Faith Talk - September 1, 2024
Sunday: September 1, 2024
Series: Fasting: Biblical and Beneficial
Sermon: Fasting for the Purpose of Godliness
Series: Fasting: Biblical and Beneficial
Sermon: Fasting for the Purpose of Godliness
Scripture
1 Timothy 4:7 - But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness.
Summary
Today, we continued our series, Fasting: Biblical and Beneficial. As we worshiped and fasted today, our guest speaker, Dr. Donald Whitney, shared how to fast for the purpose and the training of godliness.
One Spiritual Discipline that helps sharpen the edge of our hunger and thirst for righteousness and intensifies our hunger for God is fasting. To practice it biblically would be one way to obey the command of 1 Timothy 4:7, Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness
Fasting Explained
In the Bible, a normal fast involves abstaining from all food but not from water (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2). A partial fast is a limitation of the diet but not abstention from all food (Daniel 1:12; Matthew 3:4). An absolute fast is the avoidance of all food and liquid (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9). The Bible also describes the supernatural fasts of Moses (Deuteronomy 9:9) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), private fasts (Matthew 6:16-18), congregational fasts (Joel 2:15-16), national fasts (2 Chronicles 20:3), regular fasts (Leviticus 16:29-31; Luke 18:12), and occasional fasts (Matthew 9:15).
Biblical Purposes
One Spiritual Discipline that helps sharpen the edge of our hunger and thirst for righteousness and intensifies our hunger for God is fasting. To practice it biblically would be one way to obey the command of 1 Timothy 4:7, Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness
Fasting Explained
In the Bible, a normal fast involves abstaining from all food but not from water (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2). A partial fast is a limitation of the diet but not abstention from all food (Daniel 1:12; Matthew 3:4). An absolute fast is the avoidance of all food and liquid (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9). The Bible also describes the supernatural fasts of Moses (Deuteronomy 9:9) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), private fasts (Matthew 6:16-18), congregational fasts (Joel 2:15-16), national fasts (2 Chronicles 20:3), regular fasts (Leviticus 16:29-31; Luke 18:12), and occasional fasts (Matthew 9:15).
Biblical Purposes
- To strengthen prayer (Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 9:3; Joel 2:12-17; Acts 13:3)
- To seek God's guidance (Judges 20:26-28; Acts 14:23)
- To express grief (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 31:11-13; 2 Samuel 1:11-12)
- To seek from God deliverance or protection (2 Chronicles 20:3-4; Ezra 8:21-23; Esther 4:16; Psalm 109:21-26)
- To express repentance and the return to God (1 Samuel 7:6; Joel 2:12; Jonah 3:5-8)
- To humble oneself before God (1 Kings 21:27-29; Psalm 35:13)
- To express concern for the work of God (Nehemiah 1:3-11; Isaiah 58:6-7; Daniel 9:3)
- To minister to the needs of others (Isaiah 58:6-7)
- To overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God (Matthew 4:1-11)
- To express love and worship to God (Luke 2:37)
Discussion
- Share the experience you are having with fasting today.
- How are you practicing the components of fasting Pastor Brian taught last week? (Holy Spirit, God's Word, etc.)
- How are you encouraged by the message this morning to continue fasting?
- Discuss the experience of worship and fasting with the corporate church body this morning.
- Was there anything that stood out to you? Any encouragement you received?
- Discuss how fasting can train you for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7).
- Review the list of purposes given for fasting in the Bible. What purpose do you identify with the most? What purpose can you incorporate into your time of fasting?
Pray Together
Father, thank you for sustaining us today as we fast. I ask that during our fast you train us for the purpose of godliness. I pray that you work in each of us and each person in our church to practice this discipline and make us more like You. We commit to fast as you lead us by the Holy Spirit, fill us with Your Word, and free us through the spiritual breakthrough we need. To you be the glory. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Posted in Faith Talk