{"id":3248,"date":"2021-10-24T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-24T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=3248"},"modified":"2021-11-04T14:26:44","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T21:26:44","slug":"fasting-and-prayer-matthew-616-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2021\/10\/24\/fasting-and-prayer-matthew-616-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Fasting and Prayer Matthew 6:16-18"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunday Service MVCOG - Fasting and Prayer - Matthew 6:16-18\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vouMXhRAHSg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Fasting-and-Prayer-Matthew-6vs16-18-Fasting-and-Prayer.pdf\">Fasting-and-Prayer-Matthew-6vs16-18-Fasting-and-Prayer<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Fasting-and-Prayer-Matthew-6vs16-18-Fasting-and-Prayer.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus\u2019 words on fasting, reveal how God intended this practice to be, and how we, like the Pharisees, can mess it up in our flesh. Jesus looks at sincerity in the conduct of spiritual disciplines, using the example of fasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>16 \u201cNow whenever you fast, do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Jesus\u2019 words aren\u2019t so much about instructions on how to fast, as how to avoid hypocrisy when you fast by desiring to be seen doing good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should We Fast?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>16 \u201cNow whenever you fast,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, the first question that should be asked is: should Christians fast? Jesus begins with saying, \u201cwhenever you fast\u201d, not \u201cif ever you fast\u201d. See also Matthew 9:14-16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some reasons for fasting<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>To strengthen prayer<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In the New Testament, when the disciples failed to cast a demon out of a boy, Jesus explained in Matthew 17:21, \u201cHowever, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.\u201d So, we see a strengthening of prayer through fasting. Fasting focuses our mind to seek God, letting ourselves know that we mean business. It helps remove doubt from our mind, as we remember that we have basic needs that God makes sure are fulfilled every day and acts as a demonstration to us that God can do what we\u2019re asking Him to. Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our pleading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\"><li>To seek God\u2019s guidance and to draw close<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>When there was civil war in Israel, and the people desperately needed God\u2019s guidance, we read in Judges 20:26 26 Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel, and they wept and remained there before the Lord, and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. As with prayer, fasting to seek God\u2019s guidance isn\u2019t done to change God but to make us more receptive to his guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\"><li>To express grief<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Expressing grief is one of the primary reasons for fasting\u2013when you\u2019re moved to tears by grief you lose the urge to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"4\"><li>To seek deliverance or protection (e.g., see 2 Chronicles 20:3 \u2013 4)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In the book of Joel, when all the land had been devastated by locusts, God told Israel through the prophet 14 Consecrate a fast, Proclaim a solemn assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land To the house of the Lord your God, And cry out to the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2nd Chronicles 20, when a great army from the nations of Moab and Ammon came against Israel, we read in verses 3-4 that 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord; and he proclaimed a period of fasting throughout Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the model for us in seeking deliverance from disaster or calamity, whether natural or man-made is to turn our attention to seek the Lord, and especially to do this by fasting. When Solomon dedicated the temple, God spelled out the role of His people during calamity (see 2 Chron 7:13-14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"5\"><li>To express repentance and a return to God<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>To express grief over our sins shows our seriousness about returning to God\u2019s will for our lives in obedience. Joel 2:12-13, 12 \u201cYet even now,\u201d declares the Lord, \u201cReturn to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; 13 And tear your heart and not merely your garments.\u201d Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in mercy And relenting of catastrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"6\"><li>To humble oneself before God<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Fasting is a way to humble yourself in the sight of God. It\u2019s one of the quickest ways to get your heart in the right place to approach God correctly. When Elijah confronted King Ahab, the most wicked King of Israel, and pronounced God\u2019s judgement against him, Ahab had a change of heart (see1 Kings 21:27-29). True humility before God in repentance of sins always gets God\u2019s attention, no matter how awful the sinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"7\"><li>To express concern for the work of God<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>As with Nehemiah, fasting can be a way to express our concern over a work that God is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"8\"><li>To minister to the needs of others (e.g., see Isaiah 58:3 \u2013 7)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>We can use time we\u2019d normally spend eating to fast and minister to others. When we seek God during a fast, we are to bring up the needs of others, and consider how we\u2019re treating others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Isaiah 58:3-7, God calls out Israel for their hypocrisy in fasting. And one of the quickest ways to let God change our behavior toward others, and especially those who are being evil toward us is to pray and fast for them (see Psalm 35 13-14). It\u2019s pretty hard to hold a grudge against someone when you\u2019ve spent time in prayer and fasting for their good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"9\"><li>To overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God (e.g., see Matthew 4:1 \u2013 11)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Fasting can help us focus when we are struggling with particular temptations. Fasting is a powerful tool for placing anything that entangles us and puts the longings of this world in proper perspective. See Matthew 4:1-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"10\"><li>To express love and worship for God (e.g., see Luke 2:37)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In Luke 2:36-38 when Jesus was presented at the temple, God revealed that baby Jesus was the promised Messiah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus continues in Matthew 16 vs. 17-18 17 But as for you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. We are to turn to God in fasting, not inwardly to seek ourselves, and not toward other people, regarding what they think about it. And to avoid the distraction and interruption of this process of humbling ourselves before God, we are to appear just like we do on any other day, not seeking to draw attention to our fasting, but conducting ourselves so that others won\u2019t notice. And the closeness with God that should be the overall goal of fasting is it\u2019s own reward! And also, we have a reward in Heaven to look forward to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, in preparing to fast, we should repent of our sins. Then we should pray and confess our sins, as we humble ourselves before God. Repentance came first, then prayer. Prayer should be our sustenance throughout the fast, but it is imperative we begin the fast with a contrite heart. Then we should spend our time in prayer and in seeking God by meditating on God\u2019s Word, before and during the fast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jesus\u2019 words on fasting, reveal how God intended this practice to be, and how we, like the Pharisees, can mess it up in our flesh. Jesus looks at sincerity in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1512,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2016\/02\/21\/fasting-prayer\/","url_meta":{"origin":3248,"position":0},"title":"Fasting &#038; Prayer","author":"Robert","date":"February 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Challenge: Join with the church family through March 23 in abstaining from some food type, or an activity that is in your everyday routine, in order to set aside time to Pray! Suggestion: If you cannot go without eating because of medications or dietary restrictions then sacrifice TV, cell\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":442,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2013\/02\/17\/fasting-ways-and-means\/","url_meta":{"origin":3248,"position":1},"title":"Fasting Ways And Means","author":"Robert","date":"February 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Fasting Ways And Means Matthew 6:16-18 \"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. 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I tell you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":258,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2012\/03\/11\/hungry-for-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":3248,"position":3},"title":"Hungry for God","author":"Robert","date":"March 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Hungry for God Matthew 5:6 \u201cBlessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.\u201d *PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF FASTING HUNGER, HEADACHES AND HEALTH *SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OF FASTING GREATER INTIMACY WITH GOD VICTORY OVER PHYSICAL BODY CLARITY, COURAGE AND BREAKTHROUGH *FASTING GROUNDWORK DECIDE WHY YOU WANT TO\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":472,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2013\/03\/17\/focus-40\/","url_meta":{"origin":3248,"position":4},"title":"Focus 40","author":"Robert","date":"March 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"40 days of prayer and fasting. February 20 \u2013 March 31, 2013 Focus 40 Prayer Calendar Focus 40 Daily Devotional Audio Podcast Additional Resources at chog.org\/focus40","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"focus40logo2013-color","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/focus40logo2013-color-300x112.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1102,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2015\/02\/18\/focus-40-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":3248,"position":5},"title":"Focus 40","author":"Robert","date":"February 18, 2015","format":"link","excerpt":"Daily devotions during the 40 days of prayer and fasting. http:\/\/dailyspiritualapps.org\/","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3248\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}