The Seven keys to revival – Key one Prayer & Fasting
Thesis: The first key to revival is making the commitment to pray and fast. These two spiritual disciplines are a powerful link to revival.
Texts: I Chronicles 5:18-22
18The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.
I Chronicles 4:9-10
9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
Introduction:
For many the question races through the minds “Why pray and fast?” I would like to answer that question today. Over the years I hear many people who say we need revival. We need it in the church and in this nation. Of all the great revivals in the past where God moved supernaturally there were 7 common keys to revival. The first preceding key to revival is the combination of prayer and fasting. All throughout history these two spiritual disciplines combined together preceded great revivals. Floyd notes:
When we read about the great revival of 1858, we need to notice that there were many contributing factors that set the stage for its manifestation. One element was a concerned group of Presbyterian churches across the land. The yearning for an awakening had come to hungry hearts, and out of that spirit came a special convention, held in early December 1857, in the city of Pittsburgh. The purpose was to pray for spiritual revival. Two hundred people attended the meeting. One brother under the Holy Spirit’s leadership stood and said, “It appears to me that if we want to see God move, why don’t all of us preach on the subject of revival on the first Sunday in January of 1858. And then, let us declare the first Thursday of 1858 a day of humiliation, prayer and fasting?” With that encouragement – and its immediate implementation-the Spirit of God brought a grieving to their hearts. On the first Sunday in 1858, hundreds of pastors across America stood in their pulpits and preached to their congregations on the subject of Holy Spirit revival. Then, a few days later, on the first Thursday of that year, thousands of God’s people across the nation took up the challenge, obeyed, and experienced a day of humiliation, prayer and fasting for revival in their time” (34).
There is something very powerful about doing these two disciplines together. It’s as though we open up the floodgate of God’s power and it rushes out and things happen from the flood of his presence. But the key to the floodgate is prayer and fasting! The lethal combination of prayer and fasting seems to align the heart of man with the heartbeat of God. The heart of man starts to change his heart beat changes during times of prayer and fasting and it starts to beat in sync with God’s heartbeat.
This is one of missing keys of the church today. Prayer and fasting are the two essential ingredients to unlocking more of the power of God into our lives and into the church. Bill Bright states:
I believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world (4).
Yet I don’t hear of many people who practice this spiritual discipline today.
Let me ask some questions how many want of you want to experience a revival in your life? How many want to experience revival here at New Life Community Church? How many want to see revival in the city of Amery?
T.S. But for revival to happen in our hearts and lives, at New Life Community Church or in this nation we must revisit and practice the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting. There is a link between revival and prayer and fasting! Lets first explore prayer.
I. Lets first look at what happens when we decide to pray. When PRAYER happens then God takes ACTION!
a. It’s been a proven fact that prayer is a key to seeing God move into action in our lives and others lives.
i. Yes, it still amazes me that He chooses to work through vessels like you and me.
ii. It never forces anything on us – he waits for us to pray for it. To ask!
iii. Illustration: Have an object to give away and have someone role- play how they want something but never ask for it.
iv. Text: You have not because you don’t ask!
b. The prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:9-10) Reference the book The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkerson.
i. He wanted to be blessed by God so He asked!
ii. He wanted to have his territory expanded so it was!
iii. He wanted God’s hand on him and it was!
iv. He wanted to be kept from Harm so he was!
v. The Bible says, “God granted his request!”
c. The prayer of the 21/2 tribes of Israel (I Chronicles 5:18-22)
i. God helped theses 21/2 tribes win wars because they cried out to God for help.
ii. We are also told that this happened because they trusted God.
d. Both of these texts reveal to us how prayer unleashes the power of God into our lives.
i. It will help us be blessed by God.
ii. It will help us expand our territory.
iii. It will help us win the battles we are in.
iv. It will help us by having God’s hand on us.
v. It will protect us from harm.
B. Numerous Scripture passages urge us to pray.
a. Notice that in each of the following examples, prayer precedes action on God’s part.
i. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:13)
ii. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:14)
iii. Up to this time, you have not asked a single thing in My name . . . but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive. (John 16:24, Amplified)
iv. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
v. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19)
vi. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22)
vii. You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
1. Sargent states, “The clear teaching of all these verses is, prayer opens the door for God’s response.”
2. Information from Unlocking God’s Power By Rod Sargent
II. But now take the two disciplines of prayer and fasting together and you will find that they produce a deeper intimacy with God.
a. This combination will always helps us to evaluate where our heart is and it will awaken us to our spiritual needs and the spiritual needs of others.
i. “These special prayer times can become anchor points in your life, times when you “drive a stake” as a landmark and go on from there. Your daily quiet time is more effective as you pray into day-by-day reality some of the things the Lord speaks to your heart in protracted times of prayer. The quiet time in turn is the foundation for “praying without ceasing,” going through the day in communion with God “(Lorne Sanny)
b. Prayer combined with fasting brings divine revelation from God and spiritual focus .
i. It gives us FOCUS – focus on the divine plan -- not man’s plan.
1. F stands for – Faith -- in His plan – Prayer and fasting helps us see through the eyes of faith.
a. Faith – Complete trust on and reliance on something!
2. O stands for – On – To stand on Christ as the foundational support for all that we build and do in our lives.
a. On- Webster defines on as, “ Slanting toward, in position above, but in contact with and supported by; upon.”
3. Christ – see Him as you rock, your foundation. Your support, your. He is the base on which you should stand when you make decisions in this life. He is the base you should be anchored to in your life.
4. Understanding – key to doing God’s will, is understanding His ways.
a. This happen through the premise of listening to His word, reading his word and meditating on His word.
b. Divine understanding comes from standing on Christ!
c. Divine understanding comes form prayer – Focus on God.
d. Divine understanding happens best and clearer in the context of prayer and fasting – because in this time their seems to be a deeper level of communion with God.
5. Scripture – The only way to understand His plan and stay focused on him is by staying imbedded in the Word.
a. The problem in our society today is people – Christians - do not want to be embedded in the Word. They are not living a prayed up and fasted life. Listen to these statistics from Barna:
i. Only 8% of Christian tithe
ii. The divorce rate among Christian is 50% same as the world.
iii. 1 in 6 Christians claim they are committed to a least 6 different local churches.
ii. It gives us direction and spiritual insights
1. There is also the practice of a quiet time or morning watch-seen in the life of David (Psalm 5:3), of Daniel (Daniel 6:10), and of the Lord Jesus (Mark 1:35). This daily time specified for meditation in the word of God and prayer is indispensable to the growing, healthy Christian. Then there are examples in the Scripture of extended time given to prayer alone. Jesus spent whole nights praying. Nehemiah prayed “some days” upon hearing of the plight of Jerusalem. Three times Moses spent forty days and forty nights alone with God.” (Lorne Sanny, Discipleship Journal).
iii. Learning from God is the key to success in life and these ultimate learning times seem to be linked to the discipline of prayer and fasting.
1. “I believe it was in these special times of prayer that God made known his ways and his plans to Moses. He allowed Moses to look through a chink in the fence and gain special insights, while the rank-and-file Israelites saw only the acts of God as they unfolded day by day” (Lorne Sanny, Discipleship Journal).
2. Remember Scripture exhorts to pray and fast.
a. Matthew 6:9 –18
9“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debt.
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.£’
14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
b. Mark 2:18-20 -18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”19Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
c. Luke 2:35-38 - 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.£ She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
d. Acts 13:2 - 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
e. Acts 14:23 - 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders£ for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
iv. It points us to what really matters in life, prayer and fasting always focus’ us on God’s direction, God’s plan. God’s way, God’s love, God’s personality, God’s touch, God’s presence, and God’s insight for our life.
T.S. We have explored why we need to pray and fast but some may be thinking but “How should you pray and fast?” Lets explore some practical steps to praying and fasting.
III. Bill Bright gives us practical insights on the 7 Basic Steps to prayer and fasting (pages 7-17).
a. Set your objective!
i. Why are you fasting?
ii. Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation?
iii. Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast.
iv. Answering these questions will be important to help you focus on specifics and be strategic in your approach.
b. Make Your Commitment
i. Pray about the kind of fast you should do.
1. How long will it be?
2. What kind of fast?
a. Water only, juices?
3. What physical or social activities you will cut back on?
4. How much time during the day will you devote to prayer and the reading of God’s word.
c. The third step is begin to prepare yourselves spiritually.
i. The foundation of fasting, is humility, which leads to repentance.
ii. Part of the goal of prayer and fasting is to get us right with the Lord.
iii. Any unrepentant sin will hinder our prayers. So we need to do the following just prior to our time of prayer and fasting.
1. Ask the Lord to help you make a list of your sins.
2. Repent of every sin that the Holy Spirit has reminded you of and then embrace the forgiveness that comes from Jesus.
3. Seek forgiveness from all who have offended you, and forgive all who have hurt you.
4. Make restitution if the Holy Spirit leads you to do so.
5. Ask God to empower you with His Holy Spirit.
6. Surrender your life fully to Jesus. Let the flesh be put under foot by the Spirit.
7. Meditate on the attributes of God.
a. His love I Cor. 13
b. His sovereignty
c. His power
d. His wisdom
e. His faithfulness
f. His grace
g. His compassion
h. Read the Psalms 48:9,10; 103:1-8; 11-13
8. Begin your time of fasting and prayer with a great expectation – Hebrews 11:6
9. Keep a journal while you pray and fast.
a. Write down your prayers then enter in your journal when they are answered.
b. Write Psalms to the Lord.
c. Share insights God gives you while you are praying and fasting.
10. Be prepared to face spiritual opposition from the enemy of God while you’re preparing and going through your fast.
d. Prepare yourself Physically for the fast – God always gives wisdom!
i. Fasting requires reasonable precautions.
1. Consult your physician 1st
a. Especially if you are on medication or have a chronic ailment.
b. Some people should never fast without professional supervision.
ii. Altar you diet slowly as you go into the fast.
1. Do not rush into your fast
2. Prepare the body by eating smaller meals
3. Avoid high fat and sugar foods
4. Eat raw vegetables for two days before starting a fast
iii. While you fast
1. Abstain from solid foods
2. Avoid drugs, even herbal drugs – But medication is to withdrawn with the physician’s supervision.
3. Limit your activity
4. Exercise moderately. Walk one to three miles a day if convenient and comfortable.
5. Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
6. Understand that you will have temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
7. Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day such as:
a. Fleeting hunger pains
b. Dizziness
c. The “blahs”
d. Withdrawal from sugar and caffeine – usually headaches are the sign.
e. Physical annoyances such as:
i. Weakness
ii. Tiredness
iii. Sleeplessness
8. The first two to three days are usually the hardest.
9. AS you continue your fast you will likely experience a sense of well-being both physically and spiritually!
e. Put yourself on a schedule similar to this:
i. Morning
1. Begin your day in praise and worship
2. Read and meditate on God’s word.
3. Invite the Holy Spirit to work in you.
4. If you are married pray with your spouse.
5. Invite God to use you.
a. Ask Him to show you How to influence your world for Him.
b. Do the same with your church, your community, and your family.
6. Pray for a vision for your life.
ii. Noon
1. Return to prayer and God’s Word.
2. Take a short prayer walk.
3. Spend time in intercessory prayer for your nation and community, and church leaders. Prayer for lost people.
iii. Evening
1. Get alone for an unhurried time of seeking God.
2. If others are fasting with you meet together for prayer.
3. Avoid TV. and any other distractions.
iv. The dietary routine: From Dr. Julio Ruibal
1. Early Morning 5-8am – Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended and diluted in 50 Percent distilled water if the fruit is acidy.
a. If you cannot do your own juicing buy juices without sugar or additives.
2. Mid-morning 10:30am – Fresh vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts – or V8 Juice.
3. 2:30-4pm – Herb tea with drop of honey. Avoid black tea with caffeine.
4. 6-8:30 pm – Broth from boiling potatoes, celery, and carrots with no salt. After boiling about half an hour, pour water into a container and drink it.
v. Tips on juice fasting:
1. Drinking fruit juice will decrease your hunger pains and give you some natural sugar energy. The taste and lift will motivate and strengthen you to continue.
2. The best juices are made from fresh watermelon, lemons, grapes, apples, cabbage, beets, carrots, celery, or leafy green vegetables. In cold weather, you may enjoy warm broth.
3. Mix acidic juices (orange, tomato) with water for your stomach’s sake.
4. Avoid caffeinated drinks. And avoid chewing gum or mints. They stimulate digestive action in your stomach.
f. End your fast gradually – slowly eat only a little at a time.
i. Do not eat solid foods immediately.
1. This will cause stomach and digestive problems. Even dangerous ones.
2. Try smaller meals and work up.
3. Bill notes, “If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.
g. Expect results.
i. Bill states, “If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence.”
ii. You will receive a fresh revelation of Jesus.
iii. You will receive focus and spiritual direction
iv. You will see God’s power unleashed in your prayers and life.
Altar call: How many desire to tackle this spiritual discipline?
Then lets prayer for God’s hand to be on you and lead you through this spiritual discipline.
