“Understanding the Times” Part IX

The Secret Weapon Of Christianity

2 Cor 10:4-5

-Fasting combined with prayer is the #1 spiritual weapon Christians possess

-Fasting is Biblical – the word fast and related terms is used around 73 times in the Bible

-Fasting is for every born again believer – Matthew 6:16-18

-Fasting includes rewards – Matt 6:18

THE STRENGTH OF THE APPETITE – Galatians 5:16-26

-one of the greatest works of the flesh is the appetite

-we must crucify the appetite and say no to it

-for medical reasons, you may still have to eat, but the Lord knows your heart

-to defeat the flesh, be filled up with the Spirit/this defeats the flesh

FOLLOW THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN IT COMES TO FASTING – Romans 8:14

-fasting and prayer are different

fasting is Spirit led…prayer is daily and continual

The 2 P’s of Fasting

(1) THE PERSONAL FAST

-this is an individual fast

-Spirit led

-most common fast is a normal or typical fast – sunup to sundown – one day long

-a fast is no food and just water

(2) THE PROCLAIMED FAST – 2 Chronicles 20:1-3,20-24

-this is called by officials – govt or spiritual

-obey a proclaimed fast and participate

-the Lord decides it is time for this to happen

-it is a time of humility, warfare, direction, the Lord speaking

Lengths of fasts

-3 days – Esther 4:13-16, 7 days, 14 days, 40 days, one day fasts

-Spirit led and directed

Jesus is our example to follow concerning fasting – Luke 4:1-15

FASTING IS A HUMBLING PROCESS – Psalm 35:13

sackcloth and ashes  – refers to the deepest kind of humility

-it is where we get low and declare that we need the Lord and He does all things…

 

Hindrances to Fasting

lack of education and teaching – have not really learned about fasting from the Bible

discomfort – fasting at times produces hunger pains and headaches and extra warfare and prayer

demonic temptations – Luke 4

-the enemy roars in even more as we give ourselves more to God