Discipleship Series-FASTING

 For tonight's Thursday night Bible study at Bethel the Discipleship Series was taught by Bro. Greg Smith. The topic covered was Fasting. Bro Smith shared some personal examples of how fasting is very powerful and gave his testimony. As I have done in the past, I will share the lesson with you directly from the notes that can be found on the Bethel App. 

Fasting is an important Biblical discipline. There are over 70 references to fasting in the Bible. Both Old and New Testament leaders were moved upon to fast before the Lord. Moses, Elijah, and Jesus Christ were led by the Spirit to fast for 40 days. Fasting was also a part of the New Testament church lifestyle.

Joel 1:14 – “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.” Daniel 9:3-4 – “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord God, and made my confession...” 

To fast means to abstain from physical nourishment for a specific period of time. An individual can fast for a single meal, an entire day, for an extended period of many days, or simply refrain from pleasant food for a period of time.

When we fast, we deliberately turn our attention from physical things to spiritual things. By refusing food, we are denying our carnal nature (Matthew 16:24) and concentrating on spiritual things (Matthew 6:33). 

Because America was founded upon the Judeo-Christian ethic, her national leaders have frequently utilized both prayer and fasting in their public devotion to God. The American historic record has numerous calls for national prayer and fasting. 

PROCLAIMED FASTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY In 1623, William Bradford, governor of the Plymouth Colony, proclaimed a fast to entreat God to save the vital corn crops. In 1636, a law was passed allowing the governor and his assistants “to command solemn days of humiliation by fasting...and also for thanksgiving as occasion shall be offered.” In 1774, George Washington proclaimed a national fast day to avert a possible crisis with Great Britain. In 1798, President John Adams proclaimed a day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer to avoid the war crisis with France. In the 1860's, Abraham Lincoln called for three separate days of national humiliation, prayer and fasting to help restore national peace and unity during the Civil War.

Jesus declared that His disciples would fast. He stated that after He ascended into heaven, fasting would become a part of His disciples’ practice. • Mark 2:18-20 – “And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”  

 Acts 14:23 – “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. “ • 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 – “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings.”

 Fasting provides spiritual benefits. 1. While there are many who acclaim of the health benefits of fasting, our main purpose in fasting is a spiritual one. 2. Fasting is more than a physical event – it is a spiritual activity.  Fasting is a spiritual weapon. 1. Fasting is a powerful weapon that helps us win victory over ourselves, over the influence of the world, and over the attacks of Satan. . Fasting should be accompanied with prayer. (1 Corinthians 7:5)

Fasting is often undertaken in times of crisis or great need. 1. The children of Israel fasted as they sought God's help against the children of Benjamin. • Judges 20:26 – “Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.” 2. The people of Nineveh proclaimed a fast after hearing Jonah prophesy of God’s extreme displeasure. • Jonah 3:5 – “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.” • Jonah 3:10 – “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.” 2. Regular periods of fasting should be routine in the life of a Christian, as this helps us keep the flesh under subjection – but there are also special times of crisis, disaster, and need that call for more intense campaigns of prayer and fasting.

Fasting is a type of worship. 1. All true worship involves sacrifice. We can praise without sacrifice – but we cannot worship without sacrifice. Sacrifice means giving up something that matters to us. When we forego eating as a discipline unto God, it is a form of worship. • Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” a. Our bodies are to be presented to God as an acceptable sacrifice. This involves sacrificing the desires of our flesh to fulfill the will of God. b. One of the strongest desires of the body is for food and nourishment. When we deny this desire for a period of time as a sacrifice unto the Lord, it is an act of genuine worship unto God.

Fasting should not be a public display to draw attention to oneself – in our personal devotion, we should try to make fasting as unobtrusive and unnoticed as possible. • Matthew 6:16-18 – (Jesus said) “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 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.” 2. To use fasting as a “spiritual status symbol” violates its purpose – fasting is supposed to humble us, not lift us up with pride. It is against the command of Jesus Christ to be proud or smug because we fast more or longer than other people. Pride, especially spiritual pride, is an offence unto God. 3. Fasting is the inseparable partner of prayer, and accordingly, it is to be utilized in many of the same ways as prayer. a. Prayer can be private and personal (as in praying in a secret closet of prayer: Matthew 6:6). b. Prayer can be public and corporate (as in praying in public worship services: Acts 3:1). 3. Likewise, fasting can also be private or corporate. When a public, corporate fasting campaign is undertaken, it is impossible to keep the fast totally “secret.” The point of Jesus’ words to us is not that no one should ever know when we are fasting, but rather that we should not do things to make others notice our fasting. 

• II Samuel 12:15-16, 22-23 – “…and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth." • I Kings 21:27-29 – “When Ahab heard those words, he... fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.” • Daniel 9:3 – “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer ... with fasting ...” • Luke 2:36-37 – “And there was one Anna, a prophetess ... a widow of about 44 years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” • Acts 9:9 – (Saul of Tarsus) “... neither did eat nor drink.” 

A fast may also be partial, meaning that restrictions are placed upon the diet for a specific period of time. Certain foods are avoided in this type of fast. • Daniel 10:3 – “I ate no pleasant bread (foodstuff, provisions), neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” a. This type of fast, commonly known as “Daniel’s Fast,” afflicts and humbles the flesh by avoiding all pleasant or enjoyable food and drink. b. When fasting in this manner, individuals drink only water, eat no meat, and consume only plain foods that do not gratify the senses (e.g. plain bread, unsweetened grain cereals, oatmeal, unseasoned vegetables, etc.). In this manner the nourishment needs of the body are supplied, but eating is not an enjoyable experience. c. Following Daniel’s example, this type of partial fast is usually undertaken for an extended period of time, most typically three weeks (21 days). 

Fasts may be undertaken for various periods of time. • One night – Daniel 6:18 • One day – 1 Samuel 7:6, 2 Samuel 1:12; 3:35, Judges 20:26 • Three days – Esther 4:16, Acts 9:9 • Seven days –1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 12:16-23 • Fourteen days – Acts 27:33-34 • Twenty-one days – Daniel 10:3 • Forty days – Exodus 24:18; 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9, 18, 25-29; 10:10, 1 Kings 19:8, Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2  

 After Moses’ fast, He received the commandments of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 9:11)  After Elijah’s fast, he heard the Word of the Lord. (1 Kings 19:8-9) After the city of Nineveh’s fast, deliverance came and they were spared destruction. (Jonah 3:10)  After Jesus’ fast, He returned in “the power of the Spirit.” (Luke 4:14) After Cornelius’ fast, he received a message from God through an angel and through the apostle Peter. (Acts 10:30) After the apostles gave themselves to prayer, fasting, and the Word, they turned their world upside down. (2 Corinthians 6:4-5; Acts 17:6) 

Fasting is a powerful spiritual tool ordained by God to help us bring ourselves into subjection to His Spirit, to defeat the devil, and to win victories over troubling situations in our lives. In fasting, we worship God, draw closer to Him and express our desire for His soon return. Until our bridegroom returns for us, we, the children of the bridechamber, should fast unto the Lord. When He returns, we will celebrate and feast with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

God is good.