Date:      20th February 2008                                                                (Wednesday PM)                                                                                Ref: A0367

Place:     Kambah P.S.

Title: They Prayed with Fasting

Text:        & Acts 14:23

Illust:     This week there is a Nation-wide fellowship fast – last meal is Wednesday night and then breaking the fast on Saturday lunchtime. This request to fast has come from Pr Vicary the leader of the Australian fellowship. A fast before the Perth Conference, the 30th anniversary of the 1st fellowship church planted into Australia. – What is the purpose of this fast?

I.                   Purpose of Fasting

A.               Aims

i.                 Throughout scripture there appears to be a dynamic associated with fasting, the deliberate going of without food / fluid / luxuries for a period of time as short as a day but stretching out to as long as 40 days.

ii.               To begin to answer the question we have asked at the start, why are we fasting for conference? We want to look firstly at the 3 aims of fasting:

           Firstly it is to mortify i.e. ‘put down or subdue the flesh. The flesh is your carnal man/woman, the desires & natural appetites of humanity. The desire to consume / to taste, to be filled to be satisfied. ~ The flesh always demands to be satisfied / comforted

      Fasting brings the flesh into the obedience of your will. A personal fast to break a habit, have victory through an area of struggle.

           Secondly a time of fasting is a precursor to prepare for intense private or public prayer & holy meditation on things of God.

           Thirdly it is an evidence of you humbling yourself before God in an attitude of confession & repentance.

B.               Preparation for Prayer

i.                 This PM we are going to focus primarily on the 2nd of these aims, as it relates directly to the question at hand. ~ Why are we fasting before the conference?

ii.               Fasting is an important precursor to a time of prayer. Fasting helps to focus your attention on what matters, let’s face it most days we are focussed on the next meal.  ~ With fasting as the hunger pangs hit, we are reminded of our need for God’s provision, reminded that we are in time of concentrated prayer. – We can focus on the purpose of the fast.

iii.             The purpose of the fast, a need, a petition brought before the Lord in prayer.

         Nehemiah 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (NKJV)

         Daniel 9:3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. (NKJV)

II.                 When to Fast

A.               Calamities

i.                 In scripture one of the things that we see is a catalyst for a time of fasting is when some form of calamity is threatening or has struck – Calvin calls this - "manifestations of divine anger"

ii.               The approach of an enemy army, famine, plague, pestilence, drought, floods – so called “natural” disasters.  Occasions when God’s people are called to a time of prayer & fasting.

         2 Chronicles 20:2-3 2Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (NKJV)

iii.             There are times, events, circumstances that you & I need to fast if we are going to see breakthrough in our city / in our nation

         Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; (NKJV)

B.               Weighty Matters

i.                 Another catalyst for fasting & this one is more suitable as an answer to our question tonight of why are we fasting before the conference? Is that in both the Old & New Testaments and indeed throughout all of church history a time of prayer & fasting accompanies any time the church body is gathered to work through weighty matters.

      In general, we must hold that whenever any religious controversy arises, which either a council or ecclesiastical tribunal behoves to decide; whenever a minister is to be chosen; whenever, in short, any matter of difficulty and great importance is under consideration: ……, the sacred and salutary custom of all ages has been for pastors to exhort the people to public fasting and extraordinary prayer. [1] - Calvin

         Ezra 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. (NKJV)

ii.               At conference, directions are set for the fellowship with regards to dealing with the issues & problems of the times. – What is the right way for us to go? – A fast is proclaimed that we might seek God to give guidance to our leaders.

iii.             The preaching at conference is always exceptional, the fellowship with other like minded believers is exhausting, but the most exciting part of conference has to be Thursday & Friday nights. – Thursday night, international works announced, Friday night new churches planted out. – This is what conference is all about – Need to fast ~ & vs.23

           Conference is all about men & women hearing the call of God, new Pastors stepping forward to pioneer works in cities all around this nation & the world. ~ Throughout church history – when new ministers are chosen, missionaries sent out – it is accompanied by a time of prayer & fasting.

         Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. (NKJV)

III.              The Fast I have Chosen

A.               To What End

i.                 So why are we fasting before the conference?  ~ Fasting is not an end in itself, it is a means to the end.  ~ That we would spend 3 days, the duration of the fast, in focussed, zealous, humble prayer before God, that He would;

           Direct our leadership give them wisdom as they make changes & set directions

           Give those who are preaching a divinely inspired message and anoint them to bring that message in supernatural power to see lives changed.

           Cause men to hear the call to discipleship, that men will be re-focussed on the call of God for their lives.

           Guide Pr Vicary in the selecting of couples to be planted into the harvest field, here in Australia & overseas

           Provide the finances needed to cover the costs of the conference and of sending couples.

ii.               We are fasting to energise & focus our prayers for the above.

B.               God’s Response

i.                 What is God’s response when we will do this.

         James 5:16. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJV)

ii.               Our prayers avail much, God responds to effective & fervent prayer. – Our purpose in fasting is to be able to send focussed, fervent prayers for the conference needs to the throne of Grace that God would hear and answer.

iii.             We would see a H.G. outpouring, supernatural change wrought in lives, supernatural expansion of the church to take new ground. – Join us in this time of Prayer & Fasting

IV.             Altar Call

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[1]Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1997). Institutes of the Christian religion. Translation of: Institutio Christianae religionis (IV, xii, 14: Logos Research Systems, Inc.