I. INTRODUCTION - Turn To Matthew 17:14-21
A. I Want To Preach On Subject Of Fasting: Its Problems & Possibilities
1. Don’t like fasting? I don’t either
2. Don’t fast much? I don’t either
3. Sounds boring, but I want to preach it in a way you’ve never heard before
B. Google Search: “Fasting”
1. “Vibrant health starts with a clean bowel”
2. Lose 9 lbs every 11 days
3. Food fasting, juice fasting, water fasting – Caution/Use Common Sense
4. Church bulletin - National Prayer and Fasting Conference announcement: “The cost to attend the Fasting and Prayer Conference includes meals.”
D. Matthew 17:20-21 from other versions
King James Version - 20 … 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.
New International Version - 20 … if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (there is no verse 21)
American Standard Version - 20 … 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(But this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting.)
Amplified Bible - 20 … if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Living Bible - 20 … if you had faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed you could say to this mountain, ’Move!’ and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible. 21 But this kind of demon won’t leave unless you have prayed and gone without food." (Small reference numbers)
New American Standard Bible - 20 …if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you. 21["But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."]
Revised Standard Version - 20 … if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." (No verse 21)
II. CONFUSING PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE
A. On This Verse About Fasting
1. Some bibles have verse 21 and some don’t
2. Some have it, but it’s in parentheses – set off as if it’s an afterthought
3. Some have squiggly numbers and symbols before and after
B. Same Is True For Two Other Passages About Fasting In Bible
1. Mark 9:17-29 – same demon story
2. 1 Corinthians 7:5-6 “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to (fasting and) prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
C. What Gives?
1. Parentheses or symbols added by Biblical historians because There is no actual word in the Greek text. The word may be displayed in italics, or in parentheses or other brackets, to indicate that it is not in the original text.
2. Somehow these are absent from the most ancient of Greek manuscripts
3. Added sometime later – interpolations – inserting something into something else
4. Growing asceticism (lifestyle of extreme self-denial) in post-apostolic times accounts for interpolations.
5. Does this mean we’re off the hook (break out the donuts – fasting not in the bible—yippee)?
a. NO – it’s very biblical
b. so biblical – on the hook more than we could ever imagine
III. WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT FASTING
A. Old Testament
1. Only Fast Required By Law Of Moses = Day of Atonement fast -- Lev 23:27-32 The LORD said to Moses, 27 "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. 28 Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. 29 Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people . . .
2. Other Fasts to Commemorate Special Occasions (Feasts & Fasts)
3. Old Testament spent more time talking about the abuse of fasting
a. Isa 58:4-9 - rebuked fasting that makes no personal difference / fasting that is approved is fasting that
- connects
- makes a difference in faster’s life
- and so makes a positive difference in others
b. Zechariah 7:5-9
B. New Testament – (fasting = a ministry pre-launch prep time)
1. Matt 4:2 - Jesus fasted 40 days to prepare himself for 3 yr. ministry. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him
2. Matt 6:16-18 - Jesus rebuked Pharisees for “showmanship” fasting
3. Acts 14:21-23 – the one NT passage (re: prayer and fasting) where it is in the oldest of manuscripts (Universal Agreement among Bibles): “Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23 Paul 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.”
C. Taking All This In…
1. What can we learn about fasting?
2. What legitimate role does fasting have for the believer today?
IV. WHAT LEGITIMATE ROLE DOES FASTING HAVE FOR THE BELIEVER TODAY
A. Fasting Is A Very Personal / Private Thing
1. It’s not a thing to draw attention to yourself - Not “look how spiritual I am”
2. At it’s core, fasting assumes one is very unspiritual - “soul detoxification”
3. Fasting in medical realm –
a. colonoscopy – fast to cleanse out waste from inside
b. nutrition realm – detoxification
c. spiritual realm - depriving yourself of anything that’s otherwise healthy to purge yourself of anything that is unhealthy, illegitimate, or unacceptable
4. Soul detoxification – not something to toot horn about
a. that’s why only blanket command in OT - “Day of Atonement”
b. that’s why prophets Isaiah & Zachariah warned against abuse
B. Fasting Is A Very Powerful Thing – Powerful To Make A Difference
1. Difference in the life of the one doing the fasting
a. made a personal difference in Jesus – before launching out
b. made a personal difference in Paul & Barnabas launching out
c. wasn’t used to force God in answering a prayer
- “God, I protest - fasting to let you know I’m serious”
- “Devil, I’m serious” (big deal / centipede cut off leg)
- not a hunger strike - childish - Saddam Hussein
- like a little child shoving his food aside & pouting
- I had adult minister (on a credentials committee matter) do that – “fine, don’t eat – not going to change my mind”
d. wasn’t used to “get God’s attention” but to get the attention of the one fasting
- break the heart & will of the one fasting
- detox out all that’s carnal – interfering
- listening to God, discerning His will
e. not to align God with our will, but to align us with His will
f. fasting not designed to move God, but to move us
2. Difference in the lives nearest to the one doing the fasting
a. that said (above) once change is affected in us - then others will be affected by that change – naturally
b. vertical affects horizontal – drop stone from above – ripples out horizontally in the pond of this life
c. deal w/ your demons first – can affect demon change in others
note: Matt 7:3 “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
d. in a marriage – fast for it – change you, then her/him
note: 1 Cor 7:4-5 “…Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer and fasting…” (fasting to purify yourself of attitudes that get in the way of reconciliation)
e. for a loved one sick – fast for it – God speak to you – better able to pray & minister to them – may affect their physical & mental outcome
f. for your pastors – fast for it – change you – better know how you can be sensitive to their needs & help him
g. for church – change you & be better servant in the church
h. church leadership – building, nominations, budget
C. Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia International University (Columbia, South Carolina) wrote this testimony:
Life was heavy on me. My dearest friend and intimate companion, my delightful wife Muriel, was slipping away, one painful loss at a time, as Alzheimer’s disease ravaged her brain. Just as the full impact of what was happening to us hit home, the life of Bob, our eldest son, was snuffed out in a diving accident.
Two years later, to care for Muriel, I left my life work at its peak. I was numb. Not bitter, let alone angry. Why should I be? That’s the way life is, life in a broken world. But the passion in my love for God had evaporated, leaving a residue of resignation where once had been vibrant faith.
I knew that I was in deep trouble, and I did the only thing I knew to do—I went away to a mountain hideaway for prayer and fasting. It took about twenty-four hours to shake free of preoccupation with my own wounds and to focus on the excellencies of God. As I did, slowly love began to be rekindled. And with love came joy.
V. INVITATION
