Sermon Central
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40 Days Of Prayer And Fasting
Contributed by Larry Brincefield on May 31, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: I went to a conference where Elmer Towns spoke on 9 different types of fasts. This sermon was inspired by his presentation.
And ultimately encouraged him…
Over the period of a 40 day fast.
B. Some of you might struggle with emotional or mental problems…
You struggle with depression and discouragement…
Perhaps you should do the Elijah fast for emotional or mental struggles…
And see if the Lord will encourage you…
And strengthen you…
Just like He did Elijah.
5. The Widow’s Fast: to provide for the physical needs of others.
A. Isaiah 58:7, Is this fast not to share your food with the hungry? And provide the poor with shelter?...and clothes for the naked?...
God’s word tells us to fast for the physical needs of others…
Perhaps we need to fast for those who are hungry…
We can fast…
And then take the food…
Or the money that we would have spent on that food that we would have eaten…
And donate it to those who are hungry and poor.
6. The Paul Fast: to make life-changing decisions…
A. Isaiah 58:8 says that after this fast that “your light will break forth like the down”…
Sometimes when we are struggling with a decision…
We will feel that we are stumbling along in the dark…
We aren’t sure what to do…
And then, suddenly, a light will come on…
And we will know what to do…
You see this in comic strips…
The character will be wondering what to do…
And then suddenly, in one frame,…
They will show that character with a light bulb over their head…
And you know that they have figured out what to do…
In Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”
This is what the birth of Jesus did for our world that we celebrate every year at Christmas.
B. In Acts 9:9, it tells us that Paul fasted for 3 days during that time when the Lord struck him blind on the road to Damascus…
And during that time, he was faced with a major decision…
Would he change everything?...
His livelihood…
His career…
His place in society?...
In order to serve Jesus Christ?...
C. Some of you might be facing major decisions…
Some of the major decisions that people face are…
Who to marry…
Where to live…
When to retire…
What to do for a career…
What type of medical treatment to pursue…
And if you find yourself facing a major life decision…
Perhaps you need to do the Paul Fast…
And ask the Lord to speak to you about your major decision.
And trust the Lord that the light will break forth like the dawn”
7. The Daniel Fast: For physical health and healing
A. Isaiah 58:8 says, when you fast that your healing will quickly appear”.
Daniel and his friends decided that they wouldn’t eat the kings food…
So their diet consisted of mainly vegetables and water…
And because of their special diet…
God enabled them to be stronger…
Smarter…
They were the cream of the crop in the king’s court.
The Daniel Fast is for those who want to seek the Lord about their physical health or healing…
Or about the physical health of someone they love…
B. Some of you have prayed for those that are ill…
But have you fasted as well?...
Fasting is a way for us to show God how serious we are about something…
We often pray and anoint people for healing…