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February 11, 2018

"Feasting & Fasting - Part 2"

Series: The Fight: The Year of Prayer Passage: Matthew 6:1–34, Deuteronomy 8:1–20

Sunday Sermon: February 11th, 2018

“O taste and see that the LORD is good,” Psalm 34:8

What is fasting?
Fasting is an indispensable, voluntary, discipline in which we suspend the enjoyment and satisfaction that comes from God’s good gifts, to receive and know the joy of the true treasure of immeasurable value. Fasting is a retreat from the good so that we can better know and enjoy the best.

1. Supreme joy comes from Jesus alone; fasting and this kind of joy are inseparable, Matthew 9:156:1-34.
2. Jesus expected his followers to long for and fast for His return, Matthew 9:15Luke 2:36-3812:3618:7-8Matthew 6:1024:142 Timothy 4:8.
3. Fasting from food was standard biblical practice, 2 Samuel 12:16-23Deuteronomy 9:15-18; Isaiah 58; Daniel 6:18Esther 4:16Matthew 4:1-116:16-18Acts 13:1-3.
4. Fasting can be bad. Fasting can go horribly wrong, Isaiah 58; 1 Timothy 4:3.
5. Fasting means a happy face, Matthew 6:16-18.
6. Fast to hear from God, Acts 13:1-3; Daniel 9-10.
7. Fast together for missions; fast together for mission, Acts 13:1-32 Samuel 1:12Nehemiah 9:1-3.
8. Fast for personal insight; fast for repentance’s sake, Psalm 139:23-24Nehemiah 9:1-3; Daniel 9, 10.
9. Fast and pray for favor and help, Matthew 6:1-342 Samuel 12:16-23Acts 14:21-23.
10. Fasting for serving, 2 Corinthians 6:4-102 Corinthians 11:23-28Matthew 4:1-11.

“For those hooked on the drugs of materialism and consumption, there is no such thing as enough. Instead, our mantra is 'More,' a command that by definition cannot be satisfied. Fasting from anything is a sign that we are denying 'More' and saying 'Enough.' As we have just learned, though, the reason we had trouble saying 'Enough' in the first place is because of the appetites of our flesh and desires of our heart: our spiritual senses. Just because we fast from things that do not satisfy our spiritual senses does not mean we have tamed our senses or that they somehow go into hibernation. To truly say 'Enough,' we have to experience satisfaction of our spiritual senses. And the only person who truly satisfies is Jesus Christ himself.” Jared C. Wilson, Supernatural Power for Everyday People

other sermons in this series