Bible Study (Praying and Fasting Series)

Bible Study Syllabus



Date: January - March 2009

Topic: Prayer and Fasting


Weeks 1 & 2: Definitions and Introduction
Week 3: History of Prayer Old and New Testament
Week 4: History of Fasting, Old and New Testament
Week 5 & 6: Examples of Prayer and Fasting in the Old Testament (Causes and effects)
Week 7 & 8: Examples of Prayer and Fasting in the New Testament (Causes and effects)
Week 9: The physical aspects of fasting – how fasting affects the body.
Week 10: A look at the prayer and fasting life of Jesus
Week 11: Biblical mandates for the New Testament Believer to Fast and Pray
Week 12: Summary and Implementation



Date: January 3-10, 2008

Series Topic: “Prayer and Fasting”

1. Weeks 1 & 2: Definitions and Introduction.

a) What is Prayer?

Prayer is communication between individuals and God. Prayer can be verbal or silent and can be done in any posture (Kneeling is not a must). Prayer can be done individually or corporately. Per Easton’s Bible Dictionary “To pray is to converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to Him”

b) What is Fasting?

Fasting is abstaining from the intake of foods and nourishment for a defined period of time. The purpose for the fast is to deny the body food and nourishment to weaken it in order to bring it under the control of the spirit. Man is a triune being with the flesh being the dominant player and usually the manifested source of sin. It is the appeal to the flesh that the devil uses for the most part to lead man into sin. While the flesh cannot serve or worship God (St. John), the spirit man is a direct offspring of God and yearns to serve Him. Thus we have the constant battle that rages between the flesh and the spirit. Fasting empowers the spirit man and tilts the balance in his favor.

c) How are Prayer and Fasting related?

Because prayer is communication or fellowship between the spirit man and God and fasting weakens the flesh man and empowers the spirit man, then fasting adds strength to the prayer of the spirit man and tunes his prayer closer to the will of God.




OUTLINE

January 17, 2008

2. Week 3: The History of Prayer, Old and New Testament (Dr. Don)

Ø Isaac – Genesis 25: 21
Ø Hannah – 1 Samuel 1:9-18 and 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Ø David – 2 Samuel 7:18-28
Ø Solomon – 1 Kings 8:22 (2 Chronicle 6: 12)
Ø Hezekiah – 2 Kings 19:8 (Isaiah 37: 8)
Ø Ezra – Ezra 8: 21
Ø Job – Job 13: 20
Ø David – Psalms (Numerous)
Ø Prophet – Habakkuk 3: 1

New Testament

Ø House of prayer – Mat.21: 13
Ø Zacharias – Luke 1: 13
Ø Jesus, All night in prayer – Luke 6:12
Ø Pharisees long prayers – Mat. 23: 14
Ø Prayer of the Saints – Rev. 5:8


January 23, 2008

3.Week 4 (Pastor Helga)

Topic: The History of Fasting

The history of fasting goes back thousands of years. Many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Eastern religions used and still use fasting as a healing process for spiritual purification and communion with God. Philosophers, scientists, and physicians have used it as a healing process to cure sicknesses. Fasting affects not only our physical being, but our mental, emotional, and spiritual self as well. Physicians with a spiritual orientation are more likely to prescribe fasting to their patients because they are also more likely than other doctors to use the fasting method for cleansing. (Fasting, Body Cleansing or Body Starving by Kelly Grimes)
The rationale behind fasting places an emphasis on control over our habits. When we need to recharge, we take a break from life and go on vacation. When our body needs cleansing, fasting is time away from food. Both methods of withdrawal from normal routine help us get back in touch with what our bodies need. (Haas)

Fasting is a “retreat” away from food for a specific period of time and requires much discipline of spirit, mind and body if it is to be effective. We will explain later in the series how fasting affects the body and the right and wrong way to enter and break a fast. Fasting, coupled with prayer is a powerful tool to be used to help overcome and break habitual sins in our lives and to draw us closer to God (Is. 58:6). It also reveals inconsistencies in our lives and aids in breaking the cycle of such. Fasting is not meant to twist the arm of God and get Him to do as we wish.. In other words, fasting is not getting God to be in agreement with us rather it is getting us to be in agreement with God. When we come in alignment with His will, then can we truly be blessed.
As stated previously, history reveals that the practice of fasting has been around for thousands of years. Although fasting is an ancient practice, it is still a necessary tool to employ in our private as well as corporate lives as believers. Today, we will look at some of these great men and women in biblical history who practiced fasting and the reason(s) for which they fasted.

1. Biblical History of Individual Fast Old Testament:

Ø Moses fasted forty days twice and received the laws for daily living – Ex. 24:18; 34:27,28
Ø David for his son with Bathsheba – 2 Sam. 12:23
Ø David’s Psalms were birthed mostly from fasting and prayer – Ps. 69:10; 109: 24
Ø Daniel in seeking divine guidance from God regarding the seventy years – Daniel 9: 3
Ø Elijah fasted forty days receiving revelation that affected the nation –1 Kings 19: 8,15ff


2. National/Corporate Prayers

Ø Jezebel – Called a fast against Naboth for his vineyard – I Kings 21: 12 (wicked fast) See Isaiah 58: 6-11. *Fasting should be for the right reasons and the right motive. One should not attempt a spiritual fast with the wrong mindset; this is not the fasting that is acceptable unto God. Jezebel’s fast was NOT God centered, hence unacceptable. Right fasting produces right results.
Ø Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast for all Judah when Moab and Ammon came against them – 2 Chron. 20:3.
Ø Nehemiah, the people confessed their sins before God – Neh. 9:1-3
Ø Ezra called a national fast to humble themselves before God – Ezra 8:21-23
Ø Esther called for a fast among the Jews at Susa in preparation for her intercession to the king on behalf of her people. – Esther 4: 15-17
Ø Joel called a consecrated fast and proclaimed a solemn assembly – Joel 1:14; 2:15-16
Ø The people of Nineveh called a fast after Jonah’s message – Jonah 3:5

3. Biblical History of fasting, New Testament

Ø Jesus, in the wilderness for forty days –Mat. 4:1
Ø John’s disciples and the Pharisees – Mark 2:18
Ø Anna, in the temple – Luke 2:37
Ø The Disciples, ministered to the Lord in fasting –Acts 13: 2
Ø Paul and Barnabas fasted and prayed when they appointed elders – Acts 14: 23

As believers in the New Testament Church we are expected to fast. Jesus in Mat.5:16, in His teaching on the Mount said “When you fast…” meaning we are expected to live a life of fasting and prayer. While prayer is communication between the individual and God; coupled with fasting, it helps us to overcome the flesh and makes us sensitive to the voice of our Father. Prayer and fasting also enables us to walk in the fullness of the spirit.