Greater Things: The Power of Fasting | Pastor Chris Hippe | City Central Church

 
This week, Pastor Chris launched the 2026 Greater Things Fast with a compelling teaching on the power of fasting. In John 14, Jesus promises that those who believe in Him will do greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we explored fasting as one of the God-given ways we are invited into that deeper, Spirit-led life. Rooted in Scripture, fasting is presented as a grace-filled practice that humbles us, realigns our desires with God, and awakens our hunger for righteousness. As we fast and pray, we make space for God to speak, to break strongholds, and to empower us to walk more fully in His will and power.
 
John 14:12–17 (ESV)
¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. ¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
 
John 14:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ …the Father who dwells in me does his works.
 
Matthew 6:16–18 (ESV)
¹⁶ “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 
Luke 5:33–35 (ESV)
³³ And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” ³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
 
Galatians 5:16 (ESV)
¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
 
“You and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness.” C.S. Lewis
 
Fasting is a voluntary absence from food for the purpose of dedicating yourself to prayer and seeking the Lord.
Psalm 35:13 (NIV)
…humbled myself with fasting.
 
“Whenever you begin a fast, remember, if it doesn’t mean anything to you, it won’t mean anything to God. Without being combined with prayer and the Word, fasting is little more than dieting.” Jentzen Franklin
Fasting is…
Setting the stage for God.
Designed to shift our focus from our bodies to our spirits, from the flesh and to the Father.
A reorientation of our attention and affection.
A dethroning of king stomach for deeper communion with God.
Confrontation with our spiritual numbness.
Replacing physical sustenance with spiritual sustenance.
 
“Fasting is designed to reveal our dependence, not just tweak our habits.” Jon Tyson
 
Fasting changes us, not God.
 
Fasting is an invitation and grace.
 
Purposes of Fasting in the Bible
When facing impossible circumstances (Nehemiah 1:4).
To change the destiny of a people, a city, a nation (Nehemiah 9:1).
To hear from God afresh and to seek His direction (Ezra 8:21).
To receive God’s aid in battle and to defeat the enemy (2 Chronicles 20:3).
To get hold of God to receive specific answer to prayer (Acts 10:30).
To seek the mind of God (Acts 13:2).
To prepare for ministering in the power and grace of God (Matthew 4:2).
To obtain a greater degree of God’s authority and power (Matthew 17:21).
To afflict the soul, dig down, pull out anything in our mind, will, and emotion that would hinder the life and power of God fully expressed in our lives (Leviticus 16:29, Psalms 35:13, Proverbs 20:27, Hebrews 4:12).
To break the strongholds of the physical appetites.

 
Acts 13:1–3 (ESV)
¹ Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
 
Matthew 5:6 (ESV)
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
 
Ask yourself:
What am I believing God for that requires more than prayer?
What needs to break in my life?
What direction am I seeking?
 
Types of fasts to consider:
Full fast: abstain from food for a day, two, or five.
Daniel fast: abstaining from sweets, meats, and treats. Like a vegetarian fast.
Partial fast: fasting from food for certain meals throughout the week. A type of partial fast is eating only one meal a day.
Discussion Questions:
Matthew 6:16–18 focuses on the heart and motivation behind fasting. What does this passage teach us about why we fast and who it is for?
The sermon described fasting as a “reorientation of our attention and affection.” What are some things that most easily compete for your attention and affection right now?
The sermon asked: What am I believing God for that requires more than prayer? How would you answer that question right now?
 
Application Questions:
As we enter the Greater Things Fast, what might it look like for you to participate in a way that is meaningful, prayerful, and centered on God rather than performance?