Sermon on the Mount (Fasting)
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What does God want them to know? Fasting is a Spiritual discipline that draws us close to God, seek wisdom/discernment about a decision, delieverance/breakthrough, protection/provision, repentance, prepare and grow us in ministry
Why? draws us close to God, seek wisdom/discernment about a decision, delieverance/breakthrough, protection/provision, repentance, prepare and grow us in ministry
What does God want them to do? Fast
Why? draws us close to God, seek wisdom/discernment about a decision, delieverance/breakthrough, protection/provision, repentance, prepare and grow us in ministry
ME/WE
We are in the series the Sermon on the Mount were Jesus gives His first sermon describing what His kingdom is about and Jesus gives us a 30 point sermon.
Currently we are in the secret section or spotlight section of the sermon.
Jesus in Matthew 6 address that there are 3 spiritual practices of our faith that are meant to be secret or a better way to say it is that they are NOT TO BE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES that shine the spotlight on US but on God....but too often the religious leaders of the day, and it happens today too, were putting the spotlight, focusing on God, but on themselves....they were doing this SPIRITUAL PRACTICES SO PEPOLE COULD SEE THEM AND THINK MUCH OF THEM....
IS THIS WHAT SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WERE TO BE? FOCUS ON US?
No
THEY ARE TO FOCUS ON GOD
IT IS COMMUNION WITH YOU AND GOD
it is not to be “hey look at me!”
Because this was such a problem “what did Jesus say to do? “ what was the antidote to not making it about me?
Do those religious practices in secret, so there is no spotlight, there is no, “Hey look at me!”
What are the first two spiritual practices we talked about?
Giving and prayer
Does this mean they always have to be done in secret? yes and no…the first one Jesus says we are to give in such a way our left hand does not know what our right hand is doing.
Second prayer, is that always to be private? No, there are corporate and group prayers
It is just the SPOTLIGHT of our prayer is to be on God not us.
What was on the aha moment we learned last week about the Lord’s Prayer?
That in the Lord’s Prayer the first two sections focus on God and the next 3 focus on US not ME. We often pray Give me, deliver ME, Forgive me
Now we are moving to the THRID spiritual practice that Jesus address that is an interesting practice because it is a practice that people are doing more and more today but not for SPIRITUAL REASONS but for HEALTH reasons.
It is not a practice many us in our FLESH go give me that BUT MANY US WHO DO IT ARE GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE DONE IT.
What SPIRITUAL PRACTICE am I talking about?
FASTING
You hear about FASTING A LOT today in regards to our health. You hear people doing Intermitting Fasting where people will go 16, 18, 20 hours between meals for health reasons and I have done it and it is healthy for your body to FAST.
But that is not the FAST I AM TALKING ABOUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUALLY FASTING, we will in a moment talk about
WHAT IS FASTING?
WHY WE FAST?
Before we go there let’s hear what Jesus has to say in the sermon on the mount about fasting let us first hear what Jesus has to say
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
(not if you FAST, but when you FAST, it was regular practice amongst those who follow the WORD of GOD)
Day of atonement
When you fast and don’t eat food it starts to show
Don’t do it so others will see you....OH LOOK AT THEM!!! instead have your body look like it is not fasting
WHAT IS FASTING?
The Word FAST in GREEK means one without FOOD” not water, food
People who went without food, not water
To fast in the literal, the literal word means NO FOOD
IN OUR FLESH DOES THAT SOUND GOOD??? GIVE ME SOME FASTING TODAY, NO
Is this the only type of FAST CAN HAVE?
What are some other types of Fasts?
Partical fast called the Dainel Fast a partial fast of eating only fruits and vegetables, and water
SOCIAL MEDIA
TV
as he said he ate no pleasant thing
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.
BUT THE QUESTION IS WHY!?! WHY WOUDL WE FAST FROM FOOD OR ENTERTAINMENT? WHY DID PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE FAST? WHY DID JESUS FAST?
DRAW CLOSER TO GOD
We want to fast to draw closer to God.
When we fast we eliminate FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, and we fill that time for God.
Instead of EATING at LUNCH we are praying at LUNCH, seeking God’s face, PRAYER AND FASTING GO HAND IN HAND
You are having God fill you up to the fullness of God.
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
We get the sense this is what David is doing in Psalm 63
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
I don’t know if DAVID IS FASTING but we know He is in the WILDERNESS
DAVID IS SAYING YOU ALONE GOD, YOU ALONE SATISFY
YOU FILL ME UP
WE SEE THIS CORPORATELY AND NATIONALLY DONE, NOT ALWAYS PRIVATE
LEV 16
We see this in Leviticus 16 on the Day of Atonement, the High Holy day the nation of Israel would FAST to draw closer to God.
SOME CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES DO A FAST ON GOOD FRIDAY UNTIL EASTER
A FAST THAT ENDS WITH A FEAST
Early church did it how often do you think? Didache 8:1
Early church fasted TWO days a week on Wednesday and Friday
2. WISDOM OR DISCERNMENT ON A DECISION
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
IN BOTH THESE SITUATIONS WHILE THEY WERE FASTING JESUS GAVE THEM DISCERNMENT OR ACTION STEPS TO THERE NEXT MOVE.
These are to be your elders
Send Barnabas and Saul out
Many times people fast when they have a MAJOR decision about SOMETHING,
- a opportunity comes there way,
- fast about whether to take another job or stay
about a relationship
a major purchase
People set aside FOOD, or others things to HEAR what GOD wants them to.
ANYONE HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT WANT TO SHARE?
3. SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH
We see this when the disciples tried to cast out a demon from a boy and they could not do it....they tried the normal ways they were doing it but it was not working.
And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.
And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
and fasting
“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
What God is saying to us to sometimes to get Spiritual Breakthrough it requires FASTING and PRAYER
THE BREAKTHROUGH WILL NOT COME THROUGH PRAYER OR DECLARING “BE HEALED”
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)
I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.
And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.
So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.
Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
(who’s the Prince of Persia? A fallen angel, a demonic spirit)
We do not wrestle
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
IN a similar way with us, for the demonic forces to be defeated it necessitates fasting and prayer
This is the story of my friend Chris…my friend Chris started off on a good path, he was going to be a DENTIST,
Pressures of life came,
go involved in drugs,
Chris is smart make him a drug dealing, not local but over states
Homosexual lifestyle
Prison
His mom prayed every Monday for 7 years for Chris’s salvation
Through prayer and fasting that Chris came to know the LORD and not only that He runs a ministry helping other people who struggle with SAME SEX attraction find FREEDOM and DELIVERANCE IN CHRIST
ROE VS WADE OVERTURNING
A lot of pray and fasting went into the horrific decision that legalized the murder of the unborn, not only is murder but it is rooted in systemic racism, Planned Parenthood’s founder hated black people.
Covid deaths do not touch the number of deaths of the unborn
1 out of 22
2 million in 2020 to 43 million
We as the Church and Follower of Jesus do not need to point the finger over who has had an abortion because we all fall short of the glory of God.
And help those who are thinking about abortions
ANYONE HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT WANT TO SHARE?
4. PROTECTION AND FAVOR
Esther
God had appointed her to go to King Ahasuerus to stop the wicked Haman’s plan of wiping out Israel.
BUT HERE IS THE PROBLEM
“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
She could die for going to the king and asking what she is going to ask
What does she say
For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”
OK YOU MIGHT SAY THAT IS A GREAT STORY, BUT HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
TWO PLACE that this often can apply is at WORK or in our FAMLY
We can pray for protection and favor at our WORK places and in our FAMILIES.
I have known people who have had contentious work places or family situations who prayed before they went to the gathering
People prayed for FAVOR in a good way at work.
you love this job but it is going sideways
ANYONE HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT WANT TO SHARE?
5. REPANTNCE
Joel and Jonah
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”
So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.
Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
When I have fallen away from God, numerous times I have had a fast of repentance....God I am sorry for what I have done or who I have been lately.
I did this a lot in my teenage years.
6. In preparation for Ministry
Moses when he received the commandments of God (Ex 34:28) and Jesus in the desert with the Devil
Many who are in ministry fast as a to prepare them for ministry
John Wesley students had to fast Wednesday and Friday in order to be ordained
I need to BE FILLED WITH GOD to MINISTER TO OTHERS.
US
God calls us to FAST, the reason we are called to fast is to
DRAW CLOSE TO GOD
WISDOM AND Discernment
BREAKTHROUGH
FAVOR and PROTECTION
REPENTANCE
MINISTRY
He doesn’t say how often, How long
MY challenge and encourage you to have fasting as SPRITITUAL PRACTICE IN YOUR LIFE.
We as a church body have fasting as a normal part of our lives
Once a quater, once a month, once a week
Decided what to fast from and what for
DRAW CLOSE
WISDOM
BREAKTHROUGH (for someone to come to know Jesus)
PROTECTION and FAVOR
REPENTANCE
MINISTRY
could be multiple things
THIS THURSDAY WE AT RENEW ARE WELCOMED TO JOIN ALL US IN A FAST…you can pick what you fast from and why you are fasting.