Fasting

1. Fasting Todd Coburn July 18, 2010

2. 45x tzoom ( ) = fast, cover the mouth tavah or tevat {} = hunger, fasting 1x (from spin) nestea {} = fast, without food 30x 1x asceetos ( ) = fast, without food What is it? Old Testament New Testament

3. What is it? Fasting is voluntarily not eating food for a specific period of time • A Related Concept - Simplicity: • Temporarily giving up anything else that takes your eyes off Jesus

4. (te-an-oo) = humble yourself, translated deny yourself Purification & Cleansing Lev. 16:29"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you- 30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. Commanded?!? Also described in Lev. 23:26-32 & Numbers 29:7-11 Also I Sam. 7:2-6, Samuel Leads Israel fast at Mizpah Also Nehemiah 9:1-3, Nehemiah Leads Israel fast at Jerusalem

5. Principal Fasting is generally connected with a deep sense of spiritual anxiety

6. Principal Fasting is generally connected with a keen awareness of our own sin

7. Principal Fasting is generally connected with mankind humbling ourselves before God

8. Intersession Deut. 9:18 Then once again I fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the LORD's sight and so provoking him to anger. 19 I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the LORD listened to me. 20 And the LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. Moses

9. Mourning I Sam. 31:11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. Saul’s Valient Men Also 2 Sam. 1:11-12, David & men fasted ‘til evening for Saul & sons

10. Petitioning GodAverting Judgement 2 Sam. 12:15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18bOn the seventh day the child died. David Read v. 18b-25 to see the full picture of God’s response & restoration Also I Kings 21:17-29, Ahab humbles himself in face of God’s Judgement Also Jonah 3:1-10, Ninevah humbles itself at Jonah’s preaching

11. Petitioning GodTo Avert Disaster 2 Chron. 20:1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. Jehoshaphat Read v. 5-30 to see God’s beautiful response

12. Petitioning GodFor Protection Ezra 8:21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. Ezra

13. Spiritual Preparation Matt. 4:1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Jesus Recall John 4:32 “I have food to eat that you know nothing about”

14. Principal Fasting can be used in preparation to avoid sin

15. Seeking God’s Will Acts 13:1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen… and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Church Leaders

16. Seeking God’s Will Acts 14:21bThen they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22astrengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. … 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Paul & Barnabas

17. Principal Fasting can be used to enhance worship & connectedness with God

18. Principal Fasting for commissioning has a dual element of seeking God’s direction in decisions and intercession for commissioned

19. Reasons for Fasts • Intersession • Purification & Cleansing • Mourning • Petitioning God • Averting Judgement • To Avert Disaster • For Protection • Spiritual Preparation • Seeking God’s Will

20. Lengths of Fasts • One Night • Daniel 6:18, Darius for Daniel • One Day • Israel @ Mizpah under Samuel in I Sam. 7:6 • 3 Days & Nights • Esther & Jews before she approached King in Esther 4:16 • 21 Days • Daniel partial fast after troubling vision in Daniel 10. • 40 Days & Nights • Moses on Mount Horeb twice in Deut. 9:9,18 • Jesus prior to temptation in Matt. 4:2, Mark 1:13 & Lk 4:2

21. Principal Fasting can be practiced in periods suited to each individual situation

22. Guidelines & Warnings Matt. 6:16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so 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. See also Isaiah 58, Zech. 7:4-10, Luke 18:9-14

23. Principal Be sure when you fast you are doing it to be seen by God and not by men

24. Principals of Fasting • Fasting is voluntarily not eating food for a specific period of time. • Fasting is generally connected… • with a deep sense of spiritual anxiety. • with a keen awareness of our own sin. • with mankind humbling ourselves before God. • Fasting can be used… • in preparation to avoid sin. • to enhance worship & connectedness with God. • Fasting for commissioning has a dual element of seeking God’s direction in decisions and intercession for commissioned. • Fasting can be practiced in periods suited to each individual situation. • Be sure when you fast you are doing it to be seen by God & not by men

25. How to Start • Skip a meal • Skip two • Try a daylight fast (sunrise to sunset) • Try a 24 hour fast • Try a partial fast • Only liquids • No meat • Try a group fast with your Home Fellowship • Let the Spirit Lead For further suggestions, try Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, HarperCollins,1978

26. Remember John 6:35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.