Download - WHY FAST? · means to lose weight or to effect political change: The Fast Diet pushes intermittent fasting as a way to eat well while getting slim and healthy and some reviewers bill

RoomToPray2018:ACalltoPrayandFastBibleStudy#1:WHYFAST?Page1of4

WHYFAST?IntroductionOverthepastfewdecades,we’veheardorreadaboutfastingintwocontexts–asameanstoloseweightortoeffectpoliticalchange:TheFastDietpushesintermittentfastingasawaytoeatwellwhilegettingslimandhealthyandsomereviewersbillthisdietasthe“healthphenomenonofourtimes.”(www.bookrepository.com)Attheotherextreme,weknowhungerstrikeshavebeenstagedforpoliticalreasonsthroughouthistory.AccordingtotheBBC,hungerstrikeswerepartofthelegalsysteminpre-ChristianIreland.Ifamanfeltwrongedbyyouandstarvedhimselftodeathonyourdoorstep,youhadtobeartheburdenofhisdebts!Inmorerecenthistory,hungeraspoliticalprotesthasbeenrevived–usedbyeveryonefromthesuffragettestoGandhi.BiblicalfastingThetraditionofbiblicalfastingthatwereadinScripturetellsadifferentstory.Abiblicalfastisneverdonetoloseweight(thoughthatmayhappendependingonyourtypeoffast).Nordoesfastingguaranteeyourdesiredoutcome,politicalorotherwise.Fastingwasregularlypracticedthroughoutbiblicaltimes.Indeed,thelistofbiblicalfastersreadslikea“who’swho”ofScripturesaysRichardFoster.TheyincludeMoses,David,ElijahafterhisvictoryoverJezebel,Ezra,Nehemiah,Hannah,Esther,Daniel,Anna,Jesus(atthestartofhisministry)andPaul,tonameafew.Communitiesfastedaswell:JehosophatcalledJudahtofastwhenfacedwithcertainannihilationatthehandsofavastarmy.ReturningtoJerusalem,EzradirectedthehundredsofJewswithhimtofastandprayforGod’sprotection.EsthercalledallJewstofastwithherforthreedaysandnightsbeforeshewentbeforeKingXerxes.JewswerecommandedtofastontheDayofAtonement.Phariseesfastedtwiceaweek.(Luke18:12).Oneoftheearliestchurch-disciplinetextsthatexistsoutsideofScripture,theDidache,instructsthatChristianswerealsotofasttwiceaweek.Whyshouldwefasttoday?


Reason1:Wefastbecauseofanurgingorprompting,asenseofcallorasenseofrightness.READMatthew6:1–18Howmanywhensdoyoufindinthispassage?___________________________ListeverysentenceinwhichyoufindJesusbeginswithWhenorAndwhene.g.Whenyougivetosomeoneinneed...____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Whenisapowerfulword.Jesusdidn’tsayifyougive...ifyoupray...ifyoufast.WefastbecausewehaveheardthatcallfromYahweh,thevoiceoftheLordandwemustobey.Reason2:Wefastbecausefastingrevealsthethingsthatcontrolus.WefindJesus’directivesonprayerandfastinginhisteachingsknownasTheSermononTheMount.Let’snotforgetthoughthatJesusgivestheseteachingsafterHehasbeenbaptizedbyJohnandthen“ledbytheSpiritintothewildernesstobetemptedtherebythedevil.”READMatthew4:1-11WhatdoesJesusdointhewildernessandhowdoesHephysicallyfeel?(verse2)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________WhatisSatan’sfirstchallengetoJesus?(Therearetwopartstothisanswer.)(verse3)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________WhatisJesus’reply?(verse4)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________READDeuteronomy8:1-3.Then,ifyouhavetime,READPsalm78.


JesusquotesDeuteronomy8:3torebuffSatan’stemptation.WhatisJesussayingtoSatan,andtous,aboutGod’sword?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________WhatisJesussayingtousaboutthemeaningandvalueofhunger?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________RE-READMatthew1–11thenREADJohn10:10Thedevil’schallenges/temptationstoJesusinthewilderness,andJesus’teachingsabouttheGoodShepherdinJohn10makeitclear:Satancomestokill,stealanddestroy.Andhedoessobytargetingthecorethingsthatcontrolus:ourappetite,ourneedforapprovalandourambitions.(BuildingaDisciplingCulturebyMikeBreen)Satanwillwantyou:

• toquestionanddisbelieveGod’sword(verse3)• testGod’spowerandfaithfulnessinyourlife(verses5-6)• doubtGod’stimingandplanforyou(verses8–9)

(sourcedfromFastFriends:TheAmazingPowerofFriendship,FastingandPrayerbySuzanneNilesandWendySimpsonLittle.BroadSheetPublishingGroup,Racine,WI)HowwouldJesus’experienceoffastinghavegivenHimthestrengthtoresist;tosaynotoSatan...threetimesoverandtotrustGodHisFather,HisWordandHiswayinstead?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Weoftencoverupwhat’sinsideofuswithfoodandwithotherthings,butinfasting,thosethingsthatcontrolusbegintosurface.AsyouthinkaboutjoiningBaptistWomenintheirmonthofprayerandfastingformoreofGodandofJesus,what’sbeguntosurfaceforyouasyou’veworkedthoughthisstudy?Whataresomeofthewaysinwhichyousatiateyourappetites,getapprovalfromothersandmanageyourdestiny?Listthemhere.


______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________GodknowsyourheartandHealreadyknowswhatyouneed(Matthew6:32)!HowcouldfastinghelpyouresistSatan’sliesandopposition?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reason3:WefastasawayofcelebratingthegoodnessofGodwhilegrowingourtrustinHim.READMatthew6:19–20andverses25–34Therearefour“donot”commandsgivenbyJesusintheseverses.Whatarethey?Verse19:_____________________________________________________________________________________Verse25:_____________________________________________________________________________________Verse31:_____________________________________________________________________________________Verse34:_____________________________________________________________________________________HowcouldregularprayerandfastinghelpyougrowinyourabilitytoseekHimfirst(verse33)andtotrustHimmorewithallyourneeds?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________MayyourprayerandfastingthisAprilberichandsatisfyingasyouspendtimewithGodandlistentoHiswordsforyouandyourgroup.