Somebody asked a question about fasting last week, and I was glad he did. Fasting, as Kyle taught, is a great way to choke off the flesh, and throw fuel onto the Spirit's fire. Couple it with praying in the spirit, and you're really cooking. Anyhow, the question was about what exactly fasting does...
In fasting, we are saying, “My body’s desires will not rule over me (Romans 13:14, 6:12-13, and I Corinthians 6:12, 9:27). In my life, the spirit supercedes the flesh.”
Is there a right way or a wrong way to do it? Yes.
Are there lots of verses about fasting that I can look up to get a good Biblical overview?
Um, yeah.
II Samuel 12:21-23 Daniel 9:3
Psalm 35:13 Acts 14:23
Jeremiah 14:12
Joel 1:14 Matthew 4:2
Psalm 109:24 Luke 18:12
Jeremiah 36:6
Judges 20:26 I Kings 21:9, 12, 27
I Samuel 7:6, 31:13 I Chronicles 10:12
II Chronicles 20:3 Ezra 8:21, 23
Nehemiah 1:4 Esther 4:16
Jonah 3:5 Mark 2:19/ Luke 5:33-34
Matthew 17:21/ Mark 9:29
Acts 13:2
OTHER FACTS: Fasting helps to keep us from pride and “haughtiness”—an exalted view of ourselves—we’ll see real quick how needy we are when we avoid food.
Fasting always aids prayer.
Fasting is useless if there is unconfessed sin in my life.
Always remember this most compelling of truths: Jesus saw fasting as a necessary thing in His own life!
I would also recommend this fascinating book on the topic, with miraculous anecdotes that will blow your mind:
The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting, by Mahesh Chavda
This is a more practical, step-by-step instructional (including other disciplines like prayer, giving, silence, etc.)
Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
But you don't need to read anything to do it, Just stop eating for a day or more and just start crying out to God!
New to blogging - but I'll give it a shot. Very curious about some of the generational curses you mentioned. Do you have any knowledge of generational influence from a Hippocratic oath? Ie - son of a doctor? In addition, where can I find more information on effects of birth trauma. I almost choked to death from umbilical strangulation at birth. One last one - spirits of leviathan and behemoth and leviathan. In her book, "Rules of Engagement," Dr. Cindy Trimm warns to seek the guidance of experienced deliverance professionals when going against these two specific spirits. Why is that? Thanks in advance, Jamie Duncan
ReplyDeleteAs I said earlier, new to blogging. Only meant one leviathan in aforementioned post. How do you go back and edit something once it is posted? Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't know of any specific curse attached to the Hippocratic Oath, but I did post it below. The wording is troubling (again, see the post below).
About the near-strangulation: again, we're talking about 'doorways' here. Just because your birth was a 'yikes' moment doesn't mean something terrible entered in. But ask your mom about it: did she become scared for your life at that moment? Did she then tie apron strings from that day forward, unwilling to lose you, etc.? It's not like having a near-miss experience is, in itself, demonic somehow. It's that those events can open us up to threats or false promises from the enemy for Provision and Protection (those are the main two things we're promised by the enemy and the world). So, just ask some questions around that event (and check your own heart? Did that event lead you to any kind of conclusion that God isn't looking out for you? Or that nobody can be trusted? etc.).
One thing you'll find out pretty quickly is that people who are into "spiritual warfare" can be a kooky bunch and can also be very persnickety about their methods and theories. Everybody's got their own take on things, and tend to be rather dogmatic about it. I don't know what those spirits are (I do know that they're creatures discussed in Job), but I don't necessarily think of myself as an "experienced deliverance professional" either! Sorry...