Fasting

Series: 12:24: A Lent Series

Summary

Fasting

Pastor Brandon Berg

“Fasting from any nourishment, activity, involvement or pursuit—for any season—sets the stage for God to appear. Fasting is not a tool to pry wisdom out of God's hands or to force needed insight about a decision. Fasting is not a tool for gaining discipline or developing piety (whatever that might be). Instead, fasting is the bulimic act of ridding ourselves of our fullness to attune our senses to the mysteries that swirl in and around us." - Dan B. Allender, PhD

“Fasting is a laudable practice and we have reason to lament that it is generally neglected among Christians.” - Matthew Henry

“I wonder whether we have ever fasted? I wonder whether it has even occurred to us that we ought to be considering the question of fasting? The fact is, that this whole subject seems to have dropped right out of our lives and right out of our whole Christian thinking.” - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Mark 9:1
“I tell you the truth, there are some standing here now who won’t experience death until they see God’s kingdom realm manifest with power!” 

Mark 9:9
“Don’t tell anyone of what you just witnessed. Wait until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 

Mark 9:12-13
“They’re right. Elijah must come first to put everything in order.  And what about all that is written about the Son of Man? It is true that he must endure many sufferings and be rejected. So Elijah has already appeared, just as it was prophesied, and they did to him whatever they pleased.”

Mark 9:16
“What are you arguing about with the religious scholars?”

Mark 9:19
“Why are you such a faithless people?   How much longer must I remain with you and put up with your unbelief? Now, bring the boy to me.”

Mark 9:21
“How long has your son been tormented like this?”

Mark 9:23
“What do you mean ‘if’?  If you are able to believe, all things are possible to the believer.”

Mark 9:25 
“Deaf and mute spirit, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”

Mark 9:29
“This type of powerful spirit can only be cast out by fasting and prayer.” 

The mighty hand of God is not dependent on the mighty faith of man.

Big Idea: Fasting is prescribed, paired, practiced and powerful.

1. Fasting is PRESCRIBED

2. Fasting is PAIRED

“The Bible does not teach that fasting is a kind of spiritual hunger strike that compels God to do our bidding.  If we ask for something [in prayer that is] outside of God’s will, fasting does not cause Him to reconsider.  Fasting does not change God’s hearing so much as it changes our praying.” - Don Whitney

3. Fasting is PRACTICED

Philippians 4:9
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

4. Fasting is POWERFUL

“Cause the God of the mountain is the God of the valley, there’s no place your mercy and grace won’t find me again.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Think about the “valley experiences” in your life. How would you describe them? Stuck? Fearful? Tormented? When you think about Jesus prescribing fasting as a means of breakthrough in the valley, what thoughts come to mind?

2. Have you ever blamed yourself for “not having enough faith” as a reason for not seeing breakthrough in your life? If so, what encouragement does this story of Jesus’s interaction with this desperate father offer you today?

3. Have you ever fasted? If so, describe your experience. If not, what is one small step toward the discipline of fasting can you take today?

Speaker: Brandon Berg

March 5, 2023

Brandon Berg

Executive Pastor

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