Prayer & Fasting

Introduction

This week I had planned on beginning a new series on leadership in the early church. But something has come up of significant importance that I want to address, so we will start the series next Sunday by looking at the first leader in the church, Peter. This week I want to discuss the topic of Prayer and Fasting.

I want to share with you Jesus’ words from Matthew concerning fasting: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (, NIV84)

Fasting is not a very popular topic with folks today, kind of like our topic last week, blood. When I look at my life, the reason fasting isn’t very pleasing to me is because of the issue of self-denial. None of us like the idea of denying ourselves of the things we want. There is plenty I would like to have that I can’t, but if I can put my hands upon something I really want, to tell myself “no” isn’t easy.

Fasting is not a command in the Bible we must follow, but the words of Jesus indicate he assumed we would do so. And the only real instructions we have from the Lord concerning fasting is that when we do it, we shouldn’t do it to impress others, but should do it as an act to please God. And according to Jesus, your heavenly Father will reward you for doing so.

So if it is not a command and we are not to do it so that others will notice, then why would I want to discuss the issue with you today?

You might have heard that this year's Lazy Days celebration, which is the 50th anniversary of Lazy Days, will include a Sunday worship event. I haven’t had much to say about it yet because we were in the process of putting it all together.

But as I have attended the planning meetings and have worked with the other Pastor’s in the community, I have noticed something happening that I think can only be attributed to God. And it is beginning to blossom into something that could be very meaningful.

That has been sensed by most of the other Pastors in the community as well, and so we have committed to meet once a week for prayer and to incorporate some form of fasting in our week with the hope that our actions will be found pleasing to our heavenly Father. And we want to encourage you to join in with us, either though prayer or prayer and fasting.

What is Fasting

So let me talk just a moment about fasting. The Greek word in the New Testament for fasting is νηστεύω (nea / stew / o). Normally I wouldn’t quote the Greek, but that word kind of sounds like fasting, doesn’t it: nea or no, stew, o? The word in the Bible refers to abstaining from food or being hungry.

We all fast and just don’t realize it. How many of you have skipped a meal for some reason. Maybe not enough time or nothing looked good. Maybe because you had a blood draw in the morning? Those aren’t fasts with any kind of spiritual significance, but they are still fasts. Of course, what I want us to consider is fasting done for a spiritual reason.

Why Fast

In the Scriptures there are many examples of people who fasted. They would fast before going into battle or before beginning a special project or event. The Day of Atonement was to be a day of fasting. And in the book of Acts the church in Antioch incorporated fasting with their worship. And I think because of that, the Holy Spirit led them to appoint or ordain Barnabas and Paul to the ministry.

Fasting in the Bible is usually tied to prayer or to times of mourning. There are no clear explanations for why to fast, just plenty of examples of those who did it. The only real instruction for fasting is what Jesus gave us which is to do so in humility and as an act of sincerity between us and God.

There are no clear explanations for why to fast, just plenty of examples of those who did it. The only real instruction for fasting is what Jesus gave us which is to do so in humility and as an act of sincerity between us and God.

The only real instruction for fasting is what Jesus gave us which is to do so in humility and as an act between you and God.

Some Pastoral Suggestions about Fasting

So with the lack of explanation found in the Scriptures concerning fasting, I thought I would share some of the wisdom of the Pastors that gathered last Thursday for prayer. I found our discussion to be interesting. Here is a list of reasons to pray and fast:

It reminds us why we are praying. When you skip eating, you get hungry, your stomach growls, and your appetite says, “Where’s my food?” When praying and fasting, that reminds you to stop and pray for whatever you are wanting to lift up before God.

It is an act of self-denial. Like I said earlier, we don’t much like the idea of self-denial, but I would remind you of what Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (, NIV84)

It puts our trust in the promises of God. When fasting is linked with prayer, it helps us to receive the promises Jesus made when he told his disciples, “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”” (, NIV84) We have a promise from our Lord that when we gather together and pray, he will answer our prayers.

It serves as a time of cleansing. I am not talking about not eating junk food, although while fasting you probably wouldn’t be doing that. But what I am talking about is spiritual cleansing. When we pray and fast, we are reminded of just how much we focus upon our own wants and needs and not the desire of God. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (, NIV84) We should first focus upon the will of God in our lives. Not to do so is sin, and we need to ask God to cleans us of all our sin.

And lastly, prayer and fasting is a way to tap into God’s power. There is no Scripture which clearly states that through fasting you will experience God’s power, but in Mark the story is told of Jesus, who cast out a demon from a young boy. Once in the house the disciples asked him why they couldn’t cast out the demon. Jesus said, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.” () There are many that believe that through prayer and fasting we can tap into the power of God and do amazing things for his glory.

Conclusion

I have brought up all this to ask one question. Will you join us in praying and maybe even fasting about this years Lazy Days Worship event? You are going to hear more and more about this as the time draws near. But I would ask that you would begin to include in your prayers this upcoming event. That you would pray for our community and our churches that we might become aware of our need for Christ and that we might humble ourselves before God and ask that he guide us and bless us in what we are doing.

You might have heard that this year's Lazy Days celebration, which is the 50th anniversary of Lazy Days, will include a Sunday worship event.

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Here is the issue: because the day will possibilly be hot, and because it is a all day event, the pastors of the community want to bathe this event in fasting and prayer. We have committed to fasting one day a week and praying every Thursday evening at 7:00 at the Baptist Church. But we also want to ask our congregations to fast and pray, especially during the month of July.

So, based upon that, we felt like it would be important to address the issue of fasting and praying. That is what I want to do for a few moments this morning.

What is Fasting? The word used in the Bible, means to be hungry or to abstain from eating. It doesn’t have anything to do with giving up chocolate or TV or whatever else we tend to make it. Those things aren’t bad, but when the Bible refers to fasting, it is all about food.

Sometimes it isn’t about a decision not to eat. In , Luke said that Paul and the men with him had been without food for a long time. It wasn’t because they had decided to fast, but because they had experienced a violent storm that lasted over three days and they hadn’t had a chance to eat.