Fasting

Intro: What is the one type of food you find the hardest to resist?

Study

  1. Ezra 8:23, Isaiah 58:9 The bible shows us that Fasting is an important part of our Christian walk, when we fast we position ourselves to hear God.
    1. Mt 6:16-18 Fasting is not to be a show, competition, or something that we boast about to try to look good in front of people.
      1. James 4:10 Fasting is to be done out of humility, it is an act of denying our fleshly desires so that we can come closer to God.
      2. Isaiah 58:3-4 Fasting is not some ritual that has power alone, effective fasting must include prayer, reading the Bible, and living right.
    2. Daniel 9:3-4 When we fast, we need to spend the time we would have been eating food seeking God in prayer, worship, and reading the Bible.
  2. Matt 4:1-11 Jesus, the son of God fasted before he went into his ministry, Jesus was victorious over satan through his fasting, we are to follow this example.
    1. Acts 13:2-3 When we fast as God leads us for the right reasons, we will hear God clearer on direction in our lives, and with decisions we need to make.
      1. Isaiah 58:6 Fasting also allows us to have greater strength against temptation, victory over strongholds, and allows us to overcome secret sins.
      2. Matt 17:21, John 14:12 k.j.v. When we fast, we see God move in power, we operate in a greater anointing, and we are used by God in greater ways.
    2. Joel 2:12, Lev 6:12-13 In order for us to “Keep the fire burning”, we must include fasting in our times of prayer, worship, and studying the Bible.

Discussion

  1. Who has a testimony of a time when they fasted and prayed to God? What did God do as a result of your fasting and prayer?
  2. Why is dying to our fleshly desires through fasting so powerful? Why do you think God is able to do so much more when we fast?
  3. Is there anyone here who is fighting serious temptation, or needs to desperately hear God in direction, or with a personal decision?
  4. Can you share why Fasting when we pray, worship, and read the Bible is so important for us to “keep the fire of God burning” in our lives?

End: Pray for those who need to fast, are fighting strong temptation, who need to hear God with personal direction and decisions, then take requests.