Complete Sermon Notes

FASTING OVER FORKS – Delight Not Drudgery

 

It’s hard for 2 wills to live in the same body. What passion prevails?

• Conflicts on the calendar – Dodger game vs. Wedding

• The motivation behind fasting is to seek God more fervently – to give up the good for the best!

 

JUST FOCUS ON JESUS: According to the Obesity Action Coalition – “It’s estimated that every pound of fat requires about one extra mile of blood vessels…that means more work for the heart.”

 

Fasting disciplines the body, prayer fights the enemy, and the Word give us wisdom.

 

• If the battle is with the flesh, what makes us think we’re going to defeat it if we keep feeding it.

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1 John 2:16 [NIV] – For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world.

 

• BUT we hear: “Be yourself! Embrace your longings! Cave in to your desires.”

• MANY Old Testament rebukes were because of gluttony and indulging the flesh.

 

Leonard Ravenhill – “The early church had an upper room with fire; today we have a supper room with smoke.”

 

WHEN: There is desire, conviction, AND confirmation. There is a deeper call to purity and holiness, or a difficult task ahead.

 

Fasting applies pressure: “Often, pressure has to be maintained before there is a breakthrough in heavenly warfare.” Arthur Wallace

 

The flesh gives up once pressure is applied consistently – “Popeye – “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more!”

• “Resist the devil…”

• Some strongholds hang on piece by piece.

 

W H E N –

1. Is there a desire to resurrect dead prayers?

2. Is there a stronghold that has been gripping your life?

3. Do you desire a deeper walk with God or INCREASED spiritual hunger? Do you need help in the area of self-discipline [temperance]?

4. Do you need a breakthrough, direction, or peace.

5. Is all hell breaking loose in your life or in your family – great obstacles ahead.

Pray & Fast –

Matthew 17:14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “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. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

17 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.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

• “Nothing will be impossible for you” – nothing is too hard for God!

• Older manuscripts omit vs. 21 but the majority [newer] have it.

Jonathan Borland, “No church father explicitly opposed the verse…”

How we got our Bible – What Translation is best? https://vimeo.com/135188349

 

Mark 9:29 and Matt. 17:21: If true, then there is some demonic activity that is not released unless there is prayer and fasting.

• In short – The weapons need to match the warfare!

• We need faith [belief] and power!

                                          . . . Armed and Dangerous

Some say “this kind” refers to “this kind” of unbelief – but it’s a class or type of people

 

HOW? Prepare; Plan (length); Purpose (write it out).

 

• Purpose: This really isn’t about fasting, it’s about prayer and seeking God.

• Prepare: Out of sight out of mind – Remove the hindrances and fuel the completion with sermons, the word of God, books, prayer, and worship.

• Plan: The length and the type. Have the prayer list available.

IT’S A FIGHT.. Be encouraged – very few do it perfectly – like riding a bike.

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Armed and Dangerous – Fasting that Pleases God – Isaiah 58 (NKJV)

“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.

• With boldness and emotion – confront the sin.

• The prophet is held responsible.

• Silence often confirms.

 

2 Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

• June 8th – Oswald chambers talks about counterfeit obedience – sacrifice in one area but not the other.

• They sought Him and wanted to know His way: “Why have we fasted and You have not heard?”

 

Let me talk to the fasters for a minute.

 

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.

• Worldly pleasure vs. seeking God.

• Taking advantage of people.

• Debating and arguing as they fast. I can hear it now: “I’ve fasted…”

If you want to be heard, make these changes.

 

5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?

• Fasting is about humility. They were full of pride.

 

DUAL APPLICATION – “Reaping and sowing”- if you get your heart right during the fast here is what you can expect: 6 “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?

• Stop burdening people and oppressing them – then you will be released.

• Break the yoke of control – and experience freedom and renewal.

 

7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 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.

• “Then your light shall break forth…”

 

9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

• Call on the Lord – answered prayers.

 

Could it be that many of the problems you are dealing with have to do with the fact you’ve never been converted or that you’ve never fully surrendered your life.

Baptisms

• Your light – peace, contentment, and joy.

• A watered garden –  rejuvenation:

Verse 13 says –  If you keep the day of rest you will “delight yourself in the Lord.”

 

You will be called: “Repairer of the Breach”

• A wall, or dam, or roadblock begins to unravel.