Prayer Series (3)

Prayer and Fasting

Old and New Testament Scripture speaks consistently about Prayer and Fasting. In the Scriptures fasting is the discipline of going without food in order to seek God with your whole heart. It can be compared to entering the Holy of Holies in the Temple…alone and dependent on God.

Fasting is turning my attention from the pleasures of this world so that I might more fully focus my attention on Christ and find my greatest pleasure in Him.

Fasting is sacrificing something I value to pursue something God values for and/or through me.

Fasting is denying myself what I desire as a way of putting my desire for God first.

Fasting is setting aside less important things to seek the most important.

Fasting is the discipline of putting God’s eternal purposes before my temporal desires.

Fasting is reserving the time, energy, and resources normally given to an activity to pursue God and His will.

Fasting is disconnecting with the world so I can make a deeper connection with God.

The Motive must be the realization that the world has crowded in around you and you need to withdraw yourself from some of these things to focus more of your time, attention, and desire towards seeking a deeper relationship with God and commitment to His will.

It all comes down to the intent of your heart. Fasting is a means of getting our minds back on the reality that we are not self-sufficient. Fasting helps us realize just how fragile we are and how much we depend on things beyond ourselves.

Jesus was asked why His disciples didn't fast and He said because I am still with them so that means that when we're feeling distant from God that fasting brings us back into His presence.

Fasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all the Christian disciplines and one of the most neglected. You can pray without fasting and fast without prayer. It is when the heart is heavily burdened, and prayer and fasting is combined, with the focus wholly upon God that they reach their full effectiveness.

Fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Fasting is not magic, nor does it twist the arm of God. Fasting is urgently and diligently seeking Him with the whole heart for a need, a burden that only He can answer.

The power of fasting and praying is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil.

Fasting and prayer is one of the most powerful spiritual combinations on earth. True fasting brings humility and alignment with God. It breaks the power of flesh and demonic strongholds. It kills unbelief and brings answers to prayer when nothing else works.

It has been well said that prayer is not preparation for the battle - prayer IS the battle. And of all the things we can do to enhance the power and focus of prayer, fasting is doubtless the most powerful.

You can go a certain distance in God, and experience many things, without fasting, but the highest, richest, and most powerful blessings go to those who fast. Fasting and prayer is a major key to hearing God's voice.

Anyone who started a significant spiritual movement in Christianity was, to the best of my knowledge all men of fasting - Luther, Wesley, Finney, Booth.

When Jesus said in

Mark 9: 29This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting,

he was referring to the boy who had been under the control of an evil spirit since his youth.  There is such a hold on some people that only the best we have to offer to the Lord will break the bondage...to break the chains…to seek Him with the whole heart, to set ourselves apart in fasting and prayer as an intercessor for the one who cannot help himself.

We must fast and pray if these strongholds are to be broken. 

Isaiah 58:6 “ Isn’t this the fast I choose To break the chains of wickedness to untie the ropes of the yoke,to set the oppressed free,and to tear off every yoke?

The Scripture teaches us that fasting and prayer is how to break these strongholds.

We studied Intercessory prayer and learned in intercessory prayer we take the place of the one for whom we are praying.  Moses took the place of the Israelites and “stood in the gap” for them.  When we read the prayers of God’s prophets, they pray as if they were the sinner.  When Daniel prayed for Israel, he said “we have been rebellious…”, so did Nehemiah, and so many others.  They stood for Israel; they interceded for Israel.  We have wonderful examples of intercessors in the New Testament, culminating with the ultimate intercessor, Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us.  He stands for us.  We can stand for the one for whom we fast and pray.  If we don’t do it, who will?

Before we start a fast, it is important to make sure that we do not have unfinished business with God.  If He has asked us to do something and we are disobedient, we must take care of that first.  If we have unchecked attitudes or sin(s) in our lives, anything that is not pleasing to Him, we must repent and make it right if it is in our power to do so.  David said, If I have sin in my heart, God will not hear me.

The Scripture speaks of a 1-day fast, 3-day fast, 21-day fast, and 40-day fast.  Moses fasted for 80 days, but he is the only one and it was a special circumstance.  Jesus fasted 40 days when he was preparing for his public ministry.  Daniel had a partial fast that lasted 21 days.

We only have time tonight to mention the fasts of the great men in the Bible who fasted.

King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20:3)

In response to Jonah's preaching, the men of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5).

Even wicked King Ahab's fast moved God so that he did not bring full judgment down on him in his own lifetime (1 Kings 21:27).

David fasted when he learned that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). David fasted for his sick son. 2 Samuel 12:16.

Elijah fasted 40 days before he heard God's voice again. (1 Kings 19:8)

Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after he was forced to put Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:18).

Esther called for a fast of the Jews before she went before he king.

Daniel fasted for the fulfilment of God's promises, and received mighty revelations from God. (Daniel 10:3).

Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting upon learning that Jerusalem was still in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4)

Ezra the priest fasted for God's protection while carrying valuable things for God's temple. (Ezra 8:21-23).

God made it clear through the prophet Joel that the last days outpouring of the Spirit will be in proportion to our fasting and crying out to God in humility, hunger and repentance. (Joel 1:5; Joel 2:12).

John the Baptist taught his disciples to fast (Mark 2:18).

Anna "worshipped night and day, fasting and praying" at the Temple (Luke 2:37).

Jesus fasted and spoke the Word of God to overcome Satan (See Matthew 4:1-10; Luke 4:1-13).

Jesus says to us in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast..." not "If you fast". A true disciple of the Lord will fast at times.

The church of Antioch fasted (Acts 13:2) and sent Paul and Barnabas off on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:3).

Paul and Barnabas spent time in prayer and fasting for the appointment of elders in the churches (Acts 14:23).

Jesus taught us to fast…”And when you fast…”

Prayers with fasting are breaking Satan’s strongholds.  Scripture tells us we are very much a part of spiritual warfare.  Our loved ones do not have to lead a defeated life, they can be set free.  God is faithful.  Jesus said anything is possible to him that believes.  I believe His Word, I believe Him.

Unacceptable Fast…In the prophet Isaiah's time, the people grumbled that they had fasted, yet God did not answer in the way they wanted (Isaiah 58:3-4). Isaiah responded by proclaiming that the external show of fasting and prayer, without the proper heart attitude, was futile.

3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ the people say.  ‘Why aren’t you impressed?  God said, “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. 4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? Isaiah 58:3-4

In Matthew 6 Jesus said of the Pharisees, “You fast to be seen of men”.

Acceptable Fast

Isaiah 58: 6 “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. 7 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.

The Pain of Fasting

Fasting is not easy. There are degrees of fasting, of course. The pain of fasting is twofold. The physical pain is due to the detoxification of our bodies. This can be alleviated by fasting on juice. With juice fasting you have some control on the speed of your body's detoxification.

It is normal to drink water during fasting. Never go without water more than three days. An easier fast is to drink only juice and water.

Ready to Fast?

True fasting is a spiritual discipline. Why am I fasting?...to lose weight?...to test God?...just to see if I can do it?...or like the Pharisees, to be seen of men? No, of course not… none of these reasons.

We fast to set ourselves apart unto God in prayer, denying ourselves to seek Him.

Many times, fasting comes from a deep burden for someone (including yourself) or for some reason (revival) or a situation you or a loved one is in, for healing, for any number of reasons. It is to break the enemy’s stronghold. It is the seeking God with the whole heart. Are you desperate to hear from God, desperate for His hand to work? David said I will not sacrifice to the Lord with that which cost me nothing. So, I want to give my best and let it cost me something.

Practical Fasting - Today, we must consider our own bodies when we prepare to fast. Let us not be caught up in the legalism of the fast. What I mean by that is this is a spiritual decision you make to seek God. Factors such as our personal health and medications must be considered. The Scripture says to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Our fast is done in secret, as much as possible.

Be wise in your choice. Rees Howells fasted two meals a day for two years. He ate a bowl of soup once a day in the evening, but said his mother put everything she could think of in that one bowl of soup. He was getting nutrition, or he would have died!

A 24-hour Jewish day is from sundown one day to sundown the next day. Our 24-hour day is midnight to midnight. Therefore, we consider a fast as not eating anything for an entire day from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. The Jewish fast, on the other hand, would begin at sundown on day one and end at sundown on day two. In that type of fast on day one you eat until the sun goes down and the refrain from eating until the sun goes down on the second day. This is a 1-day Jewish fast. You could set aside a period of weeks and follow this fast one day a week. For example, if you desired to do a seven-day fast, you could follow the one day fast once a week for seven weeks.

Daniel fasted for 21 days,

“Daniel 10:3 that "I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled."

The Daniel Fast limits food choices to whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds.” But be careful that your fast is not a fast only. Fasting always goes hand-in-hand with prayer and seeking God.

I will close with these true stories of fasting.

Throughout 21 days of prayer, my cell group and I have been praying and fasting for my dad’s salvation. And last night, in my home, my dad received salvation and accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior! Amen!

A member of my cell group was a smoker. He made a commitment to God to go on a vegetable fast and quit smoking during the 21 days of fast and prayer. He has not smoked at all. He really has experienced a breakthrough in his personal life.

During 21 Days of Prayer, I went on a 21-day beverage fast and put aside one hour to seek God every day. God used my sister and me to bring about healing into my mum’s life in the area of her emotions. The breakthroughs and experiences that God has given to me during this time are life-changing. I have decided that I will go on a 21-day period prayer and fasting once a year.

“Amidst seven months of grief and heartache, I found indescribable intimacy with Jesus. I got to know Him as my everything.

The Lord was with me through my fast—He spoke to me so boldly and He made himself so clear to me. I just feel a new strength because of HIM. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had.

I felt led to fast for three days, fasting the first day with juice only. Increased income was one of my husband’s and my greatest needs. On the first day I began my fast, my husband went to pick up his paycheck … and discovered he’d been given a raise!

On the fifth day of my fast, during my morning prayer, I felt the presence of God. Several of my past sins were brought to my mind as I repented and asked for forgiveness. Interestingly, some of these I had never considered as sins and they were part of my lifestyle for 20 years. During this fasting experience I was made aware that I was believing a lie and could be set free from a reprobate mind. After a period of time in which I confessed my sins and asked forgiveness, my mind was filled with attributes of Jesus and His names…. I knew at that point that I was fully set free! Completely set free of sinful habits that have held me for 20 years—wow! There is a heightened sense and awareness of what constitutes sin—something I almost never had before.