Where are the various spiritual disciplines found in Scripture?

Common disciplines and their refinements, like multiple forms of prayer, number in the dozens. Below are twenty of the most familiar in alphabetical order

Joshua 1:8Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Ezra 7:8-10Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

The discipline of Bible study is a foundational spiritual discipline that informs, encourages, directs, and confirms all the other holy habits. It summarizes a lifelong practice of continual curiosity, exploration, understanding, and sharing of God’s inexhaustible Word.

Psalm 16:7-11I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 100:1-5Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Psalm 139:14Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

The discipline of celebration is the deliberate habit of engaging in actions like worship, praise, and thanksgiving with the purpose of declaring our appreciation of all God is and does.

1 Corinthians 6:19Don’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.

Romans 12:1So, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Galatians 5:13You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Ephesians 5:29-30No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

The discipline of chastity recognizes the special gift of the physical body and calls us to honor our own body and the bodies of others with purity and respect.

Acts 2:42-47All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

1 Corinthians 12:4-14There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

Colossians 3:15-16Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

The discipline of community resists the sinful tendency toward separation, lack of trust, and unhealthy individualism by deliberately practicing actions that demonstrate vulnerability, mutual dependence, and corporate exercises like worship, study, work, and various types of assistance.

Matthew 15:32Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.”

Mark 1:41Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”

1 Peter 3:8-9Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

The discipline of compassion seeks to develop the habit of imitating Christ in not only feeling with and for others but also taking practical steps to meet their needs.

Psalm 32:1-2Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Psalm 139:23-24Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

James 5:16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

The discipline of confession is the developed habit of transparency before God and before others, knowing that secrecy can empower sin in our lives.

Isaiah 58:6-7“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.”

Matthew 6:16-18“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

The discipline of fasting is the practice of foregoing all or some food and drink in order to refine our hunger for God. Time and resources normally assigned to cooking and eating can be diverted to prayer and helping others.

Psalm 136:1-2Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.

Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

The discipline of gratitude develops a continual attitude of gratefulness to God no matter what the circumstances may be.

Mark 12:30-31“‘And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Romans 12:13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Hebrews 13:1-2Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

The discipline of hospitality is the practice of extending relational and physical shelter to others. It involves generosity with what we have to meet their needs.

Joshua 1:8“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Psalm 1:2-3They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

Psalm 19:14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

The discipline of meditation internally reviews, sifts, considers words, phrases, passages from God’s Word with a listening, curious attitude, expecting God to speak to us.

Psalm 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Luke 24:8Then they remembered that he [Jesus] had said this.

John 16:12-15“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’”

The discipline of memorization helps us to prepare for meditation, uploading sections of God’s Word to the mind for consideration. Jesus responded to each of the tempter’s approaches (Matthew 4:1-11) by quoting Scripture, demonstrating that he had memorized God’s Word.

Matthew 6:9-13“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

Matthew 26:36-44Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.

Romans 8:26-27The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

The discipline of prayer probably has the most varied forms of application, covering any and all ways we carry on communication with God. The effectiveness of any prayer flows from our awareness of the divine audience and our desire to see God’s will done. When we pray, we imitate Jesus, who continually demonstrated his dependence on God.

Exodus 20:8-11“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”

Deuteronomy 33:12Moses said this about the tribe of Benjamin: “The people of Benjamin are loved by the Lord and live in safety beside him. He surrounds them continuously and preserves them from every harm.”

Psalm 62:1I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.

Psalm 116:7Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.

Matthew 11:28Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

The discipline of rest begins with the Sabbath command and observes various ways in which rest is beneficial to body, soul, and spirit. Rest does not necessarily mean sleeping or ceasing from all action, but a change of pace from what we normally do to something we find spiritually and physically refreshing before God.

Matthew 20:28“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 22:24-27Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”

John 12:26“Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.”

John 13:12-17After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

Philippians 2:3-11Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The discipline of service was modelled and taught by Jesus. It is the most complete discipline for living out the great commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. Service cultivates an attentive attitude to the needs of others, meeting them even without being asked.

1 Kings 19:12After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

Habakkuk 2:20“But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.”

Luke 5:16Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Revelation 8:1When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour.

The discipline of silence involves developing the habit of quietness and awe before God in order to perceive him more clearly and thereby also see ourselves more clearly. This discipline includes waiting attentively for God to speak to us.

Matthew 5:37“Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:19-21“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

Mark 10:21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Philippians 4:11-12Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

The discipline of simplicity turns us away from depending on material goods, significance, or busyness, allowing us to pursue a truly healthy life and a growing relationship with God. As with John the Baptist, when God becomes a larger focus of our attention and we become a smaller focus of our attention, we are developing the discipline of simplicity.

1 Kings 19:11“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

Lamentations 3:28Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands.

Mark 1:35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

The discipline of solitude helps develop a sense of comfort with ourselves and with God, without relying on others for stimulation or affirmation. While the discipline of silence focuses on not speaking, solitude may not always require silence. It may allow us to sing, talk aloud with God, listen to music or an audio book, or do other activities that allow sounds or the use of our voice.

Genesis 1:27-31So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18“He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”

Psalm 24:1The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

Matthew 6:19-20“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

The discipline of stewardship reclaims the original blessing and commission of God to Adam and Eve to be stewards of the earth. It seeks to develop a habitual frame of mind that cares for creation and uses it responsibly, not forgetting that humans are merely overseers of what belongs to God.

John 3:30“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

Ephesians 5:21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Philippians 2:5-8You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Hebrews 13:17Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

The discipline of submission is a voluntary act of recognizing the will of God or another person above our own. This is at heart a continual part of our relationship with God but also comes into play in our relationships with others as they take up roles of leadership or guidance in our lives.

Matthew 4:10“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

John 4:24“God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Hebrews 12:28-29Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

Revelation 4:11“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

The discipline of worship seeks to practice an ever increasing appreciation for God and awe before him. This is one of the spiritual disciplines undertaken by groups as well as individuals, seeking to increase the appropriate honor deserved by God.

Where are the various spiritual disciplines found in Scripture? - Spiritual Disciplines - TouchPoints