Fasting And Prayer

Last Sunday evening in our evening service, we discussed in detail the importance of having a quiet time with the Lord. We talked about how often we should do it, how to plan for it, and to actually put together your own private quiet time. With that knowledge under our belt, let’s look at Matthew 6:5-8; 16-18. READ.

Today, I want to share with you the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES OF FASTING AND PRAYER.

The problem with that title is the difficult word, DISCIPLINE! For a Baptist, the problem word is probably FASTING. (Going without eating) Yes, fasting and

prayer are what we call spiritual disciplines that by their very nature require hard work and training. But please don’t misunderstand me - both fasting and prayer as spiritual disciplines are not energized nor accomplished by our will power or determination but rather prompted and powered by the Spirit of God.

When we talked about having a quiet time last Sunday, we were introduced to it as a discipline. That means for it to be a discipline, it is not something that comes naturally, but something we must learn to do and work at accomplishing it.

When I think of discipline and training, I think of the OLYMPICS and all that discipline and training that is undertaken by each Olympic athlete. So, think of it this way—the Holy Spirit is the Trainer and Coach who is able to make each one of us an Olympian when it comes to fasting and prayer.

Let’s first of all look at FASTING and see why it is such a vital spiritual discipline. By the way, fasting is mentioned more in Scripture than baptism. Fasting is simply the denial of food for a specific period of time. I think that fasting can be easily misunderstood. When we talk about fasting, most everyone thinks we have to go days without eating. Do you realize that most all of us fast every day? When you eat your last meal of the day, you usually fast all night. That is why the next morning your meal is called Breakfast. You are breaking your fast. So you can get up in the morning and before you eat, have your quiet time. You are, at that point, fasting. So, don’t let that word discourage you.

Now the words discipline and denial are not exactly key words in our over-indulgent culture, so why in the passage does Jesus encourage his disciples to fast? Let me give you three reasons this morning why our Lord encourages us to fast:

First, realize that as a spiritual discipline, fasting is not an end in itself but rather a means to a greater end as it precedes either the spiritual discipline of studying the Word of God or the spiritual discipline that we will talk about in a few minutes - that of prayer. Fasting is not just an exercise in self-denial. So, don’t think of fasting as going without food. Rather, think of fasting as a re-investment of time and energy into time spent with the Lord in either prayer or Bible Study. The bottom line is that fasting ENRICHES our time spent with the Lord.

Second, there is also a sense in which food dulls our spirits and the absence of food quickens our spirits. You know how after a large meal you feel kind of content comfortable and perhaps even lethargic? That’s why we have church BEFORE lunch. It’s hard enough keeping some of you awake as it is. Think of that as kind of being DRUNK WITH FOOD.

Fasting then is a way in which our spirits are super-charged for the very presence of God. It’s like prayer and our time in the Word being similar to driving a car and then when you add fasting, it is like adding a super-charger under the hood and you experience a whole new driving excitement. Fasting serves like the practice before the big “prayer game.”

Third, Fasting clears away the distactions and allows us to clearly hear the voice of the Lord for DIRECTION in our lives through the Word of God or Prayer. So, try fasting before your quiet time. See the difference it makes.

Now let’s talk about the spiritual discipline of PRAYER! In the passage this morning, Jesus says that prayer is SINCERE because it is to be offered to God. You say, “that’s obvious, isn’t it?” Then why at times are we so concerned about what others think of our prayer - what words we use? -how it sounds? Jesus isn’t saying here that we should not pray in our times of public worship - I believe that He is saying that the effectiveness of our public prayer is determined by the SECRET prayer in the closet.

We all have a sorts of routine prayer in our system and once we get rid of that, real praying begins. So, the spiritual discipline of prayer is sincere, secret and also SPIRIT PROMPTED! That’s what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:26-27. READ “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”