A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer

by John Piper

Publisher:

Crossway

, 1997

Overview

There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. John Piper invites you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast: “This much, O God, I want you.”

Our appetites dictate the direction of our lives—whether it be the cravings of our stomachs, the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longings of our spirits for God. But for the Christian, the hunger for anything besides God can be an archenemy, while our hunger for God—and him alone—is the only thing that will bring victory.

Do you have that hunger for him? As Piper puts it: “If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.” If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God.

Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is this path of pleasant pain called fasting. It is the path John Piper invites you to travel in this book. For when God is the supreme hunger of your heart, He will be supreme in everything. And when you are most satisfied in him, he will be most glorified in you.

Key Features

• Connects the body to worship through a discussion of fasting
• Assists readers in developing a deep desire for spirituality
• Leads readers to a place of satisfaction with God

Contents

• Introduction: A Homesickness for God
• Is Fasting Christian?: New Fasting for the New Wine
• Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone: The Desert Feast of Fasting
• Fasting for the Reward of the Father: Jesus’ Radical God-Orientation in Fasting
• Fasting For the King’s Coming: How Much Do We Miss Him?
• Fasting and the Course of History: A Call for Discernment and Desire
• Finding God in the Garden of Pain: A Different Fast for the Sake of the Poor
• Fasting for the Little Ones: Abortion and the Sovereignty of God over False Worldviews
• Conclusion: Why Does God Reward Fasting
• Appendix: Quotes and Experiences

Top Highlights

“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18–20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.” (Page 14)

“In other words, we easily deceive ourselves that we love God unless our love is frequently put to the test, and we must show our preferences not merely with words but with sacrifice.” (Pages 18–19)

“The issue is not food per se. The issue is anything and everything that is, or can be, a substitute for God.” (Page 16)

“The true mortification of our carnal nature is not a simple matter of denial and discipline. It is an internal, spiritual matter of finding more contentment in Christ than in food.” (Page 33)

“Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for God.” (Page 14)

Product Details

• Title: A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer
• Author: John Piper
• Publisher: Crossway
• Print Publication Date: 1997
• Logos Release Date: 2007
• Pages: 239
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Prayer › Christianity; Fasting › Religious aspects--Christianity; Desire for God
• Resource ID: LLS:HUNGRGOD
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-12T07:21:58Z

About John Piper

John Piper (b. 1946) is a widely respected theologian and bestselling author who serves as founder and lead teacher at Desiring God and is chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, Piper served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. He has authored more than 50 books, and more than 30 years of his preaching and writing are available free of charge at desiringGod.org. Piper resides in the Minneapolis area with his wife of 51 years, and has five children and 14 grandchildren.

Piper attended Wheaton College where he majored in literature and minored in philosophy. He completed his Bachelor of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he studied under Dr. Daniel Fuller. Piper received his Doctorate in Theology from the University of Munich and taught biblical studies for six years at Bethel College.

In 1994, Piper founded Desiring God Ministries, which provides Piper’s sermons, articles, and information on titles he has authored. One of his bestsellers, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, prompted the name of the ministry.

Several of Piper’s books have been Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Christian book award winners including What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God’s Passion for His Glory. The Crossway John Piper Collection (39 vols.) includes 39 titles from Piper, including Love Your Enemies and A Hunger for God. His preaching ministry of more than 30 years is available in the John Piper Sermon Archive (1980–2014).

Hear how Piper uses Logos for his Bible Study.