Latest / The BLAZE (Bible Study) / Is Fasting Mandatory? [Morning Devo]
Transcript
- 0:03Speaker 1: Good morning, family, God, Good morning, welcome back to the
- 0:06Speaker 1: one in Devo. This is the second episode, the second
- 0:11Speaker 1: Morning Devotion of twenty twenty five from the time of
- 0:14Speaker 1: his recording. So Amen, this is a new beginning for
- 0:17Speaker 1: a lot of people, new start. When we look at
- 0:20Speaker 1: our calendar, Amen, we can know that this is very
- 0:23Speaker 1: the very beginning of our new year on our calendar. Amen.
- 0:27Speaker 1: But I always tell people our calendar is not the
- 0:30Speaker 1: same calendar of the Lord, the Lord's calendar. God sits
- 0:34Speaker 1: outside of time. Amen. We created some time, an order
- 0:38Speaker 1: of time, so that way we can know where we
- 0:40Speaker 1: are in history. But God is outside of time. But
- 0:43Speaker 1: he reveals himself. He revealed himself and reveals himself still
- 0:47Speaker 1: in our time. It's an amazing fact of God, Amen,
- 0:51Speaker 1: because of his power is love, is grace, is mercy.
- 0:54Speaker 1: So in the beginning of every year, we usually as
- 0:57Speaker 1: a how do you call it? That's something that we
- 1:02Speaker 1: always do every year for whatever I think this will
- 1:05Speaker 1: be over, like twelve years or so, that me and
- 1:08Speaker 1: my family and our church Amen, fast. We take the
- 1:13Speaker 1: twenty one days out of the first month of the
- 1:17Speaker 1: new year every year and we fast. So before I
- 1:21Speaker 1: get into this, I just want to let everybody know
- 1:23Speaker 1: I'm not against fasting, and also to admit to everyone
- 1:29Speaker 1: I don't like fasting, amen, but I know the benefits
- 1:32Speaker 1: are fasting right, fasting and praying. I love praying, but
- 1:36Speaker 1: the fastening part abstaining from food or staining from meat,
- 1:40Speaker 1: like staining from upstaining from I was gonna say foods
- 1:44Speaker 1: and vesta, but foods and veterls are good. We want
- 1:47Speaker 1: to do the twenty one day Daniel fast what we
- 1:49Speaker 1: call it Daniel Fast, and I'm not gonna get too
- 1:50Speaker 1: much into it. I just pose. I want to pose
- 1:53Speaker 1: the question today. You could stay from candies and cakes
- 1:58Speaker 1: and all that stuff for twenty one one days so
- 2:01Speaker 1: you can stay focused on the main thing, the main person,
- 2:07Speaker 1: The main reason that we should be focused on anyway, Amen,
- 2:10Speaker 1: is the Lord. Good morning, since the joint I see you,
- 2:13Speaker 1: good morning, Good morning. Amen. You hear my voice in
- 2:16Speaker 1: the background because I have this on there you go,
- 2:19Speaker 1: So thank you so much for letting me know. It's
- 2:21Speaker 1: just the only way I can monitor myself is to
- 2:24Speaker 1: listen to make sure that the volume is good. Then,
- 2:27Speaker 1: thank you so much for letting me know that it's
- 2:29Speaker 1: just a join So that's just to put it out there.
- 2:34Speaker 1: This is not something that oh Sam said, we're not
- 2:37Speaker 1: supposed to fast. I'm not gonna say that. The question
- 2:41Speaker 1: is is fasting mandatory? Like do we have to ask
- 2:45Speaker 1: or this a rule? This is a mandate, a mandate
- 2:48Speaker 1: for a new covenant Christian. Amen, that the Lord tell
- 2:51Speaker 1: us that we have to fast or when aything like that.
- 2:54Speaker 1: That's the way I think. Amen, I have to dig
- 2:57Speaker 1: into the scriptures to see if one learning of what
- 3:01Speaker 1: I learned is accurate. A mean day and your faith
- 3:04Speaker 1: and knowledge of who God is through his word and man,
- 3:07Speaker 1: I can guarantee that. So I wrote this, it's fasting mandatory.
- 3:12Speaker 1: That's the question on today's Morning devote. If you want
- 3:15Speaker 1: to fast, you should do it as a personal decision
- 3:20Speaker 1: to focus on your joy and freedom in Christ, not
- 3:25Speaker 1: as a requirement to gain more spirituality. So the problem
- 3:28Speaker 1: is that I see, at least that I went through,
- 3:32Speaker 1: is that I thought that if you fast right, you'll
- 3:36Speaker 1: get more spiritual or you get more favored with God.
- 3:38Speaker 1: That's the way I used to think. I don't know
- 3:40Speaker 1: where I heard that from, but I used to think that.
- 3:42Speaker 1: But I realized after fasting that no that's not the
- 3:46Speaker 1: case for me. Was I stay more focused and I
- 3:50Speaker 1: can listen and I could hear Holy Spirit God clearly.
- 3:53Speaker 1: I can read the word clearly. Amen. The toxins released
- 3:56Speaker 1: from my body after three days of a no food fast.
- 4:00Speaker 1: At least this is my experience. I don't know if
- 4:02Speaker 1: you have ever experienced this for all the people that
- 4:05Speaker 1: wear glasses like me, after the third day of a
- 4:08Speaker 1: no food fast every single time. The reason why I
- 4:12Speaker 1: found this out is because one time I was driving
- 4:16Speaker 1: and it was like the third or fourth day of
- 4:18Speaker 1: my no food fast. This water and I know I
- 4:21Speaker 1: always go like this when I'm driving to correct my
- 4:25Speaker 1: lenses on my face, and I realized I didn't have
- 4:28Speaker 1: them on, and it was late, it was dark, and
- 4:32Speaker 1: I was driving fine. I could see like twenty twenty.
- 4:36Speaker 1: So one time I had an eye doctor appointment and
- 4:40Speaker 1: I asked my eye doctor, I said, listen, I fast,
- 4:43Speaker 1: and he wanted to know what kind of fast and
- 4:45Speaker 1: I told him. He asked me why, and I told him,
- 4:49Speaker 1: and he goes, yeah, So what's your question? I said,
- 4:51Speaker 1: how is it that I could see better when I
- 4:55Speaker 1: do a no food fast? After three or four days,
- 4:58Speaker 1: I could see without my glasses and not drive could
- 5:00Speaker 1: drive it out my glasses. And he smirked, and he said, well,
- 5:04Speaker 1: toxins are released, and this is released from your eyes.
- 5:09Speaker 1: You know, he was technical with it. So in my experience,
- 5:12Speaker 1: after the third day of a no food fast, Amen,
- 5:15Speaker 1: you know, I can see clearly, so there has to
- 5:17Speaker 1: be something behind that, right, And pray before you fast,
- 5:22Speaker 1: and if you have medical conditions, I will consolet with
- 5:25Speaker 1: your doctor. It's probably gonna be a negative. If you're pregnant.
- 5:29Speaker 1: Of course, a lot of doctors say, no, you can't
- 5:31Speaker 1: do that. You have to eat, you know, So we
- 5:33Speaker 1: have to use wisdom. That's why I know if that's
- 5:36Speaker 1: the case, everybody doesn't have to fast. That's just how
- 5:41Speaker 1: I see it, Amen. So we're gonna be in tightest
- 5:44Speaker 1: chapter number two versus eleven to fourteen. Tightest number two
- 5:48Speaker 1: versus eleven to fourteen today in the morning, Devo. I know,
- 5:51Speaker 1: I took a lot of time in the beginning just
- 5:54Speaker 1: to iron that out, because I don't want people to
- 5:56Speaker 1: think that Old Sam said, you know, he's against fasting.
- 5:58Speaker 1: I didn't say that, will never say that. I fast
- 6:01Speaker 1: and I pray that fast. Amen. I just the fasting
- 6:05Speaker 1: part of the upstanding part. I don't think anybody likes it.
- 6:08Speaker 1: If you like it, praise God. You could let me
- 6:10Speaker 1: know why you like it. But my flesh hates it. Amen,
- 6:14Speaker 1: My flesh like no, I need food. I need them cakes,
- 6:17Speaker 1: I need them candies, I need them sweets. Right. But
- 6:21Speaker 1: if you want to stay focused and you want to
- 6:23Speaker 1: devote some real time focusing on our Lord, Amen, fasting
- 6:30Speaker 1: will tone things down, it will humble you, Amen, and
- 6:34Speaker 1: it will release toxins. There's a lot of benefits of fasting, Amen.
- 6:38Speaker 1: But like I said, we're not gonna get into all
- 6:39Speaker 1: of that. I just want to tackle this question. Is
- 6:42Speaker 1: fasting mandatory? Is it a requirement? Is it a rule?
- 6:45Speaker 1: Does God command us to fast? Amen? I'm gonna take
- 6:49Speaker 1: a little scripture, Amen, a portion of the Word, and
- 6:52Speaker 1: we're going to focus and devote at time on that
- 6:54Speaker 1: is Two Timothy, excuse me, Second Timothy Titus chapter two
- 6:58Speaker 1: versus eleven or fourteen. Amen. Maybe there's something in Second Timothy,
- 7:02Speaker 1: is there? Second Timothy? Maybe there's something in the Book
- 7:05Speaker 1: of Timothy that I need to look at to you.
- 7:07Speaker 1: So let's pray first. After we pray, what shad us
- 7:09Speaker 1: out for like sixty seconds. If you have any questions, comments, concerns,
- 7:13Speaker 1: or any pray requests, please don't hesitate to leave it
- 7:16Speaker 1: on the live chat. That's what we're here for. We're
- 7:18Speaker 1: here for togetherness. Amen, twenty twenty five. How can we
- 7:21Speaker 1: help each other? And then a year twenty twenty five?
- 7:24Speaker 1: Let's not let this new year go by, Amen, not
- 7:27Speaker 1: helping one another, not being there for one another, not
- 7:30Speaker 1: showing love towards one another. You know, let that be
- 7:33Speaker 1: if that's the way you were, let that be before,
- 7:36Speaker 1: like you know in the past. Leave that alone, Amen,
- 7:40Speaker 1: unless come together as a family, a family of God. So, Father,
- 7:43Speaker 1: I thank you so much for what you're doing and
- 7:46Speaker 1: what you continue to do. I pray for all those
- 7:48Speaker 1: who have already started their yearly fast that you will
- 7:51Speaker 1: bless them. You will annoint them, appoint them, move their
- 7:53Speaker 1: hearts to move closer to your word and to who
- 7:56Speaker 1: you are, and to their new identity in You Christ Jesus.
- 8:00Speaker 1: I pray Lord God for breakthrough over every single thing
- 8:03Speaker 1: that tries to shackle us and keep us in bondage
- 8:06Speaker 1: and imprison us in old ways and old patterns. We
- 8:11Speaker 1: come against those things in a powerful name of Jesus.
- 8:13Speaker 1: I also pray low God for a financial breakthrough for
- 8:16Speaker 1: every single family member and my family, myself, my wife,
- 8:20Speaker 1: our children, both sides of the family, from the youngest
- 8:23Speaker 1: to the very oldest, and our bloodlines and everyone in between.
- 8:26Speaker 1: And I pray that same financial breakthrough over every single
- 8:29Speaker 1: person that's watching and listening right now. You and your
- 8:32Speaker 1: family a blessing. So if you would take time Lord
- 8:37Speaker 1: God to help us fast and pray, and that we
- 8:40Speaker 1: would do it the way that you want us individually
- 8:43Speaker 1: to do it, and that you call us to do
- 8:45Speaker 1: it if you want us to be in that mode
- 8:48Speaker 1: of focus. Thank you, Lo God for helping us stay
- 8:51Speaker 1: focused on who you are, the perfector and author and
- 8:55Speaker 1: author and perfector of our faith in Jesus Holy Name.
- 8:58Speaker 1: I bless every single person that's connected now who connect
- 9:01Speaker 1: later in Jesus Name. Amen to the Amen, and whoever
- 9:05Speaker 1: agrees with that we could say, Amen, good morning, since
- 9:07Speaker 1: the Joye I see that that you're here with us. Amen,
- 9:10Speaker 1: good morning God, bless you in the group. Amen, praying yes, yes,
- 9:15Speaker 1: continue to pray for me and my family. I can
- 9:17Speaker 1: see to pray for you and your family, and we're
- 9:19Speaker 1: gonna fast and pray Amen, according to how the Lord
- 9:24Speaker 1: wants us to do it. Amen. So that way we
- 9:25Speaker 1: could be a blessing for others in the kingdom and
- 9:29Speaker 1: for others who are outside of the kingdom when they
- 9:31Speaker 1: see our focus, Amen, and see why we're doing what
- 9:35Speaker 1: we're doing. If we have to tell people, that's another thing.
- 9:38Speaker 1: I don't think we have to tell anybody, but they
- 9:40Speaker 1: should see a difference in us, Amen, by the another
- 9:43Speaker 1: thing and the power of God in us and working
- 9:45Speaker 1: through us. Amen. So let's help me share this out.
- 9:48Speaker 1: We could take a minute. When we come back, we'll
- 9:49Speaker 1: get right into it's fasting mandatory. We'll try to tackle
- 9:52Speaker 1: this question, and we'll be in Titus chapter number two
- 9:56Speaker 1: Versus eleven and fourteen. I'll be right back Amen. Amen,
- 11:26Speaker 1: we're back, So let's go for it. Let's see, it's
- 11:30Speaker 1: fasting mandatory. You know that that's something maybe you probably
- 11:33Speaker 1: ask yourself. I know I'm asking that because I'm like, well,
- 11:36Speaker 1: we do it. I don't want to make this like
- 11:39Speaker 1: a ritual or tradition that it's not even necessary per se.
- 11:43Speaker 1: So I'll ask the question. A mat I'll be bold
- 11:45Speaker 1: enough to ask the question, and again a disclaimer I'm
- 11:48Speaker 1: not saying that fast thing is, you know, not necessary
- 11:52Speaker 1: or anything like that. I'm just asking a question and
- 11:54Speaker 1: we go look at a scripture that I saw that
- 11:58Speaker 1: maybe will keep us focused on on the purpose of fasting, Amen,
- 12:02Speaker 1: and will help us out the word of God's always helping. Amen.
- 12:05Speaker 1: Brother Chris, God bless you, God bless you as well.
- 12:08Speaker 1: Good morning, Welcome to the Morning DeVos. Good to see
- 12:10Speaker 1: you on the Morning Devo with us. So let me
- 12:13Speaker 1: get the screen ready to put the scripture up. For
- 12:15Speaker 1: those who are listening at Soul Winners with is Zea
- 12:17Speaker 1: Org the org, I notice a lot of people go
- 12:20Speaker 1: into live that so Winners with a Zeta Org. That's
- 12:23Speaker 1: a quiet place to really focus on these Morning DeVos.
- 12:27Speaker 1: You have a live chat over there, you have an
- 12:29Speaker 1: interactive Bible right there available to you via that website.
- 12:34Speaker 1: So welcome back. And those who are Seller Radio Network
- 12:38Speaker 1: listening right now, welcome back to the Morning DeVos. Good
- 12:40Speaker 1: to have you. So let me get this ready. So
- 12:43Speaker 1: for those who are just listening, of course you can't
- 12:45Speaker 1: see the images, and it's okay because I'm gonna read
- 12:48Speaker 1: everything word for words, so that way you won't miss
- 12:50Speaker 1: a beat and you'll be right with us. Amen. We
- 12:53Speaker 1: will be in the same frequency on the morning devo.
- 12:57Speaker 1: So it's fasting mandatory. Amen. It's a question, you know,
- 13:02Speaker 1: and you know I'm gonna tread lightly. No debate here.
- 13:06Speaker 1: I just wanted to ask the question to see what
- 13:09Speaker 1: we could find in the scriptures to get us focused
- 13:12Speaker 1: on why we fast at least. But let's read the
- 13:16Speaker 1: scripture Titus, chapter two, verses eleven to fourteen. The Bible says,
- 13:21Speaker 1: for the remarkable, undeserved grace of God that brings salvation
- 13:27Speaker 1: has appeared to all men. And that's a biblical fact.
- 13:30Speaker 1: The historical fact that Jesus appeared to all men teaches
- 13:35Speaker 1: us to reject unguiliness and worldly immortal desires. The grace
- 13:41Speaker 1: of God, which'all believe is the Lord, is the grace,
- 13:46Speaker 1: the faith is Jesus. Amen, grace of God that brings
- 13:51Speaker 1: us salvation. So the grace is actually doing something and
- 13:56Speaker 1: is bringing us something salvation. And who is the one
- 13:59Speaker 1: who saves us, the Lord Jesus. That's why I break
- 14:01Speaker 1: it down like that as appeared to all men, So
- 14:05Speaker 1: grace appears, Yes, grace appears to all men Jesus. So
- 14:10Speaker 1: it teaches could be a little off in the translation
- 14:15Speaker 1: I would put. He teaches us to reject ungodliness and
- 14:19Speaker 1: worldly immoral desires and to live sensible, upright and godly lies.
- 14:25Speaker 1: Here it is with a purpose that reflects spiritual maturity
- 14:30Speaker 1: in the present age, like right now, awaiting and confidently
- 14:35Speaker 1: expecting the fulfillment of our blessed hope and the glorious
- 14:40Speaker 1: appearing of our great God and Savior. Here it is
- 14:43Speaker 1: Christ Jesus who willingly gave himself to be crucified on
- 14:50Speaker 1: our behalf, to redeem us and purchase our freedom from
- 14:56Speaker 1: all wickedness, and to purify for himself a chosen and
- 15:02Speaker 1: very special people to be his own possession, who are
- 15:07Speaker 1: enthusiastic for doing what is good. Now. My thing is,
- 15:12Speaker 1: if we're fasting for this for grace, for the grace
- 15:17Speaker 1: of God, I think we're wrong. I don't think you
- 15:20Speaker 1: fast to get more favored with God, or you fast
- 15:23Speaker 1: to get more spiritually mature. I believe the result of
- 15:28Speaker 1: this scripture amen expecting the fulfillment of our blessed hope
- 15:33Speaker 1: right with a purpose that reflects spiritual maturity. See these
- 15:38Speaker 1: type of words indicate to me at least that fasting,
- 15:42Speaker 1: you'll fast because you experienced this remarkable undeserved grace, and
- 15:47Speaker 1: not trying to get something that you already have by
- 15:51Speaker 1: doing something that everybody else is doing to get whatever
- 15:56Speaker 1: they think they're going to get from it. I believe
- 15:58Speaker 1: if we look at the remarkable undeserved grace of God
- 16:02Speaker 1: that brings salvation, which was the Lord, we see it
- 16:05Speaker 1: later on in the same scriptures, he teaches us to
- 16:10Speaker 1: reject ungoidliness. Well, I'll just read it how it's read.
- 16:13Speaker 1: It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly and moral desires.
- 16:18Speaker 1: So if you're fasting to reject ungodliness and worldly and
- 16:22Speaker 1: moral desires, and you're born again already, I think you're
- 16:28Speaker 1: just doubling up on something that you already have right now.
- 16:33Speaker 1: Like to each his own, Like I said, I'm not
- 16:35Speaker 1: against fasting. I'm just trying to reflect on what this
- 16:39Speaker 1: word is saying to us this morning, devoting some time
- 16:42Speaker 1: writing the scriptures first day, in the first part of
- 16:45Speaker 1: the morning, for first portion of the day. Amen so
- 16:51Speaker 1: with a purpose that reflects spiritual maturity in this present age,
- 16:57Speaker 1: awaiting and confidentally expecting to fulfillment of all blessed hope
- 17:02Speaker 1: and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior
- 17:06Speaker 1: Christ Jesus. So read it for yourself, TI this chapter two,
- 17:09Speaker 1: the whole chapter, but we're gonna camp out eleven or
- 17:12Speaker 1: fourteen for today. I think it's interesting that God gave
- 17:15Speaker 1: me that scripture right after I asked this question. Amen,
- 17:19Speaker 1: And I think there's something there. I can't dig too deep, Amen,
- 17:23Speaker 1: like I always say, And this is a morning devo.
- 17:26Speaker 1: I don't want to really turn this into a full
- 17:29Speaker 1: blown barbister and anything like that, just because of time.
- 17:33Speaker 1: And I just want to encourage people to get into
- 17:35Speaker 1: this word for yourself, a man very important, the word
- 17:38Speaker 1: of God for yourself, not just for lying me or
- 17:41Speaker 1: evangelist or apostle or passive teacher or prophet. Amen. To
- 17:46Speaker 1: do the reading and the teaching all the time. When
- 17:50Speaker 1: you if you're born again, you have the very same
- 17:52Speaker 1: spirit a man that anoint the me, that anoints all
- 17:55Speaker 1: the preachers and all the people that are in ministry
- 17:58Speaker 1: and men. You have to say, very same spirit that
- 18:01Speaker 1: rose Jesus from the dead. That's according to the scriptures. Amen. No,
- 18:05Speaker 1: that's not a cap or any reach on it. That's
- 18:08Speaker 1: what the scripture says we have the same spirit. So
- 18:11Speaker 1: let me read you the notes that I took down here.
- 18:15Speaker 1: Fasting is not mandatory for Christians. That might you know,
- 18:20Speaker 1: bother people. That statement alone might bother people a man,
- 18:23Speaker 1: and it is not to cause any rockets or anything
- 18:25Speaker 1: like this. Like I said, I fast and pray. I'm
- 18:28Speaker 1: just gonna try to get into a habit of not
- 18:30Speaker 1: letting people know on why if I'm fasting. You know,
- 18:34Speaker 1: I think we don't have to go around advertising never fasting.
- 18:38Speaker 1: It's tough because we do it corporately sometimes, so you know,
- 18:41Speaker 1: people kind of like have the idea that we are Amen.
- 18:47Speaker 1: But I think personally then we're not supposed to tell
- 18:49Speaker 1: everybody just for some scriptures that Jesus that I read,
- 18:54Speaker 1: Jesus quote. Jesus quoted some things that we're not supposed
- 18:57Speaker 1: to look like we're fasting and things like that. The
- 19:00Speaker 1: New Testament does not command fasting as a requirement for
- 19:04Speaker 1: spiritual growth, because we read that we're already spiritually mature.
- 19:08Speaker 1: We're growing into maturity through God and what He's done
- 19:13Speaker 1: for us when he saved us, Amen, he sent his
- 19:16Speaker 1: very own spirit to live and to guide into guardess
- 19:19Speaker 1: and to teach us, to teach us all truth. Amen.
- 19:23Speaker 1: He's the teacher, he's the helper, he's the comforter, Amen.
- 19:26Speaker 1: And we're growing in him and we have perfect union
- 19:29Speaker 1: with Christ because of His spirit living inside of us. So,
- 19:33Speaker 1: if you're fasting to get more closer to God and
- 19:36Speaker 1: you're born again, you might want to just rethink that
- 19:38Speaker 1: whole concept in your mind, like, how could I be
- 19:41Speaker 1: any closer to God, to God than God already living
- 19:44Speaker 1: inside of me? Amen. I think fasting prompts us or
- 19:49Speaker 1: promotes the focus of who we are in Christ, the
- 19:53Speaker 1: focus of what God has done for us already. If
- 19:56Speaker 1: you're born again, Amen, that's the disclaimer. You have to
- 19:58Speaker 1: be born again to have Holy Spirit living inside of you.
- 20:02Speaker 1: You don't have the spirit of God inside of you.
- 20:04Speaker 1: You're not part of the Kingdom, you're not as child
- 20:07Speaker 1: according to the scriptures. Right. So the New Testament does
- 20:11Speaker 1: not command fasting as a requirement for spiritual growth or
- 20:14Speaker 1: closeness to God. And I know a lot of people
- 20:17Speaker 1: I've said it because that's what I was taught. Oh,
- 20:20Speaker 1: you got to get close to God, closer to God.
- 20:21Speaker 1: By fasting, you get closer to God. To get and
- 20:24Speaker 1: I've heard it so much that I actually, you know,
- 20:27Speaker 1: not looking at scriptures for myself, like I'm always always
- 20:30Speaker 1: encouraging people. I thought that, yeah, that's true, but there
- 20:33Speaker 1: was nothing that I found to say that that was true.
- 20:38Speaker 1: It emphasizes fasting, emphasizes the freedom that we have in
- 20:42Speaker 1: Christ to make choices that align with our new identity
- 20:47Speaker 1: and desires. Relations Chapter five, verse number one. I was
- 20:51Speaker 1: telling somebody that their desires is what's going to change. Amen.
- 20:56Speaker 1: So people were saying, well, I can't stop doing this,
- 20:59Speaker 1: can't stop doing that. Well, the more right you allow
- 21:03Speaker 1: Holy Spirit that lists inside of you if you're born again,
- 21:06Speaker 1: the more you allow Holy Spirit to speak to teach
- 21:09Speaker 1: a man, to direct to guide you your sinful desires
- 21:14Speaker 1: and those other desires, a man will get lesser and
- 21:17Speaker 1: lesser and less until they really no more because the
- 21:21Speaker 1: power sin right we spoke about that last time, has
- 21:24Speaker 1: no grip over a believer, over a child of God.
- 21:27Speaker 1: But our desires have to change away from that sweet,
- 21:32Speaker 1: dark chocolate that we want to eat all the time. Right,
- 21:36Speaker 1: If you're into dark chocolate, that's sugar, right, that's so addictive.
- 21:42Speaker 1: Our desires are the only thing that's going to change
- 21:46Speaker 1: our our want for those things that, by the way,
- 21:50Speaker 1: sugar and all that other stuff, it's really not good
- 21:52Speaker 1: for us anyway, but we desire it because we know
- 21:55Speaker 1: how it tastes. It makes you. It gives you that
- 21:57Speaker 1: sugar rush. It's like coffee. And the more I guess
- 22:00Speaker 1: I'm not a coffee drinker, by the way, and things
- 22:05Speaker 1: along those lines. When your desires changed, because God is
- 22:08Speaker 1: doing a change, the transformation in your life, and you're
- 22:11Speaker 1: fasting and you're praying, praying and fasting, you can just
- 22:14Speaker 1: see that your focus and your desires are going to
- 22:17Speaker 1: change at least during that fast. I know for me,
- 22:20Speaker 1: my desires changed, Amen, And I'm more focused when I'm
- 22:23Speaker 1: fasting and praying. So in the early Church, fasting was
- 22:27Speaker 1: sometimes practiced to avoid distractions right and focus on Christ.
- 22:33Speaker 1: Let me cite a scripture to back it up. First,
- 22:36Speaker 1: Corinthians chapter number eleven, verse number thirty. Amen. And you
- 22:42Speaker 1: can also re Galatians chapter five, verse number one. So
- 22:48Speaker 1: early Church was fasting. Of course, we know Jesus said
- 22:51Speaker 1: when you fast, because there was a situation where they
- 22:54Speaker 1: were trying to cast out a demon. The disciples were
- 22:57Speaker 1: trying to cast out in this So why couldn't we
- 22:59Speaker 1: cast out a d And so Jesus shows up casts
- 23:01Speaker 1: out the demon, of course, because he's an ultimate source
- 23:03Speaker 1: of power, of the ultimate authority, and it the typees
- 23:07Speaker 1: like we, how come we couldn't do that? Jesus said,
- 23:10Speaker 1: some of those things only could come out through prayer
- 23:12Speaker 1: and fasting. And fasting, so the couple right there is
- 23:15Speaker 1: power and when you put the two together, praying and fasting.
- 23:21Speaker 1: So in the early Church fast thing was sometimes practice. However,
- 23:26Speaker 1: it was not seen as a way to earn favor
- 23:28Speaker 1: with God or become more spiritual. And I thought that
- 23:34Speaker 1: was true. I thought fast thing meant that I was
- 23:36Speaker 1: more spiritual, and I was getting closer to God, not
- 23:39Speaker 1: realizing how much closer can God be to me and
- 23:44Speaker 1: in me when He lives inside of me. I don't
- 23:46Speaker 1: think you can get any closer to that. But you
- 23:48Speaker 1: know what I mean. And I'm not making fun of
- 23:50Speaker 1: anybody who's thinking that way to this very day, And man,
- 23:53Speaker 1: I'm just showing you that it's really my mind is
- 23:57Speaker 1: just rethink it. Go to the scriptures for yourself. So
- 24:02Speaker 1: we're not going to earn favor, We're not get closer
- 24:04Speaker 1: to God. By fast thing, we already are complete in Christ,
- 24:10Speaker 1: and we have everything we need for life and godliness. Right,
- 24:17Speaker 1: we could accept it or reject that if we if
- 24:21Speaker 1: we have everything we need, Amen, fasting, fasting, you're focus
- 24:26Speaker 1: about fasting all your purpose fast thing should not be
- 24:29Speaker 1: to acquire things that you already have. That's that's my
- 24:31Speaker 1: point today. That's why I don't think it's mandatory for
- 24:35Speaker 1: the new believer, a new Christian, for the new covenant Christian.
- 24:39Speaker 1: I don't think it's mandatory. I think it's very effective.
- 24:42Speaker 1: I think it's very important. I think it's very powerful
- 24:46Speaker 1: when you fast. Amen. So, but is it a rule
- 24:52Speaker 1: that we should put on ourselves. I don't think so.
- 24:55Speaker 1: If we're putting rules on top of ourselves, or maybe
- 24:57Speaker 1: laws and commandments on top of us, men, it will
- 25:00Speaker 1: be hard to find our freedom in Christ when we're
- 25:03Speaker 1: putting ritualistic or traditional rules and mandates over us that
- 25:09Speaker 1: God himself, the Lord himself, did not put on us. Right,
- 25:12Speaker 1: that's my point. We are already completing Christ. Collagians chapter two,
- 25:17Speaker 1: verse number tien. I'm just gonna cite the scriptures because
- 25:20Speaker 1: of time, but you can look at it for yourself.
- 25:23Speaker 1: Collagians chapter two, verse ten and tewod Peter chapter one,
- 25:27Speaker 1: verse number three. And so these are these are backed
- 25:31Speaker 1: up through scripture. And I'm not just you know, giving
- 25:34Speaker 1: you my ideas. I mean I am, I am thinking
- 25:38Speaker 1: out loud in front of you, but I'm not going
- 25:41Speaker 1: to make that a rule. And Sam said this. Sam
- 25:45Speaker 1: said that, let's see what the word says. Very important,
- 25:48Speaker 1: let's see what the word of God says. So if
- 25:50Speaker 1: you choose to fast, or if you know someone who
- 25:53Speaker 1: chooses to fast, praise God. Amen. It should be done
- 25:57Speaker 1: as a personal decision, like I wrote my comments, to
- 26:02Speaker 1: focus on the joy and freedom we have in Christ.
- 26:05Speaker 1: It's an amazing thing. When you focus on your joy
- 26:08Speaker 1: and you focus on your freedom in Christ, you focus
- 26:11Speaker 1: on what God has done for you. And in that fast,
- 26:13Speaker 1: and when you're focused and you're listening, you can hear
- 26:17Speaker 1: clearly the voice of God. Amen. Your body, your physical
- 26:23Speaker 1: body actually starts to mellow out. Toxins are released depending
- 26:28Speaker 1: on what type of fast you do. Some people, I know,
- 26:33Speaker 1: my spiritual dad actually does a forty day. And I'll
- 26:36Speaker 1: probably get in trouble for saying it, but it's true.
- 26:38Speaker 1: He does a forty day no food, fast every now
- 26:42Speaker 1: and then. Amazing. Amen, pray because you know that's to
- 26:48Speaker 1: me next level. But pray. Ask got what he would
- 26:52Speaker 1: have you do during the season of fast thing and praying.
- 26:56Speaker 1: I know in my local church, my home church, Transformation Church,
- 27:00Speaker 1: we take twenty one days out of the month of
- 27:02Speaker 1: January and we devote our time to fasting and praying. Powerful.
- 27:07Speaker 1: We do it together. Amen. It's not about what to
- 27:10Speaker 1: eat what not to eat, you know, or you know,
- 27:14Speaker 1: let's stay focused on the reason on why this is
- 27:16Speaker 1: effective in the first place. It's because we are celebrating
- 27:20Speaker 1: or responding or focusing on our freedom we have in Christ,
- 27:26Speaker 1: not as a requirement or not as a means to
- 27:29Speaker 1: gain more spirituality or to get closer to God or
- 27:32Speaker 1: anything like that. So God's going to direct us, Amen,
- 27:35Speaker 1: through this prayer and fasting, and we're gonna realize that
- 27:39Speaker 1: it's powerful. But not to pray and fast over something
- 27:44Speaker 1: that we already have. Why don't we praying fast for
- 27:47Speaker 1: things that we could give others hope and the gospel? Amen.
- 27:53Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, I think the Lord just
- 27:56Speaker 1: gave me a reason for me to fast, and I
- 27:59Speaker 1: just don't want to say it right now. Amen, So
- 28:02Speaker 1: thank you so much. I hope you know you understand
- 28:05Speaker 1: where I'm coming from. I'm not saying that it's a
- 28:08Speaker 1: question that I wanted to ask a man. If you
- 28:11Speaker 1: want to respond via the chat, you can a man.
- 28:14Speaker 1: If you want to email me or contact me, if
- 28:16Speaker 1: you have my texting number, you can text in tie
- 28:22Speaker 1: this chapter two. Read the whole chapter for yourself. Amen,
- 28:24Speaker 1: and see what the Lord has for you during this season.
- 28:27Speaker 1: So God bless you all. Got to keep you all,
- 28:30Speaker 1: and remember always that God is good. Peace,