Purposeful Fasting
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Countering the enemy
Countering the enemy
The world’s influences:
food, news, entertainment, sex, drugs, alcohol, work, reputation, notoriety, money, and all sorts of other things to be satisfied by everything/everyone else but Yeshua.
The pursuit of the American dream has gone from the dream to freely worship God to another different dream. The dream was to leave everything behind and sacrifice a whole way of life for a different life where seeking God was more possible.
The world wants us to engage in the gorging and bingeing, where the Word of G-d commands us to the emptying of ourselves and the finding of fulfillment in going with nothing but the clothes on our backs and shoes on our feet.
It is all about the get going out of the land Egypt. Many times we share here that we do not want to be comfortable or complacent, rather we want to be on the move with the L-rd.
When people take good things and make them the things necessary for fullfilment, they make it into “god” things. Thus, when someone believes that they are fulfilled by anything other than God, it causes them to form a blind eye to what G-d said is good, and so the person is lead into temtations and actions that are not Godly.
“Whatever gets most of your energy, thoughts, and desire—that is your god. And if that is true, then fasting for most doesn't mean going without chocolate for a month—it means assassinated our idols.” (pg. 61 J. Wilson)
Yeshua shares with us how these worldly things are only temporary. A house can burn, shoes will wear out, cars rust, phones break, and etc. Yet, we purchase these items for satisfaction rather than for what we actually need with the cost being our livelihood (thoughts, emotions, energy, hopes, money, and etc). Yeshua commands us to treasure the permanent things that will not break or become obselete. We can read in Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The purpose for fasting is that we are saying no to these daily consumptions that have entangled our minds from the simple and powerful Gospel of Messiah Yeshua that says…
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may dwell in me.
I can also go back to Deuteronomy and last weeks portion to reveal that it is all about the power of the good new that G-d is who He says He is — Our Salvation!
Chazak! Be courageous! Do not be afraid or tremble before them. For Adonai your God—He is the One who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.”
Adonai is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will glorify Him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
What is so awesome is that this Scripture from Exodus is mentioned again in this weeks Parsha.
Yitro (Jethro) he hears what God did, and it began with Moses displaying the same message that it is “my father’s G-d” who is “my help”. Remember that Moses though he was in the middle of Egypt and grew up to be a royal of Egypt, he counted it all as lost for the sake of the salvation of His people who were suffering under the Egyptian regime. Likewaise, Messiah counted it as loss for His children who are suffering under this worldy regime.
Moses had gotten out from Egypt, and he became the child of the High Priest of Midian through his marriage. But still, he was not a Midianite, he was a Hebrew with the promise that G-d gave to His father’s. And so Moses gave his sons names as a reminder of G-d’s Word and promise!
We are aliens in this land, but my father’s G-d is my help. Later Yitro would then meet Moses at the mountain of G-d in the wilderness with his chidlren, and After hearing the Good news, the might acts of G-d, Yitro rejoiced! Yitro was able to behold the awesomeness of G-d that Yitro annihilated the idols proclaiming that Adonai is greater than all gods.
Now I know that Adonai is greater than all gods, since they had acted arrogantly against them.”
In Exodus chapter 19, As the people were led out of Egypt, the Egypt had to be removed from them. They were at the mountain of G-d, and the L-rd asks for Moses to consecrate the people and Moses did as it is written:
Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people, consecrated them, and then, they washed their clothing. He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not draw near your wives.”
This is what fasting does! When we remember and engage with our commitment to G-d, He draws us near to Him, Give us His Word, and brings deliverance from the bondage.
As the children of Israel were cleaned up and consecrated, they were able to draw near to the L-rd in a way they were not able to before. In fact, it is in their obedience that they were able to receive the 10 words or 10 commandments so that they would be officially established as a nation of G-d.
You know that this sounds very similar to the founding of the US. The focus was on G-d, and the consecrated and abstained from the desires, and the gift of the new land was given… a new promise proclaiming that this is a “republic for which it stand, One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The L-rd’s work was so permeating that Yitro couldn’t but to say that Adonai is above all gods.
So when we see Yeshua speaking to His students (talmidim), He shares that certain things can only be done through prayer and fasting. The reason for this is that our faith has to be totally set on Him. While His Name has authority, we are not Him. While we can try to be like Him, we are not Him. There has to be perfect submission to His will in order for His Will to do the good work.
As we spoke about last week, it is not about affirming our ability, rather it is about affirming to ourselves G-d’s ability. G-d made Himself known in Egypt, but He was in their midst through the wilderness. It was in the wilderness that Egypt was taken out from them. All that was necessary for their life was there. In fact even the second generation were reminded about G-d’s provision.
I led you 40 years in the wilderness—your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. Bread you have not eaten and wine and strong drink you have not drunk—in order that you may know that I am Adonai your God.
“When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of the Bashan came out against us to battle, but we struck them down.
The enemy will think that you are weak, and in this way, the enemy also tempted Yeshua with food, but
But He replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
You see fasting is something not to take lightly just as we shouldn't take anything that G-d has given lightly. When you fast, you are called to practice your faith, strengthen your salvation, and ignite a longing for the King of the Universe.
Not to long ago, I had the opportunity to meet someone who operates a ministry in the Red District. It is so incredible to see the L-rd doing a great thing in the middle of darkness, and she spoke how she has to fast and pray. but it is not that, oh i am not gonna eat fasting… no it a real Isaiah 58 fasting. It’s a fast where her time, money, and food were used to care for God’s children. There’s a lot of trouble that takes place in the world, but have no fear… Our Yeshua has overcome the World! And that same power to overcome is within us to overcome… HaShem Yeshua is doing the work in us and has overcome!
May you who have been struggling be released right now of that darkness and oppression in the Name of Yeshua!!
In all, the L-rd is faithful in all that He does. If you are not longing for Him, then you are not in the right place. If you are longing for Him, then draw near to Him, commit yourself to fasting, and He will reveal Himself in your midst.
“Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
My soul longs for You at night,
yes, my spirit within me seeks You.
For when Your judgments
are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world
learn righteousness.
“Behold, days are coming”
—declares my Lord Adonai—
“when I will send a famine on the land
—not a famine of bread
nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of Adonai.
Right now there is a famine as many are not hearing the word of the L-rd and people are dying spiritually from their spiritual captivity. However, the Word (Yeshua) has been made flesh, and He is calling you to Himself. Come and drink from the mountain of Rest
Revelation 22:17
The Ruach and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come—let the one who wishes freely take the water of life!
Fasting is all about the commitment to pursue Yeshua above all things and above all people.
This is why as a congregation we have begun the Daniel’s fast, but more importantly I urge that you see what the L-rd is really calling you to do. For His will, and for His Glory!
This means that we are not pleasing ourselves for a better looking body. Your body outside may look better, however, if you are not engaging in Word to seek G-d with all your heart… you are as what Yeshu said… “white-washed tombs” pretty outside, but rotten in the inside.
“And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full! But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
There was an actor who said that his grandmother taught him how to act, because she would always say to act like a good person when he was doing bad, and to act like a gentleman when he was not. Here is the problem… Many in this world are good actors. They would act a certain way… they would act humble, but they are not humble. And people will know them by their fruits, and not amount of sin (infidelity, addiction, abuse, extortion, divorce, depression, anger, and etc) can hide. G-d sees everything, and He will reveal everything!
But there is hope, when you abide in Him, He doesnt hide you sin. He absolves it. True fasting is all about climbing that mountain in order to be on the cleft of the rock.
If your will is not right, you will become tired and you will have a great fall. However, if you are faithful, if you have the will to reach the goal… their is great life and victory. But you must remember, the goal is Messiah and not the self-pleasure.
Fasting is about a posture, and a posture of denying oneself to the loving care and provision of God!
In this posture, which is considered worship, there is much joy!
My comfort in my affliction is this:
Your word has kept me alive.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I have been filled with encouragement. I overflow with joy in all our troubles.
rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer,
For Messiah’s sake, then, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
And lastly,
Romans 8:18-21
For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of the One who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
In all, as we have begun our time of fasting and prayer, ask the L-rd to give you discernment. Ask Him what are some things that you may have built up in you life, habits that need to stop. Engage in the discipline of saying “ENOUGH” to the things of the world, and “YES” to the things of G-d!
If that is less TV, then turn off the tv, if this is less phones and/or tablets give yourself a small certain amount of time to engage in activities not a part of your work and/or people in you innermost circle. If it’s reading books, read the Bible more! If it’s eating out, start eating in or dedicating meals for those that are in need. There are so many things you can do, but it all must be about giving to G-d His place in your life. Give to G-d what belongs to Him, to the world what it belongs to it!