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What Fasting Is And Is Not

What Fasting Is And Is Not. INTRODUCTION. Many people simply by reading the topic of this lesson become very uneasy. The reason for these strange feelings are based on the fact that fasting is a rare practice among God’s people today…if it is practiced at all.

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What Fasting Is And Is Not

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  1. What Fasting Is And Is Not

  2. INTRODUCTION • Many people simply by reading the topic of this lesson become very uneasy • The reason for these strange feelings are based on the fact that fasting is a rare practice among God’s people today…if it is practiced at all • While many know the Bible has much to say on the subject, very few take serious the act of fasting, as some even excuse it

  3. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted?

  4. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? Moses…. Daniel…. David….. Anna….. Elijah…. Esther… Paul… Jesus… 1st Century Christians…

  5. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted?

  6. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted? 1 day… 3 days… 7 days… 3 weeks… 40 days…

  7. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted? • How many of us know that Jesus taught His disciples how to fast and expected it?

  8. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted? • How many of us know that Jesus taught His disciples how to fast and expected it? “when you fast” … “they will fast”… (Matt. 6:18) (Matthew 9:15)

  9. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted? • How many of us know that Jesus taught His disciples how to fast and expected? • How many of us fast when the need is present in our lives?

  10. INTRODUCTION • How many of us can name the people in the Bible that fasted? • How many of us know how long some of these fasts lasted? • How many of us know that Jesus taught His disciples how to fast and expected? • How many of us fast when the need is present in our lives? ______________

  11. INTRODUCTION • Fasting has been out of the norm for over 150 years and even now is considered a practice of ascetic religions like monks and hermits • When people realize the amount of teaching there is on fasting in the Bible they should feel challenged to participate in this beneficial spiritual practice

  12. INTRODUCTION • With the blessings of all of the food God provides, we think it foolish to miss one meal, let alone fast for a period of time • In our world we live to eat rather than eat to live…We eat when we are depressed, stressed, filled with anxiety and sometimes just for fun.

  13. WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS NOT • Biblical Fasting Is Not For Physical Discipline -Self control and dieting are not the purpose God had in mind with fasting -While weight may be lost, and self control gained, this cannot be our motivation -Biblical fasting has a spiritual purpose in mind

  14. WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS NOT • Biblical Fasting Is Not A Manipulative Tool -While fasting is a way of being closer to God it should never be used to force God’s approval -We must not think that fasting will grant all of our requests (Acts 23:12, 14) -Fasting will not automatically cause God to act upon our prayer list (Jer. 14:12)

  15. WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS NOT • Biblical Fasting Is Not A Hypocritical Practice -In Jesus day the people were hypocritical and fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12) -It has been said that on the 2nd and 5th day they would fast (market days) -Hair disheveled; clothes dirty; chalked faces; ashes on head; Fasting was a "look at how spiritual I am" exercise. It was a hypocrisy.

  16. WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS • Biblical Fasting Is “Not Eating” - Most people know that a fast was going without food - Fasting - “nesteia” with the negative compound “ne” and “esthio” meaning “to eat” suggests “not eating” -So when we fast we do not eat following the pattern of fasts throughout the Bible

  17. WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS • Biblical Fasting Is For Spiritual Purposes - The Bible talks about fasting as “afflicting one’s soul”(Lev. 16:29; Ezra 8:21) - Fasting will certainly create physical changes, but it is the spiritual benefits that we seek -Fasting is ALWAYS accompanied by prayer and is a time for denying self for something that is more needful

  18. WHY SHOULD I FAST…? • You Should Fast To Seek God - When we seek God with all of our heart we will find Him (Jer. 29:13-14) - Notice that fasting is a way of seeking God with all of our hearts (Joel 2:12) -Fasting is a way of confirming before the Lord that you are ready to sacrifice anything to do His will

  19. WHY SHOULD I FAST…? • You Should Fast Because The Lord Expects It - Jesus taught His disciples how to fast (Mt. 6:16-18 “when you fast” not“if”) - While Jesus was alive His followers did not fast, but when He died there would be a need to fast (Lk. 5:33-35) -As we struggle and have special needs in this life, we should draw near to God with prayer and fasting

  20. WHY SHOULD I FAST…? • You Should Fast Because Early Christians Did - Christians fasted together as a group (Acts 13:1-3) - Fasting was practiced in every church (Acts 14:21-23) -Fasting was a mark of one’s ministry (II Cor. 6:4-10; 11:23-28) -Christians need to make time for fasting (I Cor. 7:5)

  21. APPLICATION • Today we simply wanted to establish that fasting is a real practice throughout the Bible and it was more than a custom • It is important to notice that Jesus expected His disciples to fast and even taught them how to fast…1st century Christians obeyed Him… • Fasting is for the humbling of oneself before God in prayer that one might demonstrate their desire to draw closer to Him

  22. APPLICATION • With this lesson we begin a short series of lessons on the subject of fasting • The following lessons will be studied: -How To Fast : The Practice Of Fasting -Examples Of Fasting In The Bible -Fasting And Modern Christians

  23. DRAW CLOSER TO GOD TODAY? James 4:7-10 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

  24. DRAW CLOSER TO GOD TODAY? • Hear John 12:48 • Believe John 8:24 • Repent Luke 13:3, 5 • Confess Matt. 10:32-33 • Baptized Mark 16:16 • Faithful Rev. 2:10

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