3.  Often involved wearing a sackcloth and ashes (1 Kings 21:27, Psalm 35:13)

          4.  Examples:
               a)  Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Atonement) [Leviticus 16:29-31]

               b)      Fall of Jerusalem [Zechariah 7:5, 8:19]

               c)      Joel calls for repentance [Joel 1:13-14]

       B.    Private      

               1.      Mostly done as penance for sin.

               2.      Examples:
                       a)  When loved ones are ill [Psalm 35:13-14]

                       b)  When scorned [Psalm 109:24]

                       c)  David fasts for his son [2 Samuel 12:15-23]

                       d)  Jesus says to fast in secret [Matthew 6:17-18]

                       e)  Jesus Fasts [Matthew 4:1-2]

                       f)   Fasting in the church

                       g)  The Apostles fasted regularly.

                       h)  A.D. 60 – Wednesdays and Fridays were regular fast days.

                       i)  Luther, Wesley, and Calvin all commended fasting as a practice

       C.    Fasts prescribed by some churches:
              1.  Lent (40 days leading up to Easter)

              2.  started as a 2 days fast and expanded to 40 days by the 4th century.

              3.  Good Friday

              4.  Advent (4 weeks preceding Christmas)

              5.  Fast of the Apostles (Monday after All Saints’ Sunday and lasts until June 29)

              6.  engaged in by the disciples following the Descent of the Holy Spirit at

              7.  Pentecost

              8.  Fast of Theotokos[Virgin Mary] (August 1-14)

II.      Types
        A.    Absolute: no food whatsoever (water not allowed)

        B.    Strict: no food whatsoever (water allowed)

        C.    Partial: removing certain meals, or certain foods from your diet

        D.    Juice: no food, but fruit juice and water are allowed

        E.    Media: no TV, magazines, newspaper, etc.

        F.    Others: going without “anything” normal is a type of fast

III.      Why Fast?
        A.    Deny our flesh

        B.     Focus on God

        C.     Develop Self-Control

        D.    Train our body/spirit for obedience

        E.     Show our reliance upon God

IV.      The heart of Fasting
        Fasting is not starving. Fasting is not something to just “do.” Fasting is a powerful statement to God that you are ready to do some “God stuff” or in desperate need of his help. It should be filled with prayer and God seeking. It should be used a weapon against the enemy and his oppression. It should be done with the right heart and the right intentions.

►    How to Fast

1. Carefully— do not fast if it may cause health problems or if you are pregnant, diabetic, etc. Consult a doctor if you have concerns.
2. Combined with Prayer and Silence— without seeking God fasting is just starving, not a spiritual exercise
3. Gradually— ease into fasting and try partial/juice fasts at first
4. Expectantly— God does great things when fasting, prayer and the right heart are combined

More Scripture Judges 20:26-28 - before war1 Samuel 7:5-6, 31:11-13