'Going Deeper into the Disciplines for Ordinary Disciples' A life of Discipline: Control of the Flesh 'Fasting

1
'Going Deeper into the Disciplines for Ordinary
Disciples' A life of Discipline Control of
the Flesh 'Fasting
2

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Biblical Fasting is the voluntary denial of food
  for spiritual purposes
• Types of Fasts
• Normal Fast food only
• after fasting forty days and forty nights, he
  was hungry Matthew 42
• 2. Absolute Fast no food and water
• 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 416)

3

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Types of Fasts continued
• 2. Absolute Fast no food and water
• for three days he was blind, and did
  not eat or drink anything (Acts 99)
• While he (Ezra) was there, he ate no food
  and drank no water, because he continued to
  mourn over the unfaithfulness of the
  exiles. (Ezra 106)

4

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Types of Fasts continued
• 2. Absolute Fast (Supernatural Fasts)
• I went up the mountain to receive the stone
  tablets on which was written the covenant that
  the Lord had made with you. I stayed there forty
  days and nights and did not eat or drink
  anything. (Deuteronomy 99)
• So he got up and ate and drank.
  Strengthened by that food, he traveled
  forty days and forty nights until he
  reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
• (1Kings 198)

5

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Types of Fasts continued
• Partial Fast certain foods/liquids
• I ate no choice food no meat or wine touched
  my lips and I used no lotions at all until the
  three weeks were over. (Daniel 103)

6

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Abstinence
• Then the king returned to his palace and spent
  the night without eating and without any
  entertainment being brought to him. And he could
  not sleep. Daniel 618
• Abstaining from sex is permissible for
  a
• period of time if you both agree to
  it, and if
• it's for the purposes of prayer and
  fasting
• but only for such times. Then come
  
• back together again. 1Corinthians 75
  (MSG)

7

• 1. What is Biblical fasting?
• Biblical Fasting is the voluntary denial of food
  for spiritual purposes
• Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all
  Scripture and reason and
• others have utterly disregard it
  John Wesley
• Richard Foster, Celebration of
  discipline nothing on fasting
  between 1861-1954

8

• 2. Freedom in the private dimension of fasting
• Matthew 616-18
• When you fast, do not look somber as the
  hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to
  show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you,
  they have received their
• reward in full. But when you fast,
  put oil on
• your head and wash your face, so
  that it will
• not be obvious to others 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.

9

• 2. Freedom in the private dimension of fasting
• The discipline of fasting brings joy and freedom
• Benefits of fasting
• Sacrificial commitment
• Humbling act
• Leaves no room for boasting (Luke 1812)
• Produces gratefulness
• Reminder to pray and intercede
• Wait on God

10

• 2. Freedom in the private dimension of fasting
• Benefits of fasting continued
• The greater things of God
• To act in the Name of Jesus
• Joy and Freedom
• Effective intercessory prayer
• Guidance
• Decision making becomes sharper
• Increased concentration
• Deliverance

11

• 2. Freedom in the private dimension of fasting
• Benefits of fasting continued
• Physical well being
• Revelations

12

• 3. Freedom in the public dimension of fasting
• Matthew 914,
• Then Johns disciples came and asked him, How
  is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your
  disciples do not fast?
• Jesus answered, How can the guests of
• the bridegroom mourn while he is with
  
• them? The time will come when the
• bridegroom will be taken from them
  then
• they will fast.

13

• 3. Freedom in the public dimension of fasting
• The discipline of fasting brings joy and freedom
• Reflect
• Do you desire a deeper life with God?
• Want greater internal freedom?
• Are you going through a crisis?
• Do you need to repent of lifestyle choices?
• Do you grieve over this nation of Australia and
  that people are going to a lost eternity?