Fasting

Good Morning Church! If you have a Bible go to the gospel of Luke chapter 4!

We are finishing our sermon series through the common disciplines of the Christian life. We covered Bible reading, prayer, service, giving, worship, evangelism, and sabbath. Today, we are covering the discipline of fasting.

How many of you guy have ever heard a sermon on fasting before? Show of hands.

Fasting is definitely a topic that preachers stray away from and sadly, this discipline never gets talked about in the church. Pastors who refuse to preach on fasting really do a disservice to those they lead.

Fasting is all throughout the Bible. Old AND New Testament.

Fasting should be a regular rhythm in every believers life, walk, and practice.

Take a topic like Baptism. I think we have all heard sermons preached on Baptism and preachers at least mention the word baptism on a pretty frequent basis. In the New Testament, Baptism is mentioned 75 times. Fasting.....is mentioned 77 times.

So I prose this question to you and I’m going to answer it for you. Why is fasting hardly mentioned at all in the church today…specifically the church in America.

Here’s the answer. It’s terrible.

Fasting goes against the drive through, microwavable hot pocket, door dashed delivered to you because you are too lazy to get it yourself culture today.

Americans are truly slaves to our bellies. The second we feel the uncomfortableness of hunger we immediately think we are entitled to satisfy that craving.

We commonly say to ourselves that we are starving but in all actuality we have no clue what it means to literally be starving for food.

my kids. We’re taking up an offering for hungry kids today. Mine.

Fasting is a discipline. It goes against our flesh nature.

Think about this. From the moment you were a baby, you have been conditioned to be fed whenever you wanted food.

(Talk about this for a while. Joke about a baby skipping a meal)

But let’s discuss what fasting actually is.

Fasting is depriving your body of something physical to focus on something spiritual.

Fasting primarily comes in the form of abstaining from food but theres also other things people have fasted from. You can fast from food, social media, cigars, alcohol, a certain type of music, etc....whatever prohibits you from fully focusing on God you set it aside for a period to really search the heart of God.

In scripture, I see just a couple things that people fasted from. Food. Water. Sex.

God I am searching your heart with everything I have. I am putting away these physical needs I have.

One of the greatest evangelist and missionaries Hudson Taylor says this,

Perhaps the greatest hindrance to our work is our own imagined strength; and in fasting we learn what poor, weak creatures we are – dependent on a meal of meat for the little strength which we are so apt to lean upon.

Pastor and theologian Andrew Murray says this,

Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.

In my own life, fasting is a regular discipline. I have fasted for big decisions for my family and personal life. I have fasted AND prayed for fresh vision for this church. I have fasted when I had no clue what to do in a ministry situation. I fast before deciding a sermon series and I kid you not....our church was in a crossroads a couple months back so I decided to pray and take a day to fast. That very night God moved on our behalf and answered my prayer.

There are many reasons to fast. I will just name them off for you....

Fasting for revival and for salvation of the lost (1 Samuel 7)

Fasting in order to have some food to share with others (2 Kings 17)

Fasting to solve a problem (Ezra 8)

Fasting for protection from evil (Esther 4)

Fasting for health and healing (Daniel 1)

Fasting for an influential testimony (Luke 1, Matthew 3)

Fasting for freedom from the effects of a demon; This relates to addictions and besetting sins (Matthew 17)

Fasting for wisdom in decision-making (Acts 9)

Heres a few more effective reasons on a personal level...

It concentrates my attention on God. As my hunger keeps returning, my thoughts turn to God again and again.

It reminds me of my dependence on God. Hunger humbles you and teaches you that you must have food to live.

It helps me pray to God. Each hunger pang is a reminder to pray.

It teaches me that I should hunger for God more than I hunger for food.

In Luke chapter 4 we see the temptation of Jesus. I want to show you the EXAMPLE FOR FASTING

Luke 4:1–4 (ESV)

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ”

As a follower of Jesus, we follow His example. Jesus clearly fasted. So should we.

You may say there is no way I can fast. I can’t go one meal without eating. It is too hard. Of course Jesus could do it....he’s God!

You’re right. But he was human as well. Just like you.

Jesus, lead by the Spirit went to the wilderness and he fasted. I think the reason Jesus fasted was this....down in verse 14 he starts his public ministry.

Christ wanted to focus on his mission. He wanted to prepare himself spiritual for the task at hand. In order to prepare, he deprived himself.

You want to really focus on God? You really want him to speak and reveal himself to you? You want a breakthrough in your life, your marriage, your kids, you job, your ministry? Prepare yourself by depriving yourself.

So…you may be asking How do I fast? Glad you asked. The Bible gives us INSTRUCTIONS FOR FASTING.

Go to the book of Mathew chapter 6

Matthew 6:16–18 (ESV)

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Instruction number ONE! Know that it is instructed! WHEN you fast

Instruction number TWO! Don’t be like Eeyor

Instruction number THREE! Wash up

Instruction number FOUR! Keep it to yourself

Instruction number FIVE! Anticipate the reward.

We’ve seen the Example of Fasting, the Instructions for Fasting, and lastly, we have the Occasions for fasting.

Talk about a breakthorugh

2 Chronicles 20:1–9 (ESV)

1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’

2 Chronicles 20:18–30 (ESV)

18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

“Give thanks to the Lord,

for his steadfast love endures forever.”

22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29 And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

Fasting Tomorrow

Read from Fasting Guide

Dwight Communion