Hunger For God

Intro

What’s up y’all?

Today we talking about fasting! Not fast people like Usain Bolt, but fasting.

When it comes to things that we think of that Christians do, fasting is not super high up on the list.

But the Bible has a lot to say about fasting.

Fasting is mentioned more times in the Bible than baptism.

So it is important but…

What is fasting?

What should be our purpose behind fasting?

Guys I totally understand fasting feeling like a punishment because I love food.

but that is why we are talking about it today, because fasting is probably one of the most misunderstood and under used practices in the faith.

so lets pray then jump right in.

Why should I even fast?

As Christians we know that we are to fast.

Fasting is all over in the Bible.

How many times do you think that the Bible commands us to fast?

It is only once. Leviticus 16:29-34 is the only place and it was on the day of atonement.

The thing is, it was a super spiritual and super common practice in the Biblical times.

There was no need for Jesus to pound fasting into people’s brains because most Jewish people fasted at least once a week.

Many of the Pharisees and more devout Jews even fasted twice a week.

So Jesus knew there was a need to fast.

Matthew 6:16 starts off by saying “when you fast.”

So again, it was never a command, but saying “when” implies that all Christians should fast.

but…

The disciples were actually known for not fasting.

We see this in Matthew 9:15

Matthew 9:14–15 CSB

Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

So one of John the baptists disciples asked why his disciples do not fast.

But we will continue to talk about this as the message goes on, but fasting is really about God.

It is about growing closer to him.

The disciples were with the Son of God every day, they did not have to clear their minds to focus on God because Jesus was right there with them.

So he says there will be a day when he is gone, and they will fast.

He says they will fast, earlier we say him when you fast

We know as Christians we have a need to fast.

This still doesn’t really answer the question “why?” though.

To a certain extent it does…

Because when Jesus says it, we do it.

but some of us are looking for more than that.

This is a spiritual practice, so like anything we have to keep God at the center.

so to answer this lets dive into Philippians and see what can happen when we do not fast.

Philippians 3:18–19 CSB

For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things,

Paul states that there are many people who stand in opposition or as enemies to Christ.

He goes on and lists some reasons why, and I am sure you see which one I want to focus on.

Paul says “their god is their stomach.”

This really means that they seek to please themselves.

They consume whatever they want, they are gluttons pleasing themselves.

Like if you don’t know by now, I love ice cream.

If I could eat it every day I would.

But, I don’t… why?

One, if that was all I ate, I think I might die, or get diabetes.

Two, I will probably get boo boo belly cause too much dairy can hurt my tummy.

but Paul is really talking more about food.

He is saying whatever their bodies pleasure they were doing.

They had no self control .

We know this because he goes on to say they are focused on earthly things.

and what I want you to know is we need to be aware of any pleasure that interrupts your passionate pursuit of Christ.

So to answer the question why do we fast?

It is to focus on God.

We have to rid ourselves of the things of this world.

The main reason we fast is “to nourish our hunger for God and to reduce our hunger for the world.”

So the point of cutting out food is when you feel those hunger pains, you think about God.

It allows you to focus on him and not of the things on this world.

because really…

Fasting is about Focus, not Food

Lets look at…

Matthew 6:16–18 CSB

“Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

This passage all comes back to what is fasting all about?

If you guys remember the first sermon in this series, we talked about abiding.

We said that we have to first be in Christ before all of these other things happen.

If you do not have Christ, then you are just marking things off of a check list.

So if you did not believe me then… here we are again.

This passage in Matthew told us not to have gloomy face, to not make our faces unattractive.

Why?

Because we are doing it for God.

We are not living for man, but rather for God.

Do y’all know the people who do things for attention?

The people who exaggerate stories to fit in

who interrupt the conversation and point it back to them.

The people who over share.

The ones who act out in public and it seems like they are just seeking attention.

This is what this text is saying…

When we fast we are to keep our eyes on God, not on man.

We cannot make the focus what other people are thinking of us.

Too many time we are looking around at the world.

We are looking around for approval from our peers.

We are looking around to see how the world sees us.

What I want you guys to know is that as Christians we must stop this.

We have to stop looking around and start looking up.

When we are looking up we are not going to care about what people think.

When we look up at God, we keep living our lives.

We are not trying to do things to make people go, “why aren’t you eating”

We are trying to please God.

This is why in the passage is says put oil on your head and wash your face.

This was normal in their day.

The text literally says, “keep doing the cleanly things you are doing”

It would be like if I said “brush your teeth and put on deodorant”

some of yall still need to hear that more than others…

but we are to do things that make us seem just as normal.

because if you are doing it for God, then you are not to show off that you are fasting.

And since God is at the center of it, it is not really about food.

it is really about God.

It is about focusing on God.

Ultimately, fasting is far more about focus than food. Fasting is taking your focus off of the things of this world in order to focus more on the things of God.

When we saying fasting, we think about not eating.

But I do not think it is only limited to that.

As someone who played college football, I literally could not go a day without eating.

I had to eat so much to keep my weight up.

The coaches wanted you to weight a certain amount and every day before and after practice I had to weigh myself and report it to the coaches.

So when Mikaela and I got married and we ordered our first pizza together she looked at me in a weird way when I did not eat the entire thing.

Because I had to for my sport, because if I did not, lack of food and water is one of the top causes for muscular injury.

I had to.

So how did I fast?

I would give up social media.

Again, think back to what are things that can distract you from Christ.

We all have something, but I would take a bet that if I looked at your screen time, there would be a chance that it might take time away from God.

Again, it is taking your mind off of the things of this world and focusing them all on Christ.

Go and do the cup illustration

As you can see, fasting allows us to grow closer to God.

But what I want you to know is that the point of fasting is not to change God.

Fasting Changes Us, not God

How many of us have tried to do something to try to convince them to let you do something?

Like you go and deep clean the house, your mom gives you a compliment on how it looks, then thats when you ask if you can go over to your friends house?

There are situations like these and so many Christians treat fasting like this!

I have heard people who have had loved ones in the hospital say they are going to fast in hopes that God will save them.

And I would say that is great, I love that you are fasting because a loved one is sick.

but, you to be closer to him and understand his promises, not to persuade him in a certain way.

fasting is meant to change our hearts and not try to change God’s will.

James 4:8 CSB

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

It says we are to draw near to God and he will draw near to us.

This is what fasting is.

We talked about the focus being on him.

When we hunger, when we want to scroll them reel, or whatever you are giving up…

it makes you think about God.

Fasting is about changing yourself to be in agreement with God’s plan and to be prepared to carry out your role in His plan.

So going back to the person in the hospital.

If you were to fast during a hard time like that, it can change your perspective.

It can open your eyes to know that God has a plan.

It can allow you to accept Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

God can pull you close and give you reminders like Genesis 50:20 “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” Knowing what the enemy meant for evil God used it for Good.

But guys this passage here in James is a promise.

That when you get close to him, he gets close to you.

That is why we fast.

To be filled with more of him.

That is why people fast before hard decisions or hard times.

We see this in the Bible!

In Acts 13:1-2 we see Paul and Barnabas getting ready to go on a missionary journey, so they fast.

They want to be closer to God during this hard season on being away and knowing that they could possibly be killed.

but in hard times people fast so they can focus on God.

so I want to end with a question:

What are you willing to empty yourself of to let God fill you?

The go to is food, that is traditional fasting.

but we know its more about focus on God.

but is there something that is such a big stumbling block that you need to take a few hours, a day, a few days, or even a week or more without?

Love y’all

Any thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, stones for heresy?