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?