Practice of Fasting
Sunday | February 26, 2023
*ray@crossroadsny.org*

Best Practice Series:  In preparation for Palm Sunday through Easter, we will cover specific teachings from Jesus on fasting, prayer, generosity, service, and repentance so that we can properly reflect on the
message of the resurrection.

**The practice of fasting is the voluntary action of reducing or refraining from food for a specific time and purpose.

Examples from the Bible:
Moses fasted before receiving the 10 Commandments, Ex. 34:28 Jehoshaphat fasted for protection, 1 Chronicles 20
Anna fasted and exemplified faithfulness, Luke 2:37
Church at Antioch fasted for guidance in ministry, Acts 13:1-3
Churches fasted for confirmation of leaders, Acts 14:23
Ezra fasted for travel, Ezra 8:21-23
Pharisees fasted for attention Luke 18:12
Jesus fasted during intense temptation, Matthew 4:2
Jesus taught on fasting, Matthew 6:16-18
Jesus responded to questions about fasting, Mark 2:18-22

**1 Address unhealthy

Mark 2:18 / ESV, “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Proverbs 16:18 / CSB, “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.”

James 4:6 / CSB, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

2 Balance celebration and

Mark 2:19-20 / ESV, And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.”

Proverbs 24:27 / NLT, “Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.”

Specific Fasting Lengths in the Bible:
40 Day Fast by Moses and Jesus Exodus 34 & Matthew 4
21 Day Fast by Daniel 10:2-3
10 Day Fast by Daniel 1:8-17
3 Day Fast by Esther 4:16 and Paul Acts 9
1 Day Fast in Leviticus 23:27
Partial Day Fast during mourning 2 Samuel 1:12

**3 Choose to trust God’s timing and

Mark 2:21-22 / ESV, “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Psalm 20:7 / ESV, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

My next steps

Read: Mark 2
Memorize: Proverbs 16:18, 24:27; James 4:6; Psalm 20:7
Prayerfully choose to fast prior to Easter
Return for church next Sunday 9 am, 11 am, and 6 pm.