A little bit more on fasting!

Well, let's just dive right in with a word of prayer. Father in the name of Jesus we ask that you would teach us oh Lord what it really means to know you in every way. I say let the knowledge and revelation of fasting come into light! Let the eyes be opened in this hour. We want to know you not only when are bellies are full, but when are bellies are empty, for we know God that when our body becomes too full of earthly pleasure, our spirits can become empty, and we know that when our bellies are empty, there is no choice but to cry out that our spirits may be full! I say let the awakening of a fasting generation begin!! Let the army of Nazerite fasters and warriors arise! We have got to learn how to use this ancient tool again! We pray that we would not be overcome by the pleasures of this world, but that there would be a holy desperation for you that overtake the desire for the bread of this world!!! I say let there be a desperate crying out for God in this hour! Release the fast that breaks off yokes, and brings revival to America! In the name of Jesus we pray... amen.

Ok! Let's look at the three kinds of fasts that are talked about in the word of God. The first is the "supernatural fast". Ex. 34:27, 28 talks about Moses' fast. He was led up to the mountain not just once, but twice, and these verses talk about how he neither ate bread nor drank water. A person could not go very long without water, but Moses was supernaturally sustained by God. If you were to go on this kind of fast, more than 3 days (like Esther) it would be dangerous.

The next kind of fast the bible talks about is the "total fast". This is basically, a water fast. This is the general kind of fast that is referred to in the word. When the people would call a fast, this would be the kind of fast (unless specified) that sometimes even whole nations would take. Did you know that it is a scientific fact that the hunger leaves after about 3 - 5 days? Honestly! Try it out! You, who have done a fast longer than this, can testify.

The last fast that the bible talks about is the Daniel fast. Most people have a misconception of the Daniel fast. They think that it is a fruits and vegetables fast, but Daniel 10:3, says that Daniel took "no pleasant food." In the original Hebrew context, the word pleasant means "delicacies." "I ate no delicacies". This is how people can fast different kinds of foods. All three fasts are effective; it is just a matter of which the Lord is leading you to do.

Lets think together real quick. Obviously, fasting is not for God, it's for us. Fasting does not make God any more powerful than He already is, He is all powerful! Fasting is a way for you to humble yourself, so that you may be emptied out in the flesh to be filled up in the spirit. We must decrease, He must increase!!! Fasting is for us!

In Matthew 10:1 Jesus gave the disciples power over ALL KINDS of spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness, and all kinds of disease! Then go down to verse 8 where it says "heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils! Freely you have received, freely give!"; Now over in chapter 17 verse 14 it talks of a boy who had a spirit, whom the disciples could not cure. If they had been given power over ALL KINDS, then shouldn't this spirit that the boy had come under that category? I mean, all kinds, is all kinds!

After Jesus cleansed the boy the disciples came to Him privately, and asked Him, "why could we not cast it out?" what's the first thing He says to them? It sure isn't, "because this demon was too powerful for you" because they had already been given power over all kinds. Instead it is "because of your unbelief"!! He then goes on to teach them about faith-not demons!! Read the passage right now! The last thing He tells them in this passage is that "this kind only come out by prayer and FASTING". It is my conviction that Jesus was not speaking about this kind of demon, because they already had power over all kinds, but I believe that Jesus was saying (get ready for a paradigm shift!) "This kind of doubt, this kind of unbelief...;ect."only come out by prayer and fasting! They had power over all kinds, but they didn't have the faith to activate it!! They hadn't yet taken the time to seek God in prayer mixed with FASTING! Fasting brings a new kind of demon conquering faith! It brings council from heaven that releases MIGHT!! Let's look at this!

In Luke chapter 4 verse 1, Jesus was "filled" with the Holy Spirit. He is then led by the spirit into the wilderness, where He enters a 40 day fasting and prayer season. Now, look at verse 14 of chapter 4. It says "then Jesus returned (from the wilderness) in the POWER of the Holy Spirit"!! You see, you can be filled with the spirit, but after a fasting and prayer season, you will have the power of the spirit!! I tell you, that this world needs to experience the power of the spirit! What separates us from the Buddhists, from the Muslims, from the Mormons, and from the Hindus? The power of God! We need it! There is an anointing to match and overtake the extremity of the times!!

Fasting, when done in the right manner of secrecy, is called an "acceptable day" to the Lord! Isaiah 58 starting at verse 6 talks about "the kind" of fast the Lord has chosen for us. Verse 6 lists what fasting does. It is to "loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yolk!" Verse 7 goes on to list what you should do when fasting, "share your bread, give to the poor, cloth the naked, help other people" and then verse 8 starts listing what will happen if we do these things, ";your light shall break forth, your healing shall spring forth speedily, righteousness shall go before you, you shall be guarded by God's glory, and you shall call and the Lord will answer"! We see here that the list of blessing is bigger than the list of sacrifices. This passage is full of the richness of the table of the Lord!

I want to look again at verse 6 there at the last thing listed that fasting will do..."break every yoke." I want to show you something here. If you look at Isaiah 10:27 we see that yokes are only destroyed because of the anointing! So the word actually shows us here that, if fasting destroys the yoke, and the anointing is what breaks the yoke, then fasting brings a fresh breaker anointing!! Praise God!! Fasting is so powerful for the disciple who would be willing to do it.

Lastly, I want to leave you with a thought from the book of Matthew. Jesus expects those who call themselves His disciples to fast! In chapter 6 verse 16 Jesus said, "WHEN you fast..." Then in verse 17 He again said, "WHEN you fast..."; Jesus was teaching His disciples "when you fast". "Not if you fast". He expects you to fast if you call yourself a disciple! Then over in chapter 9 verse 15 of Matthew, Jesus said, "... the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast." He didn't say "then they might fast". We are now in this season that Jesus prophesied about! The season where the bridegroom has gone to prepare a place for us and until He returns, we should have seasons of prayer mixed with fasting. So I challenge you now as you read this to not wait for God to "call" you to a fast. Most of the time in the word, the people were the ones "calling" the fasts! He expects you to do it! Let today become an "acceptable day"to the Lord!! Let's pray!

Father I ask you right now that you would release the grace of fasting! Let it come my God on my generation! Let it bring that yolk destroying anointing to a desperate people! Pour out your name on us Jesus!! Smear us with your name! I ask right now that the people would be stirred! That a hunger for you would overtake the hunger for the pleasures of earth! Let it come my God in Jesus' mighty matchless name!!! Amen!!