Fasting & Chastity

1. Fasting & Chastity

2. Kenneth Boa

3. Fasting It the abstention from physical nourishment for the purpose of spiritual sustenance

4. Chastity It elevates loving concern for the good of others above personal gratification! It recognizes that the sexual appetite is a legitimate part of our nature, but it encourages us to resist relations that are frequently reinforced in our culture.

5. Fasting and Chastity Why Fast? Self-denial for the purpose of spiritual intimacy

6. Why Fast?

7. Why Fast? 1. For protection

8. Ezra 8 : 21 - 23 21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions. 22For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since

9. Ezra 8 : 21 - 23 we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him. 23So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

11. Why Fast? 1. For protection 2. For mourning and repentance

12. Nehemiah 1 : 4 - 6 4When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6let your ear be

13. Nehemiah 1 : 4 - 6 attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned.

15. Why Fast? 1. For protection 2. For mourning and repentance 3. For wisdom

16. Acts 13 : 1 - 3 1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and

17. Acts 13 : 1 - 3 Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

19. Why Fast? 1. For protection 2. For mourning and repentance 3. For wisdom 4. For supernatural faith-filled power

20. Matthew 19 : 14 - 18 14And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure

21. Matthew 19 : 14 - 18 him.”17Then Jesus answered and said,  “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

23. Matthew 19 : 19 - 21 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be

24. Matthew 19 : 19 - 21 impossible for you. 21However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

26. Fasting and Chastity • How to Fast? Self-denial for the purpose of spiritual intimacy

27. How to Fast?

28. How to Fast? 1. Don’t make it obvious

29. Matthew 6 : 16 - 18 16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you do not

30. Matthew 6 : 16 - 18 appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

31. How to Fast? 1. Don’t make it obvious 2. Make a decision on what to fast

32. I Corinthians 7 : 2 - 5 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the

33. I Corinthians 7 : 2 - 5 husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.5Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that

34. I Corinthians 7 : 2 - 5 Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 

38. How to Fast? 1. Don’t make it obvious 2. Make a decision on what to fast 3. Make a decision on how long to fast

40. The Challenge

41. The Challenge Do you need fasting in your life?

42. The Challenge Do you need fasting in your life? How could it help your spiritual walk?

43. The Challenge Do you need fasting in your life? How could it help your spiritual walk? Do you need to learn self-control?

44. Fasting & Chastity