THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER #7: HUNGER FOR GOD
(Aug. 2010 – Beausejour Church – Pastor Chris Jordan)
OPENING TEXT:
“O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1).
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2).
• I love the heart-cry of these Psalmists – they were hungry for more of God!
THE BIG IDEA: Does your soul hunger after God like the deer longs for the water brooks? One of the things that can stir up our hunger for God is the spiritual discipline of fasting.
BIBLE STORY:
“Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ’Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ’I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ’I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ’I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” (Luke 14:16-20).
• All three of these men made excused instead of coming to the Kingdom.
• Possessions, work and family – even good things – can distract us from seeking God.
• This morning I want to challenge you to stir up our hunger for more of God.
QUOTE: (John Piper, Hunger for God).
“The weakness of our hunger for God is not because he is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with “other things.” Perhaps, then, the denial of our stomach’s appetite for food might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God.” (p.10).
“If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.” (p.23).
I. FASTING IS A HUNGER FOR MORE OF GOD:
“Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:14-15).
• This is the time – while Jesus is in Heaven – when we, His disciples, will fast!
QUOTE: (John Piper, Hunger for God).
“The birthplace of Christian fasting is homesickness for God… Therefore, when I say that the root of Christian fasting is the hunger of homesickness for God, I mean that we will do anything and go without anything if, by any means, we might protect ourselves from the deadening effects of innocent delights and preserve the sweet longings of our homesickness for God.” (p.15).
II. JESUS TAUGHT THAT HIS DISCIPLES WOULD FAST:
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18).
• Notice first of all that Jesus said WHEN you fast – this is assumed in a believer’s life!
• Corporate or public fasting isn’t wrong – there are many examples of it in the Bible.
• The main issue is that we don’t do it “to be seen by people.”
• Just because someone finds out you are fasting doesn’t mean you lose your reward.
• Our motivation in fasting should simply be our hunger for more of God.
III. THE CALL TO RETURN TO THE LORD – IN FASTING AND PRAYER:
“12 "Now, therefore," says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. 14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him-- A grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; 16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.” (Joel 2:12-16).
• How do we turn to the Lord with all of our hearts? With fasting. And prayer.
• God wants us as His people to hunger after Him with all of our hearts.
QUOTE:
“It is not necessarily a food fast, and most likely it is not a total refraining from food. It is a fast of what keeps you from seeking the Lord. It may be television, videos, computer games, newspapers, excessive shopping and phone conversations… This is a true fast. Too often we go on hunger strikes to hear from God, and continue in our busy, distracted lives. That is not a fast; therefore, we get very little benefit. A true fast occurs when we abstain for the purpose of seeking God in a more focused manner.” (John Bevere, A Heart Ablaze).
• Children and youth – don’t fast food without discussing it with your parents, first!
BASIC STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL FASTING AND PRAYER:
Adapted from “Your Personal Guide to Fasting & Prayer” By Dr. Bill Bright
STEP 1: Set Your Objective
Why are you fasting? What is your spiritual goal? Here are some common objectives:
�� Spiritual renewal
�� Reconciliation of relationships
�� Guidance in life decisions
�� Healing
�� Resolution of problems
�� Special grace to handle a difficult situation
STEP 2: Make Your Commitment
Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Before you fast, decide the following up front:
�� How long you will fast - one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days
�� The type of fast God wants you to undertake (water only, or water and juices, or a media fast)
�� How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God’s Word
STEP 3: Prepare Yourself Spiritually
The foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance.
�� Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.
�� Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness
�� Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you
�� Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.
�� Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit
�� Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master
STEP 4: Prepare Yourself Physically
Fasting food requires reasonable precautions. Consult your doctor first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment.
[See 7 steps handout – available after the service today or on my blog].
If you are fasting food:
�� Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts like impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
�� Expect physical discomforts, especially on day two. You may have hunger pains, dizziness, or the "blahs." Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness, or sleeplessness.
STEP 5: Put Yourself on a Schedule
For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be. Daily worship, word, prayer.
STEP 6: End Your Fast Gradually (for those fasting food)
Begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast.
STEP 7: Expect Results
If we sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face:
�� We will experience a heightened awareness of His presence.
�� The Lord will give us fresh, new spiritual insights.
�� We will feel refreshed and we will see answers to our prayers.
CHALLENGE:
When the Rich young Ruler came to Jesus, Jesus asked him to give up one thing – the one thing in his life that he loved more than Jesus. However, he was unwilling to do so, and he went away from Jesus sad. What is the one thing that Jesus is asking you to give up for him – for a season?
Let’s seek the Lord together in fasting and prayer for the next 21 days!
What will you fast to get closer to God? Will it be food – even just two meals a week?
Or will you fast video games, TV, movies, internet, Facebook, texting, or…?
I am fasting solid foods (sweet treats, Coke, etc!) and also Facebook.
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
