The Lord said, “HERE IS THE WAY I WANT YOU TO FAST…Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family. Then THE LIGHT OF MY BLESSING WILL SHINE ON YOU like the rising sun. I will HEAL YOU QUICKLY. I will march out AHEAD OF YOU. And my glory will follow BEHIND YOU AND GUARD YOU. YOU WILL CALL out to me for help. And I WILL ANSWER YOU. You will CRY OUT. And I WILL SAY, ‘HERE I AM.’ Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong. Stop saying harmful things about them. Then my blessing will LIGHT UP YOUR DARKNESS. And the night of your suffering will become AS BRIGHT AS THE NOONDAY SUN.” (Isaiah 58:6-10)
GOD SAID WHEN YOU FAST:
- THE LIGHT OF MY BLESSING WILL SHINE ON YOU.
- I WILL HEAL YOU QUICKLY.
- I WILL GO OUT AHEAD OF YOU.
- I WILL GUARD YOU FROM BEHIND.
- YOU WILLL CALL AND I WILL ANSWER.
- YOU WILL CRY AND I WILL SAY “HERE I AM”.
- ME BLESSING WILL LIGHT UP YOUR DARKNESS.
- AND MAKE YOUR PATH AS BRIGHT AS THE NOON DAY SUN.
That’s the Old Testament, what about the New Testament? Jesus said, “…WHEN YOU FAST, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, WHEN YOU FAST, ANOINT your head and WASH your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret WILL REWARD YOU OPENLY.” (Matthew 6:16-18) “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had FASTED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS, afterward He was hungry.” (Matthew 4:1-2) After this He was tempted by the devil and powerfully defeated him.
Now in the Antioch church, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon, Niger, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. “As they ministered to the Lord and FASTED, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, HAVING FASTED AND PRAYED, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:1-3) “…the disciples of John came to Jesus saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And 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 then THEY WILL FAST.” (Matthew 9:14-15)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham