Power in Prayer ; Fasting and Unity 8-25-99 Intro -- This a contiuation of the Series on How to have Power in Prayer -- We as God's People have All the Power of the Universe at our Disposal! -- We take for granted many times the Effect this power had in our lives and in the lives of those that we pray for! -- It still bugs me that soem will say ALL I can do is PRAY It is thur prayer we have POWER!! -- If all you can do is PRAY you are calling in the Master of the Universe in on the Problem If all you can do is PRAY you are calling in the Very GOD who hung the moon and stars in their place If all you can do is PRAY you are calling in the MIghty Counciler who will meet there EXAXT need of your heart! WE have power in Prayer! -- Today we will see to MAGINIFY that POWER and the RESULTS of that Power Text : Matt 6:16-18 16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Points 1. The Wrong Way to Fast 2. The Right Way to FAST I. Power in Fasting/ The Wrong way to Fast a) Fasting means to Abstain from food for a Specfic Spiritual Purpose -- Fasting means to be SOOO Consumed with a matter it becomes more important than FOOD! -- the Beleiver SETS ASIDE FOOD in order to Concentrate on Seeking GODS WILL about a matter. -- It means that DURING THE FAST the Believer will SEEK GODS WILL Pray INTENSLY Concentrate INTENSLY on GODS WORD and ANSWER! b) Jesus Expected and Assumed that BELIVERS Fasted! vs. 16-17 ""Moreover when you fast..." '' But ,thou, when thou fastest..." --Jesus Taught Fasting and Fasted HIMSELF! Matt 4:2 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. -- The EARLY Church FASTED! ( we will see later -- SO FEW TODAY have Continued with such INTENSE SEEKING of the LORD//SO FEW TRULY FAST! c) The Benefits of FASTING ARE ENORMOUS!!! -- We must be sure we are FASTING CORRECTLY -- There are dangers if we fast INCORRECTLY ** This is the Point of our TEXT! 2. Fasting the WRONG WAY a) Fasting Like a hypocrite is Wrong -- Fasting to gain SELF APRROVAL Fasting to Fullfil a "religious act" Fasting to gain recongintion / to be noticed ** These are all WRONG REASONS TO FAST!! b) Fasting for any other reason than to meet GOD is CONDEMNED!! vs. 18 ""apear unto thy Father" Matt 6:2 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: Matt 15;8-9 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. B) Fasting for Recongnition is Wrong~ It poses several serious dangers that we must guard against! 1. The danger of Feeling Super- Spiritual Unfornately few TRULEY FAST If they ever do TRUELY fast there is a DANGER of a sense of PRIDE over the accomplishment It can lead them to think they have done a GREAT THING now they are ABOVE all the rest! 2. The Danger of Overconfidence -Our confidence is to be in GOD not SELF! After a GENUINE FAST you will feel Confident to "GO FORTH" This "GOING" must be in the POWER OF GOD not ones own strengh and power 3. The Danger of Sharings ones Fasting Experiance - the beliver has learn SOOOOO much in the fast he wants to share this with all/ Espeicially thoses close to him vs 18 " appear not unto men" HUSH it was between YOU AND GOD - YOu can ENCOURAGE OTHERS to FAST but the INTIMATE DETAILS are between you and GOD!!! 4. The Danger of Changing ones APPEARANCE and BEHAVIOUR -Any change WHATSOEVER from ones noraml APPEARANCE OR BEHAVIOR is WRONG It will ATTRACT ATTENTION to SELF and will Nullify and prevent HEAVENLY BLESSINGS vs 16 " ... for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to fast..." C) Fast the Wrong way has its REWARD - A person may receive Human recognition and esteem but THAT IS ALL HE WILL RECEIVE! ** Soem may gain CONTROL and DISCIPLINE thur FASTING but they ruin themselves thru PRIDE -they lose their reward! 1 Peter 1:24 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: II. The right way to FAST a)Fasting is being SO CONSUMED with a matter that it become more important than food --therefore the BELIEVER SETS ASIDE FOOD in order to CONCENTRATE on Seeking GOD about a matter --A Biblical fast is MORE than abstaining from food~ Abstaing to CONCENTRATE and GET AN ANSWER!! --It Involves PRAYER adn INTENSE SUPPLICTION before GOD!!! 1. FASTING IS A DUTY~ Jesus expected us to fast -- Jesus fasted Matt 4:2 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. -- The Apostle were to fast Matt 17:20-21 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. ** Notice that FAITH was also NEEDED!! It is the PRAYS OF FAITH THAT ARE ANSWER ACCORDING TO HIS WILL -- Anna FASTED Luke 2:37 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. -- Cornelius Fasted Acts 10:30 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ** He fasted until something HAPPENED! --The Church fasted Acts 13:2 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Acts 14:23 23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. --Husbands and Wives are expected to fast 1 cor 5:7 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. -- Paul Fasted often! 2 Cor 11:27 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 2. Fasting is to be done WITHOUT NOTICE -- The Beleiver is to go before GOD not MEN!!! There is to be NO CHANGE in BEHAVIOR OR ATTITUDE// no indictation of the fast Whose business is it if you are seeking GODS WIll in a specfic matter It is between you and GOD not you and MEN --- We FAST TO COME BEFORE GOD IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY of PRAYER! 3. FASTING is to be to GOD ALONE -- God is the Object of the fast It meeting God all alone you are DEMONSTRATING you FATIH that HE WILL MET YOU AT YOUR NEED! ** God doesnt tell us HOW OFTEN to fast He does tell us HOW TO FAST We must take EVERY PRECAUTION to FAST AS HE SAYS! Follow these simple rules FASTING = no food no self / all GOD no show no one knows 4. Fasting the RIGHT WAY has its reward- God will reward us Openly! -- How much greater is HIS REWARD than the Rewards of MEN?? Matt 6:18-21 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 4. When should we FAST 1. When convicted to GET ALONE WITH GOD!! Let NOTHING STOP you from FASTING/ not food not resposiblity NOTHING!!! When you need a Revival Deny self and pick up the cross and LISTEN to God instruct your heart! 2. When a Speicial need arises When you need to seek Him Specifically for yourself or needs of others Needs of ministry / pastor/ church 3. There are times when a Believer needs to HUMBLE HIS SOUL BEFORE GOD!! --At such time he will learn not only HUMILITY but Dependence! ps 35:13 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 4. There are time when we NEED SPECIAL POWER FROM GOD -- The Lord promise this POWER if we would FAST AND PRAY 5. Look at the Benefits of FASTING ~ God wants you to Reap these benefits! a. It keeps us in the presence of GOD in a special way you will remain there until you know your need is met b. It HUMBLES US BEFORE GOD It tells HIM he is the MOST IMPORTANT influence in our lives c. It SHOWS GOD how SERIOUS YOU ARE about a Speicfic matter! d. It teaches SELF CONTROL and Discipline e. It will break the bondage of sin that can so easily beset us How can you come before GOD like this unless you are Confessed up? 6. POWER IN PRAYER will come if we FAST -- every time you feel hungery you will REMBER and PRAY for the need -- we have plenty to fast about!!! --If you do not see the NEED // ASK to see it NOW -- OUR POWER and EFFECTIVE only COMES THRU JESUS --We can only tap into this POWER by PRAYEr --When was the LAST TIME YOU Felt so moved by an issue that you fasted Have you ever fasted There are Countless Specfic issues to fast about Jesus EXPECTED us to FAST //Are you Doing what Jesus EXPECTS??? callllllllll