The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting

Transcription

1 The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting I. Introduction a. Fasting is one of the most misunderstood and feared spiritual discipline. i. It is the Christian equivalent of a Hare Krishna s shaved head, or someone walking on hot coals in bare feet. Only the weird oddball will attempt it. ii. It s misunderstood and though more people talk about it today than in previous centuries, how many people do you know that regularly practice it? How many sermons have you heard preached on it? iii. And why would we when we live in a gluttonous, denial-less, self indulgent society? 1. Few spiritual disciplines go so radically against our culture like fasting, but Scripture talks more about fasting than it does baptism. iv. With the exception of medical reasons, I think there is no reason that we shouldn t incorporate fasting into our spiritual lives. Even then there are modified fasts we can participate in once we understand the principles and reasons for fasting. II. Fasting Explained a. A good place to start is to define fasting. i. Strictly speaking fasting is a Christian s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. 1. I say Christian, because for non-christians, fasting obtains no eternal value because motives and purpose of fasting are to be God-centered. 2. It is voluntary. Fasting is not coerced. 3. It is more than just the ultimate crash diet for the body; it is abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. ii. I believe there is a broader definition of fasting that is often overlooked.

2 1. This is the idea that fasting is the voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity. 2. Thus fasting does not always have to be about food, but could be involvement with other people, social media, the newspaper, sports, cell phones, etc iii. But since the bible deals specifically with fasting as abstinence from food, I will be dealing with this primary form of fasting in this sermon. b. Different Types of Fasts i. Normal Fast 1. Abstaining from all food, but not from water. 2. Both Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2 describe Jesus fast for forty days and nights. It says he did not eat food, but nothing as to water. Since the body cannot function for more than three days without water, we assume that he drank wter. 3. Fasting from food, only drinking water and juice is the most common type of fast for a believer. ii. Partial Fast 1. This is a limitation of the diet but not abstaining from all food. a. Daniel and three other Jewish young men only had vegetables to eat and water to drink (Daniel 1:12). b. John the Baptist at only locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). 2. Historically, Christians have observed partial fasts by eating much smaller portions of food than usual for a period of time and/or eating only a few simple foods. iii. Absolute Fast 1. This is the avoidance of all food and liquid, even water. a. We are told that Ezra ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles (Ezra 10:6).

3 b. When Esther requested that the Jews fast and pray on her behalf, Go, gather together all the Jews who are in susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day (Esther 4:16). c. When God struck Paul blind on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:9, Luke tells us, For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. iv. Supernatural Fast 1. This type of fast is abstains from food and water for a length impossible without the direct intervention by God. It occurs only twice in all of Scripture. a. When Moses meet with God on Mount Sinai, he said, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water (Deuteronomy 9:9). b. In 1 Kings 19:8 says that Elijah did the same fast when traveling to where Moses had also met with God on Mount Horeb, So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. v. Private Fast 1. This is the one I will be referring most often to and what Jesus was speaking of in Mattew 6:16-18 instructing us to fast in a way not to be noticed by others. vi. Congregational Fast 1. This is the type found in Joel 2:15-16 when Joel realized the seriousness of the attack by the locust. God had not just punished their stomachs with famine, but had destroyed their ability to cover their sin in sacrifice. Blow a trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly.

4 2. The church at Antioch was fasting together waiting on direction from God. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting Acts 13:2. vii. National Fast 1. In 2 Chronicles 20:3, King Jehoshaphat s response to an invasion was to call the nation to a fast. Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 2. The Jews were called to a national fast in Nehemiah 9:1 and Esther 4: The king of Nineveh proclaimed a national fast in response to the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:5-8). 4. Extra biblically in the early days of our country Congress proclaimed three national fasts. Presidents John Adams and James Madison each called Americans to fast. a. President Abraham Lincoln did so on three separate occasions during the Civil War. viii. Regular Fast 1. This God commanded under the Old Covenant for every Jew to fast on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-31). 2. In Babylonian captivity the Jewish leaders instituted four other annual fasts (Zechariah 8:19). 3. Extra biblically John Wesley would not ordain a man to the Methodist ministry who did not regularly fast every Wednesday and Friday. ix. Occasional fasts 1. These occur on special occasions as the need arises. a. This is the kind of fast Jehoshaphat, as well as Esther called for.

5 b. This is the type that Jesus spoke of in Luke 5:34-35, when Jesus was asked why his disciples didn t fast and he said there will come a day when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. x. The most common fasts among Christians today would fall under normal, private, and occasional fasts. III. Fasting is Expected a. We will spend the rest of the evening with Jesus instructions on fasting in Matthew 6: b. If you notice what it says about fasting in verse 16, the very first part? i. And when you fast. Not if you fast, but when you fast. 1. There is an assumption on Jesus part like praying, giving that as his followers fasting is a normal part of our lives. ii. Some would say well this is surely not for us today, but we still use this same passage when teaching about giving and praying. 1. This is the passage that the Lord s Prayer comes from. a. This instruction is for us today. c. Jesus says don t put on a gloomy face like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say they have received their reward. i. There is a video I wanted to show you about fasting where this guy overtly lets it be known to everyone that he is fasting. Someone at work offers him a donut and he says NO! I can t have that, I am fasting! 1. Another person offers him some candy in the afternoon and he moans, I though it was understood by the sign on my door that I am fasting! 2. He drags himself around with a grimace on his face and hands on his belly like he s in agony.

6 3. Once he gets home he sits in front of his fridge watching the clock waiting for the clock to strike 12 so he can finally eat. ii. Jesus says that this is how the Pharisees would fast, in the full view of everyone. So people would see that they are truly holy men. 1. Their reward is adulation received by men who see their efforts and think Wow how holy! iii. Jesus says when we fast we anoint our heads and wash our faces. Our fasting shouldn t be seen by others, but by God in secret. And God will reward us for our efforts. 1. First, Jesus says bathe, fasters of his day would tear apart their clothes, wear sack clothe, and not bathe. We will look later at the purposes of fasting, but for now understand that Jesus says don t make a production of your fasting, don t let others know, but keep it for the one for whom it is for. 2. Fasting is about God, so keep it that way. d. What is interesting is that Jesus gives no command on how often we or how long we should fast. i. Like the other Spiritual disciplines, fasting is not to be a legalistic routine. It s a privilege and opportunity to seek God s grace that is open to us as often as we desire. e. How long should we fast? It up to you and the leading of the Holy Spirit i. Scriptural examples of fasts last 1. One-day or part of a day (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Samuel 1:12, 3:35; Nehemiah 9:1; Jeremiah 36:6) 2. One-night fast (Daniel 6:18-24) 3. Three-day fasts (Esther 4:16, Acts 9:9) 4. Seven-day fasts (1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 12: Fourteen-day fast (Acts 27:33-34) 6. Twenty-one day fasts (Daniel 10:3-13) 7. Forty-day fasts (Deuteronomy 9:9, 1 Kings 19:8, Matthew 4:2)

7 IV. 8. Unspecified lengths (Matthew 9:14; Luke 2:37; Acts 13:2, 14:2-3) Purposes of Fasting a. There must be a spiritual purpose to our biblical fasting otherwise its just about weight loss. i. Without a spiritual purpose we ll be like the man who heard a pastor preach about how fasting is for every Christian, and since he was a Christian he thought he d give it a shot. 1. He couldn t go to the breakfast table with his family because all he could think about was how hungry he was. His coffee break at work was so hard, and so was lunch. The afternoon was worse because all he could think about was how hungry he was and listened to his stomach growl. 2. His wife honoring his wishes only prepared food for her and their children, but the aroma was enough to drive him crazy. He just kept thinking, wait until midnight. a. Once the clock struck twelve he dug into some food. b. His thought was I don t think that day of fasting helped him one bit. 3. He was right. It had no purpose, and so the fast turned into a miserable self centered experience. b. We will now talk about the nine purposes of fasting found in Scripture. When you fast you should do it for one of these purposes. Note that not one of these is about garnering favor with God. We made righteous through Jesus work on the cross. Without that settled first fasting has no eternal purpose for us. i. To Strengthen Prayer 1. John Calvin, whose name is not a dirty word and talk about so much in the Christian life said of fasting and prayer, Whenever men are to pray to God concerning any great

8 matter, it would be expedient to appoint fasting along with prayer. 2. There is just something about fasting that sharpens intercessory prayer, and gives passion to supplications. It s the simplifying from distractions that focuses our prayer. 3. In the book of Ezra, King Cyrus of Persia decided to release Israel from captivity and send them home. Ezra declared a fast for the people to seek God s protection for their 900 mile journey back with no military. a. Ezra 8:23, So we fasted and petitioned our God about this and he answered our prayer. 4. Fasting is not some kind of spiritual hunger strike to convince God to do something against His will. Fasting while praying isn t about God s hearing, but about our seriousness toward prayer. a. We see this in Joel too, where the people had been idolaters, and Joel called the people to fast and pray confessing to God about their unheartfelt worship. 5. You ll notice that all of these biblical purposes for fasting relate to prayer. Fasting is the best things we can introduce to our prayer life. ii. To Seek God s Guidance 1. In Judges chapter 20, a great crime was carried out by some in the tribe of Benjamin so the 11 other tribes sought to punish the Bejaminites by going to war against them. Israel outnumbered them 15 to 1. Not only did they lose the battle, but they lost 22,000 men. a. The next day they prayed to God, but again lost a battle and thousands of men.

9 b. On the third day they sought God in prayer again, but verse 26 says they fasted that day until evening. c. Verse 28 they asked God, Shall we go up again to battle with Benjamin our brother or not? God made his will plain to them, Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands. d. Only after seeking God s will with fasting did he give them victory. 2. Acts 14:23 reports that as Paul and Barnabas planted new churches they would appoint elders. In doing this they prayed and fasted to receive God s guidance about who to appoint. 3. Just as fasting makes us more focused on our prayer life, it also can make us more sensitive to the will of God to guide us. iii. To Express Grief 1. Three of the first four references in the Bible to fasting connect the fast to an expression of grief a. Judges 20:26, which we already looked at saw Israel fasting not only to seek God s will, but also to mourn the death of 40,000 men. b. When King Saul and his sons were killed by Philistines, the men of Jabesh Gilead walked all night to recover their bodies. 1 Samuel 31:13 reports that once they were burried, the men fasted for seven days. c. In 2 Samuel1:12, David and his men fasted when they heard the news about the death of Saul and Jonathan.

10 2. Fasting out of grief isn t necessarily only involving death. Fasting to express grief is an appropriate response to brokenness for sin. Confession is not simply words we express with our mouth. Christ is dishonored by a frivolous view of confession that does not appreciate how much our sin cost Him. a. We don t believe in self-flagellation (whipping oneself to attain grace or favor), but brokenness over sin should involve grief for the sin committed. So voluntary fasting is an appropriate response in confession. 3. Fasting is also an appropriate expression of grief at sin in other s lives. a. Jonathan fasted over his father, Saul s shameful treatment of David (1 Samuel 20:34). 4. Another way grief can be expressed through fasting is unhappiness with a situation waiting for the return of Jesus. a. In Luke 5:33, Jesus is asked by some at the table why his disciples eat and drink while John s disciples fast and so do the Pharisees disciples. b. Jesus response was that the Pharisees fast out of hypocrisy, John s disciples fast out of a dissatisfaction with the times waiting for the coming Messiah. Jesus disciples eat because the Messiah has come and is with them. No one waits to eat while the bridegroom is with them at a wedding. Jesus said that there is coming a day when the bridegroom would be taken away and then they would return. i. So we can fast expressing our grief of the physical absence of Jesus and devote ourselves to praying for his return.

11 iv. To Seek Deliverance or Protection 1. One of the most common fasts in biblical times was a fast to seek protection for either enemies or circumstances. a. 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 King Jehoshaphat, scared of an invading army coming against Judah, so he declare a fast for all of Judah. resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. b. We already saw the similar thing from Ezra 8, where the people sought God to protect them on their long journey. c. We see the same thing in Esther. She planned to enter the court of King Xerxes and ask for his protection of the Jews from execution so she called the people to fast for her protection. i. Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. v. To Express Repentance and the Return to God 1. This is similar to fasting for the purpose of expressing grief over sin, but repentance is about a change of mind resulting in a change of action. a. So fasting is not just about brokenness for sin, but can also be the beginning of a commitment to obedience.

12 2. In 1 Samuel 7, Samuel calls the people to return to the Lord with all of their hearts. As a sign of their new commitment it says in verse 6 that they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, We have sinned against God. 3. Another great biblical example of fasting as an expression of repentance is found after Jonah delivered the message of repent or die (Jonah 3:5-8). a. The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: By the decree of the king and his nobles; Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. b. This is really an example of fasting expressing grief, repentance and deliverance from God s wrath. vi. To Humble Oneself Before God 1. Fasting when practiced with the right motives, is a physical expression of humility before God. a. Its like kneeling or prostrating ourselves in prayer reflects a humble heart. b. Just as there are times in prayer or worship where we feel the need to express humility by kneeling or laying

13 down before God, we can also do this in every activity throughout the day by fasting. 2. If we are used to showing humility through kneeling might wonder why someone would want to express it all day by fasting. a. John Calvin asked a better question: Why not? For sin this is a holy exercise both for the humbling of men and for their confession of humility, why should we use it less than the ancients did in similar need? What reason is there why we should not do the same? 3. King Ahab, who was one of the most wicked men in not just Jewish history, but all of history eventually humbled himself before God and demonstrated it by fasting. a. When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijay the Tishbite: Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son. (1 Kings 21:27-29). 4. Oppositely one of Israel s godliest men also humbled himself before the Lord in the same way. King David wrote, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. (Psalm 35:13) 5. Remember though it is not the act of fasting itself is not the humility, but the expression of it. The Pharisees fasted but there was no humility in their work.

14 vii. To Express Concern for the Work of God 1. This is a fast done when we feel a concern or a burden for the work of God they see happening. a. We could feel compelled to fast and pray for the work of God in a place that has experienced tragedy, disappointment, or apparent defeat. i. With the situation in Africa with Ebola. ii. Tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, famines. 2. This was the purpose for Nehemiah s fast when he learned that though the Jewish exiles had made it safely back to Jerusalem, the city walls had been torn down and gates had been burned leaving the people without defense from attack. a. They said to me, Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire. When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven (Nehemiah 1:3-4). b. He then went to work to do something tangible and public to strengthen the work of God. (he asked the king for timber to rebuild the walls and gates). 3. Daniel was also burdened for the return of the Jews from exile and the restoration of Jerusalem and he, too, expressed this by fasting: So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:3)

15 viii. To Minister to the Needs of Others 1. Some people reject the focus on Spiritual Disciplines because they believe they foster self focus and individuality, however fasting can launch one to minister to the needs of others. 2. In Isaiah 58, God wishes to teach the people about true and false worship. In verses 3-4 the people don t understand why God is ignoring their prayers. Why have we fasted, and you see not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it? God replies Behold in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. a. God instructs in verses 6-7 the kind of fast he wants. Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh. 3. Fasting cannot be compartmentalized from the rest of our life. The Spiritual disciplines do not stand alone. God does not honor any discipline, including fasting, if we reject the Word regarding our relationships with other people. 4. So how do we incorporate ministry to others into our busy schedules or work and family? a. We use fasting for the purpose of ministry to others.

16 b. Fast for one meal or one day and use that time for ministry. That way ministry didn t get in the way of other commitments. c. Maybe you fast a few Route 44 s and you save that money to give to someone who needs it. d. Maybe you pick one meal a week or even a month to fast and then you spend that time discipling someone or witnessing. e. These are just some examples I thought of, think about how you could do this in your own life. ix. To Overcome Temptation and Dedicate Yourself to God 1. If I was to ask you to name a fast by a biblical character, most people would say the supernatural fast by Jesus in the wilderness that lead up to his direct temptation by Satan himself in Matthew 4:1-11. a. In that passage we find that he fasted forty days and forty nights. This fast provided him not only the spiritual strength to fight the temptations of Satan, but he also used that time to dedicate himself to the Father for his public ministry he would soon begin. 2. You and I will find nowhere in Scripture a command to fast for forty days and forty nights, but that doesn t mean that we can t learn something about fasting from Jesus example. a. There are times that we all struggle with temptation or we even anticipate that we might face it. i. Traveling for business can present sexual temptations toward unfaithfulness. ii. New school year, job, or ministry may present certain temptations.

17 1. Or even the desire to dedicate ourselves anew to God. iii. Do we take a new job that will mean more money but less time with the family? iv. Do we accept the promotion that includes a transfer that would end a ministry or would affect our family s spiritual growth? 3. In exceptional temptation or difficult decisions fasting for the purpose of overcoming temptation and dedication to God is a spiritually mature response. x. To Express Love and Worship to God 1. By now you may associate fasting with dire circumstances and great trouble requiring a divine intervention. a. However Scripture says that fasting can be a act of sheer devotion to God. 2. In Luke 2 an interesting character is introduced named Anna. Though her presence in the gospel exists because of her interaction with Mary and Joseph in the temple with baby Jesus, much is learned about her life. a. Verse 37 said she never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. b. She was married only for seven years before she was widowed, so she devoted at least half a century night and day to a worship of God that was characterized as fasting and praying. 3. In this purpose fasting is an expression of finding our greatest pleasure and enjoyment in life from God.

18 a. Disciplining ourselves in this way states that we love God more than food that seeking Him is more important to us than eating and that is honoring to God. b. He is more important than thinking about or preparing our next morsel of nutrition. 4. Christians throughout history have fasted for this purpose in preparing for the Lord s Supper. Besides fasting for the purpose of humility and repentance here it also focuses on adoring the One who is represented in the Lord s Supper. 5. Another way to utilize this fast is to prolong eating until you have had your time in the word. V. In Closing, fasting must have a biblical, God-centered purpose if we expect God to bless us. Even then we are undeserving of anything and should be happy with however God chooses to bless us. We must also remember that we cannot force God s hand or manipulate Him to give us something out of His will. a. Lets balance that truth with the promise from Matthew 6:17-18, But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. b. God will bless a biblical fast by his children, whether the blessing is what you expected or something different, none of His rewards are worthless.