have cost me nothing.