Fasting that Changes the Course of History

Acts 13:1–4 (NKJV)

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

We can’t overstate the historical significance of the church of Antioch.

Before this word from the Holy Spirit came there seems to had been no organized missions of the church.

The church of Antioch fasted and prayed then missions for Paul was born.

Before this, Paul had made no missionary journeys westward to Asian Minor, Greece, or Rome, or Spain. Before this Paul had not written any of his letters which were all the result of his missionary travels beginning here.

And 13 out of the 29 books of the New Testament were the result of the ministry that was launched in this moment of prayer and fasting.

This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would make Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman Empire within two and a half centuries and would yield 2.4 billion adherents of the Christian religion today with a Christian witness in virtually every country of the world.

In the early 1990 Christianity was at 1.6 billion.

Now its almost double the converts now.

According to Baptist Research Network

Christianity is growing around the world faster than the rate of population! The population growth rate is currently trending at 0.87% growth but Christianity's growth rate is trending at 1.08%. In fact, the Christian population is projected to top 3 billion before 2050!

Though in American it seems to have a decline in Christianity but in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia were said to have the fastest-growing Christian communities and the majority of the new believers are "upwardly mobile, urban, middle-class Chinese".

Even in Iran there is a spike in Christianity.

So I think is it fair to say that God was pleased to make worship and prayer and fasting the launching pad for a mission that would change the course of world history.

The early church used to fast twice a week. I believe on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for God.

John Piper

Fasting is the voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.

Richard J. Foster; Richard Foster

I’m encouraging all of us as a church to fast. for a full 24 hours. Starting Tuesday night to Wednesday night. So essentially you will be skipping two meals. Breakfast and Lunch.

We will be fasting for three reasons starting off. And each reason will cover the span of 3 weeks.

So its going to be 9 weeks centered on growth.

Week 1-3 - We will be fasting for spiritual growth as an individual. Spiritual maturity.

Week 4-6 - We will be fasting for corporate growth. Development of the whole fellowship into a loving family.

Week 7-9 - We will be focusing on numerical growth. Growth for more people to come to the faith and to be apart of our local assembly.

What is Biblical fasting?

Essentially fasting is a form a abstinence from food.

But not mere abstinence alone.

But its abstinence from something to engaged in something.

Three reasons why we fast.

Three basic reasons why we fast.

1. To starve the flesh and feed the Spirit.

2. To pray

3. To stand in solidarity with the poor.

And abstinence is a form of discipline.

Fasting is apart of our spiritual formation.

Fasting is a force discipline in our life which will turn into genuine discipline.

We have two major temptations in the Bible.

You have Adam and Eve and the temptation from eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And you had Jesus in Matthew. 4 When after he fasted 40 days and 40 nights

But these temptations revolved around food.

Fasting is mandated and assumed.

Matthew 6:16 (NKJV)

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

There was a group called the Pharisees and they loved to fast to be perceived as being righteous or pious.

They used to put on a gloomy look to appear to be fasting. And purposely disfigure there faces to appear to be fasting.

They where more interested in the appearance of fasting then the fasting itself.

The emphasis of fasting was the denial of ones flesh but the Pharisees where doing the opposite of the purpose of fasting by drawing attention to there flesh.

Israel’s abstinence from certain sorts of meat

Le 7:22–27; Le 11:1–47; Dt 14:1–21; Ac 10:9–14 God used the food laws to teach Peter a spiritual lesson.

Israel’s abstinence from other things

Ex 19:14–15 ; Le 16:29–31 ; Nu 6:1–4.

Absences from Physical intimacy with ones wife.

Exodus 19:14–15 NKJV

So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.”

Abstinence from work

Leviticus 16:29–31 NKJV

“This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.

See also Ex 31:16–17; Nu 29:7; Jdg 13:4; 1 Sa 21:4

Abstinence from food

As an expression of repentance

1 Sa 7:5–6; Ezr 10:6

See also Joe 2:12; 2 Sa 1:11–12; Ne 1:3–4; Jon 3:5.

David after his sin when he murder Uriah and commited adultry with his wife . he fasted.

Expressing a seeking after God

See also Mt 9:14–15; Ac 14:23 ; Mt 4:1–2; Lk 2:36–37; Ac 9:9; Ro 14:6

Romans 14:6 NKJV

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Acts 14:23 NKJV

So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Temporary sexual abstinence as a form of discipline

Ex 19:15; 1 Sa 21:4–5; 1 Co 7:5

1 Corinthians 7:5 NKJV

Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Denial of selfish desires

Mt 16:24 ; 1 Pe 2:11

1 Peter 2:11 NKJV

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

Matthew 16:24 NKJV

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

See also Ro 13:13

Romans 13:13 NKJV

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Voluntary abstinence for the sake of others

1 Corinthians 8:13 NKJV

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

See also Ac 15:19–20; Ac 15:29; Ac 21:25; Ro 14:21; 1 Co 9:12; 1 Co 9:19–27; 1 Co 10:15–31

Abstinence may be hypocritical

Matthew 6:16 NKJV

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

See also Is 58:3–7; Je 14:10–12 ; Zec 7:2–6; Lk 18:11–12; 1 Ti 4:2–5

Jeremiah 14:10–12 NKJV

Thus says the Lord to this people: “Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish their sins.” Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”