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How to Fast for Spiritual Warfare · Arise Women of God

• 0:00
  Hey, my friend, have you ever wondered, how do I actually fast for spiritual warfare?
• 0:05
  Because maybe you've been praying over a big problem, a wandering child, a heavy addiction, or overwhelming grief, and it feels like your prayers are just hitting the ceiling.
• 0:17
  This can feel so heartbreaking because you want to break through the enemy's strongholds and see real deliverance.
• 0:24
  Well, take heart, because by the end of today's episode, you'll know how biblical fasting dislodges stubborn opposition, how to fast a protective shield over your children, and how our Savior Jesus Christ turns your sacrifice into breakthrough power.
• 0:40
  Stay tuned.
• 0:42
  Ordinary women extraordinary faith.
• 0:46
  When God calls, we say yes.
• 0:51
  Hello, and welcome back to the Arise Women of God podcast.
• 0:54
  I'm your host, Tamara K.
• 0:56
  Anderson, and I am so thrilled today to be joined by my wonderful friend, Sandy Falter.
• 1:01
  Sandy is an author, speaker, and a woman of deep faith who understands the power of united prayer and seeking God's heart in hard times.
• 1:10
  Since she is an amazing Christian grief coach, here's our battle map for today's episode.
• 1:16
  First, we're going to talk about the scriptural mandate and what Bible verses reveal about overcoming Satan's strongholds with prayer and fasting.
• 1:24
  Second, we'll talk about the family shield and how Ezra and his people fasted to secure divine protection in their lives, including for their little ones.
• 1:34
  Third, we'll talk about dismantling the enemy's decrees.
• 1:37
  And we'll talk about the story of Queen Esther and a story from Sandy's childhood here.
• 1:42
  And finally, we'll discuss how fasting shows love, where Sandy will share how fasting connects us to the two great commandments, followed by my personal journey of fasting for loved ones walking through difficult challenges.
• 1:55
  Challenges.
• 1:56
  But first, let's begin with the foundational purpose of fasting in spiritual warfare.
• 2:02
  When we hear the word fasting, we often think of maybe an endurance test or a religious duty.
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  But fasting is not just a hunger strike designed to twist God's arm.
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  Fasting is heaven's choicest instrument of deliverance.
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  Let's peek at Isaiah 58.
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  6.
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  Is not this the fast?
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  I have chosen?
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  To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, that ye may break every yoke.
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  Wow.
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  Notice God's language.
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  To loose the bands, to undo heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke.
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  That is powerful.
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  That is the power of fasting.
• 2:45
  In Matthew 17:21, when the disciples could not cast out a stubborn, tormenting spirit, Jesus told them howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by fasting and prayer.
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  This is the stubborn stronghold principle.
• 3:00
  Certain spiritual attacks against you or your loved ones at home will not yield to routine, casual prayers.
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  Fasting starves the physical distractions of our flesh so our spiritual soul can operate at full strength in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 3:16
  When you fast, begin with prayer.
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  Pour out your heart to God on your knees for your own challenges, those of a loved one.
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  Prayer and fasting can unlock blessings Jesus Christ has already purchased for you.
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  That may be contingent not only on prayer, but on the power of fasting as well.
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  Fasting also is one of the most powerful ways a mother can build an invisible hedge of safety around her children.
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  Let's peek at Ezra, chapter 8.
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  Ezra was leading Jewish families on a perilous four month trek across bandit infested wilderness to Jerusalem.
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  Ezra had testified to the Parisian king that God protects all who will seek him, so he didn't want to ask for a military escort.
• 4:01
  Instead of relying on armed guards, Ezra gathered the people to fast and pray specifically for our little ones and their household stewardship.
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  Scripture records that God heard their petition and they completed that dangerous journey without a single enemy ambush.
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  Wow.
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  As mothers, we cannot post physical guards around our children every second of the day, although we wish we could as they navigate school and social media and the confusing culture around us.
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  But when you fast and pray over your children, your household, you invite powerfully the invisible angelic escorts along their path.
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  Fasting positions the Lord as the vanguard before them and the rear guard behind them.
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  Isn't that a great thing to imagine?
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  Now you may be asking, what do you do when an attack threatens your entire family's future?
• 5:00
  Let's think of Queen Esther.
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  In Esther 4, 1517, Haman had orchestrated a decree across the entire Parisian empire to annihilate every Jewish man, woman and child.
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  This crisis was bigger than Esther could handle alone.
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  She told Mordecai, go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan and fast.
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  Ye for me neither eat nor drink three days, night or day.
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  I also, and my maidens, will fast likewise.
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  On the third day, Esther stepped into the Inner Court, found miraculous favor in the king's eyes, and completely dismantled Haman's plot, turning the enemy's gallows back onto his own head.
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  Group fasting can break decrees of darkness that may feel completely insurmountable.
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  Now let's listen to Sandy share a childhood memory of what it felt like when the whole world united in prayer and fasting during a historic crisis.
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  We're part of a much bigger world than our little community.
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  I remember back as a child when Ethiopia was there was the drought, and I remember our congregation fasted and prayed as a world.
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  I felt like we came together and we prayed.
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  I was young and that is a core memory for me that the whole world was praying for these people.
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  And so I think that we can come together in even in this stressful time and we can pray.
• 6:31
  Sandy's memory illustrates how fasting shifts our focus from our own fears to God's bigger work.
• 6:38
  When we fast for others, we are living out the heart of the gospel.
• 6:43
  Let's listen to Sandy explain how lifting up others through prayer and fasting expands our hearts and fulfills the two great commandments, right?
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  The two great commandments are that we are to love God and we're to love others.
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  And sometimes we might be self focused, right?
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  And just praying, please help me with this and help me with this.
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  And you know, we might have a laundry list, but when we think outside of ourselves, we're fulfilling those two great commandments to love God and connect with him and trust him with our problems and love our neighbor.
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  And when we do that, our heart expands.
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  I don't know if you've ever.
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  I'm sure you have.
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  Everyone's probably experienced time where someone comes back to you after you said, I, you know, can I pray for you?
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  Or I'm praying for you.
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  They're going through a hard time and they come back and say, I felt so upheld during this hard time.
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  I don't know how I got through it.
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  I have a friend, a couple friends going through a really traumatic, awful experience right now, and everyone is praying for them.
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  And their posts are so beautiful in saying, somehow we're getting through this.
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  Christ is walking with us.
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  We feel your prayers.
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  And so I think it connects us with each other when we pray.
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  I think it connects us with God when we think about others more than self.
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  And I think it's just a beautiful way to fulfill those great commandments and increase in those characteristics that we want to, to become more like our savior Jesus Christ.
• 8:08
  Sandy's point about moving from a selfish laundry list to outward love is the secret to spiritual warfare.
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  Fasting.
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  In my own life, there have been seasons where I had to fast for more personal strength to eliminate unholy habits or overcome a stubborn stronghold.
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  But my deepest fasts have been for my loved ones, pleading for heaven's power to come help them burst through heavy burdens of addiction, grief, depression, and heartache.
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  God is faithful to strengthen not only us, but those we carry in our fasts.
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  Speaking of bursting through those heavy burdens of grief, if you or someone you love is currently walking through the overwhelming pain of loss, I want you to know that you do not have to carry that heartache along.
• 8:58
  Our dear guest today, Sandy Falter is an incredible grief coach who specializes in helping women navigate the deep valleys of loss and truly burst the bands of grief through the redeeming healing power of Jesus Christ.
• 9:14
  Whether you are navigating a recent heartbreak or carrying a long term sorrow, Sandy has put together wonderful free tools on her website to help you find your footing again.
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  She also offers a free 30 minute grief coaching call where you can connect with her one on one and invite Christ's hope back into your story.
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  You can find all her free resources and book your free 30 minute call@sandyfalter.com we've made it super easy and linked it directly in the show notes below.
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  Now you may be wondering, does God always answer the fast according to our exact timeline or preferred script?
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  No agency is real and God's wisdom is higher than ours.
• 9:56
  But when you fast, you place that loved one directly on the altar of God's grace, knowing that his will is always working for their ultimate good.
• 10:05
  When you pair sincere prayer with biblical fasting, you dislodge strongholds of the adversary, establish an angelic hedge around your children and walk in God's light.
• 10:17
  If you want a step by step roadmap to audit the spiritual environment of your home and build an impenetrable defense over your family, we at Women warriors of Light want to put our complete digital guide directly into your
• 10:30
  hands for free down in the show notes below.
• 10:33
  Click the link to download your free copy of A Mother's Spiritual Defense Guide.
• 10:38
  Six Empowering Steps to Fortify Home and Family Once you get it, turn straight to step number one, the Divine Partnership where you can learn how to partner with God's power in prayer and fasting.
• 10:50
  Also check out the Home Sanctuary Audit where you'll find practical step to eliminate the open gaps where the enemy may be sneaking in.
• 10:58
  And also you'll find the Cast out the Adversary word for word prayer script to clear the darkness from your home and bring light back in through the name of Jesus Christ.
• 11:08
  Download your free coffee today on our website and fortify your home.
• 11:14
  Oh my dear sister, no weapon of the adversary in your family is too stubborn for God's power to shatter.
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  When you humbly pray, set aside food and seek God for your little ones.
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  Heaven hears your cry.
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  I bear testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ breaks every yoke and binds the heavy burdens and walks beside you through every battle.
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  Thank you for joining us today and until next time.
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  May you arise and do it God's way.
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  God strong.
• 11:49
  If today's episode helped you feel a little closer to God, please like and subscribe.