0960 Domino Effect of Fasting

Domino Effect of Fasting

Domino Effect is a cumulative effect produced when one event initiates a succession of similar events. One event causes series of events.

Fasting is abstaining from food for spiritual reasons.

Fasting is trading the bowl for a blessing. Temporary for eternal. Physical for spiritual. Visible for invisible.

And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:34

Esau had to fast to maintain his birthright. Jacob fasted to get a birthright.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

1. Fasting increases spiritual weight, not spiritual worth.

Fasting is a rational response to God’s mercy, not an attempt to receive it.

2. Fasting is presenting the body as a living sacrifice to God.

Unbelievers sin using their body, believers sin abusing Jesus’ body.

Man abuses, neglects, and ignores his body...

• by overeating

• by becoming inactive

• by being too active

• by cursing, fighting, and killing

• by partaking of harmful substances

• by caring for the external abusing the internal

• by getting too much or too little rest

Sacrifice is total surrender. Chicken gives egg here and there, big gives everything.

A living sacrifice means a constant, continuous sacrifice, not just an occasional dedication of one’s body. A living sacrifice means that a person dedicates his body to live for God and to keep on living for God.

The dedication of the body to God is acceptable to God. The word means well-pleasing, approving, and extremely satisfying to God. God accepts, joys, and rejoices over a body that is dedicated and living for Him.

3. Fasting enables to not be squeezed into the mold of this present age.

Fasting which promotes self-denial goes contrary to culture that’s obsessed with self-discovery.

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 Chronicles 7:14

Fasting is way of humbling ourselves before God. (1 Kings 21:27-29; Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21)

If we humble ourselves, we skip being humbled.

Fasting helps to get control of appetites.

4. Fasting exposes weaknesses in the mind as faith expels them

Fasting is mental more than physical. Adam had issue with temptation more than starvation.

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

Humanity’s first sin was with food. Jesus’ first temptation was with food.

I don’t quit when it’s hard, I finish when I am done.

Resilient mind is a result of God’s word and winning wars in the head.

5. Fasting brings transformation to your soul, body and spirit.

Fasting has emotional benefits. Fasting exposes unhealthy relationship with food and our flesh. We comfort our negative emotions through eating. Emotions surface they are forced to go to the Comforter the Holy Spirit.

Fasting has physical benefits. Lymphoma and Dog.

The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? Proverbs 18:14

Spirit can sustain your body but only the Holy Spirit and Holy Scriptures can sustain your spirit.

Fasting has spiritual benefits. It moves me not God.

Fasting increases sensitivity to the Lord. It’s not making God talk but me listen.

Fasting restores hunger for the Lord

Fasting regains control fo the appetites. It’s preparation for temptation.

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3

6. Fasting moves you to God’s perfect will.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit Acts 13:2-4

When we separate ourselves to the Lord we will be sent by the Lord.

There is our current work and there is our called work.

Prove means to test and to prove by practice in everyday life that God’s will for us is good and acceptable and perfect.

The believer must prove (dokimazo) the will of God. The word prove means both to find and to follow God’s will.

If we humble ourselves, we skip being humbled.

Fasting is the key to favor.

Faith will increase your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Fasting will help you get control of your other appetites. (Self-Control)

Gluttony is a sin. Abuses the natural hunger for nourishment. It’s over-indulgence and over-consumption of food. It is considered a sin if the excessive desire for food causes it to be withheld from the needy.

whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. Philippines 3:19

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Ezekiel 16:49

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,..Proverbs 23:21

Man lives in the body but he lives by the word.