Fasting Facts
With the lead taken from the elders and staff members, we as a church were encouraged to fast and pray. Specifically, we were asked to fast and pray about the purchase of land. Following are some “Fasting Facts”. You can also listen to Pastor Del’s sermon below.
Fasting has a long history in the Bible
- Moses - 40 days (Exodus 34:28)
- David - 7 days (II Samuel 12:16-23)
- Esther - 3 days (Esther 4:16)
- Nehemiah - certain days (Nehemiah 1:4-11)
- Daniel - 21 days (Daniel 10:2-3)
Fasting has definite purposes
- To seek God
- To help in repentance and humility
- To deepen concern
- To sharpen us spiritually, mentally and physically
There are various kinds of fasts
- All solid food (Luke 4:2)
- All food and water (Esther 4:16)
- Partial food (Daniel 10:3)
- Private (Matthew 6:16-18)
- Corporate (Joel 1:13-14; Acts 13:1-3)
There are practical aspects to fasting
- Motives need to be right, not to impress people (Matthew 6:16-18)
- Health issues should be considered
- Family dynamics are a factor
- An extended fast should be planned with God’s direction
- An extended fast should be ended carefully, not quickly
