This biblical teaching is a production of The Walk Ministries with Pastor Jeno Shaw. You can watch the video below, and then read the teaching notes that follow.
Overview
Fasting
Matthew 6:16-17 (KJV) 16 “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; …”
Fasting should not be about boasting like, “Look at me. I’m more spiritual than you.” No. But notice the scripture says WHEN you fast. It doesn’t say IF you fast, so this is a mandate.
Your body can go 40 days and not starve. However, after that, your body will begin to eat itself. That’s called starving, okay, and, for some of you, this can be a key. If you’re diagnosed with a disease inside you, one of your options is to go on a fast and let your body eat the disease away. I’m not a doctor, so before any fast seek your doctor’s advice first.
When you fast in private it has a reward.
Matthew 6:18 “That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
Sometimes you can’t keep your fast a secret. For instance, I made it known that fasting is something I wanted to do when I got to Virginia Beach, and some of you responded that you wanted to fast with me. That’s okay. I don’t have a problem with that. If that can motivate you, then I’m all for it. You might be fasting and someone invites you to dinner, so then you have to explain why you’re not able to come to dinner. Situations like that will pop up, so don’t let it bother you because there will be a time that you’ll be able to fast in secret.
Fasting is a personal commitment to renounce the natural and to invoke the spiritual.
Fasting means that the spiritual realm is more important to you than the natural and you will prove it by putting the natural under subjection to you.
Fasting is not missing or skipping a meal. Fasting without prayer IS CALLED A DIET, so make up your mind if you want to diet or if you want to fast.
Fasting without God being the focus is called a diet also.
Fasting is replacing your meals with prayer, worship, and the word of God — reading and meditating on it.
If you think about the time it takes going to the store to get the ingredients to cook with, waiting in line to get food, and then washing the dishes, etc., that time adds up. The advantage of fasting is that you have extra time to devote to God.
Fasting
Is for you, NOT GOD
Changes you, NOT GOD
Does not MOVE GOD
You can’t manipulate GOD by fasting
Fasting does
Give you more capacity for the spirit realm
Its like hooking yourself up to a big tank of power (Holy spirit)
Breaks habits and bondages
Draws you to God
Kills evil thoughts and lusts
Can help you retain more, memorize more
Attracts spirits, even demonic spirits, because your tank is bigger, your house is bigger
I met some people, some good intended people, who went on a fast, and they did have spiritual encounters. But the question is, was it from God? These people believed in flat earth. They were having supernatural experiences, but we all know even the devil can show up as a spirit of light! Just because a spirit comes to you during fasting or whenever, you need to test that spirit, saints!
1 John 4:1 (KJV)
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
Ask the spirit, “Do you believe in the Son of God that came down from Heaven and was crucified, died, and rose again on the third day?” If you hear silence, then cast them away in the mighty name of Jesus!
You can’t reason with these people because they think they have the final authority and scripture. Don’t even argue scripture with them because they know all the scripture references which validates (they think) a flat earth. Now, I don’t want to give this too much time because it’s just nonsense, and you guys need to know what to watch out for.
Did you know that your stomach can be full of food that has been there for seven months to a year! Yes, that’s where stomach cancer comes from, old rotten food that has been sitting in your intestines for months.
Joel 2:15-19 (KJV)
15 “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:”
Fasting breaks poverty (v19), but the key here is to not get caught up during the fast and say, “Nothing is happening.” In this passage, we see BREAKTHROUGH HAPPENED AFTER THE FAST.
Fasting frees your children
Joel 2:28 (KJV)
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”
The key word here is “AFTER.” After the fast, children will prophesy. That’s called freedom — being set free. Hallelujah!
Abraham Lincoln
Did you know that after the American Civil War, he called forth four separate fasts?
The year after the fourth fast, in 1867, Russia sold Alaska to America for 7.2 million dollars. That’s about two cents an acre!
Starting in 1867 and for the next 28 years, the American government operated in a surplus! Also, new inventions started to come out of America!
So you see, fasting is powerful and even more powerful when a leader fasts!
For more information on fasting see Coach Annamarie’s plan, “21 DAY HOLY SPIRIT CLARITY FAST – HEARING GOD CLEARLY – EATING PLAN AND PRAYER STRATEGIES.”
I love you all,
Pastor Jeno
