Fasting

Introduction: Today is our 3rd message in the series on the Power of Routine. We’ve looked at the importance of Bible reading and study as well as communion with God through prayer. Today we are going to look at an often neglected aspect of the Christian experience and that is the idea of fasting. We are going to be looking at several different passages today, but let’s begin in

Matthew 4:1–4 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist and before He begins His public ministry He spends 40 days alone with His Father fasting from food. Most of us couldn’t imagine withholding food from our body for 40 days much less 40 hours. At the end of this period Scripture simply reveals that Jesus was hungry and the “tempter” shows up inviting Jesus to use His power to turn stones into bread.

However, Jesus responds with a powerful truth in

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

What is fasting and what is the purpose of fasting. I’ve done some research about that question in preparing for this message and have found a few suggestions. Here are a few thoughts I came across:

The website GotQuestions said:

the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God. (GotQuestions)

The MinistryPass study notes for this series said:

Fasting is about starving our flesh in order to further feed our spirit. We can become so bombarded by daily life and its pressures that we forget we are first and foremost people of God’s kingdom…Fasting helps us focus our attention on God and away from the distractions around us.

There are some that suggest that fasting is not for today. I remember when I preached a message on fasting a few years ago and a lady approached me after the service and said that she didn’t believe fasting was for today. It was something we read about in the OT and even in the NT but she didn’t believe it was for today. Although she offered no Scriptural evidence to back up her claim it really prodded me to consider if she was right. I don’t believe she was. I do believe fasting is for today and I believe it can have a lot of benefits for the believer.

Is Fasting for Today?

One of the passages that cause me to believe that fasting is for today is because of what Jesus said in response to a question posed to Him in Matthew 9...

Matthew 9:14–15 ESV

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Some of the disciples of John the Baptist couldn’t understand why the disciples of Jesus weren’t fasting. After all, it was something that was done in the OT and it was also something that John and his disciples practiced. Notice Jesus’ answer...”Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them?” Now we have to read between the lines a little bit.

Who do you suppose the BRIDEGROOM is? Of course, the bridegroom is Jesus.

The “wedding guests” are those who are with Jesus—the disciples.

Jesus is saying, the disciples don’t need to fast when they are in His presence. There is coming a day when the Bridegroom is going to leave, and there will be times when they will MOURN. There is a direct correlation between fasting and mourning.

A Connection Between Fasting and Mourning

The Israelites Fasted at the News of Saul’s Death

2 Samuel 1:1 ESV

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.

2 Samuel 1:11–12 ESV

Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Nehemiah Prayed/Fasted and Pleaded with God for Mercy

Nehemiah 1:1–4 ESV

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Esther Called for a Fast to Intercede on Her Behalf

Esther 4:1–4 ESV

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Esther 4:16 ESV

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

Got Questions said:

In the Old Testament, it appears that fasting with prayer had to do with a sense of need and dependence, and/or of abject helplessness in the face of actual or anticipated calamity. Prayer and fasting are combined in the Old Testament in times of mourning, repentance, and/or deep spiritual need. (GotQuestions)

The Early Church Fasted Before Making Important Decisions

Acts 13:2 ESV

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.”

Acts 14:23 ESV

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Fasting is intended to turn our attention to God…remove the distractions that keep us from focusing upon the Lord.

Joel 2:12 ESV

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

What Fasting Does Not Do

Fasting Does Not Manipulate God into Giving You Everything You Want

Fasting Does Not Change the Unchangeable God, but You May Find it Changes You

Fasting Can Never Save Your Soul, Only Jesus Can

Will YOU take some time this week to FAST from SOMETHING?

What is it that hinders you from spending more quality time with God? Is it your phone? It is social media? Is it Netflix or Hulu. Is it a video game? Is it shopping?

Would you take a WEEK and give up something for the glory of God in order that YOU might spend time with Him praying for His church, YOUR family, the ministry of Flagship and our nation/world?

Do you have an important decision coming up? Why wouldn’t you seek God about it?

Are you concerned about our nation? Why wouldn’t you seek God about it?

Are you BROKEN over something or SOMEONE…why wouldn’t you seek God about it?