Fasting, Spiritual Disciplines

Rough Draft

Fasting

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 9:14-15,

Then later in our message we will unpack Deuteronomy.

Read Matthew 9:14-15

Pray

Introduction story - The first fast I ever did was was as a high school student. We were challenged at church dung a day of prayer.

Just a fast at lunch to be broken at supper time, when I’m sure I ate everything in the house. Other spiritual fasts would follow in college & beyond.

I even have a few friends who have fasted 3 days, 7 days and even 40 days.

Yes, Several friends have fasted 40 days, just drinking water.

-You might think that is crazy, but...

-You know someone too who has fasted 40 days, only drinking water. Jesus

Why would someone starve themselves (only drink water) for a day let alone something extreme like 40 days?

Intro - They were “Reaching for Him”.

These guys who fasted for 40 days wanted more of God in their life.

Jesus was so valuable to them they were willing to do anything it took to humble themselves before God and connect more deeply with Him.

They hungered for God more than they hungered for anything else.

I wonder in your life how much you hunger for God?

If you could grow even a little closer to God, would you do whatever it took?

Next Sunday, we are going to have a day of fasting & prayer. x2

At the end of the message today I’ll be asking you to commit to fasting next Sunday.

In our sermon today I’ll give you more details.

Slide - What is fasting?

The act of going without for the purpose of spiritual growth.

In the Bible the only kind of fast we see is a fasting from food. That’s it. So food is the most biblical of all fasting. Fasting is going without food for sake of spiritual growth.

However, Some people for medical reasons can’t fast from food.

-Some people choose to do a juice fast. No food, but do drink juice so they are not calorie depleted. Helps keep your blood sugar up. Orange juice or ginger ale.

-Some people will fast, but they start their day off with coffee, but nothing else the rest of the day.

You can fast from other things besides food.

Choose something in your life that you daily love to do:

-Screen time. (TV, Internet, Social Media)

-Talking on the phone and texting.

-Listening to music

-Anything to do with sports

-The act of going without for the purpose of spiritual growth.

Slide - Why fast? What is the motivation?

Listen to what John Piper says about fasting

Donald Whitney said this about Fasting -

SLIDE “Fasting hoists the sails of the soul, in hopes of experiencing the gracious wind of God’s Spirit…[fasting] helps you grow in Christ likeness in ways that are unavailable through any other means. Whitney

SLIDE John Piper, “Fasting is when we hunger for God - for a fresh encounter with God, for God to answer a prayer, for God to save someone, for God to work powerfully, in our church, for God to protect us - more than we hunger for food God made us to live on.” Piper

When we fast we humble ourselves before God. Fasting is a means to draw closer to God and depend on Him in ways we do not, when we do not fast.

What is the motivation of fasting?”

Moses speaking to the Hebrews in the desert.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3

vs. 2, We see that God’s motivation is to spiritually refine and grow His people. Forty years in the desert for humbling, testing and to reveal their heart.

vs. 3, The method of the humbling was to go without food.

Listen to what the Holeman Christians Standard

verse, 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry

Why did God choose to remove food?

answer vs. 3

that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

We tend to think that the foundation of our strength is physical sustenance. We need food to live.

In Bible times the most common form of food was bread.

Your body is not held up and held together by food.

Your psychological self is not held together because of your addiction to carbohydrates.

Hebrews 1:3, Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power.

Not - the food of your power

The act of fasting says, I don’t need food (or my phone or sports). At the most fundamental level - I need God.

Fasting Confesses this -

I (like most Americans) have used food, comfort, & entertainment to prop up and distract my soul. I am going to pull all my addictions and distractions away so I can see what is really in my heart and surrender that to God.

You say, I haver never fasted before.

Then you have missed a great tool to help you grow close to God.

But we are going to challenge you to today to take your first step.

???Alternative Summary - I am going to put my comforts, addictions and distractions away (including what props up my heart) so I can focus all of my affection on God.

Slide - Why is fasting is so strange to us?

-The United States is known as the country of “Extra”.

-We are the greatest consumer nation in the world.

-We supersize and bling out everything.

-We have the highest rates of obesity of any country in the world.

-Our culture values “More”.

-We are a taught that happiness comes from consumerism.

- So we not only consume food, but: trucks, houses, toys, entertainment, social media and experiences.

We believe that these things will will make us happy.

-Fasting puts aside the food.

-Fasting says that being consumed with God alone is what satisfies the soul.

Q Question - What are you consumed by? Are you consumed by God alone?

Will you take a practical God given step to be consumed by God?

Will you choose to fast so that you can be more greatly consumed by God? Pause

Transition - There are 10 Biblical purposes to do a fast.

Slide - What is the purposes of my fast?

When you fast, it must always be done with a focused purpose.

Donald Whitney (Baptist Professor) said this, “

Slide “Fasting must have a spiritual purpose - a God centered purpose, not a self centered one for the Lord to bless our fast. Thoughts of food during a fast must prompt thoughts for God, and remind us of our purpose. Rather than focus our mind on food, we should use every desire to eat as a reminder to pray and to remember our purpose.” Whitney

We will review just 3 common purposes for fasting, but I want you to ask yourself as you consider fasting next Sunday, - why am I fasting? What is my purpose

Slide - Purpose 1 - Express your love and worship of God

“Fasting can be a testimony - even one directed at yourself - that you find your greatest pleasure and enjoyment of life in God.” Whitney

Consider the prophetess Anna that saw Jesus as a baby at the temple.

Luke 2:36–37 ESV

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

For 50 years Anna’s ministry was fasting and praying at the Temple.

She fasted as an expression of worship to God.

When the Baby Jesus came to the Temple to be dedicated. No one had to tell her who this baby from poor parents was. She knew.

She had been fasting for and worshiping the Son of God before He became flesh.

1 purpose of fasting is to express your love and worship of God.

Slide - 2nd Purpose - To strengthen prayer

When the early church in Acts was sending out Barnabas and Paul for their missionary journey, they fasted and prayed.

They fasted knowing that fasting strengthens their spiritual focus and prayer.

Acts 13:2–3 ESV

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Maybe you have a situation or person that you need strengthened spiritual focus on. Then fast for them. Use a day of fasting as a means to focus your prayer and attention on them.

Example - When I fast I get hunger pains or sometimes I have a moment when I feel week. These feelings of hunger or temporary weekness are cues for me to start praying.

During your fast - you take your regular eating time to pray. Then during the fast when you are reminded by hunger or weekness or the refusal of a sugary coffee - you are prompted then at that moment to pray.

During your prayer time - when you would normally eat. Because you have made a sacrifice your prayers are more intense and focused.

Your prayers are strengthened.

Will you fast to strengthen your prayers?

Transition -

Slide - 3rd purpose - Express Repenting & turning to God.

-This pandemic should have humbled you.

-Many for years, may have been spiritual to a point, but in many ways have been part time Christians.

Joel 2:12–13 ESV

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Now is the time to repent.

-You may think, I don’t have a major immorality to repent of.

-I’ve been a very moral person.

-Can I tell you one of the greatest places of spiritual failure is when church attending christians only allow God part of their heart and life.

-When our actions are good, but our affections are held from Him.

-Having half a heart for God is a serious sin that must be repented of.

Will you fast with the purpose of repentance. Running from your sin to God?

SLIDE - How do I fast?

What does a day of fasting look like?

-There are a hundred ways to fast. So don’t think you will mess it up.

-Here is my encouragement for your first fast:

Choose 2 meals to skip.

Breakfast and lunch.

-Always drink plenty of water. Try to drink 64oz of water during your fasting day.

SLIDE -During your meal time:

Take your meal time 30min to an hour. To spend in spiritual focus.

-Read your Bible & spend time in prayer.

-Focus your prayer on a specific purpose.

-Begin to create or reorganize a simple prayer journal (prayer list)

-Read a Psalm and pray that back to God.

-Listen to worship music and sing in your heart to God.

-Listen to a message online from a trustworthy preacher.

Outside of your 2 meal times

-When you are reminded about your fast for any reason, take time that moment to pray. If you can only pray where you are great. If you can step into a room for a moment of quiet and pray for a minute two - then do that.

Let me ask you this question

-Why would you not fast and pray?

-Do you not want more of God?

-God is asking you right now, in a new way to step up your spiritual game.

-If you cannot fast from food for medical reasons, fast from something else.

-God gave you fasting, so you can enjoy more of Him and be satisfied more deeply with Him.

Gospel

-If you are not a Christ follower, God is inviting you right now to have Him for the first time.

-Jesus paid a price for your sin.

-Jesus is calling you into His family right now.

-There is no sin you have done that is too great for His forgiveness and His love.

-Will you right now accept Jesus forgiveness and start a relationships with Him.

-Will you make Him your great Savior and King?

-Will you reach for Him?

Pray