There are three points to this message.
God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of his children when they do
not know what the will of God is.
God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of his children when they
know what the will of God is.
God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of unbelievers.
I. God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of his children when
they do not know what the will of God is. The story of Esther and how God
delivered the Jews from Haman and his wicked commandments.
A. Esther 3:15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's
commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king
and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
B. Esther 4:3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's
commandment and his decree came, [there was] great mourning among the Jews,
and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
1. Prayer is not mentioned in Esther but it is certainly implied.
2. Verse 4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told
[it] her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to
clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received
[it] not. There is a time for fasting, even if others do not think so.
C. When Esther understood why Mordecai was fasting and praying she was
also greatly distressed.
1. Esther 4:15 Then Esther bade [them] return Mordecai [this
answer], 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,
and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I
also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king,
which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. There
is power in many praying and fasting together.
II. God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of his children when
they know what the will of God is. Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the
Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth,
and ashes: 4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and
said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to
them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
III. God hears and answers the prayer and fasting of unbelievers.
A. Jonah 3:7 And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published through
Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor
beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God:
yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that
[is] in their hands. 9 Who can tell [if] God will turn and repent, and turn
away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 10 And God saw their works,
that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he
had said that he would do unto them; and God repented of the evil, that he had
said that he would do unto them; and he did [it] not.
B. Acts 10 – Cornelius was praying and fasting when God spoke to him in a
vision, commanding him to contact Peter, who would tell him what he needed to
do.
IV. Bad fasting
A. Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess.
B. Remember Frank Melton?
C. Matt 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites
[are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of
the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have
their reward.
D. 1 Cor 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except [it be] with consent
for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
E. Other good fasting.
1. Ps 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing [was]
sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine
own bosom.
2. Matt 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and
fasting.