Thoughts On Fasting

THOUGHTS ON FASTING

From Brokeness by Mickey Bonner

(Compiled by Roger Hollar)

Fasting is a process that God uses to bring the believer into being set free from bondage. It is not a thing used by the believer to manipulate or change the will of God; to force God to do something. Fasting is for the believer to be brought into brokeness. In the process the “flesh” is broken and consumed by the Holy Spirit that it might be presented back to God as a living sacrifice, ready for His will to be done.

Isaiah says fasting is not to be instigated by convenience but through brokeness over one’s own sin. It is promised that through this process God will bring change to the life of the believer. We are not to fast for strife and debate (ISA 58:4,5) or to make our voice heard on high. Fasting is not God’s doorbell. It is an inward desire to bring our bodies into subjection, that we might present them as living sacrifices back to the Lord.

Fasting brings through you the ministry of the Spirit of God to others. As your spiritual vision clears you begin to see what God sees through the eyes of the Spirit (EPH 1:8). From there you begin to live by the Holy Spirit regarding others. Biblical fasting brings the light of God exploding in your heart. Isaiah says, “It comes like the morning.” While in that transformed position, your own flesh or personal life is no longer thebroken, contrite spirit of denial of the body’s fleshly desires your will begins craving the will of God, having been able, in a state of self-denial, to hear from God in your spirit man. Your prayer, under those conditions, becomes the will of God as you, in essence “seek first the kingdom of God” and say, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

consuming desire of your being. From that

God promises, as a result of fasting, His life in you and His ministry through you, in agreement with His will and purpose for your birth upon this earth (EPH 2:10). He further promises to be your guide, and in the midst of all tribulation He pledges to make the way of escape. In His daily presence you will be like “ a spring of water whose waters fail not, as springing up within you is the fountain of life that has its source in eternity (JHN 4:14). Then, through your life, God shall bring restoration and will raise up the foundations of many generations. His ministry through you will be “the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.” This is the promise to you in Isaiah 58 if you will involve yourself in the fast that God has chosen. Fasting will break the body’s (flesh’s) control over the soul, resulting in a union between your human spirit and the Holy Spirit.

So to be used of God we must first see what God sees in our lives. This is the reason for fasting. Denying food is not for the purpose of getting God involved in what we are doing, but to get us involved in what God is doing…His will, that we may be broken before the Lord. Fasting in its right perspective breaks the soul from submitting to the wiles of the flesh and submits it instead to the Spirit of God within (pg77). Brokeness…is the means by which God conveys maturity and develops character. His discipline in the lives of believers brings each into abandonment of self to God in prayer (pg29).“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (PSM 51:17).

FAST FACTS

Fasting expresses dependence upon God in times of trouble

(2SA 12:16-22; 2CH 20:2-4)

Fasting expresses depth of feeling in times of grief and mourning

(1SA 31:11-13; NEH 1:4)

Fasting expresses repentance

(JON 3:5-10; JOE 2:12)

Fasting expresses the desire to know God's will

(ACT 13:2; 14:23)

Fasting in the Bible usually lasted one day, from sunrise to sunset

(JUD 20:26; 2SA 3:35), sometimes longer (EXO 34:28; MAT 4:2)

Fasting in the Bible usually involved abstaining from all food (2SA 3:35; LUK 4:2),

sometimes refraining from just certain kinds of food (DAN 10:2,3)

Achan's Sin & The Hidden Sin of Lust

I want to talk about the hidden sin of lust in relation to the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. If you are a man (or woman) living in a fantasy world of sexual conquest you are headed for disaster. 

Achan's sin was taking things that were dedicated to God. He took what did not belong to him. He stole that which God had dedicated, set apart for the temple. He desecrated that which was sacred. 

When a men and women lust after each other (carry out any sexual fantasies) they are essentially taking what does not belong to them. Sex outside of marriage (real or imagined; any perversion) is a desecration of God's intended plan. Men have selfishly taken, for their own selfish pleasure, what does not rightfully belong to them. They may get away with it for a season but sexual sin and perversion will eventually bring the wrath and anger of God. 

One cannot take what belongs to God, what God has set apart as sacred, expect that it be hidden and get away with it. God will bring judgment on the individual who ignores, defies, and disrespects His natural order of things. 

When a men carry out sexual fantasies and think they are hiding something from God they are not, though they may be hiding it from others. Eventually they will be exposed. They will suffer disgrace, shame, and defeat. Hear these vexing words from Scripture to Joshua, "...Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES UNTIL YOU REMOVE THESE THINGS FROM YOU." Josh 7:13

This sin of Achan cost him his family's lives, his children's lives, and his own life. It also cost the children of Israel, those around him, their lives. The battle was lost. It caused Joshua to doubt whether God cared for Israel. It created havoc among the children of Israel. 

God destroyed ALL of Achan's family, his cattle, his dwelling, and even the stolen spoils. All vestiges of his existence were erased. Except, of course, a heap of stones (Josh 7:26) and the bad memory of his "troubling" disregard of things sacred (things set apart for God's use). Devastating consequences. 

ASK YOURSELF, "IS IT WORTH IT?"

So to what extreme limits would you go to protect your moral/sexual perimeters? What extreme strategy would you put in place to protect your life, your family, your church, and your community? What are the non-negotiable bedrock issues of your life? 

Here is where I come down:

1. The absolute commitment of my life to the call of God to influence men for Christ;
2. The absolute integrity of my relationship to my wife, my children, and to their families (moral/sexual);
3. The relentless pursuit of work and ministry.

I have a working strategy. I'm not perfect but I will fight to keep my good name, my family, and the integrity of all my associations.

A Strategy For Securing My Moral Perimeter

The spiritual security and legacy of a man depends upon how well he disciplines his body to do the right things.

Paul said, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” 1Co 9:27

To ignore the moral perimeter (includes the imagination – how close to sin can I get without actually committing an act of sin?) is to lose the privilege of telling others about Christ; to see ministry opportunities disappear before your very eyes. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must practice what we preach so as not to lose not only our credibility but also our opportunity. (1Ki 11:1-13)

Sexual sin is probably the greatest threat to any man. Guarding the moral perimeter is critical. A man must maintain discipline and vigilance 24/7. The most vulnerable places for a man is in the work place and on the road.

My Rules Of Engagement

Concerning You:

  1. Do not trust the flesh
  2. Get and keep your focus on God
  3. Get and keep your focus on your wife
  4. Praise your wife; Pray with her regularly; Date her; Honor her publicly

Concerning Other Women:

  5. Keep your door open when meeting them
  6. Respect them as you would a daughter or sister
  7. Do not linger in their cube or office
  8. Eliminate personal/private/leading conversations and places
  9. Eliminate inappropriate touching or hugging
10. Keep conversation limited to business/ministry matters

Nothing less than 100% commitment will keep the moral perimeter secure

“…Consecrate Yourselves…”

- Joshua 3:5  

May Mighty Winds Of Revival Blow Today As In The Shanxi China Revival (circa 1930s)

What Revival Looks Like When It Comes:

James O. Fraser, missionary to China (early 20th century); from the biography, Mountain Rain by Eileen Crossman. Fraser describes an early 1930s revival in Shanxi (Shansi) Province which changed the hearts of missionaries.

Frazier writes that although many people in the revival had been missionaries for years, everything in their Christian experience changed when God came in power. He writes in a letter about the revival:

"From the outset the Lord began to pour out His Spirit upon us. The manifestations were according to Scripture.

1) Conviction of sin (John 16:8). Things that normally were winked at appeared exceedingly sinful when the Spirit of holiness threw His searchlight on our hearts, and there was confessing and putting away of sin.

2) Revelation of Jesus (John 16:14). What glimpses were given us of the grace and glory of the Lord! His Cross became more precious. His resurrection and mediation more real and His coming again a vital truth in purifying hope.

3) Understanding of truth (John 14:26; 16:13). Our spirits were gripped by truths that hitherto had only reached our minds - what we had preached as theories we experienced as facts. Never have I known the definiteness and directness of the Spirit's teaching as in these days.

4) Outpouring of love (Romans 5:5). We had thought we loved each other, and did up to a point, but when the Spirit of God revealed His standard, 'that they may be one as We are,' we bowed in shame. (There follow accounts of brokenness, confession and new love between colleagues).

5) Anointing of power (Acts 1:8). That the Lord has fulfilled His promise in the lives of some of His children is not now a matter of fond hope, but an obvious fact."

James Fraser had an increasing heart-hunger for God to send revival among the Christians in China. During the next few years this burden never left him. O, may the Lord mighty in power sweep this great United States of America in revival of the church and spiritual awakening in the land.

Securing Your Moral Perimeter

Achan's Sin & The Hidden Sin of Lust

(Joshua 7)

I want to talk about the hidden sin of lust in relation to the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. If you are a man (or woman) living in a fantasy world of sexual conquest you are headed for disaster.
Achan's sin was taking things that were dedicated to God. He took what did not belong to him. He stole that which God had dedicated, set apart for the temple. He desecrated that which was sacred.

When a man lusts after a woman (carries out any sexual fantasies) he is essentially taking what does not belong to him. Sex outside of marriage (real or imagined; any perversion) is a desecration of God's intended plan. Man has taken for his own selfish pleasures, what does not rightfully belong to him. He may get away with it for a season but sexual sin and perversion will eventually bring the wrath and anger of God.

One cannot take what belongs to God, what God has set apart as sacred, expect that it be hidden and get away with it. God will bring judgment on the individual who blatantly ignores, defies, and disrespects His natural order of things.

When a man is carrying out sexual fantasies and thinks he is hiding something from God he is not, though he may be hiding it from others. Eventually he will be exposed. He will suffer disgrace, shame, and defeat. Hear these vexing words from Scripture to Joshua, "...Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES UNTIL YOU REMOVE THESE THINGS FROM YOU." Josh 7:13

This sin of Achan cost him his family's lives, his children's lives, and his own life. It also cost the children of Israel, those around him, their lives. The battle was lost. It caused Joshua to doubt whether God cared for Israel. It created havoc among the children of Israel.

God destroyed ALL of Achan's family, his cattle, his dwelling, and even the stolen spoils. All vestiges of his existence were erased. Except, of course, a heap of stones (Josh 7:26) and the bad memory of his "troubling" disregard of things sacred (things set apart for God's use). Devastating consequences.

ASK YOURSELF, "IS IT WORTH IT?"

So to what extreme limits would you go to protect your moral/sexual perimeters? What extreme strategy would you put in place to protect your life, your family, your church, and your community? What are the non-negotiable bedrock issues of your life?

I am not perfect but here is where I come down. These are my life moral and ethical non-negotiables:

1. The absolute commitment of my life to the call of God to influence men for Christ;

2. The absolute integrity of my relationship to my wife, my children, and to their families (moral/sexual);

3. The relentless pursuit of ministry to families of inmates and ex-offenders.

I have a working strategy. I will fight to keep my good name, my family, and the integrity of all my associations.

A Strategy For Securing My Moral Perimeter

The spiritual security and legacy of a man depends upon how well he disciplines his body to do the right things.

Paul said, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1Co 9:27)

To ignore the moral perimeter (which includes the imagination – asking, "How close to sin can I get without actually committing an act of sin?) is to lose the privilege of telling others about Christ; to see ministry and/or life opportunities disappear before your very eyes. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must practice what we preach so as not to lose not only our credibility but also our opportunity. (1Ki 11:1-13)

Sexual sin is probably the greatest threat to any man. Guarding the moral perimeter is critical. A man must maintain discipline and vigilance 24/7. The most vulnerable places for a man is in the work place and on the road. Lord help us, every man (me included) to operate bye these...

Rules Of Engagement

Concerning You:

  1. Do not trust the flesh
  2. Get and keep your focus on God
  3. Get and keep your focus on your wife
  4. Praise your wife; Pray with her regularly; Date her; Honor her publicly

Concerning Other Women:
  5. Keep your door open when meeting them
  6. Respect them as you would a daughter or sister
  7. Do not linger in their cube or office
  8. Eliminate personal/private/leading conversations and places
  9. Eliminate inappropriate touching or hugging
10. Keep conversation limited to business/ministry matters

No man is perfect, including me. But nothing less than a 100% commitment to keeping the moral perimeter secure will work. We can never let down our guard. I you fail, seek God's forgiveness and dedicate yourself afresh to moral integrity. May the Lord enable every man of us to...

“…Consecrate Yourselves…”

- Joshua 3:5 

"HOLIDAYS GOD" - THE UNKNOWN GOD

What does this world have in common with the ancient Athenian culture at Christmas?

I read in Acts 17 that the Athenians were worshipping an "unknown god." They didn't want to accidentally leave out some god whom they did not know and and thus offend (political correctness at its best [maybe worst] in Ancient Athens).  

Satan, the god of this world has led our contemporary culture down the same path of political correctness. Soon there will not be much left of the historic meaning of Christmas. We are left with simply a "winter holiday" devoid of its true meaning.

This is our challenge: As fewer and fewer people understand the true meaning of Christmas we must declare Jesus "whom they do not know" (Acts 17:23). 

The world worships at the altar of the "holidays god," whom they do not know. So, we must proclaim Jesus to them who do not know HIM and we must do so with joy at the opportunity. 

Christmas is a time to share the greatest message on earth: "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, meaning, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)"... The son of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

Click Here:

Post by Carman Licciardello.

"Holy Spirit, Pray The Perfect Prayer"

FROM MY ADOPTED DAD, BOB TAYLOR (October 26, 2014)

"Folks may I share my quiet time for this morning..

     Much Christian Love to all

           Oh LORD, --- I am concerned about our nation, our churches and the YOUR people who are called by YOUR Name -- It is time for us to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follow YOU. --- Holy Spirit please pray a perfect prayer for all Christians that we may all have a worldwide spiritual awakening and love YOU with all our hearts our souls, our minds and love our neighbors  the way You love us.  In JESUS’’ Name Amen.

                                              Deuteronomy 8:19-20 (NASB)                                                                                               ' (19) It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your God  and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. (20) Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.' "

What Is Needed From Public Servants

Some time ago I had the privilege of addressing a city council in its chambers and praying for their evening agenda. I had been reading in Daniel chapter six and decided to share what I thought was Daniel's example of public service. This is what I shared with them:

Serve God and honor the king (Daniel 6:3-5). That is how Daniel rolled; how he handled every situation. He gave whole-hearted effort to both.

Detractors abound everywhere and in all places of government, business, education, and religion. No matter what the situation a public servant must first do what is right according to God's word. That's just what the man of God does. Then he/she must honorably serve the people. This is important because Romans chapter thirteen tells us that God instituted government for the good of the people.

Daniel soon proved himself to be more capable than all the other administrators and high officers in the kingdom. Because of Daniel's great ability, the King made plans to place him over the entire empire.

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy..."

The way to stop detractors (those who would try to bring you down) is by living and working out your days with integrity (Be faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy). Daniel devotedly served God and honored the king (three kings to be exact) with a whole-hearted effort.

UNLESS I REPENT

"Those who drink the water I give will
will never be thirsty again." Jesus

If our beloved country is to experience Spiritual Awakening

then the church must know revival.

If the church is to know revival then she must repent of all known sin. 

If she must repent then it is this man who must first repent

and seek forgiveness for my sin. 

UNLESS I REPENT there will be no repentance. It is not "them"

who must repent, I need to repent. It is "I" who must repent

The priest Ezra, the prophet Daniel, began at a place of personal repentance.

(Ezra 9:6; Daniel 9:5,7)

So much is at stake Lord:

My relationship with you;  

My relationship with my wife; 

My relationship with my family; 

My relationship with my children and grandchildren;

My relationship with my church; 

My relationship with my ministry staff.

The outcome of my life; 

The outcome of my work and ministry; 

The outcome of my legacy. 

Lord, forgive me. 

I repent of my sins. 

Make my heart not despise to do good but to obey you; to exalt you. 

May my heart rejoice in grace and abundance 

for having surrendered fully again to you.

Fill me, revive me with your Spirit for the working out of your will in me. 

May your blood cover my multitude and magnitude of sin. 

I humbly ask for and receive your mercy and grace and forgiveness 

by the name of…In the name of…And for the sake of JESUS. 

And Lord I give you my humble thanks for your undeserved grace and mercy.

Lord, revive my church.

Send Awakening to my city;

to my county;

to my state;

to the southwest;

to my beloved country.

Losing Our Moral Imparitive (Jud 19:23-25).

Judges 19: This is one chapter in the Bible I would just as soon God left out. A man, for the sake of "social protocol", willingly offers his virgin daughter to a group of "gang bangers." Then, another man (both men Israelites) actually hands his concubine wife over to the same ruthless thugs. They rape and kill her. 

This is Israel's moral equivalent of "Sodom and Gomorrah." No one in this story shows any sign of moral conviction. 

When a nation turns from God, as Israel has here, and lives for its own selfish pleasure, it loses its moral imperative. The end result is a TRAGIC BREAKDOWN in society. America is following the same course. 

Lord, help me stand for what is right. I don't just want to be a "moralist" DOING the "right" things, I want to stand on God's Word and BE the right kind of person. Prepare me to explain moral imperatives to a post-Christian generation that does not know God. 

I pray for sweeping revival in the church and spiritual awakening in my beloved nation.

O To Praise Our God

Prayer adapted from 1 Chronicles 29:10-15:

O Lord, God of our ancestor Israel, God of our forefathers, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We are a people of your blessing.

O that my beloved country would adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor have come from you alone to this nation. You alone rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. What we have we owe to you.

O our God, bring the heart of my beloved nation back to thank you and praise your glorious name! We have nothing of our own to offer you. Who are we that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from your hand, and we can give only what you first gave us!

We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. Let us not further squander our opportunity to give you glory, honor and praise.

Lord, Do Not Leave Us To Ourselves

In His book, Moments For Families With Prodigals, Robert J. Morgan adapts a prayer written by Nicholas Herman, also know as Brother Lawrence, a 17th-centruy French Christian.

This is my intercessory adaptation of that prayer for my beloved nation today:

Lord, You have given my beloved nation a good disposition and a good will, but there is in her so much of this world and much rebellion against You.

There is no sense of holiness. She does not see herself as set apart FOR You, but has set herself apart FROM You.

Please forgive my nation's sins. She shall never do other-wise if You leave her to herself; it is You who must hinder her falling and mend what is amiss within her.

Lord, You have many ways of drawing the prodigal to Yourself.

May my beloved nation begin to be earnestly devoted to You as she once was. Let her cast everything that hinders out of her heart, and may we soon see the change wrought in her that we, yea, even You, would desire.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

A Prayer For America

May America once again exalt you oh God and King. May she praise your name forever and ever. May she praise you every day; yes, praise you forever.

You are great oh Lord! You are most worthy of our praise! No one can measure your greatness. May the generations of children in this nation tell their children of your mighty deeds; may they proclaim your power.

May this beloved nation meditate once again on your majestic glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. May your awe inspiring deeds be on every tongue; may America proclaim your greatness.

May everyone share the story of your wonderful goodness again; may they sing with Joy about your righteousness.

                                              (Psalm 145:1-7)

THE CHURCH 2014: Just "Holdin' The Fort" Or Storming The Gates?

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:18,19

THE CHURCH HAS NO EQUAL; NO COUNTER-PART, NO SUBSTITUTE. 

Further, she must be on the move against the very gates of hell. She must be on the offense. If she is not there no one, nothing else, will be there. Her prayers ought to arise from a soul bent on anticipation and not desperation.

To be desperate is to be in anguish, despair, and misery. To anticipate is to be expectant, joyful, confident, and hopeful. Hebrews 11:1 expresses it best. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."Anticipation is the confident expectation that the living Lord Jesus has all of our tomorrows in his hands.

To be desperate is to be on the defense. We're just "holdin' the fort." Circumstances may get desperate but the church of Jesus Christ can and must operate in a spirit of anticipation, expectation, confidence, joy, and hope. Her prayers - the prayers of her people ought to reflect that. The prophet Jeremiah lamented Israel's abandonment of their covenant with God. He felt grief, sorrow, regret, and mourning for their behavior. But he also had hope, anticipation of their return to God. Circumstances were desperate but the prophet was not.

In his book Prodigal Nation, Andrew R. Murphy said:
     "[Jeremiad] narratives of decline, chastisement, and renewal appear across time, culture, religion, and  geography, from classical Asian and Western cultures to yesterday's news. The sacred tests of many religious traditions lament declining moral and spiritual standards, and hold out hope for renewal and revival, if only the community will see the error of its ways."

Praying in the spirit of Matthew 16:18,19 means taking the fight to the gates of hell, to the very gates of the Devil's residence, binding and loosing as we go. We don't wait for the world, the flesh, and the Devil to bring the fight to us. 

We go on the offense for our lost friends, neighbors, and work associates. 

We go on the offense for the tearing down of satanic/demonic strongholds. 

We go on the offense for winning the battle in the spirit realm in the name of Jesus. 

We go on the offense for the reversal of the moral breakdown of the family and society. 

We go on the offense for revival in the church and awakening in the land. 

We go on the offense for the Christ-like transformation of our local, state, and national leaders.

The church has no equal, no counter-part, no substitute. She muse be on the move with great anticipation to win a desperate world in 2014 and beyond.