Hunger Satisfied
Part of 40 Days To Revival
March 20, 2022

HUNGER SATISFIED

Text: Matthew 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.

1. Fasting’s Explanation

  • Three things:

    1) Definition

    • Charles Stanley - Fasting is the abstinence of
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      for the purpose of seeking
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      in prayer.
    • Andrew Murray - Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible; fasting, the other, with which we let loose and cast away the visible.

    2) Categorization

    1] Normal Fast - going without food for a definite period of time during which you ingest only liquids (water/juices).
    2] Absolute Fast - going without food or water. (Duration is up to 3 days.)
    3] Partial Fast - certain foods are omitted.
    4] “Drive” Fast - Fasting from the things that drive us (i.e. sex drive, approval drive, desire drive, emotional drive, etc.)

    3) Participation

    • Private fast – A

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      endeavor before the Lord not to be noticed by others. (cf. Mt. 6:16-18)

    • Congregational fast – A fast engaged in by a congregation of people or a congregation of a church (at least partial congregation) for the purpose of seeking God in prayer and worship. (cf. Joel 2:15-16; Acts 13:2)

2. Fasting Exercised

  • Four purposes for revival fasting:

    1) To strengthen our

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    (cf. Jonah 3:5-8)

    2) To express repentance and return (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3-6; Jonah 3:5-8)

    3) To express concern for God’s work (cf. Neh. 1:3-4; Daniel 9:3)

    4) To overcome

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    (cf. Mt. 4:1-11)

    • Jesus overcomes all three temptations by quoting scripture. But he also overcomes these temptations because He has been fasting and praying.
    • The Word was the sword, but the prayer and fasting were the preparation for the attack.

3. Fasting’s Expectations

1) Of us (Mt. 6:16-18)

  • Jesus didn’t say “if you fast…” but “when you fast…”
  • Implied in Jesus’ teaching is that we
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    fast and
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    fast.
  • Prayer and giving from the front of the chapter are never denied as an expectation.

  • Why would Christ’s teaching on fasting be overlooked as an His expectation for our lives. (cf. Mt. 9:14-15; Acts 9:9; 13:2: 14:23)

  • In our text, Jesus gives a negative command, a positive command, and then a promise.

    • The negative command first: Don’t fast like the hypocrites….
    • The positive command: When you fast, don’t look like your fasting….
    • The promise – God who sees in secret will reward you…

2) Of God (Mt. 6:18; cf. Isa. 58:11)

Bottom line: When we fast for
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, our increased spiritual hunger is
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by God.