Fasting for Revival

(Read the Scripture) Jonah 3:1-10 “1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. …”

Share the Background of the Text.

God has placed on my heart to challenge our church to begin fasting for Revival.

Background of Fasting:

Definition: Fasting is the laying aside or the giving up of food for a designated period of time while the believer is seeking to know God more intimately and personally or during a special season of spiritual concern.

Fasting is to be a private act of devotion before God. Matthew 6:17-21 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

I. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THREE TYPES OF FASTING:

1. THE NORMAL FAST

Involves the total abstinence of food. Luke 4:2 tells us that Jesus “did eat nothing…and that afterward he was hungered.” (Jesus did drink water).

2. THE ABSOLUTE FAST

where for a period of time, absolutely nothing, food or drink is received. Acts 9:9 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

3. THE PARTIAL FAST

where the emphasis is upon the restriction of the diet in some limited way rather than complete abstinence. Daniel 10:3 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. (KJV)

II. REASONS FOR FASTING:

1. To come to know God in a deeper way.

Zechariah 7:5 5 "Ask all the people of the land and the priests, `When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? (NIV)

2. As a means of sincere confession

Psalm 69:10 10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. (KJV)

3. As a time of seeking a deeper prayer experience and drawing nearer to God in prevailing prayer.

Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: (KJV)

4. In seeking to know and understand God’s will in certain matters,

Acts 13:2 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

To know the mind of Christ, the early church often turned to prayer and fasting.

5. In times of bereavement and great burden,

2 Samuel 12:16 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. (KJV)

6. During times of public calamities, afflictions, or approaching danger,

Esther 4:16 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (KJV)

7. When an extraordinary demonstration of God’s power is needed,

Matthew 17:21 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)

III. FASTING IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY

1. Prayer

Daniel 9:3 3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (KJV)

2. Confession of Sin

Nehemiah 9:1-2

1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. (KJV)

3. Humiliation

Deuteronomy 9:18 18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. (KJV)

4. Reading of God’s Word

Jeremiah 36:6 6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities. (KJV)

IV. PEOPLE WHO FASTED IN THE BIBLE

Moses

Elijah

Daniel

David

John’s disciples

Anna

Cornelius

Paul

Jesus

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