Prayer and Fasting

What is Fasting

Fasting - to completely refrain from eating for a designated period of time for the purpose of increasing hunger and seeking God.

Examples of Fasting in the Bible

Day of Atonement - Leviticus 23
Moses - Exodus 34
Hannah - 1 Samuel 1
Ezra - Ezra 8
Nehemiah - Nehemiah 1
Esther - Esther 4
Jehoshaphat - 2 Chronicles 20
Nineveh - Jonah 3
Anna - Luke 2
Jesus - Matthew 4
Jesus Instructs the Disciples in Fasting - Matthew 9 & 6
Saul/Paul - Acts 9
Paul & Barnabas - Acts 13 & 14

Thomas A. Tarrants
“What are some of the reasons biblical people fasted? They cover a range of things, including national emergencies, deliverance from danger, protection, help in sickness or some other difficult situation, special guidance, and humbling oneself before God and drawing near to Him. Sometimes grief, mourning or lamentation, or sorrow over a particular sin or sins were reasons for fasting, as well as breaking bondages to certain sins. Fasting is also connected with seeking deliverance for the oppressed. In some instances, it is involved in receiving revelation from God.

In both testaments, fasting is simply going without food in order to seek God for some special reason. Although the purposes for which we seek God may vary, going without food does not. This is an important distinction, because today there is a tendency to expand the word fasting to include things other than food, such as television, movies, internet, social media, or cell phones. Although it is certainly right to abstain from any number of things that are hindering our relationship with God, that is not what the Bible means by fasting. Such abstaining is better described as “saying no” to some form of worldliness or harmful fleshly indulgence.”

Abstaining - to voluntarily remove certain comforts for a designated period of time in order to set aside more time to seek God and break from our attachments to the world.

1 Corinthians 7:4-5 NASB
“4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

Question 17 of the New City Catechism for Kids: “What is idolatry?”
Answer: “Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the creator.”

Without a regular rhythm of cutting off our connection to the things of the world, our dependence drifts from being fully in God to created things. Abstinence breaks the world’s hold on our hope and trust.

Fasting is to completely refrain from eating for a designated period of time for the purpose of increasing hunger and seeking God.

Abstaining is to voluntarily remove certain comforts for a designated period of time in order to set aside more time to seek God and break from our attachments to the world.

Fasting and Abstaining are practices to position our hearts and lives to prioritize God. Prayer is the posture of living aware of God.

Wherever we find prayer, we find God in the midst of His people. God is never more active than when prayer is practiced.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-25

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

Prayer - the constant, thankful examination of life with God that allows us to firmly hold God’s goodness in our heart to continue in us the completion of His work of sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-25 (Broken Down)

16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit,
20 do not utterly reject prophecies,
21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,
22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

Legalism and the Shame Cycle

Shame & Guilt > Behavior Modification Through Legalistic Rules > Success > Fear/Pride > Plateau > Shame & Guilt

Galatians 5:13, 16-25

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. . . .
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.

Galatians 5:13, 16-25 (Broken Down)

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,
20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions,
21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.

Corporate Rhythms

21 Days (January)
The Digital Fast (March)
National Day of Prayer (May 1st: Morning, Noon, and Night)

Personal Rhythms

Monday Morning Prayer
Midweek Prayer
Weekly Fasting (1 day a week)