Fasting that Pleases God - Part 1

Dec 17

Dec 17 Fasting that Pleases God - Part 1

Isaiah 58:1-12 New King James Version

I. East Gate’s 2024 Corporate Fast:

a. Holy Spirit has invited East Gate into a 40-day corporate fast starting January 1st, 2024

i. As your pastor I am inviting you to get alone with Holy Spirit and ask Him how He is inviting you to fast as a household

ii. We will be abstaining from food(s) and/or drink(s), but we will be FEASTING on the word of God and prayer

1. NT40, Read Scripture Days, Friday Google Meet Discussions

b. What is Fasting?

i. The intentional abstaining from food(s) and/or drink(s) for a determined period of time

1. Physical benefits

2. Emotional benefits

3. Spiritual benefits

ii. Sum (H6684)

1. to abstain from food, fast

iii. Nesteuo (G3522)

1. to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink: either entirely, if the fast lasted but a single day, or from customary and choice nourishment, if it continued several days

c. Fasting categories found in scripture

i. Full fast – intentional abstaining from all food and drink

1. Exodus 34:28 (Moses) - 40 Days

2. Esther 4:16 – 3 Days

3. 1 Kings 19:8 (Elijah) – 40 Days

4. Matthew 4:2 (Jesus) – 40 Days

ii. Water fast – intentionally abstaining from all food and drink, with the exception of water

1. Unless otherwise described, this is the fast assumed to be practiced in scripture when we read of someone fasting

iii. Partial fast – intentionally abstained from predetermined categories of food and/or drink

1. Daniel 1:12 – 10 Days

2. Daniel 10:2-3 – 21 Days

iv. Corporate vs personal fasts

1. Corporate fasts are more common in scripture than personal fasts, yet both have important place in the life of a disciple of Jesus

Matthew 6:16a New King James Version
16 “Moreover, when you fast…”

d. Supernatural Results of Fasting

i. Revelation

1. Direction in uncertain, specific circumstances

Ezra 8:21-23 New King James Version
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

2. Prophetic interpretation

Daniel 10:1-3 New King James Version
10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, [a]but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no [b]pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

3. Discerning the call of God over people’s lives in corporate settings

Acts 13:2-4 New King James Version
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

ii. Repentance

Jonah 3:5-9 New King James Version
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
Daniel 9:3-5 New King James Version
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.

1. Mourning our sin

Nehemiah 1:4 New King James Version
4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Joel 2:12-13 New King James Version
12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.

2. Humbling ourselves before the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:3 New King James Version
3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
1 Kings 21:25-29 New King James Version
25 But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 27 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. 28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”

iii. Power

Luke 4:1-2 & 14 New King James Version
4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

1. Deliverance

Esther 4:16 New King James Version
16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
Matthew 17:21 New King James Version
21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

e. The heart of biblical fasting

Deuteronomy 8:3 New King James Version
3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

i. When we deny our flesh and feed our spirit, we draw nearer to the Lord. When we fast, we reset our appetites for the things of the Spirit. This spiritual discipline awakens our God-given sensitivity to hear His voice, see what He wants to show us, and be led into the things He is calling us into. Fasting creates a supernatural faith and a spiritual strength. We intentionally withhold our desires to draw closer to God. Fasting is not just abstaining, but it is filling ourselves up with the things of God. Like Daniel, we are resolved to not be filled with things of the world, but full of the Holy Spirit. When we intentionally withhold, we are able to set distractions aside to fully lean into what God is saying in clarity.

II. Not EVERY fast pleases God

Isaiah 58:3-5 New King James Version
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. 5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?

a. Fasting for pleasure

i. Extreme: ice cream fast, and blended junk food

ii. Fasting what is convenient or what we can achieve in my own strength

1. I’m a vegan, I can manage the Daniel fast

2. I already intermittent fast, I can wait a little longer before eating each day

b. Fasts that result in exploitation

i. Vindication, demand recompense from those who you believe owe you

ii. Force others to work make up the work you cannot do

iii. Your unbearable to be around because you’re hangry

c. Fasting out of strife and debate, to strike with fists of wickedness

i. Political motivations

ii. I want to win and want them to lose

d. Fasting to make your voice/desire heard rather than to posture yourself to obey God

i. I want God to do _____, so I am going to fast until He does it

ii. You cannot hunger strike against God

e. Outward fasts

i. Fasting for the sake of discomfort, suffering, etc.

ii. Fasting to appear spiritual, religious, pious or humble

II. Fasting that Pleases God

Isaiah 58:6-7 New King James Version
6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

a. Fasting to loose the bonds of wickedness

i. To humble ourselves by identifying and repenting from ways we have bound/controlled others

1. Manipulation

2. Ultimatums

3. Intimidation

ii. To break past, ungodly, soul ties in our lives

1. Fornication – chemical/physical bond

2. Codependency – emotional bond

iii. To release and forgive those we have kept bound and punishable in our hearts

b. Fasting to undo the heavy burdens

i. Free people from the burdens of our unhealthy expectations

1. Emotional incest – children meet the emotional needs of parents

2. Unrealistic expectations of spouses

3. You must be perfect if you want me to love/trust you

ii. Break partnership with lies and ways of life that are needlessly burdensome

1. I must earn/keep my salvation with good works

2. I can’t mess up if I want people to love or accept me

3. If people found out what I struggle with they would abandon me

c. Fasting to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke

i. Inner healing from past trauma

ii. Deliverance from addiction

iii. Deliverance from demonization/oppression

d. Fasting to connect with the heart of Jesus

Matthew 25:40 New King James Version
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

i. Share your bread with the hungry

1. Literally share meals with those in need (In our homes, soup kitchens, drop off meals)

2. Share the words that you have received from the Lord with those who may need encouragement

ii. Bring into your house the poor/cast out

1. Hospitality and access to those who have been rejected, or ignored

e. When we see the naked, cover them, and refuse to hide from your nakedness

i. Practically provide clothing for those who lack

ii. Ask Holy Spirit for the fervent love that covers a multitude of sins – 1 Peter 4:8

iii. Cover the nakedness of others – Genesis 9:20-23

1. I am NOT encouraging anyone to ignore sin, but rather focus on their own

2. I AM encouraging everyone to apply the principles in Matthew 7:1-5

iv. Face our personal sins and failures, don’t ignore, downplay, or