The Power of Fasting by Shane Idleman

you I haven't been here in over a decade it's hard to revisit past pain pain that could have been avoided my father passed away January 6 1994 of a massive heart attack on a construction site I vividly remember bringing his items home from the site and seeing the blood near his torn clothes lying on the asphalt but the greater pain is living with the fact that I was too busy climbing the ladder of success to attend his birthday just three days prior to his death I never saw him again the sad fact is that many are too busy for their families too busy for their children and too busy for God to be desperate for more of God and have that desperation satisfied begins here time is a wonderful servant but a terrible master the more you seek Him the more you'll find him this tombstone will be your someday are you ready here we are to church that was once beaming with life the truth was preached lives were changed two marriages were restored but somewhere along the way they lost their way and not unlike many churches today the beacon of light has faded the salt has lost its savor and we've edited down the message of the cross so that it no longer offends and I'm wondering have we stopped to consider that we may have offended God to be desperate for more of God starts here it starts with truth truth rebuilds truth transforms and is the truth that will set you free life is like a race of endurance full of wonderful opportunities and experiences there are also occasional roadblocks delays pitfalls and hurdles make no mistake about it we win by persevering by getting up and not giving in there's a deep longing inside all of us that cannot be satisfied until we recognize our need for God and turn to him we must be desperate for more of him though the road ahead may be uncertain at times the solid ground beneath will never shift it's all about who you know the journey with God begins with the first step in the right direction one of the most difficult challenges with pastoring is watching people die spiritually with living water just steps away although many people can quote blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled very few have actually experienced the Living Waters that Christ spoke of my book desperate for more of God is a compilation of past articles sections I've written from other books and sermons preached here at Westside Christian Fellowship it's the best of the best we pray that this collection of targeted topics fuels an intense desire for more of God to be desperate for more of God should be the hard cry of every believer you and now I'm going to talk about a topic that nobody wants to talk about you know what that is I almost didn't put sermon notes in there so you couldn't read ahead but everybody was looking at their notes as they're coming in it's called fasting it's not a bad word it's a very good word and we're gonna talk about fast forward how we experience real change for the future but I want to recap briefly last week if you weren't here try to get home or over the weekend when you go home look at last week's sermon it was on the more I seek God the more I find him and it ties right into this message and we talked about praying and we would live better if we prayed better and we would pray better if we live better those are married it's important that we that we obey God's Word at the same time that we become men and women of Prayer and those go together so go on the website look at last week and and check out that message but now brings us into where we're at now we're back in two Matthew and what I did instead of going forward in Matthew I kind of to go forward fast forward I'm kind of looking back and we're looking at the themes of Matthew and we saw one of the themes obviously we know is giving right giving of ourselves giving of our resources and the other theme that is big in Matthew is praying jesus said when you pray pray like this I'll teach you how to pray our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come and we've had these great themes and then he gets up to fasting and we kind of just jumped right past that one but it's not really a topic we want to talk about kind of reminds me of you know the Declaration I believe it was that we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal endowed by their creator well we hold this truth to be self-evident that Christians do not like fasting that's really clear it's not a topic we're gonna you know if I say we're going to talk about fasting last week would probably would have half the people here we just don't like this topic I'm going to uncover a little bit of why I think that is and we have to remember that the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak we like the blessings of Christ but not the obedience to Christ we love the blessings guy giving these blessings but here's what she knew me to do to get those no no no I don't want to do that I just want the blessings and the the dynamic of the Christian walk is God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him it's in that diligence of a bang scriptural truths that we able to reap the reward of that later so with that said I'm gonna start in Matthew 6 chapter 6 verse 16 and I believe that fasting is the missing link in the Christian walk and I don't mean that like in the evolutionary sense you know evolution there's a missing link we don't believe in evolution of course and there's so there's no missing link but when it comes to Christianity and a deeper relationship with God in a deeper walk with God I believe that fasting often can be that missing element that we're missing that link that's going to connect us to that deeper walk with God now I want to be careful because I don't want to be written off as a fanatical hyper spiritual but at the same time I don't want to neglect very foundational and powerful truths in the Bible so with that said let's look at Matthew 6 verse 16 New King James Version of the Bible moreover when you fast Jesus didn't say if you fast right moreover if you fast here's what you might want to consider when you fast do not be like the hypocrites with the sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting I surely say to you surely I say to you they have their reward but you when you fast when you fast anoint your head with oil wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting but to your father who is in the secret place and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly not might will we have to remember that God there are some promises with God that you can claim you can say when he says this I know it's going to lead to this when I'm hungry and it doesn't feel good and I don't like it and my circumstances are not going in the direction I thought it doesn't matter truth will still prevail the minute we start to look at our circumstances and allow the flesh to guide us the minute this is the minute we're going to be pulled off track so this is a very important profound truth that I've noticed in my own life the reason I want to teach on this is the significance of fasting the power of fasting that extra element of anointing and unction being filled the Spirit of God in fighting the flesh is dynamic many different things take place so let's talk about that now here's a disclaimer I'm going to say some things tonight that are hard to hear I'm just throwing that out there it's gonna be a little bit hard to hear some of these things but sometimes Christians we need coaches not just cheerleaders right cheerleader go team go team well the coach says here's team here's what you need to do here's how you need to get back on track here get up and fall forward get back on track here's how you need to fight the enemy here's what you need to know don't take that go here and coach and it's gonna be challenging sometimes those those challenging coaches are difficult look at Lombardi Vince Lombardi right Green Bay Packers the iron grid what you put those guys through but then that's how you develop one of the best teams in NFL history I'm not taking sides I really don't have a favorite team I'm just saying you coaches are not popular they're confrontational they're challenging why because they're gonna pull out the best of you I see that in you I see that potential I'm gonna coach you and show you how to do that or receive that now also another disclaimer I haven't mastered this area I'm a fellow pilgrim on this journey it's a difficult journey but it's a well well worth journey and it takes a lot out of us but the rewards far outweigh than what we're gonna go through so I'm gonna say some hard things and it's interesting most who get upset with me on these types of topics are Christians they don't like the call to a holier life it's radical its extreme its fanatical you're just there are four Christians I get most of my criticism comes from Christians whether it's the article the blogs or the newspaper or their videos the sermons radio whatever it is it's Christians beginning why is that well a lot of people don't like their lifestyle challenged right don't challenge my viewing habits my eating habits my sexual habits my drinking habits don't challenge me if you don't challenge me I like you but as soon as you start to challenge me I'm gonna critique now if this happens all the time every time I write in the paper about you know this is this craze with vampires and witches and the calls and Twilight series and all these things I think darkness should not entertain the church guess who gets upset at me Christians like well didn't you read Tolkien's this and then like well let's just talk about this witches and vampires and the occult being glorified kids are not casting kids are not quoting scriptures or casting spells these things is not pleasing to God I'm sure anytime I write about things like that or we shouldn't the Christians get upset and make me think what's what's the thing here it's convicting the lifestyle unless we're teachable and open if we're not teachable and open you know what the end result of that is pride and arrogance and we come against the very thing we need so that's the whole point of this sermon is to help and I believe that pastors preachers and teachers if we are to lead the church and these dire times we must confront distract destructive lifestyles not cater to them the dire times that we're in when you went when Miley Cyrus is applauded and duck dynasty is almost taken off air we're living in some very interesting times we were calling good evil and evil good and pastors preachers and teachers need to start pointing people back to the truth not running from it and then pointing people to the truth it hurts because the light of the gospel the light of the truth is shining into the darkness of our lives when we don't like it we get upset and the very thing we need is the very thing we're pushing away and it comes to this topic as well with with fasting make no mistake about holiness will cost something holiness will cost you something a deeper relationship with God will cost you something I'm here to tell you the truth it's not your best life now it's going to be a challenging life it will cost you something but we don't want to hear those things the lukewarm church hates the heat of conviction when a church is in a lukewarm state when believers are in a lukewarm state they hate the heat of conviction conviction get out of the fire firing fine band whatever I'm out of here that heat of conviction it hurts you're turning up the heat on me but that heat is meant to help I can't cook the dinner unless the heats turned on you can't eat raw chicken you have to cook it that heat of conviction God allows conviction to changes spiritual disciplines always have spiritual benefits did you catch that spiritual disciplines praying reading studying the word falling Christ's commandment giving to others giving ourselves fasting always have always have spiritual benefits the problem why many people give up is I do something now I'm not getting in something it's like this fast-food microwave mentality I just prayed today god you're not doing this I try to skip a meal and it's not working my spouse is still mad at my kids I'm not good you don't work God you don't work have you ever felt like that he always worked his truth see what we don't understand is God before the parameters of time even he put absolute truth into motion the Bible says that Christ was slain before the foundation of the earth that means his sovereign plans will prevail what God has ordained preordained predestined election obviously what he has preordained will come to pass so he puts absolute truth that is something God cannot lie what he says it will come to pass so spiritual disciplines have spiritual benefits end of story and the store if you become a man or a woman of prayer you ad fasting to your life and devotion and worship those disciplines will pay off there's no way around it life might become challenging but don't look at your circumstances look at the truth of God's Word any time man gets focused on the circumstances and not on the truth of God's Word he will get distracted he will get delayed we have to always go back to the truth to be desperate for more of God one must not only know the word but apply it we must fully surrender to the one true and living God we must be empty vessels used at the discretion a life totally consumed by God and that's why I say I'm gonna say some difficult things but it's to help not to hurt now here's where I'm gonna maybe ruffle some feathers but that's okay spiritual disciplines have physical benefits too I want to talk about spiritual disciplines what God calls us to do spiritually has physical benefits and as I was driving to this week and listening to Focus on the Family I know if you have you heard they were there interviewing dr. Archibald Hart and he's a licensed psychologist certified biofeedback practitioner and board certified in psychopharmacology a former dean of school of psychology and he's now the senior professor of psychology at Fuller University and is best known for his research on hazards and ministry depression anxiety divorce stress and so on and the reason I'm pulling his words in here is because this these people know what they're talking about if you have psychology grounded in the Word of God that's powerful you have psychology divorced from the Word of God it's miserable you have a physician grounded in the Word of God he's powerful you have a physician divorce from the Word of God so no matter what profession if they're grounded in the Word of God other than pornography of profession of course you know I'm saying right that profession grounded in Scripture can be very powerful and he's a Christian on Focus on the Family he talked about something I had to write it down and pull over and say I've got to take notes on this because where he was going tied right in with this sermon he was talking talking about let me see if I can find where it was Oh oxytocin you guys have heard of that oxytocin is a powerful hormone when we hug when we kiss loved ones oxytocin levels drive up and they increased joy and peace and bonding it's a neurotransmitter in the brain and this hormone plays a role in pair bonding this hormone is also greatly stimulated during birth and breastfeeding sex all these things that that God has given this hormone to man to to experience love and affection and bonding a peace and joy but he tied in his whole thing on focus on the family was too much digital media kills oxytocin too much distance from people Facebook media all these things I've of course always preach on it actually dries you're these natural these god-given hormones that are given to to regulate and guide us drop at exceedingly levels far below what they what they should exceed that's where depression and suicide tie in and this connection to people and I say well Shane what does it have to do with God trust me I'm going somewhere now here's what happens to add insult to injury when these levels drop and we get in stressful environments because it's all you know gaming face but all this stuff a lot of times can be stressful or the me you know you're watching things it's just so stressful as a result your adrenaline increases and your cortisol increases as well and let me let me give example what happens the whole reason God gave us these hormones is for the you've heard of the fight or flight syndrome right so let's say a thousand years ago I encountered a lion on the road not good very stressful right what do I do very stressful environment so what happens the hypothalamus right brain sends out adrenaline sends out cortisol the adrenaline acts is high-energy I got to get out of there now the cortisol puts your body in a state of where everything that's non-essential is minimized so your immune system is shot when cortisol levels are high and now you need to fight and flight you need to get out of Dodge so that was a whole point of cortisol adrenaline us and anytime you take what God has created and pervert it or distort it it becomes it can become dangerous and counterproductive then these things become toxic so it's supposed to be good cortisol adrenaline all these things what they're supposed to be good become toxic because there's too much of it higher levels and here's what happens immune deficiencies anxiety depression panic attacks tremors weight gain poor health memory lost and concentration learning problems digestive problems heart disease and sleep problems to name only a few that's what happens when these things are running amok so in our fast-paced culture everything we're always in a stressful environment now everything's stressing so not only there are the good things dropping the bad things are being raised up and here's how it ties in with God anytime the most important connection to oxytocin cortisol adrenaline all this is how God made us is our relationship with God everything is affected by this when God says be still and know that I am God that raises the good hormone and decreases the bat home when he said when hormone when he says rest and me arrest in my word obey these truth they're two bonding to him it's a bringing of these the serotonin and the court of the the oxytocin all these things are raised it's how God created us these are bad little things these are good but when you go away from that then the natural result is the body goes into a fight-or-flight in a stress syndrome and everything is chaotic and we're getting sick when we shouldn't be sick there's no energy levels now we're using stimulants to get kids that got to have a red ball and then they gotta have this nice drink and then they gotta have this and they're always on high lane high high alert high octane because they've got to stimulate all these things that were deficit in so that's how drawing closer to God and all these disciplines actually foster a right relationship and health they're all tied together so anytime you honor God's word spiritually it also affects you in a deep way spiritually so I truly believe many of the physical ailments that we're experiencing in our nation it can be directly resulted to be not in right relationship with God now of course I'm going on a limb there making a statement that not everybody will agree with but I'm not saying everything of course not but when you look at how stress people are and the rise of these levels and chemical imbalance all these things and you also look at no prayer life no devotional life no fasting and fighting the flesh you look at all this and you wonder there's got to be a correlation here because God designed us he created us to live in a certain type of environment when we go outside of that that's when all hell breaks loose quite honestly so that's the important of this and what fasting does I'm hopefully getting to the whole point of my message that was a long introduction but fasting in spiritual disciplines foster a deeper relationship with God and thus increase joy and peace and comfort all the things we want are instilled and generated in the right relationship with God the Bible says be still and know that I am God I haven't having given you a mind of fear but of peace and under I get that you don't just go like this God it's not God in a bottle of genie and three wishes it's a lifestyle reflected in loving and serving God and our lifestyle has to reflect that's why I talk about health all the time because to me if there's a parallel there's a there's a huge parallel you get up in the morning have a doughnut an event a coffee with 500 milligrams of caffeine you're on high alert then you feed your body a bunch of garbage your necks out your backs out everything's going haywire see I'll just pray for healing praise God saying take care of your body reminds me of the man who prayed lord help my finances as he drove to Las Vegas with this paycheck you'll get that on your way home but that's true God say listen I've given you a billion dollar but if you can't you can't even put a price tag on it the body is so intrinsically made it's so powerful that God put morality and and and and in emotionals and all these things into our body it said now I want you to take care of that great gift and put things into it that will help not hurt but what do we do and that's a bad thing that's the big thing about stimulants is it actually puts your body in a fight-or-flight state like there's a lion on the road every day you don't think that's gonna take a toll you're costing the fight-or-flight everything's anxious anxious irritable an anxious then we get it we got these uppers then we take Downers they come down and we wonder why we can't sleep why aren't under all these problems God says be still and know that I am God fast from these things that are drawing you away draw deeper to me take care of the one thing that one gift I've given you because from that body now you can minister to others now unless you think I'm putting physical health way up here with spiritual health I'm not I read the scripture physical health prophets you little but physical spiritual health is for eternity I got it I got it but you have to understand the physical health of the body often determines and helps with spirituality and our spirituality should help with the body perfect example when we give up to the lusts of the flesh and we of dictions rule our lives we're not very spiritual why because the addictions are controlling us the addictions so let's talk about here's the problem you guys want know what the problem is the flesh is in rebellion to God your flesh my flesh is in rebellion to God there's something in here that does not like God but then there's something in here that loves God and I need more of him and you've heard the saying that the devil the world and the flesh is what's against us right I'm fighting myself the enemy and within is my worst enemy I'm not worried about Satan as I am as much as what's in here so all the here's how this works and the lust of the flesh something you crave the devil puts that in front of your path so all he's doing is putting what you already crave and then the world affirms it or the world encourages it so they all work together the world says come on it's not that bad everybody's doing it come on it's not that bad everybody's doing it and we step right into it the flesh wants it the devil presents the bait and the world says come on come on it's no big deal and that's how it works so so the the flesh is really what fasting is about is some putting the flesh in submission you're telling the flesh what to do it's not telling you what to do with too many of us walk around as if the flesh is in control I'm especially in my 20s every when I would go out to dinner guess what I would want to find the restaurant they have the dark el beer way everywhere I go out to eat whereas they have the beer or here I got to eat this I got to have this so I gotta go this party house this and my flesh is being led I gotta have the coffee and caffeine in the morning I got to have this diet soda tonight I got have a Pepsi and it's it's pulling us around we're making this we're not in control we're not good where we go where we eat now let me make a point here clarification point food is a wonderful wonderful servant terrible master you see the difference there so I'm not against food I love food but it can become a very destructive thing when they when the god of the well me let me just read I wrote down with Janice and Franklin said in his book on fasting you guys should read that book if you get a chance king stomach is the dictator within he's commanding us and we follow that I like what 1st Peter 2:11 said says beloved I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul so we have passions in here that wage war against the soul yeah and then what happens is when you feed those ungodly passions guess what become begins to give victory in your life the very things you're wanting to fight you're feeding the enemy so what fasting is it's a spiritual discipline to put your flesh in check and you say uh-uh I'm in charge you're not in charge of me so King stomach the dictator within has to bow down at the foot of the cross and this is where you know when the church used to bring in the the severe 7 what I call the severe 7 they're the seven great sins wrath greed sloth pride lust Envy and gluttony there's a quote I pulled off the website I had to share in the past the church preached on glutton gluttony today we practice it oh this is not a fun sermon chain I know it hurts me before it hurts you trust me in the past the church preached on gluttony today we practice it now what I do with the first service I want to do it here too let me put a big disclaimer in there again that I have nothing but sympathy for those who struggle in this area I was one of those and still am I love to eat and if I don't put my flesh in check it will dominate 270 pounds in my 20s borderline hypoglycemic couldn't get medical coverage you know doctor said you need to do something drastic quick so I have nothing but compassion for those trapped in that that that that lifestyle and also or addiction and food actually it's not just if when I was overweight there's other people I had a problem with food that weren't overweight just because you know I was overweight didn't necessarily mean I had a problem with food although I did other people can have a problem with food they measure it they worship it and all this stuff so it's a worship it's it's where our focus is that so this where we have to be careful as a master food is a wonderful servant but a terrible master as a master it decreases our spiritual appetite and weakens us spiritually that's why Paul said I discipline my body and bring it under control you get that Paul said I discipline my body and bring it under control I don't allow my body to bring me under control I don't tell my body what to do or what it doesn't tell me what to do I tell it what to do I discipline my body now on this note of gluttony I had to read this early church fathers quote and you guys think I'm hardcore you got to listen to this guy flocks eNOS is his name I believe Phil Ochs eNOS fifth-century he said this about about gluttony although all the evil passions of the lusts are abominated and detested by the word the filthy passion of the lusts of the belly is more abominated and detested than they all it darkened a--the the mind for its thinking and filthy passion is the door of all wickedness and whatever it hath power like a great wide door it is open for the entrance of all Obama dole things Wow these guys weren't messing around I mean that's how it was commentary and of course I wouldn't write that's you know that's pretty pretty stringent but his point is that it allowed when the flesh gains control it allows us to open the door or allows the the enemy to open a door through that area of the flesh dominating and I read the story exactly a year ago and I want to read it again tonight because it fits right in this is of Thomas Constantine's history of the three Edwards and he described the life over in all the third for Century Duke and what is now Belgium grossly overweight Renauld was commonly called by his Latin name Crassus which meant overweight after a violent quarrel Reynolds younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him Edward captured Renauld but did not kill him instead he built a room around Renauld in the newer castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room this would have not been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near normal size and none was locked or barred the problem was Renault sighs to regain his freedom he needed to lose weight but Edward knew his older brother and each day he sent him a variety of delicious foods instead of dieting his way out of prison Renauld grew fatter when Duke Edward was accused of cruelty he had a ready answer my brother is not a prisoner he may leave when he so wills Renault stayed in that room for ten years and wasn't released until after Edward died in battle by then his health was so ruined he died within a year a prisoner of his own appetite isn't that true a prisoner of her own appetite and that's what fasting does fasting breaks that enslavement and the message I gave last year that ties into this Vigo on our web site fasting breaks enslavement because you're feeding the Spirit of God and you're fighting the flesh fasting two Thrones the dictator within if there isn't discipline in this area chances are good that there's not discipline in other areas if we can't discipline our body in these areas it filters into other areas as well now at this point let me just throw out a word of encouragement all of us fell the key is to fall forward into God's gracious arms of forgiveness and restoration and renewal you know the same fall forward you're getting back up and not and not allowing you know don't go man I can't believe this I'm so down allow this to propel you in the right direction fall forward fall back into Gardens God's arms of redemption fall back into his will these aren't bad things these are good things because it stirs a convicts it challenges us to draw closer to him now we also put this down we cannot talk about a powerful prayer life and seeking God without discussing fasting fasting is mentioning throughout the Bible and actually gave you an insert scriptural support I pulled that fasting on Google and I couldn't I couldn't include all the the scriptures that deal with it when people fasted and sought God and in deliverance took place so look those over when you get a chance but what happens when we fast and there's many different types there's Daniel fast where you go on for 21 days fruits vegetables there's water only distilled water for a day or two whatever you decide to do make sure you obviously run it by a physician but even prepare for it cuz gonna be very challenging but very rewarding here's what happens God's will becomes clearer than ever prayer changes from self focused to God focus fasting opens the eyes of our understanding and that's why we receive so in other words our prayers often you know the scripture says if you ask you will receive why don't I receive because the Bible says sometimes often you ask a miss do you might spend it on your pleasures so our prayer life is like praying for God to open doors for this nice new house or this nice new car and up on the hill and you know Mercedes and all these things we're praying or praying or praying and God saying listen get your motives right house on the hill is not bad Mercedes probably not bad I don't know I'm just saying but our motives are often wrong so fasting gets us in a place of submission surrender so now we can just pray Lord whatever you want from my life give me a vehicle that runs a house it's reliable that can take care of my family and we're just we God's will becomes clear because we're removing the flesh aspect of course you can't fast all the time that's not healthy but there are seasons in life where you can starve basically you're starving the flesh to feed the spirit that battle that's waging war inside of us you're starving that that area that's pulling you down you know the story Billy Graham is told that many times before about that battle of two dogs inside of a person and it goes something like this this young man was was suicidal he was depressed he was having all this this in life and he went to a pastor he said what's what's going on he told the pastor about his difficult life and he said it's like there's two dogs battling within me the evil dog that's dominating and the good dog that I want to want to draw closer to and the pastor looked at him and he said and that's the dog you need to starve you need to starve that evil dog you're feeding that very thing that you're supposed to be starving and the same rings true with us we're feeding a lot of things when it comes to addictions you want to overcome your addiction to you name in the blank fasting breaks at enslavement it's a wonderful tool that God's given us here's what else happens when we fast stagnation turns into flowing water what I mean by that is are you ever stagnant like the Bible is kind of boring Church is irrelevant I hope Shane hurries up and finishes I don't really want to worship you know either and I hope they don't go too long and I don't want to put on worship music when I'm driving and I don't want to you know that I'm just stagnant Shane I'm dead I'm dead to the things that God I need that revival I need that renewal fasting does that it turns that stagnant heart into a living water flowing again because you're honoring God's Word and you're seeing the Lord when I'm hungry I'm seeking when I fill those those pains I'm seeking when I want that instead I'm seeking you you don't think that God's gonna reward that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him it's in that diligence and pressing in but the blessing comes later and the mind becomes uncluttered and focused when people fast it's like it's like almost like you you you you there's a there's uncluttering there's a focus there's better memory everything comes together because you're more spiritually in tune that's the where they get that word from also powerful spiritual life occurs supernatural releasing can take place things you've been praying for years I don't know about you but there's some things I'm sick and tired of praying for it's time for God to move I'm sick and tired of friends and family members not being saved I'm sick and tired of not seeing this and not seeing that God I'm sick and tired of it I'm gonna press in I'm gonna I'm gonna seek God with all my heart with all my strength that's where fasting comes in handy we want more of God I want prayers to be answered I'm tired of this Lord I've been praying why aren't you moving sometimes we need to fast and break those things so breakthroughs can take place say well Shane that's just hiding the pie in the sky stuff yeah I don't really believe that well look at some of the scriptural support Moses received the Word of God on Mount Sinai after fasting King Jehoshaphat experienced victory and defeat an entire army without doing anything after fasting yes to receive protection from her people called them to a three-day fast Elijah was restored in the cave after he called down fire on mark Mount Carmel in the Prophet that Jezebel that wicked woman the Bible says said I'm gonna do to Elijah what he did to my prophets he'll be dead by tomorrow and the man of God fled for his life depressed and anxious went into a cave and he fasted he took up meat the Bible says and gave him strength for forty days he went forty days in that strength he was in the cave and it was in that cave he heard the still small voice of God God was not in the fire he was not in the earthquake he was in that still small voice and Elijah was encouraged what about Daniel experience of supernatural through fasting Daniel that's where we get her Daniel fast the visions of dreams from God that supernatural he was able to determine that after fasting Ezra received direction for the temple of God the rebuilding of that after fasting Nehemiah was strengthened after fasting the king said Nehemiah why you sad he said why shouldn't I be sad the place of my father's tombs lies in waste I'm gonna fast with sackcloth and ashes and then he got direction from God Joel offered the cure for God's judgment to the people Joel said sound the alarm sound the alarm God's people calling them to solemn assembly to prayer into fasting Jesus was empowered after fasting Paul was called after fasting Peter he received confirmation to go with Cornelius after fasting Cornelia's an entire household was saved after fasting huh there might be a connection there I don't know call me fanatical extreme Jesus Tariq that guy's is toupper super spiritual no you don't understand I meet him I need everything I need that prayer life I need that devotional life I don't want I don't want a communion cup full of God I want to be overflowing jumping in under Niagara Falls that's what I want experience this thing doesn't even satisfy you take a little drinking what 20 more of them that thing's worthless I mean everybody wants a communion cup size of God because it doesn't require anything I can just hide it over in the corner nobody else to see it doesn't bother me I just take little sips now and then I don't want all that God has to offer so you can write me off as a fundamentalist you can write me on off is extreme you can write me off as a fanatical I just want more of God that's what fasting does it breaks the flesh the pole the flesh is strong lo the flesh when the flesh comes up you say no you'll submit to me I don't submit to you you submit to me as a personal testimony I started this last year many of you know on Saturdays I just moved to distilled water only all day Saturday it's all I have and the clarity that I have that the unction I feel the anointing of Spirit of God the church the last year has been dynamic things taking place because God rewards that fasting is it difficult absolutely but I want to experience a pain of discipline more than the pain of regret I want all that God has for this church I want prayers to be answered I want healings to take place I want oppression to be lifted I want demonic strongholds to be taken down they came they came to a woman or this man I believe it was and they could not cure his son of demonic influence the disciples couldn't do it so Jesus why can't we do it Jesus said this kind does not come out except by prayer and by fasting now look at your Bible some Bibles won't have it in there again it's a different on the manuscript through the majority text and then the different King James and the NIV where they get their text they'll put little footnotes this manuscript doesn't clear this one does you know what to me the truth still stands when you fast when you seek God special doors open anointings open there's a difference there because you're how much of God do you want do you realize how much you've got you want an inch of God you'll get an inch of God you realize that if you seek me with some of your heart you'll find me if you seek me with all of your heart you will find me the much as we give up to God he gives back what about Jesus himself if Jesus need to fast surely surely his followers should fast John the Baptist baptized him in the River Jordan he came up out of that River the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove the Bible says and he the spirit the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness and he was led for forty days he was fasting for forty days the enemy came and tried to turn these brick in the stone cast yourself there and your angels will hold you up all these things Jesus said nope it is written it is written he was in the power we don't understand this we completely but all I know is the Bible says he was baptized he was led by the Spirit of God he endure temptation he fasted and then the Bible says something interesting Jesus came out filled with the Spirit of God came from obscurity to notoriety nobody knows who he is now everybody knows who he is demons don't tremble the first 30 years but now they're saying Christ don't throw us into the abyss now now we know your name now you have anointing now you have unction now you're called by God now ministry is going to cause damage 30 years of nothing and then comes out now he's transformed the Bible is not just in fasted 40 days and they came out of the wilderness and the power of the Spirit that's not an accident of language that's not logistical logistical hook hook up he's been clear there the anointing the power the unction came from his obedience to the Father Christ suffered he learned obedience by the thing he suffered we have a high priest who's been tempted like we are he can relate to every temptation because he was test it so if Christ Himself did that to need the power of the anointing of the Spirit how much how much more are we what we do we go through life in a lukewarm Christianity we're not going to fast we love our fast food we love our junk food we're not going to turn our media off we love our Desperate Housewives and sisters wives and all this garbage is leading to leading the church in the wrong direction we love it the flesh loves all these things so when somebody like me comes on the scene saying repent turn back to God bring these things in oh just write him off as a radical fundamentalist well then you better write them the most of the New Testament off as well that's biblical Christianity why you getting so worked up wouldn't you if you experienced the power of God in your life and you solve lives being radically change come Superbowl Sunday there's gonna be a lot of whooping and hollering guess what it's not going to be in the church you'll have guys jumping up and down go whoever I don't even know who's playing you we come in here we act as we're handcuffed we've got to hurry up get out of here I'm not angry and passionate big difference there I'm excited because when God changes a life and breaks a heart and heals and restores and through fasting you see deliverance through fasting you see see addictions broken through fasting you see real change take place - through fasting you see the product will come home I talked to parents sometimes the example their daughters living on the streets of Hollywood taking drugs so have you ever passed it for your child oh no why would I do that that's hard I don't know your kids almost gonna be pulled away by Satan you might want to think about these spiritual disciplines we pray for our prodigal come home as we drive in and out burger we can't even stop dinner it's ridiculous that's why we need a coach sometimes it's not supposed to be a nice feel-good sermon today it's a hurtful one that's okay because it goes right to here look at all those look at all those scriptures for fasting Moses received the Ten Commandments Jehoshaphat experienced victory Esther was protected the whole Mordecai high and Haman and all those things coming against Israel Esther call the fast Elijah was restored Daniel experiences supernatural Ezra Nehemiah a Joel Jesus was empowered Paul Peter Cornelius was saved this man he was fasting God says Cornelius God has heard your prayers and seeing your fasting your affliction of heart I'm gonna send Peter to you to show you the way of salvation is the Bible just putting fasting in there just because it didn't didn't have enough word space there that'll fill up you know eight hundred fifty thousand words for the manuscript to make it complete and let's just throw this word and know the Word of God is living and vibrant and active every jesus said I will fulfill every jot and every tittle the whole law will be fulfilled everything that God says this is powerful fasting is powerful the battle is not yours it's God's we know that right you know we're fighting from a position of victory not defeat the battles been won why do we keep losing then here's one of the reasons why use the Arsenal use the Arsenal I could say next Saturday we're just gonna pray for an hour you know many people would be here just be honest you can have a church of a thousand people in about twenty or at the prayer meeting the most important thing is the most important elective neglect most neglected why talk about fasting how many people are really gonna actually do it because we like the idea of drawing into God we like the concept but I don't like the work that's involved but we understand that in the natural I have to go work somewhere for eight hours to collect a check I have to do something to get this many people have been receiving saving for retirement for 20 30 40 years why to get the end result but when it comes to spiritual matters off no don't have anything to do with that I'll just say a quick little prayer and that's about it maybe I'll read my five minute devotional and that's it I'm good God says seek me with all of your heart I could just go on a lot of different things hmm all fasting brings reward you know and I know worship team knows as well to worship renews your heart does it not praying renews giving renews reading the Word of God renews so does fasting see they all work together they all work together just like an 8 cylinder engine what happens if you if one of your cylinders goes out not very good you're not cars not gonna make it the alt the whole aspect thereof worshipping and praying and giving and reading in the Word of God but when it comes to fasting mm-hmm now I'm not going to touch that one with the 10-foot Pole why because the flesh is in control basically you tell the flesh what to do it doesn't tell you what to do and as soon as you realize that the more you can start to experience of victory in many areas people have been trying to get rid of certain addictions for further and further their entire adult life hood they can get rid of it by fasting and breaking those addictions breaking those strongholds and it's also type of worship found in Romans 12 be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind right we all like that verse but what precedes it finally brethren finally brethren I beseech you to present your bodies as living sacrifices worthy unto God which is your reasonable service and that's from that fasting and that brokenness and anointing that that the spirit filled life begins to fill out and that's why I talk about all the time you need to be filled you must first be emptied to be filled with the Spirit of God you first must be emptied of yourself of your flesh myself included it all begins there so let me close with this the beauty of fasting listen to this last statement because it sums it all up the beauty of fasting that draws us closer to God are you willing to do what it takes to truly know God that is a price that many are not willing to pay that is a price that many are not willing to pay JC Ralph summed it up in his book on holiness he wrote this holiness will cost a man his sins ouch he must be willing to give up every habit and practice which is wrong in God's sight there must be no separate truths with any special sin which he loves our sins are often as dear to us as our children we love them we hugged them we cleaved to them and we delight in them to part with them as as hard as cutting off a right hand or plucking out a right eye but it must be done the parting must come now this is interesting on this point because I can be easily written off here too as a fanatical oh it's always sinned it's always says well what in the world do you do with all the scriptures to talk about crucifying the flesh being not conformed to this world abstaining fleeing leaving overcoming what do you do with all those in our politically correct culture and our politically correct church you throw them in the trash and you don't talk about him because obedience means change and people don't like change they want to be encouraged in their sin they don't want to be convicted I could have certain death could have summed up the whole sermon right there would you encourage me in my sin would you encourage me I don't want to condone convict me just watch sometimes turn on the most popular TV preachers you do this on your own I'm not gonna name names you turn on the most popular TV preachers and watch how much conviction you hear that's why everybody loves them there's no conviction that's why there's no change conviction is the means is that is what I call the catalyst to change in order for me to change I have to be convicted that's wrong but I'm never going to be convicted if it's wrong less the pulpits are calling us to that area remember I think I said this actually a few years ago in the church started that when our nation was being founded after 150 years or so a Frenchman came over and he wanted to know why why was America experiencing so many blessings and all this abundance he nobody could really explain it you don't realize how blessed we are as a nation because of some of the history and the tarnishes on the character but the core of the nation that the Christianity that came over that brought Christ and in his message the they were studying why is it so successful and the guy came to the conclusion he said I looked for America's greatness and her and her boundless prairies and on her fertile field and it wasn't there I look for America's greatness in her shores and on her harbors and then her Freight you know system and all it before it not the freight but you know the the boats and the ships and all that and it wasn't there I look for it in her in her gold mines and her vast world commerce but it wasn't there he said it was not until I went to the churches of America and heard the pulpits aflame with righteousness that I understood the secret to her excessive Amos quote many of you know America is good America is great because she is good as she ever ceases to be good she will cease to be great I'm not idolizing a nation I don't do that but what I am doing is magnifying God and I'm magnifying his word I'm magnifying any time you look to him and when you get the pulpits back to preaching righteousness again from a person who truly loves the people not here to beat them up or hurt them you will see change take place we're getting emails from New Zealand and Canada and Georgia and Scotland and you name it of people being changed and transformed be by the truth it's not me it's God if it was me I would be Blum burring full up here couldn't get through the sermon nothing it's gotten moving but how through conviction so don't run from it run to it that's why people get mad at churches they get convicted they don't like what they heard so they leave the majority of people leave because they don't like what they heard and I like what Joel the Prophet Joel said consecrate a fast call a sacred assembly gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God and cry out to the Lord we all say oh that's a wonderful scripture well you don't know the context but that was written he was writing to Judah Israel and Judah were broken up in the southern and northern kingdoms and Judah had just experienced the crawling locusts the consuming locusts the chewing locusts whatever there's four kinds of locusts whatever they are they went through Judah and they devoured everything what was it all let's get upset let's cry let's do this no then he says consecrate a fast call a sacred assembly gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of your Lord your God and cry out to the Lord now therefore say to the Lord turn to me with all your heart with fasting with weeping and with mourning so rent your hearts and not your garments return to the Lord for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and is of great kindness see we can't forget those scriptures either God is gracious and merciful slow to anger and great kindness he relents from doing harm who knows if he will turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him tied with fasting and weeping and mourning that's why it ties into last week the more I seek Him the more I'll find him the more you seek him the more you will find him many of you I know there's people here tonight that God is convicting you to turn back to him to turn back to him do you realize that he that conviction will not last forever it gets quieter the knock is first loud and as we continue down that destructive lifestyle guess what happens what's that anybody at the door and we become spiritually deaf and we tune out God so if he's calling you back there's no better place to be inside of his arms of forgiveness and His grace don't understand this is an angry god I have to turn to him this is a loving God he says he's slow to anger he's great his great kindness he's merciful he wants to relent from doing her but we have to turn to him we have to embrace him we have to confess our sins we have to cry out say Lord I'm sorry if my people who are called by me your name will humble themselves and pray and seek my Aysen turn from their wicked ways then I will hear their prayers and I will heal their land very common denominator from Genesis to Revelation turn turn turn turn turn turn turn to the cross it's consistent if you turn to me that's why I could preach us all day long that's just that's a secret if you don't know him turn to him if you've grown distant from him turn to him it's a wonderful thing you don't have to do all these things here's a checklist of 20 things you need to do and then you need to get your life straightened II know you just need to worship Him and come to him tonight you just need to plead the blood and say Lord I'm giving you my heart tonight I'm renewing my faith I'm restoring my hope and faith in humanity and in year though Lord because you're the sustainer you're the guider we look to him and him alone the more you seek Him the more you find him and the more you find him the more you'll want to seek Him and fasting is a very important spiritual discipline that put your flesh and submission and the clarity of God's Word becomes even clearer the passion for God's Word becomes even greater because you're starving the very thing that is sent to destroy you the enemy the enemy is here to kill steal and destroy the Bible doesn't say the enemy is inconvenient he's a little gnat doesn't say anything about that if God says listen something is coming to kill to steal and to destroy don't fall asleep on me wake up don't look at your clock sit up because this is serious stuff and how does the enemy do it he's already got his a little trigger right here he's got stuff in here in you that he's ready to write they're bringing it for fly-fishing through five fishermen just put that little bait right in front of that fish's mouth got him so fasting I believe is a form of spiritual disciplines that result in immense results for ourselves and for our families and it's one of the missing elements that we need to bring back into our life you

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Length: 59min 43sec (3583 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 02 2014