12.30.18 || Power of Fasting

1. What Is Fasting
2 Samuel 12:16-17 – “…David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. … nor did he eat food with them.”

2. How To Fast
 Regular Fast
Judges 20:26 – “Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening; and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.”
 Full Fast
Acts 9:9 – ‘And for three days he [Paul] was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”
 Daniel Fast
Daniel 10:3 – “I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”

3. Why Practice Fasting
 To Grow In Humility
Psalm 35:13 – “…I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.”
Matthew 6:16 - “When you fast, stop looking sad like hypocrites. They put on sad faces to make it obvious that they’re fasting. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward.”
 For The Good Of Others
Esther 4:16 - “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do.”
 To Increase The Power Of Prayer
Acts 13:2 – ‘While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
 For Spiritual Victory
Mark 9:29 – “So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
 To Follow Jesus
Matthew 6:16 - “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting...”