• No other power can enable us to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to do the things we could not do in our own strength.

 

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (NIV)

• What God can do depends upon His supernatural power being released in us and through us.

 

Jesus Walked on Water

Matthew 14:25-26 – “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.”

 

Matthew 14:27-29 – “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”

 

Matthew 14:30-32 – “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”

 

Matthew 14:33 – “ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

 

How does fasting change us?

Romans 8:7 – “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

 

“Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

 

Results Of Fasting
Self-denial

Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

(1 Corinthians 9:25–27)

 
Right priorities

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Dependence upon God

2 Chronicles 20:3, 12 – “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

vs 12 – “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

• Fasting led to God’s divine intervention

1. When you give…

Matthew 6:2-4 “So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”.…(Berean Study Bible)

2. When you pray…

Matthew 6:5-6 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

3. When you fast…

Matthew 6:16-18 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

 

Giving, Prayer, Fasting

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

 

Prayer and Fasting

Let’s read the story in Matthew 17:14-16

“And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

 

Matthew 17:17-19 – “Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.”

 

Matthew 17:19-21 – “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (KJV)

 

How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives!

 

What is fasting?

 

Definition: Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.

 

Matthew 4:2 – “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”

• Jesus fasted food but did not abstain from water.

 

Fasting brings a person into a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord.

Psalm 42:1-2a “As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So pants my soul for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

 

In Psalm 42:7a – Deep calls unto deep…

 

Worship God in Spirit and Truth

John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

Scriptural Purpose for Fasting

Fasting is the scriptural means ordained by God for us to humble ourselves before Him.

Psalm 35:13 – “I humbled my soul with fasting…” (NAS)

Psalm 35:13 – “I afflicted my soul with fasting…” (ASV)

 

Here are four scriptures on humbling from the NT

 Matthew 18:4 – “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 23:12 – “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

1 Peter 5:6 – “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”

 

Fasting is a way that God Himself has appointed for His people to humble themselves before Him.

 

Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly, To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

 

Sin Entered the World

Genesis 3:6 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food…she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

 

Whose god is their belly!

Philippians 3:18-19 – “they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

 

The Daniel Fast

Fasting for Health and Healing

 

God has promised in Isaiah 58:6,8 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?”

(8) “Then your light shall break forth like the morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.”

 

When we begin fasting and praying for physical health and healing, we must realize that it is God who heals.

Exodus 15:26 – His name is Jehovah Rapha means, “I am the Lord who heals you.”

 

Read the story of Daniel

Daniel 1:5 – “And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:8 – “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

 

Daniel 1:9-10 – “Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:11-12 – “So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

 

Daniel 1:13-15 – “Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.”

 

Daniel 1:16-17 – “Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

 

Daniel 1:18-19 – “Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:20-21 – “And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.”

We enter the Daniel fast for two physical reasons:

1. As therapy when we are sick and need healing
2. As prevention to keep us from becoming sick or getting a disease

 

The Daniel Fast with holds extra rich foods.

We eat necessities on the Daniel Fast

1. To cleanse our digestive system
2. Rest our body
3. Renew our system

 

Read from Counsel Bible

The Daniel Fast rests on three Biblical foundations

1. Faith
2. Prayer
3. Fasting

 

God Can Heal Through Fasting

God has given each of us a wonderful physical body that He calls “His Temple”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Steps from the Biblical Account of Daniel

1. Be Specific
2. Fast as a Spiritual Commitment
3. Reflect Inner Desire by Outer Discipline
4. Pray to Perceive Sin’s Role in Poor Health

James 5:13-16 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

5. Fast as a Statement of Faith to Others
6. Learn the Effects of the Foods You Eat
7. Yield All Results to God

 

Practical Principles to Remember

• The Daniel Fast is longer than one day.
• The Daniel Fast is a partial fast
• The Daniel Fast Includes healthy food
• The Daniel Fast requires abstinence from rich foods

 

 

• The Hebrew name means “the burning ones.”

 

Isaiah 6:3 “And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

• Holiness when implied to God’s nature, indicates His absolute moral purity, in this case above His creation of the whole earth.

 

(McKenna & Ogilvie, 1993) write: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” No other attribute is so praised. Angels do not sing, “Love, Love, Love” or “Justice, Justice, Justice”—they only sing “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

 

God’s Army is Unseen to the Human Eye

2 Kings 6:15-17 15When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (ESV)

• He is the Lord of hosts – “Lord Sabaoth”, The Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

 

It is God’s holy and glorious presence in which our holiness begins.

Isaiah 6:4-6 “And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.”

• The closer we get to God the more we realize we are unclean.

 

Isaiah 6:7 “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

• The Lord has a remedy for our sins.

 

Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

• The Lord prepares us for our mission.

 

God is Holiness and his plan for his people is holiness

The Lord proclaims His holiness to Moses:

 

Leviticus 19:1-2 1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

 

Leviticus 11:44-45; as well as many other places, God proclaims “…ye shall be holy; for I am holy:”

 

“Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).

This may come as a surprise to some, but this is not a request…it is a command from God.

 

Holiness is a Command

1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:17-19 “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:20-21 “He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:22-23 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (NIV)

• Living holy is by faith in Jesus Christ
• We are purified by obeying the truth

 

Worship is a Lifestyle

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (NIV)

 

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (NIV)

 

Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

The New Testament Way To Holiness

1 Corinthians 1:28-31 “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

• Jesus Christ is our wisdom from God
• Jesus Christi is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
• We have nothing to boast about except the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Make Jesus Famous!