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Fasting - 3/1/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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  with your friends. Now, let's join
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  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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  God.
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  Matthew's Gospel, chapter number nine.
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  And uh we'll look there this morning.
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  Gonna deal with a thought here. Sunday
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  school and Sunday school primarily
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  teaching. So I'm going to try to do just
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  that this morning. I want you to stay
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  with me. I've had a lot of questions
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  asked about this and uh this subject I'm
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  going to be dealing with. And so we're
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  going to talk just a little bit about it
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  today. By no means is this an exhaustive
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  uh lesson on this subject, but really
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  just an overview uh thought here. And
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  we'll read just a couple verses here in
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  Matthew chapter 9. And uh what I really
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  wanted with Sunday school and we brought
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  that back to the church is I wanted it
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  to be a beneficial time of growth. And
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  preaching a lot of times is is preaching
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  to get a response out of uh the lost
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  telling them to come to Jesus or uh
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  maybe those who are saved and out of the
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  will of God to come back to Jesus. Uh
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  but teaching is a time of growth for
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  those of us who are saved and trying to
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  walk with God. And uh teaching is what's
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  going to get you from from here until
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  another day and until we come back. And
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  so we need to know more of his word. And
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  I appreciate you being faithful to be
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  here on Sunday mornings. And I will say
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  this, be praying if God would have you
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  to help with this class. And you men be
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  praying that God will give you
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  leadership on that. And uh because I
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  would love to have you have some help
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  with this. And so but until then, we'll
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  keep doing it. But I want to look here.
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  Matthew's Gospel chapter nine. I want to
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  read verse number 14. We'll start
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  reading in verse number 14.
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  I love this chapter. This chapter is is
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  slam full of all kinds of truths and uh
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  different uh different lessons that we
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  can learn. I'll be preaching from this
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  chapter in the 11:00 hour today and
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  you'll see why I use this text uh then.
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  But we're going to deal with this
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  subject of fasting. Notice verse 14,
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  Matthew chapter 9. The Bible says, "Then
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  came to him the disciples of John,
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  saying, why do we and the Pharisees fast
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  ofty
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  disciples fast not?" And Jesus said unto
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  them, "Can the children of the bride
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  chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom
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  is with them? But the days will come
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  when the bridegroom shall be taken from
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  them, and then shall they fast. No man
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  putth a piece of new cloth unto an old
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  garment. For that which is put in to
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  fill it up taketh from the garment, and
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  the ren is made worse. Neither do men
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  put new wine uh into old bottles, else
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  the bottles break, and the wine runth
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  out, and the bottles perish. But they
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  put new wine into new bottles and both
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  are preserved. Now, Father, I ask Lord,
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  as we try to teach this subject this
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  morning, I pray you give us wisdom, God,
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  I pray you'd enlighten our mind. Help us
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  remember what we've studied, Father. And
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  if there's anything, God, that maybe I
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  didn't see in my studies, Lord, that
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  needs to be uh brought to my remembrance
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  now. I pray you'd open my eyes to it.
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  And God, I ask you'd help us, Father, to
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  be faithful to heed this word and obey
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  uh Lord, as we listen this morning. God,
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  thank you for this ministry of fasting
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  in our life. Help us to uh employ it,
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  Father, and make use of it in these
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  days. God, I know uh that it will be
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  fruitful when we do it. So, Lord, I ask
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  you to help us. We'll thank you for it
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  because we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
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  This subject this morning is a touchy
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  subject uh amongst the ranks of of
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  Christianity. The reason being is it's
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  painful to the flesh. And and I was
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  thinking about this this morning,
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  looking over my notes for this this
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  chapter. I use this chapter uh mainly
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  because I'm leading up to a text that
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  I'll be preaching from in the 11:00
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  hour, but I felt led to deal with the
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  subject of fasting. Now, fasting was
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  introduced in the Old Testament. The
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  first time you find the word fast
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  mentioned uh on the along the lines of
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  fasting uh what it really means in the
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  scripture, you find the word fast before
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  that. But fast as it's used uh in this
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  terminology is found in the book of
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  Judges chapter number 20. And we'll turn
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  there in just a minute. But fasting is
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  simply this. When you look at it in
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  respect to the scriptures, it has to do
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  with the abstinence from food in order
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  to draw near unto God. Now, we know that
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  John the Baptist when he came on the
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  scene, the Bible says that he ate locust
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  and wild honey. And so, pretty much his
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  entire life was spent fasting. And
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  Jesus, our Lord, the Bible says that he
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  had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights uh
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  while he was being tempted of the devil.
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  And so, fasting is obviously a part of
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  the scripture. It's a part of the
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  apostles life. I'll say more about that
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  in just a minute. And it is profitable
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  for you and I today as the church of
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  God. Now, I will say this. There is not
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  a command to fast. But I'll say this,
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  it's just expected.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> It's just expect. You say, "How is
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  that?" Well, now listen to what Jesus
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  says in Matthew chapter 6 verse number
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  verse number 16. What's your Bible say?
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  That first phrase.
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  Moreover, when you fast, look what he
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  says in verse number 17. But thou when
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  thou fastest, verse number 18, that thou
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  appear not unto men to fast, but unto
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  thy father which is in secret, and thy
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  father which seeth in secret shall
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  reward thee openly. And so Jesus even
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  addresses this principle of fasting. And
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  so it's just expected. I'll say this,
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  it's expected. But I'll say this, when
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  you fast, you ought to fast out of
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  expectancy. All right? I say that to put
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  this in your mind. It's number one, it's
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  expected that you fast. But when you
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  fast, a fast is done not just as a
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  nonchalant thing in life. Well, I need
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  something from God, so I'm going to miss
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  a meal and uh just hope that it shows
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  up. No, when you fast, you need to be
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  expecting God to do what you're fasting
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  about.
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  >> That's what faith is. And fasting is
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  just a another step in this ministry.
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  And I'll say more about that in just a
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  minute. But back to our text, what Jesus
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  is dealing with here in Matthew chapter
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  number N. The disciples here of John
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  verse number 14 have come to Jesus and
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  they ask him this question. They say,
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  "Why do we and the Pharisees fast off
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  but thy disciples fast not?" Now, the
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  question that they're asking here is
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  almost an accusation. They're looking at
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  Jesus and looking at these disciples who
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  really to them are living a very easy
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  life with Jesus. Now, we know what
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  Christ's ministry was when he came to
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  this earth. John said that he'd come to
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  bring fire and he'll he'll thoroughly p
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  purge his his floor and he'll gather the
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  wheat into the garner and the chaff
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  shall be burned. And John had this image
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  in his mind that Jesus was going to be
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  just like him. But what do we know about
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  Jesus? He fasted in the wilderness and
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  then after that, what did he do? He went
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  out into the world and he began to work
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  miracles. What you see in this chapter,
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  there is his ministry of miracles.
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  There's like four or five miracles that
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  take place in this chapter alone. And
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  then there's the ministry of missions
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  that you find in this chapter. In
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  chapter number nine, in verse number 36,
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  Jesus when he saw the multitudes, he was
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  moved with compassion on them. And then
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  there's this message that he gives to
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  these men here in this text. See,
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  they're comparing themselves. And you
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  see the Pharisees and even John's
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  disciples, most of them, pretty much all
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  of them being Jews, they had this notion
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  in their mind that Jesus, that fasting
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  is what made them more spiritual. It was
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  the outward that brought spirituality in
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  their life. Let me say this, the outward
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  almost never is what spiritual is where
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  spirituality starts.
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  >> The outward is where spirituality ends.
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  It is the effect. It's not the cause.
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  Now notice this in the text verse 15 he
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  says Jesus said of them can the children
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  of the bride chamber mourn as long as
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  the bridegroom is with them. So he
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  mentions here in this text there's the
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  imagery of the Jewish wedding here. He
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  mentions the children of the bride
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  chamber. This has to do with the friends
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  of the bridegroom. These children of the
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  bride chamber would accompany that groom
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  as he would go under the bride's home to
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  bring her back unto himself. And this
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  was a time of rejoicing as these
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  children were walking about with the
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  groom. And isn't that the picture of the
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  Lord Jesus Christ in this text that
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  these disciples are accompanying him
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  trying to minister to the Jews. Isn't
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  that what this is? Notice chapter number
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  10 verse number one. And when he had
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  called unto him his 12 disciples, he
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  gave them power against unclean spirits
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  to cast them out to heal all manner of
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  sickness and all manner of disease.
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  Verse number five. These 12 Jesus sent
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  forth and commanded them, saying, "Go
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  not into the way of the Gentiles, and
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  into any city of the Samaritans, enter
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  you not." Listen to what he says. But go
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  rather to the lost sheep of the house of
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  Israel. The bridegroom is inviting his
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  people unto himself. And so the children
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  of the bride chamber here are these
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  disciples. And he says, "Can they mourn
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  as long as the bridegroom's with them?"
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  Jesus is right there with them in their
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  presence. He's with them, alongside of
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  them. Look what he says. Not only the
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  children, but there's the company. Verse
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  number 15, the bridegroom is present
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  with them. The time that this journey
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  would take place from the groom's home
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  to the time that he would get to his
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  wife's home to bring her unto himself
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  was a time of rejoicing. The children of
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  the bride chamber were what made this
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  journey special. They would rejoice
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  along with the groom as they traveled
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  along. But then you notice in verse 15,
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  he talks about the coming days. Look
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  what he says. The days will come when
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  the bridegroom shall be taken from them.
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  Now, what was he talking about? Well,
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  first of all, he was talking about the
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  cross. Amen. He would be taken from
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  them, but inevitably he was talking
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  about his ascension. The fact that Jesus
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  would not stay. He said, the Bible says
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  in verse 15, "And when the bridegroom
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  shall be taken from them, there's the
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  change." Look what he says. "Then shall
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  they fast." Now, the principle of
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  fasting here is is is presented. Verse
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  16. Notice the pattern here. He gives an
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  illustration. Verse 16 and 17. No man
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  putteth a piece of new cloth onto an old
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  garment, unto an old garment. For that
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  which is put in to fill it up taketh
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  from the garment, and the ren is made
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  worse. So the pattern here, verse 16,
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  verse 17, neither do men put new wine
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  into old bottles. Now number one, what
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  do you notice about that? All right, a
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  cloth uh this this garment. What is
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  that? That's an exterior item, is that's
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  a clothing. That's that's that's a a
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  vesture. That's a garment. Something
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  that's on the outside. What's this wine
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  bottle? What's a container?
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  As a garment is a covering. The bottle
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  is a container. Now, notice what he says
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  here in verse 16. So, there's the
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  pattern that's seen. It's an exterior
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  representation. But then there's the
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  problem that shows up. Look what he
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  says. No man putth a piece of new cloth
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  unto an old garment. Now, you know this
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  morning, if you've done any sewing at
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  all, that you can't take a new piece of
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  cloth and put it on an old garment and
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  expect it to stay.
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  >> Cuz here's what happens when the
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  pressure gets on on that thing and you
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  start pulling on it. What does it do?
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  That new piece is stronger than the old,
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  isn't it?
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  >> And so, what does it do? It begins to
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  pull apart the old. You say, "Well,
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  what's the imagery here?" I'll give you
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  that in just a minute. So, basically,
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  what that means is is that there's a
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  conjoining problem. The two cannot mix.
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  this mixture is not accepted. And so
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  it's that the problem is is when that
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  new garment is placed on, the new piece
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  of clo or that new cloth is placed on,
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  the new piece does not tear, but it
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  causes the old to tear in another place.
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  And let me say this, Christianity is not
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  a patching religion. You're
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  >> right.
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  >> Amen. Christianity is a fix it from the
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  ground up. Amen. Notice this verse 17.
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  I'll give you the imagery. Neither do
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  men put new wine into old bottles, else
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  the bottles break. Now you need to know
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  about the day and time which this was
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  written to understand this. The wine
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  bottles in this day time of course this
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  is unfermented wine. This new wine it
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  would just be pressed. It would just be
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  cleaned and placed into these bottles.
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  And these bottles were made out of skin.
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  And these skins they would be when you
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  you think about old bottles when that
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  wine would sit in there. I don't have a
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  specified amount of time. I tried to
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  find something on that. I couldn't find
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  anything about a a specific amount of
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  time. But for some time that wine would
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  sit in that bottle and as the bottle
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  itself would would transform, you know,
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  wine as it ferments, what does it do? It
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  grows. It expands and contracts. It's
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  much like the imagery of ice. If you put
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  a bottle of water in the freezer and if
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  it's in a glass bottle, Amen. You know
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  what's going to happen after a few days?
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  That bottle's going to bust, ain't it?
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  Well, this is the imagery in the
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  fermentation process. that preservation
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  of the wine. What would happen is if you
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  put new wine into an old bottle, that
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  bottle has set up already to the batch
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  that was in it before. And so when you
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  put that new wine in there, what would
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  happen? That fermentation process would
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  cause that old bottle to bust because of
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  the pressure.
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  Now notice the text, verse 17. And the
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  wine runth out. Notice notice that next
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  phrase. And the bottles what?
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  >> Perish. the bottle's destroyed. Now,
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  here's the imagery in this text. So, the
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  the the verse 16 deals with the the new
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  cloth on an old garment. That means
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  there's not a there cannot be a mixture.
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  These two cannot be conjoined. But then
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  there is the imagery in verse 17 of the
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  new wine and the old bottle. And there
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  is simply the truth that it cannot be
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  contained. You cannot put new wine into
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  an old bottle. You say, "Preacher, what
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  does that mean?" Well, here's what it
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  means.
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  This has to do with this the truth of
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  fasting. Fasting is a spiritual work.
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  Fasting is a a work of the spirit of God
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  on the heart of a believer. And what
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  you'll notice about fasting when you
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  find it in the word of God, it's always
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  done in conclusion with a presence of
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  the Holy Ghost. You go back to Judges
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  chapter 20 and you'll find that very
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  same truth. Israel is fighting against
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  the Benjamites. Judges chapter 20. I've
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  not got time to give you a lengthy
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  discourse on this, but the Benjamites
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  have done wickedly and withholding the
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  men of Giba. And so because of that,
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  Israel goes up to fight against them.
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  They go up once, God tells them to go.
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  18,000 of them die. They go up again,
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  God tells them to go, and 25,000 of them
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  die. And the third time they come to the
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  Lord and it says, "On that day, they
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  wept and fasted all day." Judges chapter
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  number 20 and verse 26, you can turn
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  there and read. They wept and fasted all
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  day. And after they fasted, God said,
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  "All right, it's time to go up. And this
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  time they they get victory."
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  That was the only difference that you
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  find in this text. They fasted and God
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  gave them the victory. It was the
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  presence of the Holy Spirit that gave
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  them the victory. That's what it was.
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  And so in this text, this this imagery
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  of the new cloth and an old garment, it
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  reminds you this is exterior. Now, so
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  this new cloth, all right, what happens
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  when a man gets saved? The Bible tells
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  us that, you know, if any man be in
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  Christ, he's a new creature. And the
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  Bible teaches us that our righteousness
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  is as what?
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  >> Filthy rags. But when we get saved, what
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  are we clothed with? The righteousness
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  of Christ.
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  >> To the lamb's bride, Revelation says she
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  was, it was granted unto her that she
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  should be clothed in fine linen, clean
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  and white. And so the exterior here the
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  emphasis is this. All right. The Jew the
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  Jews and the disciples of John were only
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  interested in an exterior work. But you
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  see fasting is a deeper matter than
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  that.
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  >> Right?
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  >> Fasting is not just an outward
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  expression. But fasting is an inward
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  desire to draw near to God. And when he
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  says no man putth a piece of new cloth
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  onto an old garment, he's saying this.
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  Fasting is a work for people who are
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  saved.
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  >> Right? But these disciples do not have
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  the Holy Ghost yet.
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  You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,
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  the Bible says that Jesus breathed on
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  them in the upper room. That's not
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  happened yet.
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  >> Right?
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  >> Holy Spirit's not took up residence on
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  the inside. And furthermore, Jesus is
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  present with them.
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  >> Right?
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  >> Fasting is a desire to draw near to God.
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  And how why do they need to draw near to
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  God if God's right beside them?
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  >> You're right.
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  >> You say, "What is the emphasis of that?"
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  Well, notice it again. No man putteth a
• 17:11
  piece of new cloth onto an old garment.
• 17:13
  Jesus says they are not ready to fast.
• 17:17
  Here's what happens. All right, this is
• 17:18
  what I've had happen in our even in our
• 17:20
  church. I have people who come into our
• 17:22
  church and and they do not they've not
• 17:24
  read their Bible. Uh they don't have a
• 17:27
  prayer life. They don't really know God.
• 17:29
  I'm not really even sure if they're
• 17:30
  saved, but they want to ask me about
• 17:31
  fasting.
• 17:33
  And here's the truth about it. It's a
• 17:35
  distraction.
• 17:36
  Come on.
• 17:37
  >> Fasting is a work of the flesh.
• 17:39
  >> Come on.
• 17:40
  >> In their mind. Well, I want to draw near
• 17:42
  to God. And so the Bible I what I I've
• 17:44
  been told that if I fast, I can draw
• 17:48
  near to God. No. The first thing you
• 17:50
  need to do is get saved,
• 17:51
  >> right?
• 17:52
  >> Amen. You say, "What is it?" Well,
• 17:54
  salvation's the number one prerequis
• 17:56
  prerequisite for fasting.
• 17:58
  >> You can't draw near to somebody with
• 18:00
  whom you have no relationship.
• 18:02
  >> Right?
• 18:04
  And so there's the the principle
• 18:06
  salvation number one is primarily and
• 18:08
  then you must be spiritfilled. Notice it
• 18:10
  again in the text. No man putth a old go
• 18:14
  a piece of new cloth onto an old garment
• 18:16
  because it tears it. You cannot put
• 18:19
  religious works. Here what I'm saying.
• 18:21
  All right. You cannot put the works of
• 18:23
  Christianity on somebody who is saved
• 18:25
  and expect them to make it. You're
• 18:26
  >> right. You can't put somebody who's not
• 18:29
  saved uh in a Sunday school class and
• 18:31
  allow them to teach and then not end up
• 18:33
  destroying themselves or everybody
• 18:34
  that's listening to them. You're
• 18:35
  >> right.
• 18:36
  >> You cannot put somebody on a mission
• 18:38
  field who is not saved and try to make
• 18:41
  them do the work of God. Here's what
• 18:43
  happens. I've seen it time and time
• 18:44
  again. Children come into the church and
• 18:46
  their parents are so eager for them to
• 18:48
  serve God and do for God and live for
• 18:50
  God. So, they force them into doing
• 18:52
  things for God. But here's what happens.
• 18:55
  It comes out to their own destruction.
• 18:56
  You're right.
• 18:57
  >> Because they've never been saved.
• 18:59
  >> You're right.
• 19:00
  >> Salvation is the prerequisite. You
• 19:02
  cannot put spiritual works. You cannot
• 19:04
  put a new piece of cloth on an old
• 19:07
  garment.
• 19:10
  Notice the text. Verse 17. Neither do
• 19:12
  men put new wine into old bottles. Now,
• 19:15
  that wine there's an imagery of the joy
• 19:17
  of the Holy Ghost. So, think about this.
• 19:20
  This is an even better picture in this
• 19:22
  text. You say, "Well, what is that?"
• 19:25
  Well, think about this truth with me for
• 19:27
  just a minute. They're a they're trying
• 19:29
  to place a work, all right? They're
• 19:31
  trying to place a work of the spirit of
• 19:33
  God on these men who just have Jesus
• 19:37
  around them, but salvation is not in
• 19:39
  them at this present time. All right?
• 19:41
  The Holy Ghost is not within them.
• 19:43
  Salvation is with them. Jesus has saved
• 19:46
  them. I know there's a lot of different
• 19:48
  truths about all this. They're saved.
• 19:50
  Amen. But the Holy Ghost of God's not
• 19:52
  taking up residence in their heart.
• 19:53
  Jesus is with them. See that with me?
• 19:56
  All right. Jesus is with them. And so
• 19:59
  while he's near them, they do not need
• 20:01
  they do not need to be fasting to draw
• 20:03
  near because he is near them. And so
• 20:06
  what this means is when he says they you
• 20:09
  cannot put wine into old bottles, else
• 20:11
  the bottles break and the wine runth
• 20:13
  out. You see that? That work is not
• 20:16
  going to change. The wine runth out. But
• 20:18
  look what the law says. What what did
• 20:20
  your Bible say again? The bottles what?
• 20:23
  Perish.
• 20:25
  The container perishes.
• 20:28
  So here's what happens. All right. You
• 20:30
  cannot put the pressure of Christianity
• 20:33
  on somebody who is not a Christian.
• 20:35
  That's about as simple as I know how to
• 20:37
  put it. You're
• 20:37
  >> right.
• 20:40
  >> Prescribing religious works on the
• 20:43
  unregenerate man brings sure and
• 20:46
  imminent destruction. Let me say this.
• 20:50
  There must be regeneration of the soul
• 20:53
  for there to be a rendering of the
• 20:55
  spirit of God.
• 20:56
  >> Right?
• 20:57
  >> In order for the presence of God to take
• 21:00
  take up residence in the heart of
• 21:02
  somebody, they first have to be saved.
• 21:04
  >> Right?
• 21:05
  >> You say, "Well, I thought that's what
• 21:06
  salvation is." And it is. It all happens
• 21:08
  at the same time. But without
• 21:10
  repentance, there is no regeneration.
• 21:12
  And without regeneration, there is no
• 21:14
  filling of the Holy Ghost.
• 21:17
  You got to clean the vessel out before
• 21:19
  the vessel can be filled. You're
• 21:20
  >> right.
• 21:22
  >> So, the imagery here in the text is that
• 21:24
  this work is not to be put on. It's not
• 21:27
  to be pressured on these men
• 21:30
  who otherwise this work's not needed in
• 21:33
  their life. Now, let me say this, all
• 21:35
  right, about this text. Now, the Jews,
• 21:36
  they're all about the exterior.
• 21:39
  And another side of this that you can
• 21:41
  see through these verses is that they're
• 21:42
  trying to mix make a mixture between law
• 21:45
  and grace.
• 21:47
  Let me say this. Law and grace are not
• 21:48
  the same thing.
• 21:50
  >> Jesus came to fulfill the law in order
• 21:52
  that he might provide grace. Bible said
• 21:55
  in John chapter one, the law came by
• 21:57
  Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
• 21:59
  Christ. And so Jesus came to fulfill the
• 22:02
  law, but he came to go beyond that and
• 22:04
  provide a way that we might be delivered
• 22:07
  from the condemnation of the law. And
• 22:09
  what these men wanted to do was place
• 22:11
  their law on Jesus disciples.
• 22:15
  You say, "Well, what's the truth of
• 22:16
  this?" Their fasting was fruitless.
• 22:20
  >> Think about this. Jesus is right there.
• 22:24
  Why are they fasting?
• 22:29
  These disciples of John, yes, it was
• 22:31
  good that they followed John, but it
• 22:33
  wasn't their time. They weren't supposed
• 22:34
  to be following John no more. Jesus was
• 22:37
  there. John was the forerunner of
• 22:40
  Christ. But when Jesus showed up, John
• 22:44
  said, "Behold the lamb of God." But you
• 22:46
  know what the problem was? There was a
• 22:47
  group of men. Even all the way into the
• 22:49
  book of Acts, you find the followers of
• 22:51
  John that did not follow Christ. And so
• 22:55
  what is it? Their fasting was fruitless.
• 22:58
  Salvation is a prerequisite. Being
• 23:00
  spiritfilled is a prerequisite. But I'll
• 23:02
  say this. All right? You've got to be
• 23:05
  sanctified.
• 23:06
  >> Amen.
• 23:06
  >> To fast.
• 23:08
  You say, "What is that, preacher? I
• 23:10
  thought fasting is a sanctifying work.
• 23:12
  Well, it is. But here's the truth. All
• 23:14
  right. If you got sin in your life, let
• 23:18
  me let me just illustrate it this way.
• 23:19
  All right.
• 23:21
  If you are presently
• 23:24
  committing some sort of sin, if if it's
• 23:27
  adultery, lying, whatever it is, it
• 23:30
  doesn't it doesn't matter what type of
• 23:31
  sin it is. Just fasting from food,
• 23:35
  stopping eating, but continuing on in
• 23:37
  that lifestyle is not going to get you
• 23:38
  anything.
• 23:39
  >> You're right.
• 23:40
  Fasting is more than just food.
• 23:44
  >> Fasting is an emptying out of your heart
• 23:47
  to God. You're
• 23:48
  >> right.
• 23:49
  >> Completely.
• 23:50
  >> Let me say this. There's a lot more to
• 23:51
  fast from in this day and time than
• 23:53
  there was when this was written.
• 23:54
  >> You're right.
• 23:56
  >> Now, I'm going to give you the truths
• 23:57
  about the New Testament fasting. I got
• 23:58
  just a few minutes here to talk about
• 24:00
  this. Number one, I'd say new fasting in
• 24:03
  the New Testament is not commanded. I'll
• 24:04
  say it again. It's expected. All right?
• 24:07
  It's expected.
• 24:09
  What do we fast for? Well, the Bible
• 24:11
  teaches us that we're to draw near to
• 24:12
  God. When you think about the truth of
• 24:14
  fasting, the first time it's seen in the
• 24:16
  word of God, the the first time
• 24:18
  terminology is used in the book of
• 24:20
  Judges is in the book book of Judges
• 24:21
  chapter 20. But the first time the
• 24:23
  principle of fasting is seen is in
• 24:26
  Leviticus 23. Now listen to what
• 24:28
  Leviticus 23 says.
• 24:32
  Leviticus chapter 23. This is the only
• 24:35
  law that's given
• 24:38
  in the Bible. You can mark put this in
• 24:40
  your margin. Leviticus 23 verse number
• 24:44
  27.
• 24:47
  It's the day of atonement.
• 24:50
  Now listen to what Moses says here. Also
• 24:52
  on the 10th day of this seventh month,
• 24:54
  there shall be a day of atonement. It
• 24:56
  shall be a holy convocation unto you,
• 24:59
  and ye shall afflict your souls, and
• 25:01
  offer an offering made by fire unto the
• 25:03
  Lord. Notice the terminology. Ye shall
• 25:06
  afflict your souls. Verse 28, ye shall
• 25:09
  do no work in that same day, for it is a
• 25:11
  day of atonement, to make an atonement
• 25:13
  for you before the Lord your God. For
• 25:15
  whatsoever so it be that shall not be
• 25:17
  afflicted in that same day, shall be cut
• 25:19
  off from among his people. And
• 25:21
  whatsoever so it be that doeth any work
• 25:22
  in that same day, the same soul will I
• 25:25
  destroy from among his people, you shall
• 25:27
  do no manner of work. It shall be a
• 25:28
  statute forever throughout your
• 25:30
  generations and all your dwellings. It
• 25:32
  shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and
• 25:34
  ye shall afflict your souls. Now, what
• 25:36
  does that mean? What does it mean to
• 25:38
  afflict your souls? This is what that
• 25:40
  means. It means to to take your flesh
• 25:43
  and put it in the pressure cooker,
• 25:45
  >> right?
• 25:47
  That soul is that inward seat of being
• 25:49
  and who you are. Now, you're saved.
• 25:52
  Okay? We we realize that this morning.
• 25:55
  And when we're we're looking at this law
• 25:57
  as a whole, the ceremonial idea of the
• 25:59
  of the this dedication here, we don't
• 26:02
  follow that. Okay? We realize that. But
• 26:04
  the application is the same. It's a
• 26:07
  drawing near to God.
• 26:10
  It's coming to him. You say, "Well,
• 26:12
  where do you see that in the New
• 26:13
  Testament?" The illustration is seen
• 26:15
  clearly. Acts chapter 13.
• 26:18
  I encourage you to write all these down.
• 26:20
  These are these this will teach you what
• 26:22
  fasting is. And like I said, this is
• 26:24
  just ver very basic overview. It's
• 26:27
  nothing deep.
• 26:29
  Acts 13:2
• 26:33
  Let's look at verse one. Acts 13:1. Now
• 26:36
  there were in the church that was
• 26:37
  Antioch certain prophets and teachers as
• 26:39
  Barnabas and Simeon that was called
• 26:41
  Niger and Lucius ofSirene and Manan
• 26:44
  which had been brought up with Herod the
• 26:46
  tetrarch and Saul. Verse two and they
• 26:49
  ministered to the Lord and fasted. The
• 26:53
  Holy Ghost said, "Separate me Barnabas
• 26:56
  and Saul for the work where to I have
• 26:58
  called them." Verse three. And when they
• 27:01
  had fasted and prayed, they laid their
• 27:02
  hands on them. And laid their hands on
• 27:05
  them, they sent them away.
• 27:09
  So here's what fasting is for. It's for
• 27:12
  the work of the ministry.
• 27:14
  And what are they doing in this text?
• 27:16
  They're drawing near to God so they know
• 27:18
  where they're headed to next.
• 27:20
  >> Let me say this. Fasting is a painful
• 27:22
  thing. You say, "How is that?" Well,
• 27:26
  pretty much the only other context that
• 27:28
  you have of fasting, there's another,
• 27:30
  uh, group that's given here, uh, chapter
• 27:33
  number, let's see here.
• 27:38
  Let me get my other verse here. I wrote
• 27:40
  it down in my notes over on this other
• 27:41
  page.
• 27:43
  Matthew chapter 9,
• 27:47
  Acts 14 verse 23.
• 27:53
  And when they had ordained them elders
• 27:55
  in every church and had prayed with
• 27:57
  fasting, they commended them to the Lord
• 27:59
  on whom they believed. So they're
• 28:00
  sending out elders, missionaries,
• 28:03
  preachers fasting for the sending out.
• 28:07
  Now listen to what Paul says about
• 28:09
  fasting. And I said this already, but
• 28:11
  fasting is a grievous thing. Listen to
• 28:13
  what he says. 2 Corinthians 6
• 28:17
  verse number five.
• 28:19
  Listen what he says. 2 Corinthians 6
• 28:22
  verse number or verse number four.
• 28:24
  Notice this. But in all things approving
• 28:27
  ourselves as the ministers of God in
• 28:29
  much patience, in afflictions, in
• 28:31
  necessities, in distresses. Now all of
• 28:34
  this is things he's suffering for the
• 28:36
  cause of Christ. Now notice that again.
• 28:38
  Much patience, afflictions, necessities,
• 28:41
  distresses, strikes, imprisonments. All
• 28:44
  of this stuff he's going through for the
• 28:46
  ministry. Verse 5. in two months, in
• 28:48
  labors, in watchings, in what?
• 28:51
  Fastings,
• 28:53
  by puress, by knowledge, by
• 28:54
  longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy
• 28:57
  Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of
• 29:00
  truth, by the power of God, by the armor
• 29:02
  of righteousness on the right hand, on
• 29:03
  the left. And what he's saying is is
• 29:05
  this is what vindicates our ministry.
• 29:08
  This is who we are. Notice that verse
• 29:11
  four, but in all things approving
• 29:13
  ourselves as the ministers of God. And
• 29:17
  then he lists them in in in in
• 29:20
  all of these things. Approve who we are
• 29:23
  as ministers.
• 29:26
  Notice what he says in second
• 29:27
  Corinthians chapter number 11
• 29:31
  verse number
• 29:34
  chap. Let me see and get my right verse
• 29:35
  here.
• 29:43
  Chapter number 11 verse number
• 29:46
  here it is verse 23 again again same
• 29:50
  same same truth are they ministers of
• 29:52
  Christ I speak as a fool I more in
• 29:56
  labors more abundant in stripes above
• 29:58
  measure in prisons more frequent in
• 30:00
  deaths off of the Jews five times
• 30:02
  received I 40 stripes save one thrice
• 30:04
  was I beaten with rods once was I stoned
• 30:06
  thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and
• 30:08
  a day I've been in the deep, in
• 30:10
  journeyings often in perils of waters,
• 30:12
  in perils of robbers, in perils by my
• 30:14
  own countrymen, in perils by the
• 30:16
  heathen, in perils in the city, in
• 30:18
  perils in the wilderness, in perils in
• 30:20
  the sea, in perils among false brethren.
• 30:24
  Notice verse 27. in weariness and
• 30:27
  painfulness, in watchings often, in
• 30:29
  hunger and thirst, in fastings often,
• 30:34
  in cold and nakedness. Verse 28, beside
• 30:37
  those things that are without, that
• 30:39
  which cometh upon me daily, the care of
• 30:41
  all the churches.
• 30:44
  You say, what's your emphasis of saying
• 30:46
  that? Paul lists all of the afflictions
• 30:49
  and all of the struggles that he faces
• 30:51
  in the ministry with fasting.
• 30:55
  Fasting is not a joyous thing. If
• 30:58
  somebody's really fasting, you're not
• 30:59
  going to know about it.
• 31:01
  >> You're right.
• 31:03
  >> You're not going to know about it.
• 31:04
  That's why Jesus said in Matthew chapter
• 31:05
  6, he said, "When you fast, don't be as
• 31:07
  the Pharisees. They disfigure their
• 31:10
  faces." What was he talking about? He
• 31:11
  said, "They make themselves look like
• 31:13
  they're fasting." Most of the time,
• 31:15
  they're really not. All they want is the
• 31:17
  praise of men,
• 31:19
  exalting their facade of holiness.
• 31:23
  If somebody's fasting, you're not going
• 31:25
  to know about it.
• 31:28
  >> You'll see it in other places, but not
• 31:29
  always. You see, because fasting is not
• 31:32
  for the glory of men. You say,
• 31:34
  "Preacher, why should we fast?" Simply
• 31:38
  simply this, because you want something
• 31:41
  from God.
• 31:42
  >> That's right.
• 31:44
  >> This is why fasting doesn't happen much.
• 31:47
  I I'm ashamed to admit I've not fasted
• 31:48
  as much as I should have down through
• 31:50
  the years and these beginning years of
• 31:53
  ministry, but but I I'll say this about
• 31:55
  it. We just don't want it bad enough.
• 31:57
  >> You're right.
• 31:58
  >> We got revival coming up. And I preached
• 32:01
  this today for this reason. I'm going to
• 32:03
  be dealing with subjects over the next
• 32:05
  coming weeks. Going to deal I dealt with
• 32:06
  this today. Going to deal with some
• 32:08
  others coming up. Just subjects
• 32:09
  throughout the scripture. And uh reason
• 32:12
  I brought this up today is I really
• 32:14
  believe this works.
• 32:17
  You say you just believe it works. I
• 32:19
  know it works. I've seen it work. I've
• 32:22
  watched it work. And here's what I want
• 32:24
  to pose to you this morning. We're the
• 32:26
  This is the Sunday school crowd. The
• 32:28
  faithful group. These are the ones that
• 32:31
  read your Bible and pray and live for
• 32:32
  God the best that you know how. This is
• 32:34
  what I want to ask you, okay? Would you
• 32:36
  commit to fast
• 32:39
  one day?
• 32:42
  You say, "What do I need to do in that
• 32:43
  fasting?" Well, it's not just missing
• 32:45
  all three meals for one day.
• 32:48
  >> This is what fasting is. It's taking
• 32:50
  that time when you would otherwise be
• 32:52
  eating and praying.
• 32:55
  >> Right?
• 32:55
  >> That's what fasting is from the
• 32:57
  scripture. You notice in Paul's, you can
• 32:59
  look back those texts 2 Corinthians 6, 2
• 33:01
  Corinthians 11, he mentions the term
• 33:03
  watching alongside of fasting. It's
• 33:06
  right there close. What does that mean?
• 33:08
  Well, prayer is what that is. That
• 33:11
  watching as you watch and pray lest you
• 33:13
  enter into that's what Jesus said. The
• 33:14
  spirit indeed is willing but the flesh
• 33:16
  is weak. So what you're doing is when
• 33:18
  you fast you're saying Lord I need this
• 33:21
  more than the only thing that can make
• 33:23
  me physically survive.
• 33:24
  >> Right?
• 33:26
  >> You can't live long without food. But
• 33:27
  I'll tell you this. You can't live at
• 33:29
  all without God.
• 33:30
  >> That's right.
• 33:32
  >> This I want to ask you this morning. If
• 33:35
  everybody in this room fasted one day
• 33:39
  for meeting coming up this month, it
• 33:43
  would blow your mind what God would do.
• 33:47
  You say, "You really believe that?" I
• 33:48
  don't just believe, I know it
• 33:51
  because it's scriptural. And that's the
• 33:53
  reason why I want to put this out to you
• 33:54
  today. All right? And let me say this.
• 33:56
  If you're not saved, you can't do it.
• 34:00
  If you're not spiritfilled,
• 34:02
  you can't do it.
• 34:05
  You got to make sure that you're right
• 34:07
  with God
• 34:09
  >> before you decide to do that. I I
• 34:11
  churches I I'll say this on and you can
• 34:14
  turn that off, brother. That live
• 34:16
  stream.
• 34:17
  >> Thank you for joining our service today.
• 34:20
  We'd love it if you join us in person
• 34:22
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 34:24
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 34:27
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 34:31
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 34:34
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 34:36
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 34:39
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 34:41
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 34:44
  information, visit us at
• 34:46
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 34:48
  Thanks again for tuning in.