1. FASTING PASSIONATE ABOUT TRAINING

2. RECAP THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES, LIKE FASTING, ARE ALL ABOUT GRACE - IS A RESPONSE TO GRACE - IS EMPOWERED BY GRACE - THEY DON’T MAKE ONE PERSON MORE WORTHY - THEY ARE NOT SPIRITUAL LAWS THAT WE BREAK - WE CAN’T EARN THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF HIS LOVE OR FAVOUR - IT MATTERS WHAT YOU FOCUS ON DURING THE DISCIPLINE

3. WHAT IS FASTING? “FAST” IS DERIVED FROM AN OLD ENGLISH WORD “FAESTAN” WHICH MEANS “TO HOLD FAST OR TO ABSTAIN”. YOU CAN ABSTAIN FROM FOOD, TV, CAFFEINE, ALCOHOL OR WHATEVER HE INDICATES AND IT’S FOR A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD: - JESUS FASTED FOOD FOR 40 DAYS (LUKE 4) - DANIEL ATE JUST VEGETABLES & H2O FOR 10 DAYS (DANIEL 1) - ESTER CALLED A FAST OF FOOD & DRINK FOR 3 DAYS (ESTHER 4)

4. WHAT IS FASTING? CONTINUED: IT CAN BE AN INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE, OR CORPORATE IT CAN BE ROUTINE – ONE DAY OR MEAL EACH WEEK, OR EXTRA- ORDINARY OR OCCASIONAL “GOD CAN CALL US TO ABSTAIN FROM SOMETHING HARMELESS IN ORDER TO RE-ESTABLISH OUR PRIORITIES & PROMOTE SELF- CONTROL AND SELF-DENIAL OVER ANYTHING THAT CONTROLS US”

5. PURPOSE/BENEFITS OF FASTING GREATER ANOINTING FOR JESUS AFTER A 40 DAY FAST LUKE 4 “THEN JESUS, BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, RETURNED FROM THE JORDAN AND WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS….” “NOW WHEN THE DEVIL HAD ENDED EVERY TEMPTATION, HE DEPARTED FROM HIM UNTIL AN OPPORTUNE TIME. THEN JESUS RETURNED IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT TO GALILEE…”

6. PURPOSE/BENEFITS OF FASTING GUIDANCE WITH REPENTANCE 1 SAMUEL 7:6 AND SAMUEL SAID, “GATHER ALL ISRAEL TO MIZPAH, AND I WILL PRAY TO THE LORD FOR YOU. SO THEY GATHERED TOGETHER AT MIZPAH, DREW WATER, AND POURED IT OUT BEFORE THE LORD. AND THEY FASTED THAT DAY, AND SAID THERE, “WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD.” AND SAMUEL JUDGED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AT MIZPAH.

7. PURPOSE/BENEFITS OF FASTING IN TIMES OF TROUBLE 1 KINGS 19:8 SO ELIJAH AROSE, AND ATE AND DRANK – AND HE WENT IN THE STRENGTH OF THAT FOOD FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS AS FAR AS HOREB, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. - THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM; 7,000 FAITHFUL ALLIES REVEALED TO HIM; PUT HIS MANTLE ON ELISHA

8. PURPOSE/BENEFITS OF FASTING PHYSICAL HEALTH & STRENGTH DANIEL 1: 15 & 17 AND AT THE END OF TEN DAYS THEIR FEATURES APPEARED BETTER AND FATTER IN FLESH THAN ALL THE YOUNG MEN WHO AT E THE PORTION OF THE KINGS DELICACIES. AS FOR THESE FOUR YOUNG MEN, GOD GAVE THEM KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL IN ALL LITERATURE AND WISDOM; AND DANIEL HAD UNDERSTANDING IN ALL VISIONS AND DREAMS.

9. PURPOSE/BENEFITS OF FASTING FOR DELIVERANCE ESTHER 4:16 THEN ESTHER TOLD THEM TO REPLY TO MORDECAI: “GO, GATHER ALL THE JEWS WHO ARE PRESENT IN SUSHAN, AND FAST FOR ME; NEITHER EAT NOR DRING 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!” - ESTHER ‘FOUND FAVOUR’ AND GOD DELIVERED HER PEOPLE

10. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE ASSUMED CLOSE MATTHEW 6 VS. 5 – 14, JESUS FIRST TEACHES ON HOW NOT TO PRAY, THEN HOW TO PRAY & INTRODUCES THE LORD’S PRAYER VS. 16 – 18, JESUS TEACHES ON HOW NOT TO FAST AND THEN HOW TO FAST. “MOREOVER, WHEN YOU FAST, DO NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES, WITH A SAD COUNTENANCE. FOR THEY DISFIGURE

11. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE ASSUMED CLOSE (CONT’D) MATTHEW 6 THEIR FACES THAT THEY MAY APPEAR TO MEN TO BE FASTING. ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD. BUT YOU, WHEN YOU FAST, ANOINT YOUR HEAD AND WASH YOUR FACE, SO THAT YOU DO NOT APPEAR TO MEN TO BE FASTING, BUT TO YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN THE SECRET PLACE; AND YOUR FATHER WHO SEES IN SECRET WILL REWARD YOU OPENLY.

12. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE HARD SELL THE FASTING DISCIPLINE IS A GUILT FREE ZONE. CHECK YOUR REASONS/MOTIVES FOR NOT FASTING. PHILIPPIANS 3:18 FOR MANY WALK, OF WHOM I HAVE TOLD YOU OFTEN, AND NOW TELL YOU EVEN WEEPING, THAT THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST; WHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION,

13. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE HARD SELL PHILIPPIANS 3:18 WHOSE GOD IS THEIR BELLY, AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME – WHO SET THEIR MIND ON EARTHLY THINGS. FOR OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, FROM WHICH WE ALSO EAGERLY WAIT FOR THE SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODY THAT IT MAY BE CONFORMED TO HIS GLORIOUS BODY…THEREFORE STAND FAST IN THE LORD.

14. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE SOFT SELL THE DISCIPLINES, LIKE FASTING, ARE MOTIVATED BY OUR LOVE OF JESUS, THE WORD OF GOD. JOB 23:12 I HAVE NOT DEPARTED FROM THE COMMANDMENT OF HIS LIPS; I HAVE TREASURED THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH MORE THAN MY NECESSARY FOOD. - GOD BLESSED THE LATTER DAYS OF JOB MORE THAN THE BEGINNING….

15. BIBLICAL SALES TACTICS REGARDING FASTING THE SOFT SELL PHILIPPIANS 4: 11-13 NOT THAT I SPEAK IN REGARD TO NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER STATE I AM, TO BE CONTENT; I KNOW HOW TO BE ABASED, AND I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND. EVERYWHERE AND IN ALL THINGS I HAVE LEARNED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, BOTH TO ABOUND AND TO SUFFER NEED. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

16. ADD ANOTHER SPIRITUAL TOOL TO YOUR BELT JESUS ASSUMES THAT WE WILL EXPERIENCE A NEED OR WANT TO FAST AT SOME POINT. -ASK GOD FOR THE GRACE TO EXERCISE THIS ABILITY BEFORE YOU NEED IT AND DISCOVER HOW TO SUBJECT YOUR BODY -START OFF SLOWLY AND STUDY THIS DISCIPLINE FURTHER SO YOU CAN BE ADEPT AT IT AND REAP THE REWARDS -“WHEN OUR PHYSICAL APPETITES ARE NOT IN SYNC WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT’S OUR SPIRITUAL CAPACITY IS DIMISHED”