Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/12/2005

Question
Why Should I fast?
How long should I fast?
Is fasting just not eating meat or is it not eating anything at all?

Answer
Hi Carl

Thanks for this great question.  Usually fasting involves all food, but one can drink water or juice.  This summer I preached a message on fasting.  I will paste my sermon notes below.

Fasting For Freedom
Isaiah 58:5-7
Preached Wednesday Evening July 13, 2005

Introduction:

  The people of Judah had heard about their sins. They were well aware of their impending judgment. They needed to break out of the bondage of their sins. In these few verses we see the prophet Isaiah giving some access the power they so desperately needed. The key was proper fasting. Biblical fasting is much more than going without food. Isaiah explains in the first part of this chapter that sometimes fasting happens as a people are in the depths of their sin. This fasting will not bring deliverance. There is a kind of fasting that involves intense soul searching, repentance, and prayer. This is the subject of the message this evening, this is fasting for freedom.

  Jesus taught His disciples the need for this kind of fasting.

Matthew 17:15-21
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Let us learn what it means to fast for freedom.

I.    Fasting Begins With Repentance

Isaiah 58:5
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?  

James 4:8-10
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

A.    Draw near to God
B.    Cleanse your hands- from doing wrong
C.    Purify your hearts- from thinking wrong thoughts
D.    Mourn because of your sin
E.    Humble yourself

II.    Fasting Leads To Freedom

Isaiah 58:6
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?   

A.    From the bands of wickedness

John 8:32-34
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou,  Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,  Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Ephesians 4:27
27 Neither give place to the devil.

B.    From heavy burdens

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Luke 4:18
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Psalm 147:3
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.  

C.    From the oppression of the wicked one

Psalm 79:11
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;   

Isaiah 42:7
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Psalm 49:9
9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

D.    From the yoke of legalism

Galatians 5:1-6
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

III.    Fasting Leads To Toward Others

Isaiah 58:7
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?  

A.    Reach the outcast and the poor

James 2:1-7
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;  3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:  4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  

B.    Cover the naked

1 John 3:17
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

C.    Remove your guilt

1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

I hope that this helps you.  

In Christ
Pastor Don