Tuesday, 5 October 2021
Title: Why Christians And The Church Should Fast
By: Stephen Wong
Text: Acts 13: 1-3

“Now there were prophets and teachers at Antioch, in the church that was there: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, when they had fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

About 20 years ago, I was invited to join a Christian NGO to start a new ministry of supporting pastors and missionaries who were either in retirement or about to retire, because it was recognized that there was a deep financial need amongst Christian workers in both the urban and rural setting. I was very enthusiastic about this matter. After a few months, we entered a phase where things were not moving well. In my naivete, I suggested that we fast and pray for the project as I sensed that we were doing things like any commercial setting. There were pastors in the team but fasting and prayers seemed far from us, as we spent countless hours trying to raise funds and to prepare the guidelines for using these funds. The Head of the Committee shot down the idea of fasting and prayers as it was deemed unnecessary. Prayer and fasting may well be the last thing in our minds as we did the Lord’s work in a most flesh-like way at that time

Why should we fast and pray?

In the first instance, fasting is not a spiritual practice monopolized by Pentecostal or charismatic church friends. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught about fasting, in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6. Fasting was a valid spiritual discipline in both the Old and the New Testament. Our Lord told us that we need to be mindful and understand that fasting is a personal discipline, and not be put on display for others with our “woeful” appearance. Fast by all means, but let it be a secret between you and God. But then, is fasting a part of our walk with God today? Jesus said in Mark 2:19-20 “Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the Bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, as long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will fast.’” As it is, fasting is no longer common in our Christian life despite the Word of the Lord.

In Acts 13:1-3, before choosing and sending out missionaries among the Gentiles, the church fasted and worshiped the Lord, and the Holy Spirit spoke to the leaders that Barnabas and Saul were to be chosen for the mission ahead. It was a public fast where the church joined together to fast and worship the Lord before He opened their hearts and convicted them to pick Barnabas and Saul. Somehow, fasting and worship improves our sensitivity to God’s guidance and leadership as we make decisions together as a community. Are we receptive to consider a church-wide call to fast and pray, from time to time, so that we may gain wisdom and direction from the Holy Spirit in all things that concern the work of the Lord and the lives of our members?

Ezra proclaimed a public fast to seek the Lord’s face and to humble the Israelites and himself before God as they sought a safe journey back to Jerusalem in the re-building of the temple. The Israelites had perilous times and the Lord had shown His faithfulness when the leaders and the people sought Him with fasting and prayers. The Lord granted safe passage to the Israelites with their children, possessions, gold and silver for the temple, bearing in mind that the journey was dangerous and marked with challenges from bandits and other environmental elements (Ezra 8:21-23). As we enter a new phase of the Covid19 pandemic, are we fasting and persevering in prayer for the end of this pandemic? Malaysia might face a fresh surge of the covid infections in the future, like in the UK and USA are experiencing. Are we fasting and praying for wisdom to re-start our physical worship services at the right time? Please do not misunderstand. I am an advocate for an early return to the physical worship services but I reckon we need to change our approach in making decisions together as a Body of Christ.

Anna, the prophetess spent much of her life as a widow. She stayed in the temple for most of her life to fast, pray and worship God. One day, her personal devotion to God bore fruit and she saw the baby Lord Jesus (Luke 2:36-38) just as the devout Simeon did earlier.

And in 1 Samuel 7:6, when the prophet Samuel called for a public fast and confession of the sins of Israel, it was well participated as the people recognized the depth of their wickedness and the propensity to sin. Fasting is crucial in dealing with sin in our lives, because sinning is both the old and new normal whatever pandemic might come and go. Fasting and confession brings this matter seriously before the altar of God as we learn to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and seek freedom from the sins that grip us and our children.

Above all, we can do a church-wide fast where we learn to partner each other and intercede for the current and future decisions that we must make. In fasting and prayer, we can draw encouragement from Ecc 4: 9 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour.” Group fasting is a deep encouragement for us to draw strength from one another in seeking the Lord. There is much we can do through fasting. We will continue to be imperfect in what we do. But how about taking a first step into a spiritual journey with our leaders where we choose to experience hunger purposefully, and seek God for His answers and help to breakdown some of the fortresses of sin and unforgiveness in our church and families, or perhaps a new way of fulfilling the 5 fold mission of God for Pantai Baptist Church? You will be surprised by what the Lord will do as we seek and trust Him with all our hearts using fasting and prayer as a channel of seeking His favour. Let fasting be really fasting as we learn to test the limits of our endurance to go without food, as we seek God’s favour and answers to our prayers.

Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your words of encouragement and teaching about fasting and prayers. We have come so far together as a church over the last 64 years, and experienced the ups and downs of a community of believers that is weak but yet dear to You. Help us not to live for the momentary pleasures of our time but help us to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. And we pray that the church shall continue to seek Your favour through fervent fasting and prayer so that Your will be done in our church and our nation. In Your precious name we pray. Amen

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
星期二, 2021年10月5日
标题：为何基督徒和教会应该禁食
作者：黄德根弟兄
翻译：陈健萍姐妹
经文：使徒行传13:1-3

“在安提阿的教会中，有几位先知和教师，就是巴拿巴，和称呼尼结的西面，古利奈人路求，与分封之王希律同养的马念，并扫罗。他们事奉主，禁食的时候，圣灵说，要为我分派巴拿巴和扫罗，去作我召他们所作的工。于是禁食祷告，按手在他们头上，就打发他们去了。”

大约20年前，我被邀请加入一个基督教非政府组织，为要成立一个新的事工，支持已经退休或即将退休的牧师和宣教士，因为人们意识到，无论是在城市还是农村，基督教工作者都有很大的经济需求。我非常热衷于这件事。几个月后，我们进入了一个进展不顺利的阶段。天真质朴的我建议我们禁食并为这个项目祈祷，因为我觉得我们在以商业界的方式处理我们的事情。团队中有牧师，但我们没有想到要禁食祷告，我们已花了无数的时间试图筹集资金，并准备使用这些资金的指引。委员会主席否决了禁食祈祷的意见，因为这被认为是没有必要的。当时，禁食祈祷很可能是我们完全没有想到的事，因为我们以最属肉体的方式做了上帝的工作。

我们为什么要禁食祈祷呢？

首先，禁食并不是五旬节派或灵恩派的教会朋友所独有的属灵惯例。我们的主耶稣基督在马太福音第六章的登山宝训中教导了禁食。禁食在旧约和新约中都是有效的属灵操练。我们的主告诉我们，我们需要留心并明白禁食是个人的操练，不要以我们的 “愁容” 外观向他人展示。您可以禁食，但让它成为您和上帝之间的秘密。然则，禁食是我们今天与上帝同行的一部分吗？马可福音2:19-20记载：“耶稣对他们说，新郎和陪伴之人同在的时候，陪伴之人岂能禁食呢？新郎还同在，他们不能禁食。但日子将到，新郎要离开他们，那日他们就要禁食。” 其实，尽管有主的话语，禁食在我们基督徒的生活中已不再常见了。

使徒行传13:1-3，在拣选和差派宣教士到外邦人中之前，教会事奉主、禁食的时候，圣灵告诉领袖们，要拣选巴拿巴和扫罗来执行前面的使命。这是一次集体的禁食，教会聚集在一起禁食事奉主，然后祂打开他们的心，让他们挑选巴拿巴和扫罗。在某种程度上，我们作为一个群体一起作抉择时，禁食事奉提高我们对上帝的指引和领导的敏感度。我们愿否接受全教会间或的禁食祈祷的号召，以便我们在一切与主的工作和信徒的生活有关的事情上，都能从圣灵获得智慧和指引？

以斯拉宣告群众禁食以寻求上帝的面，为要以色列人和他自己在上帝面前克苦己心，他们祈求安全返回耶路撒冷重建圣殿。以色列人经历过险恶的时刻，当领袖和百姓禁食祷告寻求耶和华时，耶和华就彰显祂的信实。上帝赐予以色列人带同他们的孩子、财物和圣殿的金银，安全的路途；要记得这段路程是凶险的，有来自强盗和其他环境因素的挑战(以斯拉8:21-23)。在我们进入新冠肺炎大流行的新阶段之际，我们是否禁食并持续祈求这场大流行的结束？马来西亚未来可能会面临新冠病毒感染的新一轮激增，就像英国和美国正在经历的一般。我们是否禁食并祈求智慧，以便在适当的时候重新开始我们的实体崇拜？请不要误会。我支持早日恢复实体崇拜，但我认为我们需要改变我们作为基督的身体一起作出抉择的方式。

亚拿，这位女先知，一生中的大部分时间都是寡居。她没有离开过圣殿，以禁食和祷告昼夜事奉上帝。一天，她对上帝的敬虔结出果实了，她看到了婴儿主耶稣(路加福音2:36-38)，正如先前虔诚的西面一样。

在撒母耳记上7:6，当先知撒母耳呼吁以色列人集体禁食并认罪时，人们都响应他的号召，因为他们认识到自己的罪孽深重和犯罪的倾向。禁食是处理我们生活中的罪恶的关键，因为无论大流行如何来去，犯罪都是新的和旧的常态。当我们有饥渴慕义的心，并寻求从缠住我们和我们孩子的罪恶中获得自由时，禁食和认罪将这件事严肃地带到上帝的祭坛前。

最重要的是，我们可以推动一个全教会性的禁食，学习彼此结伴，为我们当前和将来必须作出的决定代祷。在禁食和祷告中，我们可以从传道书4:9中得到鼓励：“两个人总比一个人好，因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。” 聚集禁食是一种深刻的鼓励，使我们在寻找主的过程中彼此汲取力量。通过禁食，我们可以做很多事情。我们将会仍然在我们所做的事情上不完美。但是，让我们和我们的领袖一起踏上属灵之旅的第一步，我们选择有目的地经历饥饿，寻求上帝的答案，帮助摧毁我们教会和家庭中的一些罪恶和不饶恕的堡垒，或许这是一种新的方式来完成上帝在班底浸信会的五重使命？当我们以禁食祈祷作为寻求上帝恩惠的渠道，我们全心全意地寻求和信任祂时，您会惊讶于主所做的一切。让禁食成为真正的禁食吧，当我们测试自己不进食的忍耐力极限，当我们寻求上帝的恩惠并回应我们的祈祷时。

祷告
亲爱的主耶稣，为有关禁食祷告的鼓励和教导，我们感谢祢。在过去的64年里，我们作为一个教会一起走了那么远，经历了一个信徒群体的跌宕起伏；这个群体是软弱的，但对祢来说却是亲爱的。求祢帮助我们不为瞬间的享乐而活，但帮助我们先寻求祢的国和祢的义。我们祈求教会将继续通过挚切的禁食祈祷来寻求祢的恩惠，使祢的旨意在我们的教会和我们的国家得以实现。我们奉祢宝贵的名祈祷。阿们。