(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Now why is the sermon called fasting an accessory discipline? Well let me liken it on to powerlifting okay weightlifting powerlifting okay when you think of powerlifting you think of three essential workouts that are really necessary now ladies you can tune out this this you could probably care less but you know it'll make sense in just a bit okay when you powerlift there's three essential workouts that you need which is the deadlift amen you need the bench press and you need the squats you cannot skip leg day never skip leg day amen those are the three essential workouts that you need in order to be strong okay if you want to be a well-rounded strong person those are the three main workouts that you need those are the ones those are the ones that in the sense you're commanded to do if you really want to get strong right you guys understand what I'm saying don't look at me like that it's the truth go look it up now there's other workouts that you can do to assist you in your deadlift in your squat or in your bench press and those would be considered what accessories now here's the thing you can be strong without those things you can be a very strong individual without ever touching those accessories those accessories just assist you in your lift you understand now how does that apply to fasting okay well let me explain how it applies to fasting prayer is essential Bible reading essential okay church attendance essential and you can wrap around that soul winning in that church attendance as well okay these are the essentials to the Christian life you understand and in fact you know deadlifting squats and and bench presses this is what these are what's they're what's known as compound workouts so in other words when you do them it just works everything out works out your back your arms your chest your belly everything okay it's a compound workout well you know what the Bible's a compound spiritual workout too because when you're reading it you're cleansing that which is inside but you're also learning to save others with it as well so you not only benefit yourself you benefit others as well in fact the Bible tells us to give thyself holy unto it by doing so that shall both save thyself and them that hear thee it's an overall spiritual workout to read the Word of God to learn the Bible you not only save yourself from false doctrine you equip yourself to save others as well right how about prayer prayer is a compound workout spiritual workout why because you pray for your personal needs right but you also make supplication for the needs of others okay church attendance is a compound workout spiritual workout why because you come to hear the preaching of God's Word okay so you're not a child tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but it's also a place where you're sent out to go preach the gospel to pull them out of the fire so you see how they these are well-rounded spiritual disciplines in our life well there's other things in the Christian life that can be considered accessories things that will help you in your Christian life they're not they're not commanded for you to do but they're just accessories that will assist you in these areas you know it's commanded for us to give the tithe and that will help us to have our hearts in the right place right but you know what if you give an offering that'll just increase your desire to give to the things of God that'll place your treasure in heaven in fact it'll give you a reward when you get to heaven when you actually give an offering and in like manner you know fasting although not a command it's like an accessory discipline that can assist you in your prayer life now here's the thing you know like bench pressing and deadlifts and and and squats you could be a really strong person without those accessories and in like manner you could be a great Christian without ever fasting once in your life you can be an awesome great godly Christian to do great works for God just a powerful strong Christian with God's favor in your life and never fast once in your entire life