Our

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Our
Father's
favorite
FAST
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What is FASTING?
Literally To cover the mouth or restrain ones
natural appetites.

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What is FASTING?
Practically To abstain or refrain from things
less honorable in order to seek after more worthy
or virtuous pursuits.

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What is FASTING?
Refraining from eating food, or from any normal
physical appetite, in order to give preference to
spiritual appetites!

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What is FASTING?
Physical Abstinence for Spiritual Indulgence

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Mat 2641

• Stay awake and pray for strength against
  temptation . Your spirit wants to do what is
  right, but your flesh is unwilling!

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The early fathers believed that a persons
appetites are linked full stomachs and jaded
palates take the edge off our spiritual hunger
and thirst for righteousness. They spoil our
appetite for God! Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
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Self-indulgence is the enemy of gratitude! That
is why gluttony is a deadly sin!
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Ezek 1649

• Sodom's sins were pride, laziness, and too much
  food, while the poor and needy suffered outside
  her door.

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Our appetites are integrally linked together,
and we follow the impulses of our master
appetite!
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The Sensual Person

• Body
• Soul
• Spirit

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Gal 516-17

• Let the Spirit control your life, and you will
  not fulfill the desires of your sinful nature.
  For our natural desires oppose Gods Spirit, and
  the Spirit opposes our natural desires.

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Gal 516-17

• these are contrary to one another, so that you
  are hindered in doing the things that you know
  you should do.

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When we take control of our physical appetites,
our spiritual appetite gains the ascendancy!!!
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The Spiritual Christian

• Spirit
• Soul
• Body

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Mahesh Chavda

• Fasting is among the mightiest weapons in Gods
  army, yet it is among the least understood and
  least used weapons.

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Mahesh Chavda

• Proper understanding of fasting and prayer can
  bring defeat of demonic opposition and help
  achieve great victories for individuals,
  families, churches, cities, and even nations!

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Joel 212-18

• The LORD says, "Turn to me now, while there is
  time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting,
  weeping, and repentance.

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Joel 212-18

• Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem! Announce a time
  of fasting call the people together for a solemn
  gathering. Bring everyone--the elders, the
  children, and even the little children. Call the
  bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from
  her dressing room.

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Matthew 915

• Jesus said to them, Can the friends of the
  bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is
  with them? But the days will come when the
  bridegroom will be taken away from them, and
  thenMy disciples will fast!

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Matthew 1721

• This kind of demon wont leave unless you have
  fasted and prayed.

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David Hogan

• You never know when you will be called upon to
  minister in the anointing and the power of the
  Spirit of God. Thats why me and my entire staff
  fast every other day of our lives!

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EpiphaniusBishop of Salamis 315 BC

• Who does not know that the fast of the fourth
  and sixth days of the week are observed by the
  Christians throughout the world?

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Matthew 616

• When you fast, do not fast like the
  hypocrites....

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Matthew 616

• 16 "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as
  the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable
  and disheveled so people will admire them for
  their fasting.

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Matthew 616

• 16 "When you practice some appetite-denying
  discipline to better concentrate on God, don't
  make a production out of it. It might turn you
  into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you
  a saint.

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Rom 85

• Those who let themselves be controlled by their
  lower natures live only to please themselves, but
  those who follow after the Holy Spirit find
  themselves doing those things that please God.

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Rom 88

• Thats why those who are still under the control
  of their old sinful natures, bent on following
  their natural selfish desires, can never please
  God.

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Our
Father's
favorite
FAST
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Isaiah 58

• Hypocrisy
• VS
• Authenticity

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Isaiah 581-11

• 1 "Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
  Shout aloud! Don't be timid. Tell my people
  Israel of their sins! 2 Yet they act so pious!
  They come to the Temple every day and seem
  delighted to learn all about Me. They act like a
  righteous nation that would never abandon the
  laws of their God.

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Isaiah 581-11

• They ask Me to take action on their behalf,
  pretending they want to be near Me. 3 'We have
  fasted before You!' they say. Why aren't you
  impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves,
  and You don't even notice it!'

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Isaiah 581-11

• "I will tell you why!" I respond. It's because
  you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while
  you fast, you keep taking advantage of others
  especially those that work for you.
• 4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting
  and quarreling?

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Isaiah 581-11

• This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere
  with Me.

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Isaiah 581-11

• 5 You act like youre being humble by going
  through the motions of repentance, bowing your
  heads like reeds bending in the wind.

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Isaiah 581-11

• 5 You dress religiously, thinking that will
  impress Me, but it doesnt. Is this what you
  call fasting? Do you really think this will
  please the Lord?

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Isaiah 581-11

• 6 Youve overlooked what matters most
• to Me!
• This is the kind of fasting I want

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Isaiah 581-11

• 6 Help the oppressed find their freedom!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 6 Help lighten the load for those who are
  struggling with heavy burdens.

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Isaiah 581-11

• 7 Share your own food with the hungry!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 7 Bring the poor and needy into your homes, and
  give them the clothes that they need!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 7 Dont ignore the needs of your relatives and
  neighbors!
• Help them!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 8 "Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
  and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness
  will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord
  will protect you from behind. 9Then when you
  call, the Lord will quickly answer you.

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Isaiah 581-11

• But you must quit burdening one another with the
  heavy yokes of oppression!

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Isaiah 581-11

• Stop pointing accusing fingers at others!

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Isaiah 581-11

• Refuse to spread hurtful rumors!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 10 Instead, busy yourself feeding the hungry,
  and helping all those who are in any kind of
  trouble!

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Isaiah 581-11

• If youll do this, your light will shine out
  from the darkness, and the darkness around you
  will be turned as bright as the noon-day sun! 11
  The Lord will guide you continually, refreshing
  you with water when youre dry and restoring your
  strength when youre weary. You will be like a
  well-watered garden, and like an over-flowing
  spring!

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Isaiah 58

• Hypocrisy
• VS
• Authenticity

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Isaiah 581-11

• Quit burdening one another with the heavy yokes
  of oppression. Stop pointing accusing fingers at
  others and refuse to spread hurtful rumors!

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Isaiah 581-11

• 10 Instead, busy yourself feeding the hungry,
  and helping all those who are in any kind of
  trouble!

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Our
Father's
favorite
FAST