Recap; Definition of fasting, Historical background, Fasting is for u
WHY FAST? (IMPERATIVE OF FASTING, MOVE TO THE FAST LANE)
BENEFITS OF FASTING
Isaiah 58 Verses 8,9,11,&12“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? – Isaiah 58:6 GREAT SPIRTUAL & PHYSICAL BLESSINGS
- To humble yourselfbefore God.Reposition David said Ps 35v13 “I humbled my soul with fasting.” Refocus, sobriety, reflection, change of perspective. Spiritual mode.
(God will not humble us as He has told us to humble ourselves. If you fast with the right motive, and in faith, you can humble yourself, and when you do this God will lift you up. God resists the proud)
- Isa 58 v9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I Answered Prayer, Fasting increases the power of prayer several times over. Fasting is a Catalyst. Fasting restores and amplifies prayer power.
- Fasting is a key to the impossible. If you go through the Bible you will notice that many difficult problems and situations were addressed by ‘FASTED’ PRAYER. I describe fasting as fastening your prayer. David, Moses, Israel,NT, Church History
- Spiritual Growth come closer to God. James 4:8 says:- “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” Break the flesh, spirit soars
Isa 58v8 Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. NASB Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery (breakthrough) will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
- Light-To understand God’s word. When you fast God will give you greater and deeper understanding of His word. Luther
- LIGHT Isa 58v8 find God’s will & receive direction. Acts 13:2-3 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.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. –
- Isa 58v8 b thine health shall spring forth speedily:Health,(if we do it well otherwise health spoils) Henry S Tanner fasted on three occasions for 40 days at a time and explained that every time in the second half of the fast, the inexpressible glory of the heavenly world was revealed unto him. He reached the age of 87 and attributed his old age to the blessing of fasting.
- deliverance from evil spirits. Isa 58v6 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?
Jesus said about one kind of evil spirit:- “This kind (type, class) can come out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.” (Mk 9:29) there are some problems that can only be fixed by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Problems are in classes, (spiritual) energy is in degrees.Booster for faith, Lester Sumrall.
Before Jesus Himself entered on His ministry of healing and deliverance, He fasted and prayed for forty days.
Live in the overflow not firefight
- Divine intervention in serious crisis, personal or national or when some tremendous problem has arisen, which we can’t handle by ordinary means. 2Ch 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,(fast) and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.g. Queen Esther
e.g. Gordon Lindsay CFTN prayed for his wayward son Are you willing to do something that will cost you on behalf of your loved one?
- Revival fasting affects the work of God-Revival Healing, Miracles, Church growth
The discipline of fasting has long been associated with reforms and revivalistic movements throughout Church history. Each of the 16th century reformers (and those earlier) also practiced fasting, as did the leaders of the evangelical great awakenings. John Wesley would not ordain a man to ministry unless he fasted two days every week. Jonathan Edwards was known to have fasted before God before he released his now famous message “Sinners in Hands of an Angry God.” If Charles Finney, noted revivalist, felt the Spirit’s anointing lift off his life and preaching, he would retreat and fast till it (He) returned!
Etc etc
Conclusion
Isaiah 58 Verses 8,9,11,&12 outlines ten specific promises to those who fast in God’s way.
Can we truly say we are getting all these benefits? Revival, Health, Intervention, Answered prayers, deliverance etc Something may be missing. We are not doing it right. If you do it the way they said to do it, we will get the result they said to get. Follow the Recipe. Next week. Publicize this, share, like, watch party.
Fasting may be unpleasant since our bodies are conditioned to be our masters. When they cry for food we quickly feed them. When they’re denied food they scream louder and louder at us.
- Fasting breaks the hard shell of the flesh, and heats up th\e temperature of the spirit and causes our spirit to rise to the realm of God.
