Healing And Deliverance Tools
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Healing And Deliverance Tools
Understanding And Practicing Fasting- Types Of Fasting
What are the various types of fasting? How long should one fast? If I have a medical condition can I participate in fasting? Get answers to these and other questions as we look at various types and modes of fasting.
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Hallelujah. So we want to continue with our teachings on the subject of fasting. We started off, first of all, following the instructions of Jesus. From the book, however, this kind comes out not but by prayer and fasting. So we realize that there is a kind that Jesus was talking about that can only be overcome by the discipline of prayer and fasting. We have covered a number of sessions on fasting and I will urge you that you take time to listen and listen again. The subject we are saying is understanding and practicing fasting. It's good to do something with understanding. Last time we finished on spiritual benefits of fasting.
Speaker 1:I will not go there. I want to go straight away and look at types of fasting, types of fasting. What are the various types of fasting that are evident in the Word of God? Now, there are different types of fastings and they vary in what a man chooses to obtain from and in the length of time which he or she decides to do so for purposes of seeking God in prayers. So we say fasting is primarily abstinence from food, sometimes with water, for purposes of seeking God. But, as we shall see in a little bit, there are other forms of abstinence which allow us to broaden the definition of fasting. When I come to number four, I will mention a different kind of fasting. This fasting, as you will see, allows us to stretch a little bit biblically and include other things as ways of fasting. Now I have said the types of fasting. They vary in what a man or woman chooses to abstain from, but also in the length of time that somebody does so, time that somebody does so. And as we look at these different forms of fasting, you will find that each and every one of us, in one way or the other, irrespective of your condition, you can be able to take some time and fast and pray. But if you have a medical condition, you also want to consult your doctor so that they can know your plan to take, especially if you want to take a prolonged period of time. So let me quickly mention some examples of length of time that are evident in the scripture about fasting. You know about the length, the different length of time, and these are varied, so I'll just mention them very fast for purposes of completeness.
Speaker 1:There is a one day fast. We see in the Bible people are fasted from sunrise to sunset. For example, in Judges, chapter 20 and verse 26,. You will see people there fasting from morning, from sunrise to sunset. There is also a three-day fast. Now, these are a number of them in the book of Esther. Those are three-day fasts. Esther, chapter 4, verse 16. We see there Esther fasting with the whole Jewish nation, all the Jews, for three days, and this was without water or food. Then we have other examples, like in Acts, chapter 9, you will see Paul there. After he had an encounter with Jesus, he went on a fast for three days, and then there is also a seven-day fast. Okay, there's a seven-day fast.
Speaker 1:You read the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 31, in verse number 13. You will see the Israelites. They are fasting for seven days after the death of the first king, king Saul, and then there is also a 10-day fast. All right, 10-day fast. That's number four.
Speaker 1:You will see there in the book of Daniel, chapter 1, verse 12, daniel and his friends asked the keeper. They were in Babylon and he asked to be given 10 days and his fast was only vegetable. He wanted to be given just vegetable and water and he avoided all other foods, which we will see in a little bit. So that was a 10-day fast and then there was a 14-day fast. So you see there are various kinds of fasting. So the length of the 14-day fast we see in Acts, chapter 27, verse 33, you can go and read there, 33 to 34. There was a 14-day fast and then there is another 21 days fast. 21-day fast where Daniel fasted for 21 days, and this one he ate no meat, no wine, no rich food, no pleasant food. We'll talk about it in a moment. That was 21-day fast. And then there is a 40 day fast. 40 day fast that was performed by Jesus, but also Moses and Elijah.
Speaker 1:That's about all that I want to mention about the length of time is that holy people, or people who are moved by God, fasted for a number of length of time. And there are some other fasts in the Bible which we don't know the exact number of days, like the fast of Nehemiah. We go to the book of Nehemiah, chapter one. You will see Nehemiah entering into a fast. We don't know how long he fasted. So it is not about the length of time, it is about the purpose for which you are entering into to pray and seek God. So one day all the way to 40 days, all the way to indefinite number of days.
Speaker 1:But now let me go to the type of different kinds depending on foods that we are eating, types of fasting, depending on what you choose to abstain from. Number one. Number one this is called total or complete or absolute fast. Total or complete or absolute fast In this fast, no food or water is consumed. You abstain from all foods and also from taking water. Now, I mentioned when we were starting our studies here, and I bring it because this is important so that all of us can take caution it is thought that the longest the human body can go without food and water is seven days, and this varies depending on your present health status. Now, with water but no food, the body can go for two to three months, again depending on an individual's health status. Now, water is the cleanser of toxins from the body and it provides for the metabolic activities to continue. Let me repeat that Water is a cleanser, for your body will choke up.
Speaker 1:Now only Moses and Elijah are recorded to have gone without food and water for 40 days. Jesus fasted for 40 days, but when he finished his fast, the Bible says he was hungry. He was not fasting. So we concluded Jesus was having water because there were waters in the wilderness where he was Now Moses, you will be surprised. Even after fasting for 40 days, he also went straight back and fasted another 40 days, making it 80 days of fasting without food and water.
Speaker 1:Now, this is important. This is important for those who are listening. You cannot get into a fast without water unless it is God who initiated the fast. Okay, listen to me, if you are going into a longer than three days, longer than three days, you cannot do that kind of a fast unless it is God who initiated it. All right, if you look at Elijah, he did not decide I am going on a 40-day fast and I will fast from food and water. No, and I will fast from food and water. No, he was only given bread and wine, and the Bible tells us he went by the power. He was given food by the angel and the angel told him I wake up, eat, for the journey ahead is long, all right, and he fasted. He went on the strength of the food he was given by the angel for 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of God. You cannot do that unless it was initiated by God For Moses. Moses was called by God to the mountain and the Bible says he was with God face to face, listening to God as God was giving him the commandments. Moses was able to live for those 40 days because he was directly in the presence of God and by the time he was coming back, the Bible says his body was shining like fire.
Speaker 1:So don't attempt to take it long without water. Fasting without water can seriously bring injury to your health. Only it should be done under supernatural power. It will only be undertaken under clear directions of the Holy Spirit. Without water this is what I have written and have put it in bold so that I can read it for you here Without water as a cleanser and purifier, the body quickly accumulates toxins that cause injury to tissues and organs, some of which may be permanent, all right. Some of which may be permanent, alright.
Speaker 1:So, number one fast Is absolute or complete fast, where you abstain from food, you abstain from water, and in the Bible and in the Bible. In the Bible we see three days Of fasting like that. I will tell you the truth. I have done that. I have gone for three days without water, without food, and it's not a good thing. Okay, so I will not advise anybody who wants to practice fasting to go without water. Okay, number two. Let me go to number two.
Speaker 1:The second kind of fasting is what I have called the normal fast. The normal fast, the normal fast, is what we have learned before and we bring it here, is abstaining from food, not water. But you abstain from food alone. Now you will ask a question then what is food and what is water? We have to have that distinction, because if we don't have that distinction, then we can be fasting and we are not fasting. All right, so listen to me, this is very important.
Speaker 1:Food is any solid or liquid that contains nutrients and minerals that your body uses to sustain life Now, this is not a dictionary definition, this is just my working definition, all right and minerals that your body uses to sustain life. That is food. If it has nutrients, it is food. Water is a liquid that hydrates, cools and eliminates waste from the body. Take those distinctions, very important. Water is a liquid that hydrates, cools and eliminates waste products from your body, whether through sweating or through passing urine or through the other side. Now, here is a good distinction for those who are taking notes. It's a very good distinction here. Write it down, write it down. Write this one down. I'll put it in bold so that I don't forget Food has calories. Water does not have calories. Very important, very important. Food has calories. Water does not have calories.
Speaker 1:If you take juices and or solid foods made into soup, it is still food. Why? Because you have calories. You have nutrients inside it.
Speaker 1:I was listening to another preacher and he was saying he had a friend of his who was very clever. When they were doing their fasting he said, okay, we are not going to eat any food. And so the brother was very clever he will take his hamburger and his cheese and everything else and take it into a blender and blend it nicely into a juice so that he can drink it, saying I am fasting, now that's not fasting. If you take something, you are blended because it is liquid. Now you're not eating. It's not about chewing. It is about the nutrition that your body gets so that it can feed your appetite. So don't take anything that has calories. If it is water, it is water that has calories. If it is water, it is water.
Speaker 1:So when you are doing a normal fast, you abstain from food and your body will use the energy that is stored all over your body. You have so much energy stored in your body, your body, as long as you are taking water. You will feel bad the first day, you will feel bad the second day and afterward. There is a trigger that God has set in our body. It is an automatic trigger that tells your body it is time to begin to move the stores, to provide energy for sustaining life. All right, so that is number two. Number three Number three is partial fast. So we are talking about absolute fast, normal fast. Number three is partial fast. What is a partial fast is partial fast. What is a partial fast? Partial fast is abstaining from certain foods, usually choice foods like meat and sweets and oils and anything that brings pleasure to the body.
Speaker 1:All right, and in many places it is called the Daniel fast. All right, I have mentioned to you about Daniel fasting in chapter 1, verse 11 to 16. We see Daniel and his friends practicing telling the keeper. The keeper of the prison oh, we haven't read the Bible, so let's go to the Bible. Let the keeper of the prison oh, we haven't read the Bible, so let's go to the Bible. Let's go to the Bible. In fact, I will take you to Daniel, chapter 10. It is also in Daniel, chapter 1, but let me read Daniel, chapter 10. So go to Daniel, chapter 10. You will see what is called the Daniel verse.
Speaker 1:Daniel, chapter 10, verse 2 and 3. Chapter 10, verse 2 and 3. Daniel 10, verse 2 and 3. It says in those days I, daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all till the three weeks were fulfilled. So Daniel abstained from meat and from all pleasant food so that he could give himself time to pray. You see that. So what are we talking about? He is eating vegetables, he is eating nuts, for example, but he's avoiding any meat, he's avoiding any fried stuff, he's avoiding oils. So he's doing what is called abstinence from any delicacies so that he can give himself time to pray.
Speaker 1:Now, this is a great kind of fasting. This is a great kind, especially for those with a medical condition. Listen to me. Maybe you are saying oh, pastor, I want to fast, but my doctor has refused and said I cannot go hungry because of the medications that I am taking. There are some medications which you are supposed to take after a meal.
Speaker 1:Now, if you are that kind of fasting, here is a fast that you can undertake. You decide to abstain from all pleasant food no meat, no oils. And when you go to cook your food, you are doing vegetables and you just boil them, for example. You just boil and you put salt in them, all right, but you avoid frying them. You avoid everything because this is a moment and time when you have given yourself to seek God in prayer. And God sees if he answered Daniel because of avoiding this pleasant food. God is impartial. When we say God shows no partiality, it means if you do the same thing that somebody else did, you should expect the results the same way they got the results. Does that make sense? God does not show favoritism, but God has favor. You can attract favor by doing the right things before the eyes of the Lord, the right things before God. So Daniel fasted, and so this is a very good fast which, for those who have not fasted for a long time, they can begin practicing fasting.
Speaker 1:You decide okay, for the next one week, for example, for the next two weeks, for example, for the next three weeks, I'm not going to touch any meat, I'm not going to touch any dairy, I'm not going to touch anything pleasant. No cakes, please. All right, no cakes, no, nothing. All right, no boiled eggs. You decide you are doing vegetables, vegetables, vegetables, vegetables. Even rice is still a vegetable, but we just boil it, boil rice, put salt in it. All right, boil some vegetables so you can take. Oh, I forgot to mention when you're talking vegetables, fruits are included. So we are talking about vegetables and fruits and nuts, vegetables, fruits and nuts. What you're avoiding is animal products. You're avoiding animal products and the oils, all right, that's what you try to stay away from. Now there are those who are already vegetarians. Now you can't say you are fasting if you are already a vegetarian, all right, that's a dieting you are doing. So you have to choose other ways of fasting. I hope that is clear. All right, so we all can fast, even those with medical conditions. We can all fast in one way or the other.
Speaker 1:Let me go to the last one here, the last one that I'll mention, which is non-food fasting. Non-food fasting. Number four non-food fasting. Now, a good example is provided in scripture, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 7 and verse 4 to 6. Here we see the Bible talking about those who are married abstaining from marital intimacy. Abstaining from marital intimacy. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 7, verse 4. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 7 and read what the Bible says there. All right, 1 Corinthians 7 and verse number 4.
Speaker 1:This is what Paul says. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except with a consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But I say this as a concision and not as a commandment. You see, paul is very clear there. He is instructing those who are married and tell them they can abstain from marital intimacy, but for a time. And if you are listening to me, if you are a wife or if you are a husband, understand what the Bible is saying to me.
Speaker 1:If you are a wife or if you are a husband, understand what the Bible is saying. It has to be mutual consent. You have to have agreed. You cannot go to your spouse and say, hey, I am fasting, so I will not give you your marital rights in bed. No, you cannot do that. The Bible is very clear.
Speaker 1:Paul is very clear. He says do not deprive one another except with the consent and for a time. So the two things have to be there. The other one has to have consented. You sat together. The other one has to have consented. You sat together, you agreed and you decided we are going to go for a particular period of time. That is important. It has to be biblical.
Speaker 1:If the other person is not fasting, you can continue with your fast. If you are doing vegetable fast, you can continue with your fast. If you are doing water only fast. But don't deny the other partner their conjugal rights because of your fast. If they are not fasting, if they did not consent to you getting in, they still deserve their right in marriage. As it goes, hallelujah.
Speaker 1:And Paul says even this Paul is very clear. He's saying even this abstaining from sexual intimacy is not a commandment. I am giving right, we have to be very clear here, because this message is watched by many. He says it's not a commandment, it's not something that I have received from the Lord that I should tell you now, because you are fasting and praying, you have to abstain from your marital intimacy. No, he says, I am saying this as a concision, but not as a commandment. That means that we have the freedom to decide.
Speaker 1:But this particular example, len, opens a way. It gives us a room to broaden up, to expand our definition of what fasting is. Fasting is denying ourselves. Fasting is denial. If you deny yourself something for purposes of seeking God, god considers that as fasting All right. God considers that as fasting All right. God considers that as fasting All right. So these guys are abstaining from marital intimacy. That is, fasting is honored by the Lord.
Speaker 1:So then we can bring other areas, other areas, so that we can include them in the fasting category. For example, people can fast from media destruction. There is a lot of destruction. There is a lot of things that take our attention, that take our time, that take our moment until we don't have time enough to have and to seek the presence of the Lord. So you can decide I am not going to watch TV. I am not going to watch TV for one week, for example, so that I can have time to spend in the presence of God. That God honors Whatever you want to draw yourself. So people can decide I will deny myself TV program. I will deny myself games. I will deny myself Another thing that you can deny yourself, you can abstain from hobby distraction.
Speaker 1:Do you know? Our hobbies take a lot of time. And there's nothing wrong with having a hobby. It's important to have something to release yourself, to refresh yourself. But there are people who have been taken by hobbies Maybe it is golf and all they think is golf, just going for golf, just going for golf, playing golf, and they don't have time enough to pray and to study the Word of God. If that be you, you can decide hey, this career, this hobby, this thing that I am doing is taking so much of my time. I need a time to spend in the presence of God and you withdraw yourself for a period of time from your hobby, from what you love to do, so that you can seek the face of the Lord, and that will bring you closer to God.
Speaker 1:Some of us are so engrossed in our games. Our games take more time. We spend more time with our games than we spend with God. We spend more time with our games than we spend with the Word of God. Some of us are just so used to the mobile phone. I had a brother. He took a challenge. He said I'm going to stay away from my phone so that I can have time. This every time I'm carrying my phone, I can't leave it. It's become an addiction, and so you break away from that and I just want to be free so that the moment I think about my fall, I think about praying, and you start talking to God, starting worshiping God, you start calling on the name of the Lord, hallelujah. So that is a form of fasting Abstaining from media, abstaining from hobbies.
Speaker 1:Number four you can abstain. You can fast by providing for the needy, by providing for those who are needy and hungry and naked, and doing away with oppression. Now, when we were studying in Isaiah chapter 58, I want us to finish with that Isaiah 58, we saw that there is a form of fasting that may not necessarily involve food, but God values it. Isaiah 58, god was correcting the children of Israel because they were complaining. They were saying God, we have fasted, but you are not seeing why have we fasted and you don't even listen to us. And God showed them your fasting is wrong. And he sent the prophet Isaiah and said go and show my people their transgression. All right, look at verse 3, isaiah 58, verse 3 this is what the area we are finishing with. Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen. Why have we afflicted our souls? And you take no notice. In fact, in the day of your fast, you find pleasure and you exploit your laborers. Indeed, you fight for strife and debate and to strike with a fist of wickedness.
Speaker 1:And then now he starts in verse 5. For a man to afflict his soul, is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? Look at verse 6. Is this not the fast that I have chosen? To lose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out? When you see the naked, that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh? And then he says says. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing will spring speedily and your righteousness will go before you. The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. And then you shall call on the Lord and the Lord will answer. You shall cry and he will say here I am. If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of fingers and the speaking of wickedness, then if you extend, and he continues on and on and on. What are we saying?
Speaker 1:God was correcting his people and saying you are fasting the wrong way. You think that fasting that is important is when you are put on sackcloth, when you have denied yourself. But you guys are doing that. But you are oppressing the poor, you are oppressing your laborers, and we have beloved. We have people, especially in Africa, where we are able to employ home workers. We employ maids to employ garden workers, to employ people to do our gardens and small, small chores outside, because labor is cheap in Africa. We have believers who are so oppressive to the people that they have employed Beloved.
Speaker 1:God sees the cry of those who are weak. God sees the cry of those who are under your care. How do you deal with those you have employed? How do you deal with a person? Just because they are poor, just because they are under your mercy? How do you handle them? How do you deal with them? God is concerned over that. You can pray and hinder your prayers because of the way you treat your maid, because of the way you treat your maid, because of the way you treat your housegirl. But God says take the oppression away, do the right thing, take the yoke away, take the burdens away, treat them as human beings. And oh, what wonderful promises God has given. I always read this and I want to read them again and again.
Speaker 1:Verse 8, he says then your light shall break forth like morning and your healing shall spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you.
Speaker 1:The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Speaker 1:Then you shall call and the Lord will answer Look at that. Right, it is so sweet. Keep others right. That is a form of fasting. It's not food, but it's just the way God is saying is this not the kind of fasting that I have chosen? Is this not the kind of? So?
Speaker 1:Fasting is not just about food alone. It is when you deny yourself pleasure, when you deny yourself what is right, and you begin to do what is right, to do what is good and to treat those who are needy well. The light of God will shine. When there is darkness ahead of you, god will clear that darkness. He says. Your healing will spring forth speedily when you kneel down to pray. Oh God says he will hear you and answer. Amen, hallelujah. So those are the kinds of fasting that we see in the Bible different length and different kinds, and all of us can be involved in a season of prayer and fasting. What is important is you and I separating ourselves for the purpose of seeking God in prayer. We will enter into a different session of when should we fast. In the next lesson we will learn when should we fast. When should you get into a fast? Very important lesson, so don't miss it. We will carry on from there. God bless you and God do you good, amen, amen.