Fasting- The Old Testament patriarchs did,
Jesus did.... Matt. 4:2: And when he had fasted forty
days and forty nights, he was afterward and hungred.
Paul did.....
1Co:11:1: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am
of Christ.
___________________________________
Not a popular subject!
We need to 'push' away the quarterpounder and pizza
to hear clearly and to be instructedby God's Spirit
especially atuned to Him in these 'last days'!
Fasting should be a continuous and frequent event.
We knew a woman named Rene, who once fasted 21 days
and nights!!!! She worked as a registered nurse with the
' severely ' retarded children and teenagers in a Texas
state hospital.
She said God finally answered her and she was pleased!
She lost about 25 lbs. and looked great both spiritually and
physically! We asked if she was tired and run down. She
snapped back the first 4-5 days yes, but not anymore! My
God has sustained me brother Joe!
She 'never' told anyone what she was fasting about!
Talk about the 'anointing' on her and the power of God
that 'rested' on her! Man!!!
mg:
____________________________________________________
Ask God when you should 'fast'!
We call prayer meetings without ever mentioning this
'powerful' spiritual tool to stand, become strong in the
spirit of the Lord and 'fight' the'enemy' pulling down
the 'strongholds in people's lives !
2Cor. 10:4: (For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal,but mighty through God to thepulling down of
strong holds
'Fasting' is one weapon to go along with our
spiritual armour. Eph.6:11
Matt. 17:21: Howbeit this kind goeth notout but by
prayer and fasting.
1Cor. 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.
2Cor. 6:5: In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in
labours,in watchings, in fastings;
2Cor. 11:27: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings
often,in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness.
___________________________________
Benefits- What is fasting and how is it usedas a spiritual
discipline?
2Chron. 20:3: And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself
to seekthe LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all
Judah.
2Ch:20:4: And Judah gathered themselves together, to
ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah
they came to seek the LORD.
_______________________________________
Fasting is a way of demonstrating our intense need for
God's help.
Ezra. 8:21: Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river
of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselvesbefore our God,
to seek of him a rightway for us,and for our little ones,
and for all our substance.
________________________________________
Fasting should not be done to impress other people.
Jesus said,
Matt. 6:17: But thou, when thou fastest,anoint thine
head,and wash thy face;
Matt. 6:18: That thou appear not unto men to fast, but
unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
________________________________________
Fasting can involve a simple diet.
Dan. 10:2: In those days I Daniel was mourning three full
weeks.
Dan. 10:3: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor
wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till
three whole weeks were fulfilled.
_________________________________________
Daniel was now spiritually in tune to receive revelation from
God in a vision of the'latter days'.
Daniel 10:14.
________________________________________
What is God's Chosen Fast?
What is God's purpose in our fasting?
Isa. 58:3: Wherefore have we fasted, say they,and
thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and
thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye
find pleasure, and exac tall your labours.
Hypocritical fasting, motives not right!
God's introspection of our motives!
Isa. 58:4: Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite
with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day,
to make your voice to be heard on high.
Psalms 44:21: Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth
the secrets of the heart.
________________________________________
Correct motives are needed for answered prayer.
James 4:3: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer. 17:10: I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his
ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
_________________________________________
God instructing the right motive for fasting!
Isa:58:5: Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a
day fora man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down
his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and
ashes under him?wilt thou call this a fast, and an
acceptable day to the LORD?
Isa:58:6: Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the
heavy burdens,and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke?
Isa:58:7: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to
thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from
thine own flesh?
_________________________________________
Results of a God honoring fast-
Isa:58:8: Then shall thy light break forth as the
morning, and thine health shall spring forth
speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before
thee; the glory of the LORDshall be thy rereward.
Isa:58:9: Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall
answer;thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke,
the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
Isa:58:10: And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in
obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
Isa:58:11: And the LORD shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring
of water, whose waters fail not.
Physical benefits:
Detoxifies, you are allowing your body to 'heal', rest and
rehabilitateitself. Flushes out toxic matter that has built
up over time.
It actually revives and rejuvenates the millions of cells
in your body. It improves circulation, stamina and
strength.
Some people do only liquid fasts, consuming only water,
broth or juices. Others take part in specific fasts, such as
"fruit fasts", where they abstain from fruits or "meat fasts"
where they abstain from meat. The most common fast is
abstinence from all food and liquid except water.
It is important to drink at least one quart of water per day
while fasting.
If you are not accustomed to regularly 'fasting', you should
consult your doctor to discuss your individual body needs
and he can prescribe a safe plan.
But start to trust God and 'fast' often when you have
built up to it!
Jesus did.... Matt. 4:2: And when he had fasted forty
days and forty nights, he was afterward and hungred.
Paul did.....
1Co:11:1: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am
of Christ.
___________________________________
Not a popular subject!
We need to 'push' away the quarterpounder and pizza
to hear clearly and to be instructedby God's Spirit
especially atuned to Him in these 'last days'!
Fasting should be a continuous and frequent event.
We knew a woman named Rene, who once fasted 21 days
and nights!!!! She worked as a registered nurse with the
' severely ' retarded children and teenagers in a Texas
state hospital.
She said God finally answered her and she was pleased!
She lost about 25 lbs. and looked great both spiritually and
physically! We asked if she was tired and run down. She
snapped back the first 4-5 days yes, but not anymore! My
God has sustained me brother Joe!
She 'never' told anyone what she was fasting about!
Talk about the 'anointing' on her and the power of God
that 'rested' on her! Man!!!
mg: ____________________________________________________
Ask God when you should 'fast'!
We call prayer meetings without ever mentioning this
'powerful' spiritual tool to stand, become strong in the
spirit of the Lord and 'fight' the'enemy' pulling down
the 'strongholds in people's lives !
2Cor. 10:4: (For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal,but mighty through God to thepulling down of
strong holds
'Fasting' is one weapon to go along with our
spiritual armour. Eph.6:11
Matt. 17:21: Howbeit this kind goeth notout but by
prayer and fasting.
1Cor. 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.
2Cor. 6:5: In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in
labours,in watchings, in fastings;
2Cor. 11:27: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings
often,in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness.
___________________________________
Benefits- What is fasting and how is it usedas a spiritual
discipline?
2Chron. 20:3: And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself
to seekthe LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all
Judah.
2Ch:20:4: And Judah gathered themselves together, to
ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah
they came to seek the LORD.
_______________________________________
Fasting is a way of demonstrating our intense need for
God's help.
Ezra. 8:21: Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river
of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselvesbefore our God,
to seek of him a rightway for us,and for our little ones,
and for all our substance.
________________________________________
Fasting should not be done to impress other people.
Jesus said,
Matt. 6:17: But thou, when thou fastest,anoint thine
head,and wash thy face;
Matt. 6:18: That thou appear not unto men to fast, but
unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
________________________________________
Fasting can involve a simple diet.
Dan. 10:2: In those days I Daniel was mourning three full
weeks.
Dan. 10:3: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor
wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till
three whole weeks were fulfilled.
_________________________________________
Daniel was now spiritually in tune to receive revelation from
God in a vision of the'latter days'.
Daniel 10:14.
________________________________________
What is God's Chosen Fast?
What is God's purpose in our fasting?
Isa. 58:3: Wherefore have we fasted, say they,and
thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and
thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye
find pleasure, and exac tall your labours.
Hypocritical fasting, motives not right!
God's introspection of our motives!
Isa. 58:4: Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite
with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day,
to make your voice to be heard on high.
Psalms 44:21: Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth
the secrets of the heart.
________________________________________
Correct motives are needed for answered prayer.
James 4:3: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer. 17:10: I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his
ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
_________________________________________
God instructing the right motive for fasting!
Isa:58:5: Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a
day fora man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down
his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and
ashes under him?wilt thou call this a fast, and an
acceptable day to the LORD?
Isa:58:6: Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the
heavy burdens,and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke?
Isa:58:7: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to
thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from
thine own flesh?
_________________________________________
Results of a God honoring fast-
Isa:58:8: Then shall thy light break forth as the
morning, and thine health shall spring forth
speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before
thee; the glory of the LORDshall be thy rereward.
Isa:58:9: Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall
answer;thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke,
the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
Isa:58:10: And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in
obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
Isa:58:11: And the LORD shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring
of water, whose waters fail not.
Physical benefits:
Detoxifies, you are allowing your body to 'heal', rest and
rehabilitateitself. Flushes out toxic matter that has built
up over time.
It actually revives and rejuvenates the millions of cells
in your body. It improves circulation, stamina and
strength.
Some people do only liquid fasts, consuming only water,
broth or juices. Others take part in specific fasts, such as
"fruit fasts", where they abstain from fruits or "meat fasts"
where they abstain from meat. The most common fast is
abstinence from all food and liquid except water.
It is important to drink at least one quart of water per day
while fasting.
If you are not accustomed to regularly 'fasting', you should
consult your doctor to discuss your individual body needs
and he can prescribe a safe plan.
But start to trust God and 'fast' often when you have
built up to it!
