Think FAST
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 5 viewsOur spiritual growth is hindered because we ignore one of the greatest tools that we have to increase our walk with the Lord!
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
I want each one of you to take a piece of paper and for a minute or so, I want you to write down two or three things that you want to see happen, either in your own life, or the lives of others. (It can be something specific that you want to see happen within the church, something dealing with your finances, your marriage, your job, or even your relationship with the Lord.)
I want each one of you to take a piece of paper and for a minute or so, I want you to write down two or three things that you want to see happen, either in your own life, or the lives of others. (It can be something specific that you want to see happen within the church, something dealing with your finances, your marriage, your job, or even your relationship with the Lord.)
Now, I want you take another minute or so and think about it and write down the action steps that are necessary to make these things become a reality.
OK, so if some of you are willing, please read off one or two or all three of the things that you said that you want to see come about and then, if you would, list your action steps that you wrote down to make these things happen.
Now, one thing that I was looking for, was a certain word that you might include into your action steps, especially if any of your goals were spiritually related.
That word is the subject of this short video that we are about to look at and then we’ll jump in.
SHOW SKIT GUYS “The Skinny on Fasting”
Right, so tonight, I want to talk with your very briefly about the subject of FASTING.
Right, so tonight, I want to talk with your very briefly about the subject of FASTING.
Believe me when I say that this is not an all inclusive look into the subject of FASTING, but an introduction.
My objective tonight is to give you an understanding of what the FAST is, both in the natural/physical sense, but even more so and with the greatest level of importance being placed upon the spiritual use of the word!
So, what is FASTING?
Whether you look at the word in the English, the Hebrew or the Greek, you will get about the same meaning: FASTING refers to abstaining from eating food; it is an ascetic decision that we each must make for our own lives.
This can be a natural, health based decision that you can make for your life, but it also can be a spiritually healthy decision that you and I can make for our lives.
READ “8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science” on iPad.
In , we see a derived health benefit from food choices, as Daniel (Belteshazzar)and his 3 friends (what were their names? Hananiah [Shadrach], Mishael [Meshach] and Azariah [Abednego]), were healthier than those who ate of the king’s eating regimen.
Now, yes because of the ascetic choice that Daniel made and the reasoning thereof, God did bless them with a natural wisdom and learning ability, as well as a spiritual blessing in dreams and visions!
In talking about fasting, I came across one of those “CHURCH BLOOPER” listings of a church that had posted in its bulletin of an upcoming prayer and fasting conference that saisd, “Church bulletin - National Prayer and Fasting Conference announcement: “The cost to attend the Fasting and Prayer Conference includes meals.”
Now since we are talking about the health benefits of fasting from the natural aspect and the health benefits derived from it, let me tell you something about processed foods and fast foods that many people do not know, or may not understand. (Consider en·to·moph·a·gy - the practice of eating insects, especially by people!)
There is a TON of research on the internet about the horrors of all of the preservatives that are being put into the vast majority of the foods that we eat on a regular basis.
Scientists study and produce chemicals that trigger responses in the brain and make you want more and more of the foods that you are buying and eating. (EXPAND ON THIS)
All that to say, I believe that the enemy has done an amazing job in crippling this nation by creating foods that make a literal, physical craving for the food from the consumers. By doing so, the enemy has hooked many, many people upon foods, to such a degree that people now eat, not from their own brain functions telling them that they need food for survival, but from because the brain and its sensors have been duped and the people get pleasure releases from eating these things, much like drug usage!
Fasting can help to reset this, if given long enough!
So, why then do we fast as Christians. Is it Biblically mandated?
So, why then do we fast as Christians. Is it Biblically mandated?
There was only ONE mandated fast for the children of Israel that we read of in the OT and that was the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) which occurred once a year.
Other than that one day, Israel was not required to go into regular fasts.
There are times within the word of God in which we see the people of Israel going into fasting periods due to sin within the nation and thus they were trying to be removed from the judgement of God, as in , where we read,
That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
The people would fast and pray before God in times of calamity and sadness, as in ,
They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.
The people were called into times of fasting to seek God in order to avoid approaching danger, as in , when Haman devised a plot to kill off the Jews, through the kings order and Esther calls for a fast of the people as we read,
“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”
And in the midst of these and other reasons, there came about the understanding of fasting as an outward work to try to impress and look repentant before God, which is why God said what fasting was acceptable to Him,as we find in , (READ in the BIBLE).
These things tell us of why the people sometimes fasted in the OT and when they were required to fast (humbling themselves before God being the main reason), but what does the NT say of fasting and was it done away with when Jesus bought us back through the His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the tomb?
These things tell us of why the people sometimes fasted in the OT and when they were required to fast (humbling themselves before God being the main reason), but what does the NT say of fasting and was it done away with when Jesus bought us back through the His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the tomb?
The long and short of it, is this. Jesus, Himself, fasted for the empowering strength of the Holy Spirit, as we read of in , ,
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region.
And in , we read of Jesus being questioned by John the Baptist’s disciples as to why His disciples did not fast as they did and this is what Jesus said,
One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
In other words, while Jesus (the son of God) was with the disciples and they were following Him, they didn’t need to fast and seek God presence, it was right there with them. However, once He was gone back to heaven, then there would be a need to fast and seek, for the same strength and guidance and power that He was yielding to them while HE was in their midst!
As says, “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,”
So, Jesus fasted and He let it be known that fasting would take place from His faithful followers once He was gone. But did He expect us to do it though?
When Jesus gave His sermon on the mount in Matthew’s gospel, this is what He said with regard to fasting, “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Did you see it?
“And WHEN you fast”, not “IF you fast”. The wording is a perpetual understanding. That is, it is to be continual and thus meaning that He expects us to.
Why though, if all authority and power was given over to the church, should we have to fast in order to serve in His kingdom?
For one thing, just as God said through the prophet Isaiah in the passage that we read a minute ago, as well as in , where God says,
My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
Humbling ourselves before God is what draws Him and His presence to us and guess what is something that we can do humble ourselves before Him?
Yep, fasting, if done with the correct heart, humbles us before God, by denying the flesh and seeking Him, along with our prayers and reading in His word.
When we begin to feed out spirit the true BREAD OF HEAVEN, as God. We do not live by bread alone (physical), but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (spiritual)!
Humility and the desire to be in God’s presence is crucial for flowing in the power of the holy Spirit.
Jesus said to the disciples in the account of the demon possessed boy, when they couldn’t cast out the demon and He did and then they asked Him why they couldn’t, He said, “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
Jesus was saying to the disciples that there lack of belief in Him and the power and authority that existed for them, was a factor in their walk. Just like in Nazareth where the people didn’t believe in Him and who He was and of that instance, the Bible says, “And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.”
But also, He mentioned the praying and fasting to stress another point.
I order to walk in the power that is needed to deal with everything that the devil and his minions throw at us, we need to be closer to God and further detached from this world.
Well, prayer is the vehicle by which we draw closer to God and His presence. We are to pray and come before Him with thanksgiving on our hearts (humility again) and pray continually.
The thing that removes, or detaches us from the world, is the fasting. When we fast, we are denying the flesh its desires and instead, pressing in and feeding the spirit within us, from the manna of heaven, the Logos, the living word of God and speaking to God and praying in our spiritual language to edify and strengthen our spirit man!
Jesus said that it is the HUMBLE who inherit the earth and He also said, “Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!”
In order to develop the spiritual hunger, we must deny our natural man and fast, in order to create that appetite for His presence and then feed that hunger with the word and our time with Him in prayer!
We are to make our bodies a vessel, an instrument of sacrifice and worship before God so that our spirit becomes strengthened by His spirit operating within us, just as says,
I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
Let me just jump ship here and express a thought about fasting that we need to understand. We are at war in this walk with the Lord. The battle has already been won, that took place at the cross of Calvary, but we are still fighting the resistance of the enemy and in this battle, there are hosts of God’s heavenly warriors that await His commands, daily, hourly and by the minute.
Let me just jump ship here and express a thought about fasting that we need to understand. We are at war in this walk with the Lord. The battle has already been won, that took place at the cross of Calvary, but we are still fighting the resistance of the enemy and in this battle, there are hosts of God’s heavenly warriors that await His commands, daily, hourly and by the minute.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was revealed, that is, that He came, to DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL!
And Jesus demonstrated to us that through prayer and fasting (a.k.a. dependence upon the Spirit of Yahweh), we could DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL!
Out job is in this daily battle, is to draw close to God in prayer and fasting, feed upon His word and then as the situations arise, unleash the word of God upon the enemy and let the spiritual hosts wage war!
What spiritual hosts are you talking about, you may ask?
Well, a really good example of this is found in . (READ FROM iPad)
Angels are the agents of spiritual warfare that God has assigned to come alongside of the believer, to assist them and war in the heavenlies on or behalf.
Angels are the agents of spiritual warfare that God has assigned to come alongside of the believer, to assist them and war in the heavenlies on or behalf.
tells us,
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?