Matt 6:2-8
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
(KJV)
Matt 6:16-21
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(KJV)
• He made it clear that praying, giving and fasting were a normal part of the Christian life.
• As much attention should be given to fasting as to praying and giving.
• Eccl 4:12
12 And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
(KJV)
• During the years that Jesus walked this earth he devoted time with his disciples teaching the principles of the kingdom of God.
• Principles that conflict with this world.
• In the beatitudes of Mt 6 he provided the pattern by which each of us should live as a child of God.
• That pattern addressed these three specific duties of the Christian.
• Solomon, when writing the book of wisdom of Israel made the point that a cord or a rope braided with three strands is not easily broken.
• Likewise when giving, praying and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.
• In fact, Jesus took it even further by saying, “Nothing shall be impossible!” Mt. 17:20.
• We could be missing our greatest breakthroughs because we fail to fast.
• Remember the 30 fold, the 60 fold and the 100 fold return Jesus spoke of in mark 4:8,20.
• Look at it this way, when we pray we can release that 30 fold return, when we both pray and mix giving we release the 60 fold blessing, but when all three, giving, praying and fasting are part of our lives, that 100 fold return can be released.
• What blessings are not being released? What answers to prayer are not getting through? What bondages are not being broken?
• All simply because we fail to fast or give?
• When Jesus responded to the man whose son was possessed with demons who watched helplessly as his son suffered with severe convulsions and as he grew older the attacks became so severe that the boy would often throw himself into open fire or a trench of water and a suicidal spirit tortured him constantly, he had exhausted every attempt for deliverance so, when he hear Jesus was near cried out for help.
• He said he had brought his son to his disciples and they could not cure him but when he was brought to Jesus the scripture says he rebuked the devil and he departed out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour! (vs.18)
• What made the difference? And that’s what the disciples’ wanted to know, so later that night when they were alone they asked him.
• Matt 17:20-21
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)
• That funny little word “howbeit” is the connection
• It’s the key that unlocks the power in the statement, “nothing shall be impossible unto you!)
• Jesus told them that they needed faith, even faith as small as a tiny seed.
• But that wasn’t all, long before this incident the holy spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where he spent 40 days and 40 nights taking no food.
• For Jesus, casting out that stubborn demon wasn’t impossible
• He fasted to gain the power and authority
• There are MANY things that we can fast for and see accomplished in our life.
• Fasting as expressed by David’s plea in ps. 42 brings us into a deeper more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord.
• When we eliminate food from our diet for a number of days our spirit becomes uncluttered by the things of this world and amazingly sensitive to the things of God.
• As David stated in the 7th vs. of ps. 42 “deep calleth unto deep”
• He was fasting when he made this discovery
• His desire and thirst for God was greater than his natural desire for food.
• As a result he reached a place where he could cry out to God from the depths of his spirit to the depths of God, even in the midst of his trial.
• Once you have experienced even a glimpse of that kind of intimacy with God, countless rewards and blessings will follow, and your whole perspective will change!!
• You will soon realize that fasting is the secret source of power that is overlooked by many.
• When we faithfully follow the three duties of a Christian God rewards us openly.
• Jesus wants to reward us openly, he delights in giving rewards, and he says when prayer, fasting and giving are practiced in our lives he will reward us openly!
• Whether you desire to be closer to God or you are in need of a great breakthrough, remember that nothing shall be impossible to you.
• Fasting is truly a secret source of power, the breakthrough comes, it is a private discipline that produces public rewards.
• We must dethrone king stomach! It really works we just need to go for it!
NINE FASTS GOD CAN USE
1) THE DISCIPLES FAST Purpose: “To loose the bands of wickedness “(Isa. 58:6), (Mt. 17:21) Freeing ourselves and others from addictions to sin.
2) THE EZRA FAST Purpose: “To “undo the heavy burdens” (Isa. 58:6)
To solve problems, inviting the Holy Spirit’s aid in lifting heavy loads and overcoming barriers that keeps us and our loved ones from walking joyfully with the Lord.
3) THE SAMUEL FAST Purpose: ” To let the oppressed (physically and spiritually) go free. (Isa. 58:6)-for revival and soul winning, to identify with people everywhere enslaved literally or by sin and to pray to be used by God to bring people out of the kingdom of darkness into his marvelous light. (I Sam 7:6)
4) THE ELIJAH FAST Purpose: ”To break every yoke” (Isa. 58:6)-conquering the mental and emotional problems that would control our lives, and returning the control to the Lord. (1 Ki. 19:4,8)
5) THE WIDOW’S FAST Purpose: ” To share our bread with the hungry and to care for the poor(Isa. 58:7)--to meet the humanitarian needs of others. (1Ki. 17:16)
6) THE PAUL FAST Purpose: “To allow Gods light to break forth like the morning.(Isa. 58:8), bringing clearer insight and perspective as we make crucial decisions. (Acts 9:9)
7) THE DANIEL FAST Purpose: ”So thy health shall spring forth (Isa. 58:8)for healing and a healthier life. (Dan. 1:8).
8) THE JOHN THE BAPTIST FAST Purpose: “That your righteousness shall go before you” (Isa. 58:8)--that our testimonies and influence for Jesus will be enhanced before others.(Lk. 1:15).
9) THE ESTER FAST Purpose: ”That the glory of the Lord will protect us from the evil one (Isa. 58:8) (Ester 4:16; 5:2)
