This morning before opening my Bible to John 12, I lit two of my new candles and poured myself a cup of coffee. It's quiet, it's dark outside, it's still and there is a wonderful fragrance filling the air. What a way to start out the day to a brand new week.
I'm in the process of reading through the book of John, paraphrasing as I jot down the "facts" from each chapter and then of course copying, word for word, the words spoken by Jesus. Once I complete the whole book, I hope to re-read the paraphrased notes so that I can try and remember all that happened.
As I began to read chapter 12, a thought came to mind, something I haven't thought about in a while and thought it noteworthy.
John 12:3- Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
What a display of gratitude for all Christ had done for her and her brother Lazarus whom He had just raised from the dead (Chapter 11).
As I sat here at this passage for a while I began to think about my life and whether or not it demonstrates the same affection and gratitude for HIM raising my own life from the dead. From what I read, this perfume was worth a year's wages, that's pretty expensive. You and I know there are 365 days in a year and in each day we are given breath to breathe and an opportunity to share Him with someone, to share what He's done in our lives by the way we live out our lives. This thought is not meant to heap condemnation on anyone but it's to serve as a reminder that though we can't physically place HIS nail-pierced feet in our lap, we can still wash them with our service to others, with praise and honor from our hearts and lips, with the fruit of the Spirit (don't hurry through these as you read them ) which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control and from the choices we make that says to Him, we are pouring out ourselves in honor to YOU for everything YOU have done for us.
Things to think about...Do I pour out my life as an offering to Him? Do I share the joy of knowing Him by the way I live my life? Ask yourself, "How can I wash HIS feet today?"
Bless someone today by demonstrating your love for HIM! As you do, I'm sure He will find your offering as a sweet fragrance, filling all of heaven.
Have a great day!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Chapter 17-Go For It!
Whew, we made it, this is the last chapter of the book, "Fasting". It has been a great ride to share with you and the information answered a lot of my questions and I hope you can say the same.
Not sure what I'll blog about next but whatever it is, I pray it encourages you. Stay tuned! ;)
2 Pet. 1:10-11
Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Josh. 3:5).
The Hebrew root for sanctify is qadhash, which is also the root for holy. God said, "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy" (Lev. 11:44, NIV). Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, in what we think, and in what we desire....if we are to see God do wonders in our midst, we must confront sin in our lives and live holy.
Fasting is an excellent means of sanctifying yourself.
Knowing God's Will
Sanctification is the key to being in God's will. As Paul said, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thes. 4:3). You cannot follow God's leading until you start where Paul said start.
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thes. 4:3-8, NIV)
Fasting will help you identify areas of hidden sin in your life.
Fasting is an essential means of sanctifying yourself, pulling yourself away from the world, and getting closer to God. Fasting allows you to filter your life and to set yourself apart to seek the Lord. Jesus prayed for us:
John 17:16-19
Fasting helps you discern between serving the lesh and serving the spirit.
Heb. 9:13-14
Why do we need to sanctify ourselves? We have no place in our hearts for pride. We have no place in our hearts for complacency. Do not let the blessings of the past interfere with the blessings of the future.
Ps. 51:10
We need a sanctification of motives. We need a sanctification of desires. We need a sanctification of attitudes. We need a sanctification of the right spirit. We need a sanctification of our flesh.
Heb. 3:12-13
While the leadership should certainly set an example in personal sanctification and holy living, it is the responsibility of every believer to "exhort" fellow believers. Exhort means to be abrasive with one another, to encourage one another, to push one another to live holy so that no one falls into temptation and ends up turning away from God.
Joshua 3:3-4
When you fast and sanctify yourself unto God, it moves you off the bank and into the miracles! There are too many people on the edge of what God is doing and not enough of us standing firmly in the middle of His will.
When your family sees you stepping off the edge of mere "Sunday-morning religion" and getting right into the middle of what God is doing, they will follow and find God's direction for their lives.
You should be attached to a local body of believers instead of just trying to find your own way. If ever there was a time when we needed to be crossing together, taking a firm, united stand against sin in this nation, it is now.
Circumcision speaks of sanctification of the flesh. It is cutting away dead things and hidden sins. You can look good publicly, raising your hands, giving your offerings, praying, and even fasting, but all the while hiding deadly sins. You are sanctified by the blood of Jesus when you first accept Him as your Lord and Savior, but over time, complacency and hidden sins can creep into your heart.
Gal. 5:19-26
Fasting sharpens the blade and sharpens the Word in your heart and in your mouth, allowing you to cut away the dead flesh and hidden sin as you set yourself apart from God.
God wants you to ask Him for things that are bigger than yourself!
What if you set yourself to diligently seek the Lord, sanctifying yourself with a fast and journey back to the spot where it all began--where He saved you, set you free, filled you with His Spirit, and called you out? I actually physically traveled to that spot, but if you cannot do that, you can go back mentally. You can recall the ancient landmark, that same simplicity, innocence and dedication with which you first responded to His voice.
Fasting will bring you into destiny. Fasting will bring you into alignment with God's plan for your life. Just as Joshua called the children of promise to sanctify themselves--I believe that, likewise, your "tomorrow" is just around the corner. God is going to do wonders in your life, leading you places you have never been before. Now is the time to fast, to seek God diligently, to sanctify yourself, to discern God's priorities, and to walk in His promises. Go for it!
I can mentally go back where I knelt down and invited Jesus into my heart but I can't go back physically. However, in March 1997, God began to work in my life and bring about some major change that I earnestly and sincerely sought Him for. I'm blessed to say that in September of this year, I will physically journey back to that very place and spot, for a personal retreat with Him and I know undoubtedly, I will not return the same. That, I believe, undoubtedly or unwaveringly. Is that a word? :)
You my friend have finished!!!! Put what you've learned to work because faith without works is DEAD!
Not sure what I'll blog about next but whatever it is, I pray it encourages you. Stay tuned! ;)
2 Pet. 1:10-11
Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Josh. 3:5).
The Hebrew root for sanctify is qadhash, which is also the root for holy. God said, "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy" (Lev. 11:44, NIV). Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, in what we think, and in what we desire....if we are to see God do wonders in our midst, we must confront sin in our lives and live holy.
Fasting is an excellent means of sanctifying yourself.
Knowing God's Will
Sanctification is the key to being in God's will. As Paul said, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thes. 4:3). You cannot follow God's leading until you start where Paul said start.
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thes. 4:3-8, NIV)
Fasting will help you identify areas of hidden sin in your life.
Fasting is an essential means of sanctifying yourself, pulling yourself away from the world, and getting closer to God. Fasting allows you to filter your life and to set yourself apart to seek the Lord. Jesus prayed for us:
John 17:16-19
Fasting helps you discern between serving the lesh and serving the spirit.
Heb. 9:13-14
Why do we need to sanctify ourselves? We have no place in our hearts for pride. We have no place in our hearts for complacency. Do not let the blessings of the past interfere with the blessings of the future.
Ps. 51:10
We need a sanctification of motives. We need a sanctification of desires. We need a sanctification of attitudes. We need a sanctification of the right spirit. We need a sanctification of our flesh.
Heb. 3:12-13
While the leadership should certainly set an example in personal sanctification and holy living, it is the responsibility of every believer to "exhort" fellow believers. Exhort means to be abrasive with one another, to encourage one another, to push one another to live holy so that no one falls into temptation and ends up turning away from God.
Joshua 3:3-4
When you fast and sanctify yourself unto God, it moves you off the bank and into the miracles! There are too many people on the edge of what God is doing and not enough of us standing firmly in the middle of His will.
When your family sees you stepping off the edge of mere "Sunday-morning religion" and getting right into the middle of what God is doing, they will follow and find God's direction for their lives.
You should be attached to a local body of believers instead of just trying to find your own way. If ever there was a time when we needed to be crossing together, taking a firm, united stand against sin in this nation, it is now.
Circumcision speaks of sanctification of the flesh. It is cutting away dead things and hidden sins. You can look good publicly, raising your hands, giving your offerings, praying, and even fasting, but all the while hiding deadly sins. You are sanctified by the blood of Jesus when you first accept Him as your Lord and Savior, but over time, complacency and hidden sins can creep into your heart.
Gal. 5:19-26
Fasting sharpens the blade and sharpens the Word in your heart and in your mouth, allowing you to cut away the dead flesh and hidden sin as you set yourself apart from God.
God wants you to ask Him for things that are bigger than yourself!
What if you set yourself to diligently seek the Lord, sanctifying yourself with a fast and journey back to the spot where it all began--where He saved you, set you free, filled you with His Spirit, and called you out? I actually physically traveled to that spot, but if you cannot do that, you can go back mentally. You can recall the ancient landmark, that same simplicity, innocence and dedication with which you first responded to His voice.
Fasting will bring you into destiny. Fasting will bring you into alignment with God's plan for your life. Just as Joshua called the children of promise to sanctify themselves--I believe that, likewise, your "tomorrow" is just around the corner. God is going to do wonders in your life, leading you places you have never been before. Now is the time to fast, to seek God diligently, to sanctify yourself, to discern God's priorities, and to walk in His promises. Go for it!
I can mentally go back where I knelt down and invited Jesus into my heart but I can't go back physically. However, in March 1997, God began to work in my life and bring about some major change that I earnestly and sincerely sought Him for. I'm blessed to say that in September of this year, I will physically journey back to that very place and spot, for a personal retreat with Him and I know undoubtedly, I will not return the same. That, I believe, undoubtedly or unwaveringly. Is that a word? :)
You my friend have finished!!!! Put what you've learned to work because faith without works is DEAD!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Chapter 16-Seen but Not Heard from "Fasting" by J. Franklin
After this chapter, only one more to go and you have read directly from the book, "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin. The stories and personal testimonies are really good, it's worth the purchase. The first passage to look up is...
2 Chron. 7:14-15
Though you do not fast to be cleansed of sin (the blood of Jesus is the only solution for sin), you should enter a fast seriously, having repented of any known sins. Fasting will even bring hidden things to the surface so you can repent.
When you fast your appearance should be normal, and you should not draw attention to your "affliction" of fasting through your actions, your treatment of others, or your temperament. Though your focus should be on your own needs, the needs of others should be on your heart as well. God said... Isa. 58:6-9
Matt. 5:14
...in our lives as children of God, our light will break forth and be apparent to others--I imagine much like the glow on the face of Moses when he descended the mountain after spending time with God.
The Lord says that when you fast, "your righteousness shall go before you" (Isa. 58:8).
Your faith, your right standing with God, will cause you to move into areas where you would not have moved if you had not fasted. Doors will open to you that were not opened before, and your influence will go out like ripples in a pond.
There are people whose lives can be forever made better because of your righteousness going forth with influence.
When you fast, Isaiah said, "The God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isa. 52:12).
Isa. 54:17
...the devil wants fasting to remain the best-ket secret in the kingdom.
Isa. 58:10-12, KJV
In...situations you face that are just overwhelming and you don't know how to find your way through the darkness of obscurity and confusion, God will cause your light to shine on the path you are to take.
...another benefit of fasting: the Lord will guide you continually. Though the path before you may be obscure, when you fast and pray in faith, God will reward you and guide you. "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." (Isa. 30:21).
When you fast you begin to lay a spiritual foundation that not only affects your life, but God says you will also affect the generations to come after you. I don't just fast for myself; I fast for my children, my future grandchildren, and so on. I have laid a foundation through my devotion to God that He will build upon because He found an inroad to my family.
Fasting can end the demonic attack on your family. Fasting can break the generational curses. When you fast, you lay a new foundation of blessing that will be transferred over to your children and your children's children. "And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, teh Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12)
Personal thought of mine after reading this chapter...
It should never be the reason we fast--to get something in return. It should stem as an act of obedience and a desire to know Him more intimately. Should HE decide to bless us because we fasted...that is gravy my friend!
2 Chron. 7:14-15
Though you do not fast to be cleansed of sin (the blood of Jesus is the only solution for sin), you should enter a fast seriously, having repented of any known sins. Fasting will even bring hidden things to the surface so you can repent.
When you fast your appearance should be normal, and you should not draw attention to your "affliction" of fasting through your actions, your treatment of others, or your temperament. Though your focus should be on your own needs, the needs of others should be on your heart as well. God said... Isa. 58:6-9
Matt. 5:14
...in our lives as children of God, our light will break forth and be apparent to others--I imagine much like the glow on the face of Moses when he descended the mountain after spending time with God.
The Lord says that when you fast, "your righteousness shall go before you" (Isa. 58:8).
Your faith, your right standing with God, will cause you to move into areas where you would not have moved if you had not fasted. Doors will open to you that were not opened before, and your influence will go out like ripples in a pond.
There are people whose lives can be forever made better because of your righteousness going forth with influence.
When you fast, Isaiah said, "The God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isa. 52:12).
Isa. 54:17
...the devil wants fasting to remain the best-ket secret in the kingdom.
Isa. 58:10-12, KJV
In...situations you face that are just overwhelming and you don't know how to find your way through the darkness of obscurity and confusion, God will cause your light to shine on the path you are to take.
...another benefit of fasting: the Lord will guide you continually. Though the path before you may be obscure, when you fast and pray in faith, God will reward you and guide you. "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." (Isa. 30:21).
When you fast you begin to lay a spiritual foundation that not only affects your life, but God says you will also affect the generations to come after you. I don't just fast for myself; I fast for my children, my future grandchildren, and so on. I have laid a foundation through my devotion to God that He will build upon because He found an inroad to my family.
Fasting can end the demonic attack on your family. Fasting can break the generational curses. When you fast, you lay a new foundation of blessing that will be transferred over to your children and your children's children. "And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, teh Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12)
Personal thought of mine after reading this chapter...
It should never be the reason we fast--to get something in return. It should stem as an act of obedience and a desire to know Him more intimately. Should HE decide to bless us because we fasted...that is gravy my friend!
Chapter 15-Is Your Blade Sharp Enough?
After this chapter, we only have two more and we've done the whole book! I hope this has been helpful to you and more importantly, with the Scriptures provided, I hope it has answered questions that you may have had regarding "Fasting."
Heb. 4:12
Dan. 1:9, 17 NASU
"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth" (Dan. 10:2-3). The Hebrew word used here for "pleasant food" is lechem, or breads. So for 21-days, Daniel fasted all sweets, breads and meats, and drank only water.
It was soon after that fast when Daniel's encounter with teh angel of God took place along the Tigris River. Notice something very encouraging in what the angel told Daniel: his prayers had been heard in heaven from the very first day he started the fast (Dan. 10:12)!
The Daniel fast is probably one of the more common--and with good reason. It is one of the personal fasts recorded in the Bible that brought with it great favor from the Lord. For 21-days, you eat only vegetables and fruits and drink only water. No colas, burgers, Twinkies, meats, sweets, or bread. Like Daniel, it is time we set ourselves apart to seek the Lord and find understanding.
Eph. 6:10-17, NIV
Have you ever seen a military man try to fit into his uniform thirty years later? Usually, it won't even come close to buttoning down the front. When you're a soldier, you stay fit; you stay healthy, alert, and ready. Paul said we should live that way because the days are evil.
Moses fasted. Elijah fasted forty days. Paul fasted fourteen days. Jesus fasted forty days. If the children of God do not fast, how will we ever fit into the armor of God? How will we effectively wield the sword of the Spirit?
I want you to understand something: fasting and prayer sharpen the blade, which is the Word of God. When you fast, mealtimes often become study times. You become more keyed in to God's Word, and God begins to show you deeper truths. Daniel began to understand God's truths after fasting and getting alone with Him. Understanding comes from the study of God's Word!
When you fast and pray, you effectively sharpent the Word in your mouth. Instead of flippantly quoting Scripture, you now wield a powerful weapon with a powerful weapon with a razor-sharp edge that slashes the enemy when you speak.
Simply by missing some meals and setting your heart on understanding by studying God's Word, you please God, you release beauty for ashes and joy for mourning, and the garment of praise defeats the spirit of heaviness. Your praise goes forth and scatteres the enemy, you develop patience, you come in line with God's priorities, you loose angelic messengers, and you find God's right way for you and protection for your little ones. When are we going to take dominion back from King Stomach and seek diligently after teh kingdom of God in this way?
America has greatlysinned against God through abortion, homosexuality, adultery, rampant pornography, and fornication. We have no fear of God, and America is rapidlly becoming a pagan nation. Our only hope is to humble ourselves in fasting and prayer.
Daniel's fast and visitation from the angel is recorded in Daniel 10. Throughout chapter 9, Daniel cries out to the Lord on behalf of all Israel, saying over and over, "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and rebelled...we have sinned against you" (vv. 5, 11). Daniel identified with the sin of his nation, though we see no sin that Daniel himself had committed.
We are living in importantly days and in important times. This book contains multiple testimonies of people who have received tremendous personal reward and blessing over just a few years because they teamed up with one church, one ministry here in America that corporately fasts and prays. Thankfully, churches across this country are coming to understand the importance of fasting and humbling ourselves before God.
We can humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and expect Him to hear from heaven and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14). He heard Daniel on the very first day!
The enemy thinks you are weaker when you fast. He will try to convince you that you are dying without food--but you are not. God is preparing to breathe life into your situation to open a door to His promises.
Continual Prayer
Fasting is not a means to promote yourself. The greatest thing fasting will do for you will be to break down all of the stuff that accumulates from this world that blocks you from clear communion with the Father.
...when you are on a prolonged fast, you are praying continually. You have to make time to get away and pray, whether you feel like it or not. Fasting in and of itself is a continual prayer to God. You are praying 24-hours a day when you are fasting. If you have been fasting all day, you've been fasting all day.
Jesus said, "When you pray...when you fast...when you give..." (Matt. 6). He expects those who follow Him to do these things whether feeling a special leading or not. These things should be part of every believer's life.
When I (Jentezen) first started, I didn't start with 21-days. I just did three days, and then I built up to seven days, and then to 21-days. What I have done recently is a total fast for seven days in January and then a total fast for three days each month from February to December. That is a total of forty days over the course of a year.
As you fast, target your unsaved loved ones in prayer. Create a "hit list" of people you want to see saved. It is good to be very specific in your prayers during a fast. What is the one most critical thing you want God to do in your life? God told Habakkuk to "write the vision and make it plain" (Hab. 2:2). I dare you to write down the names of those you want to see saved, and when you fast and pray, call those names out to God. As we have seen evidenced here at Free Chapel, I believe you too will see breakthroughs like you never dreamed!
If you let it, your flesh will take over and rule your life. That is why times of fasting are so crucial to your walk with God. Fasting helps you establish dominion and authority over your flesh. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a mand sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:7-9). Keep your armor fit and your bldde sharp!
Heb. 4:12
Dan. 1:9, 17 NASU
"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth" (Dan. 10:2-3). The Hebrew word used here for "pleasant food" is lechem, or breads. So for 21-days, Daniel fasted all sweets, breads and meats, and drank only water.
It was soon after that fast when Daniel's encounter with teh angel of God took place along the Tigris River. Notice something very encouraging in what the angel told Daniel: his prayers had been heard in heaven from the very first day he started the fast (Dan. 10:12)!
The Daniel fast is probably one of the more common--and with good reason. It is one of the personal fasts recorded in the Bible that brought with it great favor from the Lord. For 21-days, you eat only vegetables and fruits and drink only water. No colas, burgers, Twinkies, meats, sweets, or bread. Like Daniel, it is time we set ourselves apart to seek the Lord and find understanding.
Eph. 6:10-17, NIV
Have you ever seen a military man try to fit into his uniform thirty years later? Usually, it won't even come close to buttoning down the front. When you're a soldier, you stay fit; you stay healthy, alert, and ready. Paul said we should live that way because the days are evil.
Moses fasted. Elijah fasted forty days. Paul fasted fourteen days. Jesus fasted forty days. If the children of God do not fast, how will we ever fit into the armor of God? How will we effectively wield the sword of the Spirit?
I want you to understand something: fasting and prayer sharpen the blade, which is the Word of God. When you fast, mealtimes often become study times. You become more keyed in to God's Word, and God begins to show you deeper truths. Daniel began to understand God's truths after fasting and getting alone with Him. Understanding comes from the study of God's Word!
When you fast and pray, you effectively sharpent the Word in your mouth. Instead of flippantly quoting Scripture, you now wield a powerful weapon with a powerful weapon with a razor-sharp edge that slashes the enemy when you speak.
Simply by missing some meals and setting your heart on understanding by studying God's Word, you please God, you release beauty for ashes and joy for mourning, and the garment of praise defeats the spirit of heaviness. Your praise goes forth and scatteres the enemy, you develop patience, you come in line with God's priorities, you loose angelic messengers, and you find God's right way for you and protection for your little ones. When are we going to take dominion back from King Stomach and seek diligently after teh kingdom of God in this way?
America has greatlysinned against God through abortion, homosexuality, adultery, rampant pornography, and fornication. We have no fear of God, and America is rapidlly becoming a pagan nation. Our only hope is to humble ourselves in fasting and prayer.
Daniel's fast and visitation from the angel is recorded in Daniel 10. Throughout chapter 9, Daniel cries out to the Lord on behalf of all Israel, saying over and over, "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and rebelled...we have sinned against you" (vv. 5, 11). Daniel identified with the sin of his nation, though we see no sin that Daniel himself had committed.
We are living in importantly days and in important times. This book contains multiple testimonies of people who have received tremendous personal reward and blessing over just a few years because they teamed up with one church, one ministry here in America that corporately fasts and prays. Thankfully, churches across this country are coming to understand the importance of fasting and humbling ourselves before God.
We can humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and expect Him to hear from heaven and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14). He heard Daniel on the very first day!
The enemy thinks you are weaker when you fast. He will try to convince you that you are dying without food--but you are not. God is preparing to breathe life into your situation to open a door to His promises.
Continual Prayer
Fasting is not a means to promote yourself. The greatest thing fasting will do for you will be to break down all of the stuff that accumulates from this world that blocks you from clear communion with the Father.
...when you are on a prolonged fast, you are praying continually. You have to make time to get away and pray, whether you feel like it or not. Fasting in and of itself is a continual prayer to God. You are praying 24-hours a day when you are fasting. If you have been fasting all day, you've been fasting all day.
Jesus said, "When you pray...when you fast...when you give..." (Matt. 6). He expects those who follow Him to do these things whether feeling a special leading or not. These things should be part of every believer's life.
When I (Jentezen) first started, I didn't start with 21-days. I just did three days, and then I built up to seven days, and then to 21-days. What I have done recently is a total fast for seven days in January and then a total fast for three days each month from February to December. That is a total of forty days over the course of a year.
As you fast, target your unsaved loved ones in prayer. Create a "hit list" of people you want to see saved. It is good to be very specific in your prayers during a fast. What is the one most critical thing you want God to do in your life? God told Habakkuk to "write the vision and make it plain" (Hab. 2:2). I dare you to write down the names of those you want to see saved, and when you fast and pray, call those names out to God. As we have seen evidenced here at Free Chapel, I believe you too will see breakthroughs like you never dreamed!
If you let it, your flesh will take over and rule your life. That is why times of fasting are so crucial to your walk with God. Fasting helps you establish dominion and authority over your flesh. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a mand sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:7-9). Keep your armor fit and your bldde sharp!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Chapter 14-For the Little Ones from "Fasting" by J. Franklin
It's hard to believe we are already on chapter 14 and there's only 17 chapters in the whole book. I actually finished the book last night so that I could begin reading, "Life's Healing Choices."
By now you all know that everything in italics is directly from the book so go ahead and open your Bible to Ps. 48:12-14, the passages are a MUST! ;)
Ezra 8:21-23, KJV
We fast because we need to know the right way for our lives.
We do not need to be confused as to our future or the choices before us. Fast, seek His face, and have faith that He will guide you. It is biblical to fast and seek God for the right direction for your life.
Fasting with prayer just seems to open a different frequency in God's ear!
The Unblushables
I ask you, who is fasting for the protection of our little ones in this age?
Today, fasting has all but disappeared from regular Christian discipline. We have more media availability for preaching that ever before, yet sin and repentance are seldom preached.
Today, our little ones are exposed to every kind of perversion and danger with a click of a button--be it TV, Internet, cell phones, or just a stroll through the local mall.
Jer. 6:15-16, NIV
In an age where gay and lesbian experimentation is considered normal on campuses, when oral sex and every type of perversion imaginable is just winked at (kids call that "technical virginity" now), when sexual affairs before and after marriage are totally acceptable, our little ones are positioned to be an unblushable generation. Already they are becoming so familiar with sin that when they see immodest filth, they giggle when they should instead blush and turn away.
We need to learn to trust the reliability of Scripture when things get crazy.
We have the opportunity to stand up like Ezra, to declare a holy fast for our children (Ezra 8:21), and to seek the Lord for the right way to lead this generation.
God's promises are your "gauges" when teh storm of life rages.
James 4:6-10, NIV
I want you to understand that you are not "twisting God's arm" when you go on a fast. You are not going to make God do anything He does not want to do. What you are actually doing is positioning yourself and preparing your heart for what is to come. If you are willing to seek Him, He will be willing to give.
Any time you fast, it is a hunger strike against hell. Fasting is an extreme in-your-face statement to the devil--that same deceiver who used food to tempt Adam and Ever to sin.
When we fast, we are effectively going on a hunger strike against hell to say, "Loose those who are bound by deception, lies, alcohol, drugs, pornography, false religion, etc!"
It is time for parents to stand up like Ezra and fast, seeking God for His right way and for His protection over this generation. Our little ones are waiting.
Have a great day everyone!
By now you all know that everything in italics is directly from the book so go ahead and open your Bible to Ps. 48:12-14, the passages are a MUST! ;)
Ezra 8:21-23, KJV
We fast because we need to know the right way for our lives.
We do not need to be confused as to our future or the choices before us. Fast, seek His face, and have faith that He will guide you. It is biblical to fast and seek God for the right direction for your life.
Fasting with prayer just seems to open a different frequency in God's ear!
The Unblushables
I ask you, who is fasting for the protection of our little ones in this age?
Today, fasting has all but disappeared from regular Christian discipline. We have more media availability for preaching that ever before, yet sin and repentance are seldom preached.
Today, our little ones are exposed to every kind of perversion and danger with a click of a button--be it TV, Internet, cell phones, or just a stroll through the local mall.
Jer. 6:15-16, NIV
In an age where gay and lesbian experimentation is considered normal on campuses, when oral sex and every type of perversion imaginable is just winked at (kids call that "technical virginity" now), when sexual affairs before and after marriage are totally acceptable, our little ones are positioned to be an unblushable generation. Already they are becoming so familiar with sin that when they see immodest filth, they giggle when they should instead blush and turn away.
We need to learn to trust the reliability of Scripture when things get crazy.
We have the opportunity to stand up like Ezra, to declare a holy fast for our children (Ezra 8:21), and to seek the Lord for the right way to lead this generation.
God's promises are your "gauges" when teh storm of life rages.
James 4:6-10, NIV
I want you to understand that you are not "twisting God's arm" when you go on a fast. You are not going to make God do anything He does not want to do. What you are actually doing is positioning yourself and preparing your heart for what is to come. If you are willing to seek Him, He will be willing to give.
Any time you fast, it is a hunger strike against hell. Fasting is an extreme in-your-face statement to the devil--that same deceiver who used food to tempt Adam and Ever to sin.
When we fast, we are effectively going on a hunger strike against hell to say, "Loose those who are bound by deception, lies, alcohol, drugs, pornography, false religion, etc!"
It is time for parents to stand up like Ezra and fast, seeking God for His right way and for His protection over this generation. Our little ones are waiting.
Have a great day everyone!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Chapter 13- God's Priorities from "Fasting" by J. Franklin
Rom. 8:27-28
It seems unnecessary to begin this chapter by pointing out how God's priorities are seldom our priorities.
Isa. 55:9, NIV
How do we free ourselves from our own desires in order to know His will? Well, I can tell you from firsthand experience that fasting causes you to take that sword of God's Word and separate what you "want" from what you "need."
There is no higher authority that to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing.
Heb. 4:11-13
Fasting, praying and feeding on the Word of God puts that sword in your hand and positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God's thoughts.
Acts 10:30-31
Cornelius was fasting and praying. He was diligently seeking God when that angel came to tell him that his diligence was about to be greatly rewarded. Fasting puts you in the mainstream of God's priorities.
Exodus 13:11-12
Throughout Scriptures, God makes it clear that the firsts--firstlings of flocks, firstfruits of harvest, firstborn males of families--all belong to Him.
Go Vertical
People want and need to be connected in relationships. That need to be connected is evidenced in the church by home groups and a greater emphasis on community. While that is good, if we're not careful, we can become too horizontally focused and not sufficiently vertically focused. Church right now, for the most part in the Western world, particularly in America, is all about me;" I want my needs met. Bless me; teach me; help me." While those are legitimate needs and desires, we must keep in mind that the cross has two beams: one is horizontal, but the other is vertical.
Fasting turns your priorities more vertical and more in line with God's desires.
Matt. 21:12-13
That doesn't mean that when you fast, you don't have specific needs and desires of your own for which you are seeking God. Indeed, you should fast for a specific purpose. However, I believe that as you continue on a prolonged fast, the true cry of your heart becomes; "More of You, God, and less of me." When you put Him first, all else is added.
1 Thes. 5:23
God's priority is concern for you spirit first, your soul second, and your body third. We get that totally backward, always focusing on our bodies first and our spirits last.
"Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matt. 6:25)
According to God's principle of "first things," what you put first will order the rest. When you put your spirit first, you serve the things of the Holy Spirit rather than teh desires of the flesh. As a result, your mind, will, emotions, as well as your physical body and health will fall in line according to the Spirit's leading.
Rom. 8:13
Another area that too frequently becomes out of order has to do with reconciliation and public worship.
Matt. 5:23
First be reconciled. God desires our public and corporate worship. However, those public acts of worship do not fix our private acts of strife, contention, and unforgiveness.
Fasting allows the Holy Spirit to come in...He can begin to dig up stuff that needs to come out of your spirit. You have to get out that first offense you stored up years ago, and sometimes, you will have to dig for a long time.
What else does the Lord expect us to keep first?
Matt. 23:25-26
Jesus was teaching the people to obey the laws of God taught by the Pharisees, but He instructed the crowd not to do as the Pharisees did. They had gone overboard into legalism, and in their extremes, had gotten things out of order.
Fasting will cause you to get the crud out, cleaning the inside, which will then make the outside clean.
Matt. 7:1-5
Before you will be ready to perceive wrong in someone else's life, you first need to do a little self-examination of your own life. Hypocrisy is judging somebody else when there is something worse going on in you.
Gal. 6:1-3
Sometimes we need to remember that someone may be out of joint, but they are not out of the body of Christ. When saints get out of joint, they need tender hands. They need trained hands to reset and restore them.
Matt. 6:31-33, NIV
Luke 21:34, KJV
What would your answer be if the Lord asked you, "Do you remember the last time you were lovesick for Me?" When we are so lovesick for our first love, fasting is easy.
So I ask you, do you remember the last time you walked away from a meal because you were so preoccupied with your first love that the food was of no interest? Have you experienced seasons when it felt like the Bridegroom was distant? You just don't sense His presence as close as yo once did. You have no heart for worship and you lack the excitement and childlike enthusiasm you once had for spiritual things. Perhaps it is time to stop the busyness of your everyday life and declare a fast, a season of lovesickness to restore the passion of your first love back to its proper place in your life. When you fast, everything slows down. The days seem longer. The nights seem longer, but in teh quietness of seeking, you will find Him whom your heart desires.
WOW, sure does put things in perspective, huh?
It seems unnecessary to begin this chapter by pointing out how God's priorities are seldom our priorities.
Isa. 55:9, NIV
How do we free ourselves from our own desires in order to know His will? Well, I can tell you from firsthand experience that fasting causes you to take that sword of God's Word and separate what you "want" from what you "need."
There is no higher authority that to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing.
Heb. 4:11-13
Fasting, praying and feeding on the Word of God puts that sword in your hand and positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God's thoughts.
Acts 10:30-31
Cornelius was fasting and praying. He was diligently seeking God when that angel came to tell him that his diligence was about to be greatly rewarded. Fasting puts you in the mainstream of God's priorities.
Exodus 13:11-12
Throughout Scriptures, God makes it clear that the firsts--firstlings of flocks, firstfruits of harvest, firstborn males of families--all belong to Him.
Go Vertical
People want and need to be connected in relationships. That need to be connected is evidenced in the church by home groups and a greater emphasis on community. While that is good, if we're not careful, we can become too horizontally focused and not sufficiently vertically focused. Church right now, for the most part in the Western world, particularly in America, is all about me;" I want my needs met. Bless me; teach me; help me." While those are legitimate needs and desires, we must keep in mind that the cross has two beams: one is horizontal, but the other is vertical.
Fasting turns your priorities more vertical and more in line with God's desires.
Matt. 21:12-13
That doesn't mean that when you fast, you don't have specific needs and desires of your own for which you are seeking God. Indeed, you should fast for a specific purpose. However, I believe that as you continue on a prolonged fast, the true cry of your heart becomes; "More of You, God, and less of me." When you put Him first, all else is added.
1 Thes. 5:23
God's priority is concern for you spirit first, your soul second, and your body third. We get that totally backward, always focusing on our bodies first and our spirits last.
"Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matt. 6:25)
According to God's principle of "first things," what you put first will order the rest. When you put your spirit first, you serve the things of the Holy Spirit rather than teh desires of the flesh. As a result, your mind, will, emotions, as well as your physical body and health will fall in line according to the Spirit's leading.
Rom. 8:13
Another area that too frequently becomes out of order has to do with reconciliation and public worship.
Matt. 5:23
First be reconciled. God desires our public and corporate worship. However, those public acts of worship do not fix our private acts of strife, contention, and unforgiveness.
Fasting allows the Holy Spirit to come in...He can begin to dig up stuff that needs to come out of your spirit. You have to get out that first offense you stored up years ago, and sometimes, you will have to dig for a long time.
What else does the Lord expect us to keep first?
Matt. 23:25-26
Jesus was teaching the people to obey the laws of God taught by the Pharisees, but He instructed the crowd not to do as the Pharisees did. They had gone overboard into legalism, and in their extremes, had gotten things out of order.
Fasting will cause you to get the crud out, cleaning the inside, which will then make the outside clean.
Matt. 7:1-5
Before you will be ready to perceive wrong in someone else's life, you first need to do a little self-examination of your own life. Hypocrisy is judging somebody else when there is something worse going on in you.
Gal. 6:1-3
Sometimes we need to remember that someone may be out of joint, but they are not out of the body of Christ. When saints get out of joint, they need tender hands. They need trained hands to reset and restore them.
Matt. 6:31-33, NIV
Luke 21:34, KJV
What would your answer be if the Lord asked you, "Do you remember the last time you were lovesick for Me?" When we are so lovesick for our first love, fasting is easy.
So I ask you, do you remember the last time you walked away from a meal because you were so preoccupied with your first love that the food was of no interest? Have you experienced seasons when it felt like the Bridegroom was distant? You just don't sense His presence as close as yo once did. You have no heart for worship and you lack the excitement and childlike enthusiasm you once had for spiritual things. Perhaps it is time to stop the busyness of your everyday life and declare a fast, a season of lovesickness to restore the passion of your first love back to its proper place in your life. When you fast, everything slows down. The days seem longer. The nights seem longer, but in teh quietness of seeking, you will find Him whom your heart desires.
WOW, sure does put things in perspective, huh?
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Chapter 12-Fasting, Faith and Patience "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin
Sorry for the delay in Chapter 12. I started it yesterday but was unable to finish it before I had to get on with the day. Don't forget to READ THE PASSAGES PROVIDED and if you are just joining in on the blog, everything in italics is coming directly from this book. I decided to do this since everyone doesn't have time to read a whole book and for those who are interested in learning more about fasting.
Col. 1:10-12
The mountains you face seem so big, but you take that tiny seed of faith, plant it into that mountain, and wait. Faith and patience must go together.
I've heard people say they just couldn't make it past a day or so on a fast because they got discouraged. They listened to their flesh instead of continuing in faith and felt worse than when they started. What happened to walking by faith and not by sight?
Matt. 17:20, NIV
I encourage you to meditate on this scritpure for a while and not just pass over it as familiar territory. People facing major obstacles usually believe they need "great faith" to overcome them, but that isn't what Jesus said. He said "nothing" would be impossible to us--not if we had great faith--but if we had faith like the smallest seed.
We need to stop measuring our faith by the size of the problem.
When Pepeter tried to walk on water, he made it only a few steps because he took his eyes off Jesus and fear dragged him down.
Matt. 14:31
Heb. 13:7, NIV
As I asked before, if our Lord fasted, why would we think that we should not fast? There is no record of Jesus ever healing anyone until He returned from the 40 days of fating that launched His earthly ministry...If Jesus did not begin to minister before fasting, how can we?
There may be times when you are fasting and praying and standing in faith, yet you still do not sense that anything is happened. There's no "sprout" showing through the dirt.
Ps. 35:13-14, 27-28 (In this psalm, David had not yet received an answer to his prayer, yet he was able to wait in faith, proclaiming the praises of God.)
The Lord will reward your diligence; His delight is in the prosperity--the wholeness--of His children.
Do not let the enemy drag you down with discouragement. Remember, God gives you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sometimes you will not feel like praying when you are fasting, but pray anyway. You will be amazed how God will show up and it will be like all of heaven has come down and glory has filled your soul.
Heb. 11:1
Remember the faith of Abraham? It was credited to him as righteousness--because He believed God.
When you believe God for something, you are exercising faith, which pleases Him? Are you dreaming the dreams of God for your life and your family? Are you believing Him for those things--those evidences to come to pass?
Col. 1:10-12
The mountains you face seem so big, but you take that tiny seed of faith, plant it into that mountain, and wait. Faith and patience must go together.
I've heard people say they just couldn't make it past a day or so on a fast because they got discouraged. They listened to their flesh instead of continuing in faith and felt worse than when they started. What happened to walking by faith and not by sight?
Matt. 17:20, NIV
I encourage you to meditate on this scritpure for a while and not just pass over it as familiar territory. People facing major obstacles usually believe they need "great faith" to overcome them, but that isn't what Jesus said. He said "nothing" would be impossible to us--not if we had great faith--but if we had faith like the smallest seed.
We need to stop measuring our faith by the size of the problem.
When Pepeter tried to walk on water, he made it only a few steps because he took his eyes off Jesus and fear dragged him down.
Matt. 14:31
Heb. 13:7, NIV
As I asked before, if our Lord fasted, why would we think that we should not fast? There is no record of Jesus ever healing anyone until He returned from the 40 days of fating that launched His earthly ministry...If Jesus did not begin to minister before fasting, how can we?
There may be times when you are fasting and praying and standing in faith, yet you still do not sense that anything is happened. There's no "sprout" showing through the dirt.
Ps. 35:13-14, 27-28 (In this psalm, David had not yet received an answer to his prayer, yet he was able to wait in faith, proclaiming the praises of God.)
The Lord will reward your diligence; His delight is in the prosperity--the wholeness--of His children.
Do not let the enemy drag you down with discouragement. Remember, God gives you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sometimes you will not feel like praying when you are fasting, but pray anyway. You will be amazed how God will show up and it will be like all of heaven has come down and glory has filled your soul.
Heb. 11:1
Remember the faith of Abraham? It was credited to him as righteousness--because He believed God.
When you believe God for something, you are exercising faith, which pleases Him? Are you dreaming the dreams of God for your life and your family? Are you believing Him for those things--those evidences to come to pass?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Chapter 11-Garment of Praise - "Fasting" by J. Franklin
I wish I could write this whole chapter but time will not permit. He shares some wonderful stories. I'm trying to keep the focus on the principle of fasting, itself. Don't forget if you are just joining the blog...read the passages. They are not up for discussion...it is what it is and says what it means! These are notes taken directly out of Jentezen's book, everything in italics.
Ps. 121:1-4
When you are on a fast, you usually do not feel like celebrating. It is a time to press into God, to seek Him, and forsake the things of the flesh. Within hours of beginning a fast, you may find that food is the first thing on your mind (right before your stomach begins to growl).
Matt. 5:4
Isaiah 61:2-3
Are there "burnt out" experiences in your life--ugly reminders of past hurts and failed dreams? Don't throw away the ashes. God will give you beauty for ashes. He will give you the anointing of His presence, which is the oil of joy for your mourning.
Fasting Breaks the Spirit of Heaviness
The spirit of heaviness has to do with despondency, depression, and oppression. Americans use drinking, smoking, drugs, medications, overeating, and other harmful behaviors to try to lift the spirit of heaviness. Instead of looking for more stuff to put into our bodies to east the pain, we should fast and seek the God who gives us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that afflicts so many.
Heaviness drains worship out of your life. God desires our praise more than our mere church attendance. That is not to say we should forsake assembling together as a corporate body. But our times together, just as our times alone, should be to glorify and praise our aswesome, mighty God. Praise pushes back the enemy!
2 Chron. 20:2-3, 12,14,17, 20-22
Jehoshaphat could have died under the spirit of heaviness. The scriptures says that he "feared," but he only paused a moment there. He immediately set himself and all the people of Judah to seek the Lord through fasting and prayer.
There is power in corporate fasting and power in corporate praise! It is time to exchange ashes for beautiful, mourning for joy, and a garment of heaviness for a garment of praise.
What Eating Accomplishes
A friend called me just as we were about to begin the corporate fast. To my surprise he said, "I feel so sorry for you." He actually felt sorry for me because I was about to lay down food for the joy of seeking the Lord for twenty-one days. I replied, "Don't feel sorry for me. In fact, I feel sorry for you." Then I challenged him: "I'll make a deal with you. God ahead and eat your food for the next twenty-one days. We will compare notes at the end of the year to see if the food you ate accomplished for you what fasting for the next 21-days accomplished for me." As evidenced in Daniel 1:15, eating does not accomplish what fasting does.
No matter what is going on in your life right now, you can set yourself to fasting and praying to seek the God who sees you as having great worth. Don't believe the lies of the enemy. Don't sink further under the spirit of heaviness. God has a garment of praise for you. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. As you fast, you will begin to see yourself through His eyes.
I want me a garment of praise, don't you?!
Be blessed and have a wonderful day.
Ps. 121:1-4
When you are on a fast, you usually do not feel like celebrating. It is a time to press into God, to seek Him, and forsake the things of the flesh. Within hours of beginning a fast, you may find that food is the first thing on your mind (right before your stomach begins to growl).
Matt. 5:4
Isaiah 61:2-3
Are there "burnt out" experiences in your life--ugly reminders of past hurts and failed dreams? Don't throw away the ashes. God will give you beauty for ashes. He will give you the anointing of His presence, which is the oil of joy for your mourning.
Fasting Breaks the Spirit of Heaviness
The spirit of heaviness has to do with despondency, depression, and oppression. Americans use drinking, smoking, drugs, medications, overeating, and other harmful behaviors to try to lift the spirit of heaviness. Instead of looking for more stuff to put into our bodies to east the pain, we should fast and seek the God who gives us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that afflicts so many.
Heaviness drains worship out of your life. God desires our praise more than our mere church attendance. That is not to say we should forsake assembling together as a corporate body. But our times together, just as our times alone, should be to glorify and praise our aswesome, mighty God. Praise pushes back the enemy!
2 Chron. 20:2-3, 12,14,17, 20-22
Jehoshaphat could have died under the spirit of heaviness. The scriptures says that he "feared," but he only paused a moment there. He immediately set himself and all the people of Judah to seek the Lord through fasting and prayer.
There is power in corporate fasting and power in corporate praise! It is time to exchange ashes for beautiful, mourning for joy, and a garment of heaviness for a garment of praise.
What Eating Accomplishes
A friend called me just as we were about to begin the corporate fast. To my surprise he said, "I feel so sorry for you." He actually felt sorry for me because I was about to lay down food for the joy of seeking the Lord for twenty-one days. I replied, "Don't feel sorry for me. In fact, I feel sorry for you." Then I challenged him: "I'll make a deal with you. God ahead and eat your food for the next twenty-one days. We will compare notes at the end of the year to see if the food you ate accomplished for you what fasting for the next 21-days accomplished for me." As evidenced in Daniel 1:15, eating does not accomplish what fasting does.
No matter what is going on in your life right now, you can set yourself to fasting and praying to seek the God who sees you as having great worth. Don't believe the lies of the enemy. Don't sink further under the spirit of heaviness. God has a garment of praise for you. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. As you fast, you will begin to see yourself through His eyes.
I want me a garment of praise, don't you?!
Be blessed and have a wonderful day.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Chapter 10-He Pleased God from "Fasting" by J. Franklin
Heb. 11:39-40
I have found that hungering and thirsting for God brings with it a much greater reward than satisfying the temporary hunger I may be experiencing in my body.
Anna..."a widow of about 84 years (of age), who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:37). That just goes to show you that you are never too old to fast. Anna had a hunger for God's Word that was greater than her hunger for food, and her faithfulness in fasting prepared her for what was about to happen.
After Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary brought their tiny infant to the temple to be dedicated as the firstborn Son...Anna saw Him and instantly gave thanks to God. She then began telling all who looked for the redemption of Israel about the tiny baby who was the long-awaited Messiah (Luke 2:38). Imagine that--a new calling on her life at 84-years old!
Although fasting doesn't get any easier with age, it does get easier with grace. When the Holy Spirit calls you to fast, He is preparing you for what is ahead. Fasting requires faith. As Jesus said, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6, KJV)
Believe God
Heb. 11:1, 5-6 (KJV)
Gen. 5:22 says that Enoch "walked with God" for 300 years! Notice that Enoch did not try to please people. In fact, Jude records that Enoch prophesied in a manner that would have made him very unpopular with the party crowd (Jude 14-15). Enoch's primary concern was walking in faith, which is what pleases God. According to Heb. 11:6, it is reasonable to say that Enoch came to God, he believed God, he diligently sough God, and he was rewarded.
If you want to please God, believe God. Take Him at His Word.
"We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked by faith and not by sight. The three of them joined Daniel in his initial fast from the king's delicacies. Think about what they saw on their way into that furnace. It had been heated seven times hotter than normal. If they had walked by sight, they would have said, "Today we shall surely be ashes." Instead, by faith, they walked on saying, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from teh burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king" (Dan. 3:17). Faith is the evidence of things unseen.
Hunger for the Word
Where does the kind of faith that enables you to look at God and believe His Word no matter how grave your circumstances may appear come from?
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17) See Amp version!
It is by hearing God's Word, by hearing the preaching of the gospel, that faith increases. There is something about getting in a church where the anointing flows and you hear the Word of God preached. Faith comes when you hear a man or woman of God preach the Word without compromise to all who will listen. That is the birthplace of faith.
Too many Christians find that they are malnourished in the Word but well fed on the world, and they live defeated lives as a result. God's Word to Adam and Eve was, "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Yet Eve acted on teh wisdom of the world that was spoken by the serpent instead of walking away in faith that God's Word was true.
Jesus was tempted by the same voice that had so cunningly whispered to Eve. Yet Jesus responded, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). What had Jesus heard just before beginning that time of fasting?
Matt. 3:17, KJV
The Word of God sustained Him through 40-days and nights without food.
How I wish the body of Christ today had that same kind of hunger for God's Word. We need to understand Jesus's words when He said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Mark 13:31)
1 Sam. 17:34-35
Diligence
We must diligently feed on God's Word. Sometimes the best thing we can possibly do is starve our flesh and feed our spirit through a fast. Fasting helps you separate what you want from what you need.
...fasting allows you many opportunities to diligently seek the Lord! You dilgently seek Him when everyone else is going out to teh movies, drinking sodas, and eating popcorn and you choose to stay home to be with teh Lord because you just have to hear from Him.
It comes when you're at work and everyone else is having burgers, fries, and shakes for lunch, but you are having bottled water! Diligence is when you come home from a long, hard day at work, and all you have had all day is water, yet you separate yourself from teh dinner table to feed on the Word.
To be diligent is to be persistent. It means to work hard in doing something and refusing to stop.
Faith is progressive. Faith never gets into a bad situation and says, "I'm just going to sit here and die. It's over." Faith never stands in teh desert, having a pity party with everything drying up around it. You walk by faith. You don't stand still, drowning in your misery.
When you get into battles, you have to keep saying, "I will move forward."
Reward
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), which means HE has already laid up rewards for you in heaven. The Bible tells us that if we seek, we will find.
He shares many testimonies of those members in his church who began their year out with the 21-day fast.
One year, at the end of the 21-day fast, a couple walked up to me and handed me a bundle of official papers. Puzzled, I opened them up to see the word DISMISSED stamped in bold black letters. After that, I read the words, The Superior Court of Gwinnett County, State of Georgia, Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce." The couple standing before me had been struggling in their marriage for a year, but during that fast, the season of setting everything else aside and diligently seeking God, a miracle happened! Unity replaced division, and the divorce was dismissed. The devil thought he'd racked up another statisticfor Christian divorces--but God is a rewarder!
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly (John 10:10). He rewards all who diligently seek Him in faith, because faith is what pleases God.
Are you finding it hard NOT to fast every day that you read an entry?
I have found that hungering and thirsting for God brings with it a much greater reward than satisfying the temporary hunger I may be experiencing in my body.
Anna..."a widow of about 84 years (of age), who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:37). That just goes to show you that you are never too old to fast. Anna had a hunger for God's Word that was greater than her hunger for food, and her faithfulness in fasting prepared her for what was about to happen.
After Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary brought their tiny infant to the temple to be dedicated as the firstborn Son...Anna saw Him and instantly gave thanks to God. She then began telling all who looked for the redemption of Israel about the tiny baby who was the long-awaited Messiah (Luke 2:38). Imagine that--a new calling on her life at 84-years old!
Although fasting doesn't get any easier with age, it does get easier with grace. When the Holy Spirit calls you to fast, He is preparing you for what is ahead. Fasting requires faith. As Jesus said, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6, KJV)
Believe God
Heb. 11:1, 5-6 (KJV)
Gen. 5:22 says that Enoch "walked with God" for 300 years! Notice that Enoch did not try to please people. In fact, Jude records that Enoch prophesied in a manner that would have made him very unpopular with the party crowd (Jude 14-15). Enoch's primary concern was walking in faith, which is what pleases God. According to Heb. 11:6, it is reasonable to say that Enoch came to God, he believed God, he diligently sough God, and he was rewarded.
If you want to please God, believe God. Take Him at His Word.
"We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked by faith and not by sight. The three of them joined Daniel in his initial fast from the king's delicacies. Think about what they saw on their way into that furnace. It had been heated seven times hotter than normal. If they had walked by sight, they would have said, "Today we shall surely be ashes." Instead, by faith, they walked on saying, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from teh burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king" (Dan. 3:17). Faith is the evidence of things unseen.
Hunger for the Word
Where does the kind of faith that enables you to look at God and believe His Word no matter how grave your circumstances may appear come from?
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17) See Amp version!
It is by hearing God's Word, by hearing the preaching of the gospel, that faith increases. There is something about getting in a church where the anointing flows and you hear the Word of God preached. Faith comes when you hear a man or woman of God preach the Word without compromise to all who will listen. That is the birthplace of faith.
Too many Christians find that they are malnourished in the Word but well fed on the world, and they live defeated lives as a result. God's Word to Adam and Eve was, "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Yet Eve acted on teh wisdom of the world that was spoken by the serpent instead of walking away in faith that God's Word was true.
Jesus was tempted by the same voice that had so cunningly whispered to Eve. Yet Jesus responded, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). What had Jesus heard just before beginning that time of fasting?
Matt. 3:17, KJV
The Word of God sustained Him through 40-days and nights without food.
How I wish the body of Christ today had that same kind of hunger for God's Word. We need to understand Jesus's words when He said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Mark 13:31)
1 Sam. 17:34-35
Diligence
We must diligently feed on God's Word. Sometimes the best thing we can possibly do is starve our flesh and feed our spirit through a fast. Fasting helps you separate what you want from what you need.
...fasting allows you many opportunities to diligently seek the Lord! You dilgently seek Him when everyone else is going out to teh movies, drinking sodas, and eating popcorn and you choose to stay home to be with teh Lord because you just have to hear from Him.
It comes when you're at work and everyone else is having burgers, fries, and shakes for lunch, but you are having bottled water! Diligence is when you come home from a long, hard day at work, and all you have had all day is water, yet you separate yourself from teh dinner table to feed on the Word.
To be diligent is to be persistent. It means to work hard in doing something and refusing to stop.
Faith is progressive. Faith never gets into a bad situation and says, "I'm just going to sit here and die. It's over." Faith never stands in teh desert, having a pity party with everything drying up around it. You walk by faith. You don't stand still, drowning in your misery.
When you get into battles, you have to keep saying, "I will move forward."
Reward
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), which means HE has already laid up rewards for you in heaven. The Bible tells us that if we seek, we will find.
He shares many testimonies of those members in his church who began their year out with the 21-day fast.
One year, at the end of the 21-day fast, a couple walked up to me and handed me a bundle of official papers. Puzzled, I opened them up to see the word DISMISSED stamped in bold black letters. After that, I read the words, The Superior Court of Gwinnett County, State of Georgia, Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce." The couple standing before me had been struggling in their marriage for a year, but during that fast, the season of setting everything else aside and diligently seeking God, a miracle happened! Unity replaced division, and the divorce was dismissed. The devil thought he'd racked up another statisticfor Christian divorces--but God is a rewarder!
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly (John 10:10). He rewards all who diligently seek Him in faith, because faith is what pleases God.
Are you finding it hard NOT to fast every day that you read an entry?
Section 2-Opening a Door to God's Promises- "Fasting" by J.Franklin
We are beginning Section 2 today (pg. 109 of 237). Please be sure and read the scriptures that I list. In the passages is where we'll find truth, strength and direction for our lives. Reminder...what is in "italics" is coming directly from this book.
Why Is It So Hard?
It is still amazing to me that food was teh enticement used to cause Adam and Eve to sin, resulting in the fall of mankind. I find it equally interesting that Jesus began His earthly ministry--to redeem us from sin--by abstaining from food.
Matt. 3:16-4:11
The first thing Jesus felt in His earthly ministry for you and me was hunger. The last thing that He felt on this earth was thirst as the Lord of glory hung dying on a cruel cross, according to John 19:28.
Why does the body of Christ have such a hard time with the discipline of fasting?
Matt. 4:3 (KJV)
The enemy tried repeatedly to cause Jesus to focus on the desire for food rather than on the assignment and the purposes of the Father, but Jesus knew that the sanctification is an essential key to opening a door of God's blessings.
I was 18 years old when I went on my first complete 21-day fast. It was one of the most difficult things I had ever done. Fasting is never easy. Jesus understands the difficulty of depriving ourselves of food. In Heb. 4:15 we read, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." He also provides strength for us to overcome temptation in Heb. 4:16. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Before the next paragraph, (I'm paraphrasing here) Jentezen explains why he feels that giving up TV, computer games, Internet, etc. is not really a fast. This may be controversial to some. I'm not trying to start a fight of any kind so I chose to leave it out. He feels if those things are interfering with your prayer life or with your study of God's Word or your ministering to the needs of others, it's good to put them aside but he doesn't feel that it is "fasting."
When you fast, you abstain from food for spiritual purposes. Fasting is doing without food for a period of time, which generally causes you to leave the commotion of normal activity. Part of the sacrifice of fasting, seeking God, and studying His Word is that normal activity fades into the background.
There are wrong reasons to fast. You do not fast to obtain merit with God or to get rid of sin. However, fasting will begin to bring to the surface any areas of compromise in your life and make you more aware of any sin in your own life so you can repent.
Fasting is not a Christian diet. You should not fast to lose weight, although weight loss is a normal side effect. Unless you put prayer with your fasting, there is no need to fast. When you fast, you focus on prayer and on God's Word.
A fast is not an opportunity to show others how deeply spiritual you are, but an opportunity to focus on the needs of others. The world hunger movement has a program called "Let it Growl," a world hunger and awareness fast. During this fast, when participants feel the hunger pangs rise up and their stomachs begin to growl, they remember that one-third of the people in this world go to bed with that same feeling every night because they have no food.
When you enter into a fast at the beginning of the year with the body of Christ, you link up with thousands of people all over the world who also begin the New Year with a fast. One person fasting is powerful, but when a group of people begin to fast, it is multiplied strength! It is multiplied power!
You have been deceived if you believe Christians are not supposed to fast. God expects every one of us to fast--not just some of us. In Matt. 6 HE names 3 things that Christians do: "When you pray..." "When you give..." and "When you fast."
Matt. 6:31-33
You can always find a reason not to fast, so you have to make up your mind that you are going to do it, and everything else will take care of itself. If you will determine to set apart the first days of the year to fast, you will set the course for the entire coming year, and God will add blessings to your life all year long. Just as you set the course of your day by meeting with god in the first hours, the same is true of dedicating the first days of the year to fasting.
Since we don't know who all is participating in these blog entries, will you just stop and pray for yourself and all those who are reading this, asking God to give us wisdom concerning fasting and with the desire to be obedient to fast?
Have a wonderful day!
Why Is It So Hard?
It is still amazing to me that food was teh enticement used to cause Adam and Eve to sin, resulting in the fall of mankind. I find it equally interesting that Jesus began His earthly ministry--to redeem us from sin--by abstaining from food.
Matt. 3:16-4:11
The first thing Jesus felt in His earthly ministry for you and me was hunger. The last thing that He felt on this earth was thirst as the Lord of glory hung dying on a cruel cross, according to John 19:28.
Why does the body of Christ have such a hard time with the discipline of fasting?
Matt. 4:3 (KJV)
The enemy tried repeatedly to cause Jesus to focus on the desire for food rather than on the assignment and the purposes of the Father, but Jesus knew that the sanctification is an essential key to opening a door of God's blessings.
I was 18 years old when I went on my first complete 21-day fast. It was one of the most difficult things I had ever done. Fasting is never easy. Jesus understands the difficulty of depriving ourselves of food. In Heb. 4:15 we read, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." He also provides strength for us to overcome temptation in Heb. 4:16. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Before the next paragraph, (I'm paraphrasing here) Jentezen explains why he feels that giving up TV, computer games, Internet, etc. is not really a fast. This may be controversial to some. I'm not trying to start a fight of any kind so I chose to leave it out. He feels if those things are interfering with your prayer life or with your study of God's Word or your ministering to the needs of others, it's good to put them aside but he doesn't feel that it is "fasting."
When you fast, you abstain from food for spiritual purposes. Fasting is doing without food for a period of time, which generally causes you to leave the commotion of normal activity. Part of the sacrifice of fasting, seeking God, and studying His Word is that normal activity fades into the background.
There are wrong reasons to fast. You do not fast to obtain merit with God or to get rid of sin. However, fasting will begin to bring to the surface any areas of compromise in your life and make you more aware of any sin in your own life so you can repent.
Fasting is not a Christian diet. You should not fast to lose weight, although weight loss is a normal side effect. Unless you put prayer with your fasting, there is no need to fast. When you fast, you focus on prayer and on God's Word.
A fast is not an opportunity to show others how deeply spiritual you are, but an opportunity to focus on the needs of others. The world hunger movement has a program called "Let it Growl," a world hunger and awareness fast. During this fast, when participants feel the hunger pangs rise up and their stomachs begin to growl, they remember that one-third of the people in this world go to bed with that same feeling every night because they have no food.
When you enter into a fast at the beginning of the year with the body of Christ, you link up with thousands of people all over the world who also begin the New Year with a fast. One person fasting is powerful, but when a group of people begin to fast, it is multiplied strength! It is multiplied power!
You have been deceived if you believe Christians are not supposed to fast. God expects every one of us to fast--not just some of us. In Matt. 6 HE names 3 things that Christians do: "When you pray..." "When you give..." and "When you fast."
Matt. 6:31-33
You can always find a reason not to fast, so you have to make up your mind that you are going to do it, and everything else will take care of itself. If you will determine to set apart the first days of the year to fast, you will set the course for the entire coming year, and God will add blessings to your life all year long. Just as you set the course of your day by meeting with god in the first hours, the same is true of dedicating the first days of the year to fasting.
Since we don't know who all is participating in these blog entries, will you just stop and pray for yourself and all those who are reading this, asking God to give us wisdom concerning fasting and with the desire to be obedient to fast?
Have a wonderful day!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Chapter 9-Nothing Shall be Impossible---It Works! "Fasting" by J. Franklin
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
This chapter mostly consisted of stories from the members of the church where Jentezen pastors, who have participated in the 21-day fast and have testified about the miracles in their lives. I did say, "miracles", which is not a word we hear much about today but are obvious in the lives of those I read about this morning. Here are some other things he pointed out.
Ps. 69:30-32
Fasting will bring your life and your ministry to others out of obscurity.
Fasting makes your more sensitive to the timing and voice of the Holy Spirit. Fasting does such a work in your life that the lost are often drawn to you and to what God is doing. It's not that we manipulate God through our words forcing His hand. Fasting simply breaks you and brings your faith to a new level.
...I hope that I have been able to clear up the misconceptions about what fasting is--and what it is not--and why it is a discipline that should not be missing in the life of any believer. It is a vital part of that three-fold cord of normal Christian duties that Jesus outlined in Matt. 6: giving, praying, and fasting. It cleanses your body and promotes health in many practical ways. It brings you into a deeper relationship with teh Lord than can be enjoyed through routine religion. Don't wait for a good time. As God pointed out, there just isn't one. You are not too young or too old. After all, Anna was a prophetess who was in her eighties when she worshiped day and night, fasting and praying (Luke 2:37).
If you are ready to bring supernatural blessings into your life and release the power of God to overcome any situation, begin today making the discipline of fasting a part of your life. You will be greatly rewarded!
My thoughts...
We are getting ready to go into Section 2- "Opening a Door to God's Promises" and for those of you who are reading and following along, should you decide to fast over something, for a certain period of time, etc., please journal and then after your time of fasting...share with others what God has taught you, what you've experienced, etc. I've come to realize that "fasting" isn't an option in the life of a believer. I wonder what would happen in our lives, our homes, our churches, our families if we simply humbled ourselves and fasted for just more of Him. I wonder what we would break free from. I wonder about our senses being heightened which would make us more aware of His presence in our lives. I wonder...
This chapter mostly consisted of stories from the members of the church where Jentezen pastors, who have participated in the 21-day fast and have testified about the miracles in their lives. I did say, "miracles", which is not a word we hear much about today but are obvious in the lives of those I read about this morning. Here are some other things he pointed out.
Ps. 69:30-32
Fasting will bring your life and your ministry to others out of obscurity.
Fasting makes your more sensitive to the timing and voice of the Holy Spirit. Fasting does such a work in your life that the lost are often drawn to you and to what God is doing. It's not that we manipulate God through our words forcing His hand. Fasting simply breaks you and brings your faith to a new level.
...I hope that I have been able to clear up the misconceptions about what fasting is--and what it is not--and why it is a discipline that should not be missing in the life of any believer. It is a vital part of that three-fold cord of normal Christian duties that Jesus outlined in Matt. 6: giving, praying, and fasting. It cleanses your body and promotes health in many practical ways. It brings you into a deeper relationship with teh Lord than can be enjoyed through routine religion. Don't wait for a good time. As God pointed out, there just isn't one. You are not too young or too old. After all, Anna was a prophetess who was in her eighties when she worshiped day and night, fasting and praying (Luke 2:37).
If you are ready to bring supernatural blessings into your life and release the power of God to overcome any situation, begin today making the discipline of fasting a part of your life. You will be greatly rewarded!
My thoughts...
We are getting ready to go into Section 2- "Opening a Door to God's Promises" and for those of you who are reading and following along, should you decide to fast over something, for a certain period of time, etc., please journal and then after your time of fasting...share with others what God has taught you, what you've experienced, etc. I've come to realize that "fasting" isn't an option in the life of a believer. I wonder what would happen in our lives, our homes, our churches, our families if we simply humbled ourselves and fasted for just more of Him. I wonder what we would break free from. I wonder about our senses being heightened which would make us more aware of His presence in our lives. I wonder...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Chapter 8- Rewarded Openly from "Fasting" by J. Franklin
Gen. 15:1
In the life of a believer, there should always be more private than public ministry to God. When you read about Jesus, you do not see Him praying in public nearly as much as you see Him praying in private....Out of these times in private devotion, public demonstrations of God's power would be poured forth in healings, raising the dead, abundance, and more. Victories are not won in public but in private. That is why fasting, whether corporately or individually, is a private discipline. Where there is little private discipline, there is little public reward.
Matt. 6:1, 2-4
Fasting is a sacrifice born out of expectancy. That is not to imply that fasting is a manipulative tool to get something from God, but a "reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1) that God rewards openly. Job went through a devastating trial and lost everything. Yet he prayed, he fasted, and he remained faithful to private devotion. Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12, KJV). And God "restored Job's losses" and gave him "twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10). The Bible also says that He "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (v 42) and even gave him more sons and daughters.
Gen. 41:39-45
1 Kings 3:10-13
Dan. 6:1-4
Isa. 58:8
Fasting humbles you and brings clarity, even allowing you to get unforgiveness and bitterness out of your heart. Some people have tried and tried to truly forgive someone but have never been able to let the matter go. Begin a fast, and trust God to work that in your heart. Fasting helps you "spring clean" in a spiritual sense because it makes you sensitive to teh desires of the Lord. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and the like can all be linked to illnesses, fatigue, stress, and more.
When you fast and pray you should expect miracles to follow.
Fasting will also overcome sexual addictions and demonic powers. It will break great sin off people. In Matt. 17:21, Jesus said of that stubborn demon that "this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," There's a phenominal story in the book of Judges, chapters 19-20, where fasting made the difference in a major battle against a people overcome with sexual perversion.
God will also target your children who are beng led off and destroyed by the enemy's devices.
Joel 2:28
Many times the rewards of fasting come after teh fast, though from time to time answers can come during the fast. Look at teh story of Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, who became king of Judah (2 Chron. 33:1-13).
Maybe you have rebellious children or sons and daughters whoa re committing fornication, but I'm telling you, fasting and praying will absolutely break those spirits off their lives.
Jentezen shared a story of one of his church members who had been praying for her son for 15 years. After his dad had killed himself he turned his back on God. 15 years later, he and his new wife who was a Budhists came to church right when her fast had ended and Jentezen had extended an altar call at which time, the two of them gave their hearts to Christ.
"Your Father...will Himself reward you openly" (Matt. 6:4). God does not lie. God is no respecter of persons. What He ahs done in our church, in the lives of our members, He will do for you when you set your heart to see Him through fasting.
Have a great weekend everyone!!!
In the life of a believer, there should always be more private than public ministry to God. When you read about Jesus, you do not see Him praying in public nearly as much as you see Him praying in private....Out of these times in private devotion, public demonstrations of God's power would be poured forth in healings, raising the dead, abundance, and more. Victories are not won in public but in private. That is why fasting, whether corporately or individually, is a private discipline. Where there is little private discipline, there is little public reward.
Matt. 6:1, 2-4
Fasting is a sacrifice born out of expectancy. That is not to imply that fasting is a manipulative tool to get something from God, but a "reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1) that God rewards openly. Job went through a devastating trial and lost everything. Yet he prayed, he fasted, and he remained faithful to private devotion. Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12, KJV). And God "restored Job's losses" and gave him "twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10). The Bible also says that He "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (v 42) and even gave him more sons and daughters.
Gen. 41:39-45
1 Kings 3:10-13
Dan. 6:1-4
Isa. 58:8
Fasting humbles you and brings clarity, even allowing you to get unforgiveness and bitterness out of your heart. Some people have tried and tried to truly forgive someone but have never been able to let the matter go. Begin a fast, and trust God to work that in your heart. Fasting helps you "spring clean" in a spiritual sense because it makes you sensitive to teh desires of the Lord. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and the like can all be linked to illnesses, fatigue, stress, and more.
When you fast and pray you should expect miracles to follow.
Fasting will also overcome sexual addictions and demonic powers. It will break great sin off people. In Matt. 17:21, Jesus said of that stubborn demon that "this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," There's a phenominal story in the book of Judges, chapters 19-20, where fasting made the difference in a major battle against a people overcome with sexual perversion.
God will also target your children who are beng led off and destroyed by the enemy's devices.
Joel 2:28
Many times the rewards of fasting come after teh fast, though from time to time answers can come during the fast. Look at teh story of Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, who became king of Judah (2 Chron. 33:1-13).
Maybe you have rebellious children or sons and daughters whoa re committing fornication, but I'm telling you, fasting and praying will absolutely break those spirits off their lives.
Jentezen shared a story of one of his church members who had been praying for her son for 15 years. After his dad had killed himself he turned his back on God. 15 years later, he and his new wife who was a Budhists came to church right when her fast had ended and Jentezen had extended an altar call at which time, the two of them gave their hearts to Christ.
"Your Father...will Himself reward you openly" (Matt. 6:4). God does not lie. God is no respecter of persons. What He ahs done in our church, in the lives of our members, He will do for you when you set your heart to see Him through fasting.
Have a great weekend everyone!!!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
"Come, and you will see."
This morning while reading John 1:35-42 something pretty exciting occurred to me.
I've been reading how that John is pointing others to Jesus. He isn't spending a lot of time giving history about himself, he simply answers questions very briefly in Chapter 1. He spent more time elaborating on who Jesus is. I shared with a wonderful group of ladies last night that I feel we should always make HIM a part of our introductions when sharing things about ourselves to those who don't know us that well. That's a whole other blog posting.
In vs 35 it says the next day John was there "again"(in Bethany). Being in the right place is as important as doing the right thing. If we're not, we missing out. It was there when John saw the Lord passing by, he pointed his two disciples to Christ, "Look, the Lamb of God."
Bringing their attention to Jesus, they then followed Jesus. Not only did Jesus see them following Him, HE recognized it. He asked them, "What do you want?" I just loved that. I've personally answered this same question just recently when it was brought to my attention in a Bible study. The story goes on to say that they, the two disciples answered HIM with, "Where are you staying?" Jesus replied, "Come, and you will see." Guess what? They did just what He said, they went. In turn, He did what He said He would do, He showed them. They spent the day together. He invites us to come so we CAN see. It's that simple. We just have to take the time to spend with Him. They took a whole day. I had to ask myself, when was the last time I took my day off and just spent it with HIM?
Later in vs 40, Andrew followed John's example, which is something I too should do, and went to find his brother Simon so he could tell him about the Messiah. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Of course verse 42 tells us that Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas. No introduction was necessary. Jesus knew who he was, who we are and at that point, Jesus changed Simon's name. Christ always brings about change.
I pray that I will be contagious in telling others about Him. I pray that what I do and say points others to Him. I pray that I will follow Him daily. He said, "Come, and you will see." I don't want to miss out on a thing He wants to show me and I won't if I give Him my time.
Lord, help me to follow YOU, wherever, doing whatever! I want to "come and see!"
I've been reading how that John is pointing others to Jesus. He isn't spending a lot of time giving history about himself, he simply answers questions very briefly in Chapter 1. He spent more time elaborating on who Jesus is. I shared with a wonderful group of ladies last night that I feel we should always make HIM a part of our introductions when sharing things about ourselves to those who don't know us that well. That's a whole other blog posting.
In vs 35 it says the next day John was there "again"(in Bethany). Being in the right place is as important as doing the right thing. If we're not, we missing out. It was there when John saw the Lord passing by, he pointed his two disciples to Christ, "Look, the Lamb of God."
Bringing their attention to Jesus, they then followed Jesus. Not only did Jesus see them following Him, HE recognized it. He asked them, "What do you want?" I just loved that. I've personally answered this same question just recently when it was brought to my attention in a Bible study. The story goes on to say that they, the two disciples answered HIM with, "Where are you staying?" Jesus replied, "Come, and you will see." Guess what? They did just what He said, they went. In turn, He did what He said He would do, He showed them. They spent the day together. He invites us to come so we CAN see. It's that simple. We just have to take the time to spend with Him. They took a whole day. I had to ask myself, when was the last time I took my day off and just spent it with HIM?
Later in vs 40, Andrew followed John's example, which is something I too should do, and went to find his brother Simon so he could tell him about the Messiah. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Of course verse 42 tells us that Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas. No introduction was necessary. Jesus knew who he was, who we are and at that point, Jesus changed Simon's name. Christ always brings about change.
I pray that I will be contagious in telling others about Him. I pray that what I do and say points others to Him. I pray that I will follow Him daily. He said, "Come, and you will see." I don't want to miss out on a thing He wants to show me and I won't if I give Him my time.
Lord, help me to follow YOU, wherever, doing whatever! I want to "come and see!"
Chapter 7-You Shall be Filled- Fasthing by J. Franklin
I hope you guys are learning a lot from this book. I certainly am. Here are the notes I took directly from J. Franklin's book on Fasting. Don't forget to look up the examples he supplies for us via scripture. That is the most important part of all we read.
Matt. 4:4
In Colbert's book Toxic Relief, he states, "We may be actually starving from a nutritional standpoint, while at the same time becoming grossly obese...Sadly, we really are digging our graves with our forks and knives!"
In that sense, it is easy to see how our physical lives again parallel our spiritual lives. We can become overnourished on a hefty diet of church programs and activities, religious structure, and traditions of men and yet be severely undernourished when it comes to the deeper things of God.
Matt. 5:6
When you begin to develop a hunger for the deeper things of God, He will fill you.
Hungry in Flesh...Hungry in Spirit
Hungry people are desperate people, and they are hungry for more of God than they have ever had. They are breaking out of religious rules, regulations, and traditional thinking and breaking through to more of His presence, more of His power to turn situations around, more of His healing power, and more of His miracle-working power! Only Jesus satisfies that hunger!
Fasting stirs a hunger in your spirit that goes deeper than the temporary hunger you experience in your flesh. When you hunger for God, He will fill you.
Matt. 8:5-13
In this day, God is saying, "I'm looking for somebody who wants something. I'm looking for somebody who will do more than show up, but they will hunger for that which I want to place in them!"
Matt. 12:1-8
...when you hunger for more, you will receive more. God will break all the religious rules for you. When you hunger for God, He will break the rules of man and cause His favor to come on your life.
Anybody can be normal. Normal is overrated. Someone has to say, "But I want more! Lord, I'm hungry! I'm going to have to push tradition aside! I'm going to have to push religious rules aside! I'm going to have to push all of the rituals aside because I'm starving to death, and I just can't do 'church as usual' any longer." My suggestion is to begin pushing the plate aside. Show God that you are serious. We must get to the place where we are desperate for God again. We must begin to desire Him more than food or drink. Let us be filled with the Bread of Life instead of the refuse of religion. Begin to make fasting a regular discipline, and see how GOd answers your hunger!
Are you hungry for more of Him? Are you desperate for more of Him? Are you at a point in your life where you feel stuck, discouraged, just wandering around from place to place, need some answers to some questions, need some emptiness filled, ETC? If so, why not add fasting to your prayers? Anybody?
Matt. 4:4
In Colbert's book Toxic Relief, he states, "We may be actually starving from a nutritional standpoint, while at the same time becoming grossly obese...Sadly, we really are digging our graves with our forks and knives!"
In that sense, it is easy to see how our physical lives again parallel our spiritual lives. We can become overnourished on a hefty diet of church programs and activities, religious structure, and traditions of men and yet be severely undernourished when it comes to the deeper things of God.
Matt. 5:6
When you begin to develop a hunger for the deeper things of God, He will fill you.
Hungry in Flesh...Hungry in Spirit
Hungry people are desperate people, and they are hungry for more of God than they have ever had. They are breaking out of religious rules, regulations, and traditional thinking and breaking through to more of His presence, more of His power to turn situations around, more of His healing power, and more of His miracle-working power! Only Jesus satisfies that hunger!
Fasting stirs a hunger in your spirit that goes deeper than the temporary hunger you experience in your flesh. When you hunger for God, He will fill you.
Matt. 8:5-13
In this day, God is saying, "I'm looking for somebody who wants something. I'm looking for somebody who will do more than show up, but they will hunger for that which I want to place in them!"
Matt. 12:1-8
...when you hunger for more, you will receive more. God will break all the religious rules for you. When you hunger for God, He will break the rules of man and cause His favor to come on your life.
Anybody can be normal. Normal is overrated. Someone has to say, "But I want more! Lord, I'm hungry! I'm going to have to push tradition aside! I'm going to have to push religious rules aside! I'm going to have to push all of the rituals aside because I'm starving to death, and I just can't do 'church as usual' any longer." My suggestion is to begin pushing the plate aside. Show God that you are serious. We must get to the place where we are desperate for God again. We must begin to desire Him more than food or drink. Let us be filled with the Bread of Life instead of the refuse of religion. Begin to make fasting a regular discipline, and see how GOd answers your hunger!
Are you hungry for more of Him? Are you desperate for more of Him? Are you at a point in your life where you feel stuck, discouraged, just wandering around from place to place, need some answers to some questions, need some emptiness filled, ETC? If so, why not add fasting to your prayers? Anybody?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Chapter 6-God's Coming to Dinner? "Fasting" by J. Franklin
For those of you who are following my notes that I've taken directly out of Jentezen Franklin's book on "Fasting", please, please look up the scriptures. I wish I had time to type out the stories he shared but time will not permit. While his stories are good, God's Word is what makes a difference in our lives. I would highly recommend this book.
Ps. 50:12-15
As a believer, you can pray, read your Bible, adm go to church week after week and still be losing sight of your first love. It is not that you don't love teh Lord, but the business of life can bring you to the point of losing your freshness, your enthusiasm, and your sensitivity to His Spirit and what pleases Him.
What if God were hungry and all we have to feed Him is our same dulle religious routines day after day? Just like ending up with meat loaf on the table every night, I can just hear our heavenly Father sighing, "Religion again?"
God does not need our routines. He does not savor heartless activity. He does not want our "leftovers" when He can get "fed" elsewhere. True worship that comes from our hearts feeds Him and satisfies Him; it is something He desires--and deserves. Our religiosity of going through the motions once a week does not please Him as much as our obedience to His Word.
...Fasting is a constant means of renewing yourself spiritually. The discipline of fasting breaks you out of hte world's routine. It is a form of worship--offering your body to God as a living sacrifice is holy and leasing to God (Rom. 12:1). The disciplines of fasting will humble you, remind you of your dependency on God, and bring you back to your first love. It causes the roots of your relationship with Jesus to go deeper.
God desires to move powerfully in your life. His plans for you are always progressing and developing.
There are dimensions of our glorious King that will never be revealed to the casual, disinterested worshiper. There are walls of intercession that will never be scaled by dispassionate religious service. But when you take steps to break out of the orinary and worship Him as He deserves, you will begin to see facets of His being you never knew existed. He will begin to share secrets with you about Himself, His plans, His desires for you. When you worship God as He deserves, He is magnified.
David was a man who fasted often, and not just from food. He knew that to worship God was to magnify God. His invitation to all of us to "magnify the Lord with me" (Ps. 34:3) still stands open today.
When you worship, you magnify God. Your enemies or circumstances may seem to be so large and so powerful that they are all you can see. But when you worship, you not only magnify God, but you also reduce the size and power of everything else around you. David said, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps. 34:4). God will hear you when you set your heart to worship Him. When you magnify the Lord, you shrink the supposed power of your enemy, the devil. The greatest thing you can do in teh midst of a battle is magnify the Lord.
John 4:23, 29, 32, 34
His disciples returned with food, but He told them He was not hungry. He said, "I have food to eat of which you do not know...My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (vv. 32, 34) The worship of that woman had so satisified Jesus that He was no longer hungry for natural food. The disciples were busy gathering food, but she took time to worship and feed Him that which He most desired.
What is God saying about you? Is it, "Religions again?" Or does He dine with you, fellowship with you, and share with you deep secrets and plans for the future? If you are in a rut or a routine where your worship just isn't cutting it, if you have not heard God speak to you in a long time, if your circumstances seem to be the biggest obstacle in your life, stop everything and begin a fast. One day, several days, some food, all food--the details are not as important as your heart's desire to satisfy God with your worship and sacrifice.
Ps. 50:12-15
As a believer, you can pray, read your Bible, adm go to church week after week and still be losing sight of your first love. It is not that you don't love teh Lord, but the business of life can bring you to the point of losing your freshness, your enthusiasm, and your sensitivity to His Spirit and what pleases Him.
What if God were hungry and all we have to feed Him is our same dulle religious routines day after day? Just like ending up with meat loaf on the table every night, I can just hear our heavenly Father sighing, "Religion again?"
God does not need our routines. He does not savor heartless activity. He does not want our "leftovers" when He can get "fed" elsewhere. True worship that comes from our hearts feeds Him and satisfies Him; it is something He desires--and deserves. Our religiosity of going through the motions once a week does not please Him as much as our obedience to His Word.
...Fasting is a constant means of renewing yourself spiritually. The discipline of fasting breaks you out of hte world's routine. It is a form of worship--offering your body to God as a living sacrifice is holy and leasing to God (Rom. 12:1). The disciplines of fasting will humble you, remind you of your dependency on God, and bring you back to your first love. It causes the roots of your relationship with Jesus to go deeper.
God desires to move powerfully in your life. His plans for you are always progressing and developing.
There are dimensions of our glorious King that will never be revealed to the casual, disinterested worshiper. There are walls of intercession that will never be scaled by dispassionate religious service. But when you take steps to break out of the orinary and worship Him as He deserves, you will begin to see facets of His being you never knew existed. He will begin to share secrets with you about Himself, His plans, His desires for you. When you worship God as He deserves, He is magnified.
David was a man who fasted often, and not just from food. He knew that to worship God was to magnify God. His invitation to all of us to "magnify the Lord with me" (Ps. 34:3) still stands open today.
When you worship, you magnify God. Your enemies or circumstances may seem to be so large and so powerful that they are all you can see. But when you worship, you not only magnify God, but you also reduce the size and power of everything else around you. David said, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps. 34:4). God will hear you when you set your heart to worship Him. When you magnify the Lord, you shrink the supposed power of your enemy, the devil. The greatest thing you can do in teh midst of a battle is magnify the Lord.
John 4:23, 29, 32, 34
His disciples returned with food, but He told them He was not hungry. He said, "I have food to eat of which you do not know...My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (vv. 32, 34) The worship of that woman had so satisified Jesus that He was no longer hungry for natural food. The disciples were busy gathering food, but she took time to worship and feed Him that which He most desired.
What is God saying about you? Is it, "Religions again?" Or does He dine with you, fellowship with you, and share with you deep secrets and plans for the future? If you are in a rut or a routine where your worship just isn't cutting it, if you have not heard God speak to you in a long time, if your circumstances seem to be the biggest obstacle in your life, stop everything and begin a fast. One day, several days, some food, all food--the details are not as important as your heart's desire to satisfy God with your worship and sacrifice.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Chapter 5-Swatting Flies "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin
Eph. 5:8-10
Fasting is not just a physical discipline; it can be a spiritual feast. Once you "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8), your hunger for more of His presence eclipses the limitation of your understanding. God is knows more about what you need that you do. All the fasts in the Bible--whether one day or forty-days--brought reward.
Just as spraying pesticides for a full 40-days wipes out an infestation of flies, when we enter into a season of forty days of fasting and prayer, we can break free of the bondages in our own lives and in the lives of the next generation.
Mark 1:13
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FORTY
Throughout the Bible, the number 40 represents cleansing and purifying. The flood in Noah's time took 40 days to cleanse the earth of wickedness. Moses's life could be divided up into 3 different seasons of forty: he spent 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the desert, and 40 years delivering and bringing the people of God to the Promised Land. He also fasted for 40 days on two occasions: the 1st time while receiving the Law of God in the form of the 10 Commandments, and the 2nd time interceding for the sing of the people.
Jonah 3:5, 7-9
Their humility (people of Ninevah) repentance, and worship were seen by God, and they were rewarded with mercy instead of judgment.
Elijah fled to the desert to escape the deadly threats of Jezebel. God sent an angel to feed him and watch over him as he rested. When he had eaten the meal the angel prepared for him, he went the next 40 days without food. During that time, he spoke with God and received new direction. His insecurities and doubts were removed, and the oppression of the enemy was broken. The word Elijah received during that 40-day fast affected even the next generation.
Flies represents demons in the Word, as do other animals.
Matt. 13:4,19
Mark 16:18
Luke 10:19
Ps. 22:12
Eccles. 10:1
Flies hinder teh annointing in your life. Your worship gets polluted by flies of lust and perversion. We are supposed to walk in that pure anointing that pierces hearts, breaks yokes, delivers from bondages, and heals the sick. It's time to get rid of the "flies" in your business, your marriage, your mind, your house. They cannot stand the power of the Holy Ghost and the intimacy of the presence of Jesus that comes from 400 days of bombarding heaven.
Some might say, "But 40 days is a long time!" Is it really? ... all Muslims--old, young, even children--fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. It is a form of worship for them, helping them focus on spiritual things instead of eathly needs. Did you know that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the US?
The scandals and corruption on the front pages of our newspapers and the gross perversion that is prevalent on every level of society tell us how much we need revival in this country. How much more should we, as Christians, devote ourselves to fasting and prayer? God promised, "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land? (2 Chron. 7:14)
Take Daniels' fast as an example. For 3 weeks he said he "ate no pleasant food" (Dan. 10:3). Generally, "pleasant food" is thought to mean more festive foods, such as sweets and the like.
According to Dr. Colbert's research, Americans consume roughtly 11,250 pounds of sugar in a lifetime! If you fasted from just sweets for 40 days, you would rid your body of many toxins and probably shed several pounds. For some of you, it would be a major sacrifice!
God sees the sacrifice. When you go out with people at the office to a steakhouse and you choose to have the garden salad, baked potato (no Bacon bits), and ice water instead of that medium-well, 24-ounce T-bone steak, God takes notice. You're cleansing, you're purifying, and you're destroying flies!
Can you forgo the Snickers bar in the afternoon to be delivered from a recurring sin? To have more of hte presence of Jesus in your life, can you drink water instead of sugary, caffeinated drinks for 40 days? Do you want to do more than just swat at those flies of doubt and confusion that inundate your thoughts?
Like Jesus told the disciples at the well in Samaria, when you open yourself to know the will of the Father and do the will of the Father, no steak or cake compares. Nothing can fill you and satisfy you like that. Get ready for the presence of Jesus like you have never had before.
Makes you think, huh? More food or more God?
Fasting is not just a physical discipline; it can be a spiritual feast. Once you "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8), your hunger for more of His presence eclipses the limitation of your understanding. God is knows more about what you need that you do. All the fasts in the Bible--whether one day or forty-days--brought reward.
Just as spraying pesticides for a full 40-days wipes out an infestation of flies, when we enter into a season of forty days of fasting and prayer, we can break free of the bondages in our own lives and in the lives of the next generation.
Mark 1:13
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FORTY
Throughout the Bible, the number 40 represents cleansing and purifying. The flood in Noah's time took 40 days to cleanse the earth of wickedness. Moses's life could be divided up into 3 different seasons of forty: he spent 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the desert, and 40 years delivering and bringing the people of God to the Promised Land. He also fasted for 40 days on two occasions: the 1st time while receiving the Law of God in the form of the 10 Commandments, and the 2nd time interceding for the sing of the people.
Jonah 3:5, 7-9
Their humility (people of Ninevah) repentance, and worship were seen by God, and they were rewarded with mercy instead of judgment.
Elijah fled to the desert to escape the deadly threats of Jezebel. God sent an angel to feed him and watch over him as he rested. When he had eaten the meal the angel prepared for him, he went the next 40 days without food. During that time, he spoke with God and received new direction. His insecurities and doubts were removed, and the oppression of the enemy was broken. The word Elijah received during that 40-day fast affected even the next generation.
Flies represents demons in the Word, as do other animals.
Matt. 13:4,19
Mark 16:18
Luke 10:19
Ps. 22:12
Eccles. 10:1
Flies hinder teh annointing in your life. Your worship gets polluted by flies of lust and perversion. We are supposed to walk in that pure anointing that pierces hearts, breaks yokes, delivers from bondages, and heals the sick. It's time to get rid of the "flies" in your business, your marriage, your mind, your house. They cannot stand the power of the Holy Ghost and the intimacy of the presence of Jesus that comes from 400 days of bombarding heaven.
Some might say, "But 40 days is a long time!" Is it really? ... all Muslims--old, young, even children--fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. It is a form of worship for them, helping them focus on spiritual things instead of eathly needs. Did you know that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the US?
The scandals and corruption on the front pages of our newspapers and the gross perversion that is prevalent on every level of society tell us how much we need revival in this country. How much more should we, as Christians, devote ourselves to fasting and prayer? God promised, "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land? (2 Chron. 7:14)
Take Daniels' fast as an example. For 3 weeks he said he "ate no pleasant food" (Dan. 10:3). Generally, "pleasant food" is thought to mean more festive foods, such as sweets and the like.
According to Dr. Colbert's research, Americans consume roughtly 11,250 pounds of sugar in a lifetime! If you fasted from just sweets for 40 days, you would rid your body of many toxins and probably shed several pounds. For some of you, it would be a major sacrifice!
God sees the sacrifice. When you go out with people at the office to a steakhouse and you choose to have the garden salad, baked potato (no Bacon bits), and ice water instead of that medium-well, 24-ounce T-bone steak, God takes notice. You're cleansing, you're purifying, and you're destroying flies!
Can you forgo the Snickers bar in the afternoon to be delivered from a recurring sin? To have more of hte presence of Jesus in your life, can you drink water instead of sugary, caffeinated drinks for 40 days? Do you want to do more than just swat at those flies of doubt and confusion that inundate your thoughts?
Like Jesus told the disciples at the well in Samaria, when you open yourself to know the will of the Father and do the will of the Father, no steak or cake compares. Nothing can fill you and satisfy you like that. Get ready for the presence of Jesus like you have never had before.
Makes you think, huh? More food or more God?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Chapter 4-Every Assignment Has a Birthplace- "Fasting"
Don't forget, read the passages that are listed. I hope this is helpful to all of you who are interested in learning more about fasting. That's why reading the passages are so crucial. Enjoy! For those of you just tuning in...these are my notes taken directly from the book, "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin
John 10:27-28
If you are a parent reading this book, I want you to know that even children can begin to understand these concepts, and it is important that they learn them at a young age.
...it was during a 3-day fast that God revealed His assignment for my life. I was praying and seeking His will. That is when He called me to preach.
Every assignment, every call of God, every direction from Him starts somewhere. God has specific assignments for your life. But how do you discover them?
The answer can be found in the appeal Paul made to the Romans: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1). Remember the 3 Christian duties I covered in the first chapter? Giving, praying and fasting. That is how you "present" your body to God as a "living" sacrifice. Fasting keeps you sensitive to His Spirit, enabling you to live holy. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:2)
I am convinced that we will never walk in the perfect will of God until we seek Him through fasting. Paul was fasting when God called him and shared the assignment for his life
(Acts 9:7-9). Peter was fasting on the rooftop when God gave him a new revelation and called him to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Fasting prepares the way for God to give you fresh revelation, fresh vision, and clear purpose.
Joel 2:28
What are we waiting for when we read scriptures like 2 Chronicles 7:14? Can you imagine if believers in America really took hold of this, if they humbled themselves (fasted) and prayed? God would heal our nation and send revival!
Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing.
But if He is going to pour out new wine, our wineskins will have to change.
Mark 2:22
...if you look at this passage, Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that His disciples would fast once He was gone. Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing (vs 20). If you want new wine, new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy with Him, then it's time to call a fast and shed that old skin for the new.
Fasting is a tremendous weapon and a source of power in the life of a believer...I am not the greatest preacher; I don't have the brilliant mind that some have, but God said He is no respecter of persons. When you honor and worship God by presenting your body as a living sacrifice through fasting, you too will know His assignments for your life.
2 Chron. 20:3-4, 13, 15, 17!!!!!!!!!
Do you want God to tell you what you need to do at this time in your life? Fast, worship, and seek Him. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord! I'm ready for some of those victories where it takes me longer to bring the victory home than it took to fight the battle! Press in like Jehoshaphat in times of great distress--you and your whole family, perhaps even your entire church. God will deliver you and show you His plan!
SATAN HATES WHEN YOU FAST
Satan gets disturbed--and defeated--when you decide to do more than be a Sunday-morning Christian. He has probably tried repeatedly to distract you from reading this chapter already. The devil knows fasting releases God's power.
Have you ever wondered why, of all things, Satan tempted Jesus at the end of His fast by provoking Him to turn stones into bread? ...Jesus came to serve others, not Himself. Further, He was determined to complete the fast God had called Him to finish. Jesus knew that some of the benefits of fasting cannot be released otherwise--and so did the devil! When Jesus returned from that 40-day fast, He immediately began to do mighty miracles, "healing all who were oppressed by the devil" (Acts 10:38). Satan needed to get Jesus focused on His appetite because if he didn't, Jesus was going to receive power from God that would change the world.
John 10:10
Do you think the enemy wants you to believe that nothing is impossible for you? He knows he is defeated, but he doesn't want you to know it or to walk in that realm of God's power. That is why it is so crucial for him to get you distracted. Don't allow the enemies in your life to cause you to focus more on your appetite or circumstances than on the promises of God that are released when you employ the powerful weapon of fasting.
John 10:27-28
If you are a parent reading this book, I want you to know that even children can begin to understand these concepts, and it is important that they learn them at a young age.
...it was during a 3-day fast that God revealed His assignment for my life. I was praying and seeking His will. That is when He called me to preach.
Every assignment, every call of God, every direction from Him starts somewhere. God has specific assignments for your life. But how do you discover them?
The answer can be found in the appeal Paul made to the Romans: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1). Remember the 3 Christian duties I covered in the first chapter? Giving, praying and fasting. That is how you "present" your body to God as a "living" sacrifice. Fasting keeps you sensitive to His Spirit, enabling you to live holy. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:2)
I am convinced that we will never walk in the perfect will of God until we seek Him through fasting. Paul was fasting when God called him and shared the assignment for his life
(Acts 9:7-9). Peter was fasting on the rooftop when God gave him a new revelation and called him to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Fasting prepares the way for God to give you fresh revelation, fresh vision, and clear purpose.
Joel 2:28
What are we waiting for when we read scriptures like 2 Chronicles 7:14? Can you imagine if believers in America really took hold of this, if they humbled themselves (fasted) and prayed? God would heal our nation and send revival!
Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing.
But if He is going to pour out new wine, our wineskins will have to change.
Mark 2:22
...if you look at this passage, Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that His disciples would fast once He was gone. Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing (vs 20). If you want new wine, new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy with Him, then it's time to call a fast and shed that old skin for the new.
Fasting is a tremendous weapon and a source of power in the life of a believer...I am not the greatest preacher; I don't have the brilliant mind that some have, but God said He is no respecter of persons. When you honor and worship God by presenting your body as a living sacrifice through fasting, you too will know His assignments for your life.
2 Chron. 20:3-4, 13, 15, 17!!!!!!!!!
Do you want God to tell you what you need to do at this time in your life? Fast, worship, and seek Him. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord! I'm ready for some of those victories where it takes me longer to bring the victory home than it took to fight the battle! Press in like Jehoshaphat in times of great distress--you and your whole family, perhaps even your entire church. God will deliver you and show you His plan!
SATAN HATES WHEN YOU FAST
Satan gets disturbed--and defeated--when you decide to do more than be a Sunday-morning Christian. He has probably tried repeatedly to distract you from reading this chapter already. The devil knows fasting releases God's power.
Have you ever wondered why, of all things, Satan tempted Jesus at the end of His fast by provoking Him to turn stones into bread? ...Jesus came to serve others, not Himself. Further, He was determined to complete the fast God had called Him to finish. Jesus knew that some of the benefits of fasting cannot be released otherwise--and so did the devil! When Jesus returned from that 40-day fast, He immediately began to do mighty miracles, "healing all who were oppressed by the devil" (Acts 10:38). Satan needed to get Jesus focused on His appetite because if he didn't, Jesus was going to receive power from God that would change the world.
John 10:10
Do you think the enemy wants you to believe that nothing is impossible for you? He knows he is defeated, but he doesn't want you to know it or to walk in that realm of God's power. That is why it is so crucial for him to get you distracted. Don't allow the enemies in your life to cause you to focus more on your appetite or circumstances than on the promises of God that are released when you employ the powerful weapon of fasting.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
How Much? How Long? How Healthy? Chapter 3-"Fasting"
Job 23:12
Exod. 34:27-28
It was during a 40 day fast that Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Esther 4-7
When Haman ordered the annihilation and plunder of all Jews, Esther called for all the Jews of her city to join her on a 3-day fast from all food and water. As a result, the Jews were spared...
Hannah, greatly distressed over not being able to bear a child, "wept and did not eat." God heard her plea, and the prophet Samuel was soon born. 1 Sam. 1:7
Judah, Ezra, the people of Nineveh, Nehemiah, David and Anna are also among those whose fasts are noted in the Word. In addition...Joshua fasted 40 days, Daniel partially fasted 21-days, Paul was on at least 2 fasts: one for 3 days, one for 14-days, Peter fasted 3 days, and we know that Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness.
There are 3 types of fasts found in Scripture: Absolute fast, normal fast and the partial fast.
Absolute Fast: Extreme & should be done only for very short periods of time. You take in nothing--no food, no water. Depending on your health, this fast should be attempted only with medical consultation and supervision.
Normal Fast: You typically go without food of any kind for a certain number of days. You do drink water and plenty of it! Depending on the length of the normal fast, you may also choose to take clear broth and juices in order to maintain your strength.
Partial Fast: This can be interpreted in many ways. The way it CANNOT be interpreted is to include that time between about 11 PM and 6:00 AM-when you're sleeping! This fast usually involves giving up particular foods and drink for an extended period of time.
The most commonly used example of a partial fast is found in the book of Daniel. He and his 3 companions refused to eat choice meats and sweets, asking instead to have only vegetables and water. In chapter 10, he began another fast, taking no sweets, no meat, and no wine for 3 weeks.
The duration of fasts can vary. There are significant numbers we find in the Bible, which include 3 days, 7 days, 21-days and 40-days. But there are also references to half-day fasts adn 24-hour fasts.
The length of time that you choose to fast should depend on your circumstances, but don't get bogged down in the details.
Don't bite off more than you can handle. There is no need to be heroic and attempt a 40-day fast if you have never fasted a day in your life. Just start. Once you discover the benefits, you'll be on your way to making it a life practice. For most folks, a 3-day fast is very practical. A "Daniel fast," eliminating meat, bread, and sweets for 21-days is a fast just about anyone can handle as well. If it means something to you, it will mean something to God. After all, when was the last time angels were released to speak mysteries to you like the archangel Michael spoke to Daniel?
On longer fasts, I drink water, juice, and even broth when I feel I need a little extra strength. The local Chic-fil-A has grown so accustomed to our annual fasts at Free Chapel that they now readily strain their chicken noodle soup so we can buy just a cup of broth!
TIPS: Whenever you begin a fast, remember, if it doesn't mean anything to you, it won't mean anything to God. Without being combined with prayer and the Word, fasting is little more than dieting. Fasting itself is a continual prayer before God. There may be days when heaven opens and your heart is prompted to deep times of prayer. There may be other days when your energy is sapped and you just cannot seem to focus in prayer at all. Don't condemn yourself. God sees your sacrifice. When you are fasting, it's not the time to sit in front of the TV. Why would you torture yourself with all those food advertisements anyway?
Fasting is like spring cleaning for your body!
When you begin longer fasts, it is not a good idea to gorge yourself the days before. You should actually begin tapering off your food intake in preparation.
...when you begin, try to drink at least one gallon of purified water throughout the first day. Purified or distilled water flushes the toxins and the poison out of your system...Water is the faster's best friend.
I often get a headache the first day or two...it is likely your body getting rid of the toxins that have built up over a period of time. ...fasting...it gives your whole digestive system a break, and, medically speaking, that is very healthy. If you experience a headache while fasting, it is a sign that you needed to fast.
When you fast for at least 3 days, your digestive system shuts down...some feel sluggish, have headaches, and can't sleep, and, let's face it, you are going to get hungry! If you will keep drinking plenty of water and juice, those toxins that poison your body will get flushed out, and you will find what can only be described as a sweet place in the fast!...you find a deeper place in God where the rest just does not matter.
As you begin a fast, you will notice a sort of coating on your tongue for a few days. It is a sign the fast is helping your body eliminate toxins. Tests have proven that the average American consumes and assimilates four pounds of chemical preservatives each year. These build up in our bodies and cause illness and disease. Periodic fasts are necessary to flush out the poisons.
Don Colbert, MD author of the book, "Toxic Relief " says, "Fasting does not only prevent sickness. If done correctly, fasting holds amazing healing benefits to those of us who suffer illness and disease. From colds and flu to heart disease, fasting is a mighty key to healing the body."
Dr. Oda H.F. Birchinger, who supervised more than 70,000 fasts stated, "Fasting is a royal recovery and regeneration of the body, mind and spirit." "Fasting can heal and help rheumatism in the joints and muscles, diseases of the heart, circulation, blood vessels, stress-related exhaustion, skin diseases--including pimples and complexion problems, irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes, disease of respiratory organs, alergies such as hay fever and other eye diseases."
Dr. Tanner decided at the age of 50 to fast 43-days without food. He did so under strict medical supervision. At the conclusion of the fast, he was much healthier. At age 60 he fasted 50 days and in the middle of his fast, he said he saw the unspeakable glorief of God. At 77 he fasted 53 days, and among other things that happened, his once thin, gray hair was replaced by new black hair! Dr. Tanner lived to be 93 years old.
Fasting slows your aging process. Moses fasted often, including two 40-day fasts and the Bible says, he was 120 old when he died. (Deut. 34:7)
When you fast drink plenty of water...great flushing agent. One of the signs that these toxins and poisons are being eliminated can be seen by the concentration of toxins in your urine. The urine turns darker because the disease-causing poison and toxins locked in your body because of terrible diets begin to be washed out.
It is also proven that fasting sharpens your mental process and aids and improves your sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and all sensory faculties.
Fasting breaks the addiction to junk food. Fasting can break the power of an uncontrollable appetite.
Each year I encourage all the members of Free Chapel to join us in our 21-day fast. If in 21-days you can become a new person, why go the rest of your life feeling sick, weak, overweight, and run down? Why not take a radical step of faith? We have only one life to give to God--let's get control of our bodies and go for God with the best we have!
Now that's some food for thought!
Exod. 34:27-28
It was during a 40 day fast that Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Esther 4-7
When Haman ordered the annihilation and plunder of all Jews, Esther called for all the Jews of her city to join her on a 3-day fast from all food and water. As a result, the Jews were spared...
Hannah, greatly distressed over not being able to bear a child, "wept and did not eat." God heard her plea, and the prophet Samuel was soon born. 1 Sam. 1:7
Judah, Ezra, the people of Nineveh, Nehemiah, David and Anna are also among those whose fasts are noted in the Word. In addition...Joshua fasted 40 days, Daniel partially fasted 21-days, Paul was on at least 2 fasts: one for 3 days, one for 14-days, Peter fasted 3 days, and we know that Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness.
There are 3 types of fasts found in Scripture: Absolute fast, normal fast and the partial fast.
Absolute Fast: Extreme & should be done only for very short periods of time. You take in nothing--no food, no water. Depending on your health, this fast should be attempted only with medical consultation and supervision.
Normal Fast: You typically go without food of any kind for a certain number of days. You do drink water and plenty of it! Depending on the length of the normal fast, you may also choose to take clear broth and juices in order to maintain your strength.
Partial Fast: This can be interpreted in many ways. The way it CANNOT be interpreted is to include that time between about 11 PM and 6:00 AM-when you're sleeping! This fast usually involves giving up particular foods and drink for an extended period of time.
The most commonly used example of a partial fast is found in the book of Daniel. He and his 3 companions refused to eat choice meats and sweets, asking instead to have only vegetables and water. In chapter 10, he began another fast, taking no sweets, no meat, and no wine for 3 weeks.
The duration of fasts can vary. There are significant numbers we find in the Bible, which include 3 days, 7 days, 21-days and 40-days. But there are also references to half-day fasts adn 24-hour fasts.
The length of time that you choose to fast should depend on your circumstances, but don't get bogged down in the details.
Don't bite off more than you can handle. There is no need to be heroic and attempt a 40-day fast if you have never fasted a day in your life. Just start. Once you discover the benefits, you'll be on your way to making it a life practice. For most folks, a 3-day fast is very practical. A "Daniel fast," eliminating meat, bread, and sweets for 21-days is a fast just about anyone can handle as well. If it means something to you, it will mean something to God. After all, when was the last time angels were released to speak mysteries to you like the archangel Michael spoke to Daniel?
On longer fasts, I drink water, juice, and even broth when I feel I need a little extra strength. The local Chic-fil-A has grown so accustomed to our annual fasts at Free Chapel that they now readily strain their chicken noodle soup so we can buy just a cup of broth!
TIPS: Whenever you begin a fast, remember, if it doesn't mean anything to you, it won't mean anything to God. Without being combined with prayer and the Word, fasting is little more than dieting. Fasting itself is a continual prayer before God. There may be days when heaven opens and your heart is prompted to deep times of prayer. There may be other days when your energy is sapped and you just cannot seem to focus in prayer at all. Don't condemn yourself. God sees your sacrifice. When you are fasting, it's not the time to sit in front of the TV. Why would you torture yourself with all those food advertisements anyway?
Fasting is like spring cleaning for your body!
When you begin longer fasts, it is not a good idea to gorge yourself the days before. You should actually begin tapering off your food intake in preparation.
...when you begin, try to drink at least one gallon of purified water throughout the first day. Purified or distilled water flushes the toxins and the poison out of your system...Water is the faster's best friend.
I often get a headache the first day or two...it is likely your body getting rid of the toxins that have built up over a period of time. ...fasting...it gives your whole digestive system a break, and, medically speaking, that is very healthy. If you experience a headache while fasting, it is a sign that you needed to fast.
When you fast for at least 3 days, your digestive system shuts down...some feel sluggish, have headaches, and can't sleep, and, let's face it, you are going to get hungry! If you will keep drinking plenty of water and juice, those toxins that poison your body will get flushed out, and you will find what can only be described as a sweet place in the fast!...you find a deeper place in God where the rest just does not matter.
As you begin a fast, you will notice a sort of coating on your tongue for a few days. It is a sign the fast is helping your body eliminate toxins. Tests have proven that the average American consumes and assimilates four pounds of chemical preservatives each year. These build up in our bodies and cause illness and disease. Periodic fasts are necessary to flush out the poisons.
Don Colbert, MD author of the book, "Toxic Relief " says, "Fasting does not only prevent sickness. If done correctly, fasting holds amazing healing benefits to those of us who suffer illness and disease. From colds and flu to heart disease, fasting is a mighty key to healing the body."
Dr. Oda H.F. Birchinger, who supervised more than 70,000 fasts stated, "Fasting is a royal recovery and regeneration of the body, mind and spirit." "Fasting can heal and help rheumatism in the joints and muscles, diseases of the heart, circulation, blood vessels, stress-related exhaustion, skin diseases--including pimples and complexion problems, irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes, disease of respiratory organs, alergies such as hay fever and other eye diseases."
Dr. Tanner decided at the age of 50 to fast 43-days without food. He did so under strict medical supervision. At the conclusion of the fast, he was much healthier. At age 60 he fasted 50 days and in the middle of his fast, he said he saw the unspeakable glorief of God. At 77 he fasted 53 days, and among other things that happened, his once thin, gray hair was replaced by new black hair! Dr. Tanner lived to be 93 years old.
Fasting slows your aging process. Moses fasted often, including two 40-day fasts and the Bible says, he was 120 old when he died. (Deut. 34:7)
When you fast drink plenty of water...great flushing agent. One of the signs that these toxins and poisons are being eliminated can be seen by the concentration of toxins in your urine. The urine turns darker because the disease-causing poison and toxins locked in your body because of terrible diets begin to be washed out.
It is also proven that fasting sharpens your mental process and aids and improves your sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and all sensory faculties.
Fasting breaks the addiction to junk food. Fasting can break the power of an uncontrollable appetite.
Each year I encourage all the members of Free Chapel to join us in our 21-day fast. If in 21-days you can become a new person, why go the rest of your life feeling sick, weak, overweight, and run down? Why not take a radical step of faith? We have only one life to give to God--let's get control of our bodies and go for God with the best we have!
Now that's some food for thought!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Dethroning King Stomach-Cha. 2, "Fasting"
I could stop at the title of this chapter and be convicted! LOL!! Don't forget to GRAB your Bible and read the passages provided. It speaks louder than any words I can copy from this book. Whether or not you agree with every statement I've posted...we really haven't a leg to stand on when it comese to disagreeing with God's Word, right? ;)
Luke 4:1-2
...fasting means crucifying what I refer to as "King Stomach." And in case you don't know who King Stomach is, just move this book out of the way, look down, and introduce yourself.
Every year our entire congregation at Free Chapel participates in a twenty-one-day fast... Once you make the decision to fast, even if it's just for a day, God sees the desire of your heart. He will provide you with the grace to endure and see the breakthroughs you need come to pass. However, you will have to choose to dethrone that "dictator within."
Gen. 3:6
They (Adam and Eve) literally ate themselves out of house and home. They ate themselves out of the will of God for their lives. They ate themselves out of God's provision and plan for their lives and out of His magnificent presence.
Ezek. 16:49-50
...it is interesting to note that the inhabitants of those cities were not only guilty of homosexuality, according to the account in Genesis, but as we see here, they were also guilty of gluttony (fullness of food). Along with their other sins, their excessive loyalty to King Stomach carried them right into damnation!
Gen. 25:34
Esau sold his coveted birthright because of his allegiance to King Stomach. God had a plan, a destiny, a will for Esau's life, but his lust for food and instant gratification was more important.
Heb. 12:15-17
Num. 11:4-7, 18-20, 34
God heard their murmuring and complaining...He sent them quail in such a great abundance they stacked it two and a half feet deep! And they ate and ate, and while the meat was in their mouths, thousands of them died and were buried there...(vs 34) that place became known as Kibroth Hattaavah, which means "The Graves of Lusters," as a memorial to those who ate themselves right out of the Promised Land.
Matthew Henry wrote, "Those who are under the power of a carnal mind, will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls."
I want you to understand that there are some "promised lands" and some "promises" that God has for you...but some of them will never be realized as long as King Stomach rules your appetite and controls your life.
God wants to pour out supernatural blessings in our lives, but they will never be realized if we are not willing to seek Him in fasting and prayer.
God knows there is never a convenient time to fast.
In our busy lives there is always a holiday, birthday, office lunch, or something that creates a bump in the road, so we talk ourselves out of beginning a fast. My advise to you, just jump in and do it, and everything else will take care of itself! If you have never fasted before, just do it for one day and you will see what I mean.
The reason we fast corporately at Free Chapel at the beginning of every year is based on principles that have been adapted from Dr. Bob Rogers's book 101 Reasons to Fast. There are 3 reasons starting the year with a fast is a good practice. First, by doing so, you set the course for the rest of the year. Just as beginning your day with prayer sets the course for the rest of the day and covers anything that may happen, the same is true of beginning the year with a fast. You set the course for the entire year by what you do with those first few days of each New Year. You can carry that even further to give God teh first part of every day, the first day of every week, teh first portion of every dollar, and the first consideration in every decision.
Secondly, "Blessings will happen for you and your family throughout the year because you fasted in January." In fact, it was around Thanksgiving when I got the call to go to the bank. When I arrived, a man and his wife met me and said, "Here is a million dollars for the building program." I had forgotten about the fast we had done ten months prior, but God hadn't....
This third point is so powerful. When you fast at teh beginning of the year and pray, you release teh principle found in Matt. 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" If you seek Him first in the year, get ready for all these "things" to be added to your life throughout the rest of the year!
Have a great day!
Luke 4:1-2
...fasting means crucifying what I refer to as "King Stomach." And in case you don't know who King Stomach is, just move this book out of the way, look down, and introduce yourself.
Every year our entire congregation at Free Chapel participates in a twenty-one-day fast... Once you make the decision to fast, even if it's just for a day, God sees the desire of your heart. He will provide you with the grace to endure and see the breakthroughs you need come to pass. However, you will have to choose to dethrone that "dictator within."
Gen. 3:6
They (Adam and Eve) literally ate themselves out of house and home. They ate themselves out of the will of God for their lives. They ate themselves out of God's provision and plan for their lives and out of His magnificent presence.
Ezek. 16:49-50
...it is interesting to note that the inhabitants of those cities were not only guilty of homosexuality, according to the account in Genesis, but as we see here, they were also guilty of gluttony (fullness of food). Along with their other sins, their excessive loyalty to King Stomach carried them right into damnation!
Gen. 25:34
Esau sold his coveted birthright because of his allegiance to King Stomach. God had a plan, a destiny, a will for Esau's life, but his lust for food and instant gratification was more important.
Heb. 12:15-17
Num. 11:4-7, 18-20, 34
God heard their murmuring and complaining...He sent them quail in such a great abundance they stacked it two and a half feet deep! And they ate and ate, and while the meat was in their mouths, thousands of them died and were buried there...(vs 34) that place became known as Kibroth Hattaavah, which means "The Graves of Lusters," as a memorial to those who ate themselves right out of the Promised Land.
Matthew Henry wrote, "Those who are under the power of a carnal mind, will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls."
I want you to understand that there are some "promised lands" and some "promises" that God has for you...but some of them will never be realized as long as King Stomach rules your appetite and controls your life.
God wants to pour out supernatural blessings in our lives, but they will never be realized if we are not willing to seek Him in fasting and prayer.
God knows there is never a convenient time to fast.
In our busy lives there is always a holiday, birthday, office lunch, or something that creates a bump in the road, so we talk ourselves out of beginning a fast. My advise to you, just jump in and do it, and everything else will take care of itself! If you have never fasted before, just do it for one day and you will see what I mean.
The reason we fast corporately at Free Chapel at the beginning of every year is based on principles that have been adapted from Dr. Bob Rogers's book 101 Reasons to Fast. There are 3 reasons starting the year with a fast is a good practice. First, by doing so, you set the course for the rest of the year. Just as beginning your day with prayer sets the course for the rest of the day and covers anything that may happen, the same is true of beginning the year with a fast. You set the course for the entire year by what you do with those first few days of each New Year. You can carry that even further to give God teh first part of every day, the first day of every week, teh first portion of every dollar, and the first consideration in every decision.
Secondly, "Blessings will happen for you and your family throughout the year because you fasted in January." In fact, it was around Thanksgiving when I got the call to go to the bank. When I arrived, a man and his wife met me and said, "Here is a million dollars for the building program." I had forgotten about the fast we had done ten months prior, but God hadn't....
This third point is so powerful. When you fast at teh beginning of the year and pray, you release teh principle found in Matt. 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" If you seek Him first in the year, get ready for all these "things" to be added to your life throughout the rest of the year!
Have a great day!
Notes from Chapter 1-"Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin
Ever wonder about fasting? I've always been interested in knowing how or the right way to fast.
I do know from personal experience that the times I have fasted, have been some pretty incredible experiences and the closeness I felt is indescribable.
These are some of the things that I personally found interesting in Chapter 1. If you don't read the passages provided, the words posted will only be words of another human so I strongly suggest, Get out your Bible and READ THE SCRIPTURES!!!! I'd like to get feedback from those of you who might be reading these notes. Everything posted are quotes taken directly from the pages of this book written by J. Franklin.
Every assignment has a birthplace. When God has placed a dream inside you that only He can make possible, you need to fast and pray.
When i find myself growing dry spiritually, when I don't sense that cutting-edge anointing, or when I need a fresh encounter with God, fasting is the secret key that unlocks heaven's door and slams shut the gates of hell.
Since you are reading this book, you are probably not content to go through this year the way you went through last year. you know there's more. You know there is an assignment for your life. You know there are things that God desires to release in your life, and there is a genuine desperation for those things gripping your heart.
Matt. 6:1-18
Suggestion: Highlight, underline and/or circle in this passage these words..."When you give...When you pray...When you fast..."
What is fasting? I first want to clarify what fasting--biblical fasting- is NOT. Fasting is not merely going without food for a period of time. That is dieting--maybe even starving--but fasting IT IS NOT. (EMPHASIS MINE)
...biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.
Ps. 42:1-3, 7
Fasting brings one into a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord. "Deep calls unto deep". David was fasting. His hunger and thirst for God were greater than his natural desire for food. You will soon realize that fasting is a secret source of power that is overlooked by many.
Ecc. 4:12
When giving, praying and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.
In the Beatitudes, specifically in Matt. 6, Jesus provided the pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed 3 specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying and fasting. Jesus said, "When you give..." and "When you pray..." and "When you fast." HE made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and to praying.
The three duties of every Christian are giving, praying and fasting.
What answers to prayer are not getting through? What bondages are not being broken because we fail to fast?
Matt. 17:20-21 (KJV)
...I think a lot of people stop at the part of this passage where it reads, "and nothing shall be impossible unto you." but Jesus didn't because He knew there was more---much more.
When you faithfully follow the three duties of a Christian, God rewards you openly.
If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?
Luke 5:34-35
According to the words of Jesus, it is the duty of every disciple and every believer to fast.
Jesus didn't expect His disciples to do something He hadn't done as well. 1 Pet. 2:21
Luke 6:40
Matt. 6: God delights in giving rewards...He says that when giving, praying and fasting are practiced in your life, He will "reward you openly."
An example of open reward can be found in Daniel...his fasting--ever partial fasting of certain foods--brought about the open reward of God, who blessed Daniel with wisdom beyond that of anyone else in that empire. In chapter 10 of Daniel, he ate no choice breads or meats and drank no wine for three weeks. His fast broke the power of the delayer and released the angels of God so that God's purposes could be revealed and served.
Do you desire to know God's will for your life, whom you should marry, or what you should do in a critical situation? Whether you desire to be closer to God or are in a need of great breakthroughs in your life, remember that nothing shall be impossible to you. Fasting is truly a secret source of power!
That's it for Chapter 1! Stay tuned...
I do know from personal experience that the times I have fasted, have been some pretty incredible experiences and the closeness I felt is indescribable.
These are some of the things that I personally found interesting in Chapter 1. If you don't read the passages provided, the words posted will only be words of another human so I strongly suggest, Get out your Bible and READ THE SCRIPTURES!!!! I'd like to get feedback from those of you who might be reading these notes. Everything posted are quotes taken directly from the pages of this book written by J. Franklin.
Every assignment has a birthplace. When God has placed a dream inside you that only He can make possible, you need to fast and pray.
When i find myself growing dry spiritually, when I don't sense that cutting-edge anointing, or when I need a fresh encounter with God, fasting is the secret key that unlocks heaven's door and slams shut the gates of hell.
Since you are reading this book, you are probably not content to go through this year the way you went through last year. you know there's more. You know there is an assignment for your life. You know there are things that God desires to release in your life, and there is a genuine desperation for those things gripping your heart.
Matt. 6:1-18
Suggestion: Highlight, underline and/or circle in this passage these words..."When you give...When you pray...When you fast..."
What is fasting? I first want to clarify what fasting--biblical fasting- is NOT. Fasting is not merely going without food for a period of time. That is dieting--maybe even starving--but fasting IT IS NOT. (EMPHASIS MINE)
...biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.
Ps. 42:1-3, 7
Fasting brings one into a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord. "Deep calls unto deep". David was fasting. His hunger and thirst for God were greater than his natural desire for food. You will soon realize that fasting is a secret source of power that is overlooked by many.
Ecc. 4:12
When giving, praying and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.
In the Beatitudes, specifically in Matt. 6, Jesus provided the pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed 3 specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying and fasting. Jesus said, "When you give..." and "When you pray..." and "When you fast." HE made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and to praying.
The three duties of every Christian are giving, praying and fasting.
What answers to prayer are not getting through? What bondages are not being broken because we fail to fast?
Matt. 17:20-21 (KJV)
...I think a lot of people stop at the part of this passage where it reads, "and nothing shall be impossible unto you." but Jesus didn't because He knew there was more---much more.
When you faithfully follow the three duties of a Christian, God rewards you openly.
If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?
Luke 5:34-35
According to the words of Jesus, it is the duty of every disciple and every believer to fast.
Jesus didn't expect His disciples to do something He hadn't done as well. 1 Pet. 2:21
Luke 6:40
Matt. 6: God delights in giving rewards...He says that when giving, praying and fasting are practiced in your life, He will "reward you openly."
An example of open reward can be found in Daniel...his fasting--ever partial fasting of certain foods--brought about the open reward of God, who blessed Daniel with wisdom beyond that of anyone else in that empire. In chapter 10 of Daniel, he ate no choice breads or meats and drank no wine for three weeks. His fast broke the power of the delayer and released the angels of God so that God's purposes could be revealed and served.
Do you desire to know God's will for your life, whom you should marry, or what you should do in a critical situation? Whether you desire to be closer to God or are in a need of great breakthroughs in your life, remember that nothing shall be impossible to you. Fasting is truly a secret source of power!
That's it for Chapter 1! Stay tuned...
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