BBD 01.09.04 Facilitating Your Spiritual Break Out - Part 5 (Fasting)

#1 · January 9, 2004, 4:32 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on January 9, 2004, 4:32 pm
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 10,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

01.09.04

Facilitating Your Spiritual Break Out - Part 5 (Fasting)

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was
shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often,
in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen,
in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in
weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, IN
FASTINGS often, in cold and nakedness-- besides the other things, what comes
upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. - 2 Corinthians
11:25-28.

We were immersed into the possibilities of the power of fasting at the 1996
Southern Baptist National Convention at New Orleans. Ronnie Floyd pastor of
the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas spoke and shared of his
experiences with fasting. He says that fasting is the gateway to
supernatural power and I believe he is right. Dr. Floyd also spoke of how
thousands in his church were fasting and praying for him as he spoke. After
one message just before lunch, the Holy Spirit came upon us all in a
powerful way. I experienced a peace that I had not experienced since the day
I was saved.

At the time, we were facing a difficult decision believing that God wanted
us to leave a church after having been there only for a year. We believe God
led us to the convention and it is the only one we have been able to attend.
We came home with a conviction that we needed to fast and pray until God
would move in our lives and make it clear what we were to do. We began
fasting on Monday and on the following Sunday afternoon a pastor search
committee called us. It was a church that I had not considered but we knew
that it came from the hand of God. You can read more about this journey with
God at this URL: www.theburningbush.org/10.html#Nine.

After arriving at the new place of service, circumstances were still
difficult. This was to have been a bivocational place of service and as I
faced a particularly important interview, I again fasted and prayed for a
week. As I was walking and praying early one morning the streetlights
blinked on and off just as I was pleading with God to give me this job. It
was not a coincidence, a freak of nature, or an accident it was the hand of
God and I knew that He had heard my prayer. I was disappointed after I
failed to receive the job I so very much wanted but knew that if it had been
God’s will then I would have had the job. Knowing my circumstance in this
situation was God’s will kept me going through even more difficult times.
Looking back now, I can see that it would have been a mistake for me to have
taken the job I pleaded with God about.

Fasting is not spoken of often in the Bible but it appears to have been a
discipline that was taken for granted that people would know to participate
in it. The apostle Paul speaks of his fastings. In Mark 9:29 Jesus, in
reference to why his disciples could not cast out a demon, says that it
could only be cast out through fasting and prayer. In the Old Testament, we
have references to many of the great servants of God fasting. Ezra fasted,
Esther fasted, Nehemiah fasted, Daniel fasted, David fasted, and the
indication is that all the people fasted at set times and during troubling
circumstances.

Fasting is not something that is easy for me to do and I have rarely engaged
in this spiritual discipline. I know that I have missed many blessings as a
result. However, if I had my spiritual journey to do over I would most
definitely fast more and it would have saved me from many mistakes. I would
define fasting as not eating physical food during the daytime (Dr. Floyd has
a blender and uses it extensively during his fasts.). The fast is made even
more effective by the complete abstention from food day and night during the
fasting period. Some are unable to fast from food because of medical
conditions or medications and if you are not sure please consult your
medical professional. If you are unable to fast from food, you can fast
other things such as television viewing.

If you want to break out spiritually then fasting should be in your
repertoire. Fasting is indeed the gateway to supernatural power, guidance,
wisdom and every spiritual blessing. Try it! (And while you are fasting,
pray for me, please!)

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited.

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

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Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 10,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

01.09.04

Facilitating Your Spiritual Break Out - Part 5 (Fasting)

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was
shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often,
in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen,
in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in
weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, IN
FASTINGS often, in cold and nakedness-- besides the other things, what comes
upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. - 2 Corinthians
11:25-28.

We were immersed into the possibilities of the power of fasting at the 1996
Southern Baptist National Convention at New Orleans. Ronnie Floyd pastor of
the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas spoke and shared of his
experiences with fasting. He says that fasting is the gateway to
supernatural power and I believe he is right. Dr. Floyd also spoke of how
thousands in his church were fasting and praying for him as he spoke. After
one message just before lunch, the Holy Spirit came upon us all in a
powerful way. I experienced a peace that I had not experienced since the day
I was saved.

At the time, we were facing a difficult decision believing that God wanted
us to leave a church after having been there only for a year. We believe God
led us to the convention and it is the only one we have been able to attend.
We came home with a conviction that we needed to fast and pray until God
would move in our lives and make it clear what we were to do. We began
fasting on Monday and on the following Sunday afternoon a pastor search
committee called us. It was a church that I had not considered but we knew
that it came from the hand of God. You can read more about this journey with
God at this URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/10.html#Nine.

After arriving at the new place of service, circumstances were still
difficult. This was to have been a bivocational place of service and as I
faced a particularly important interview, I again fasted and prayed for a
week. As I was walking and praying early one morning the streetlights
blinked on and off just as I was pleading with God to give me this job. It
was not a coincidence, a freak of nature, or an accident it was the hand of
God and I knew that He had heard my prayer. I was disappointed after I
failed to receive the job I so very much wanted but knew that if it had been
God’s will then I would have had the job. Knowing my circumstance in this
situation was God’s will kept me going through even more difficult times.
Looking back now, I can see that it would have been a mistake for me to have
taken the job I pleaded with God about.

Fasting is not spoken of often in the Bible but it appears to have been a
discipline that was taken for granted that people would know to participate
in it. The apostle Paul speaks of his fastings. In Mark 9:29 Jesus, in
reference to why his disciples could not cast out a demon, says that it
could only be cast out through fasting and prayer. In the Old Testament, we
have references to many of the great servants of God fasting. Ezra fasted,
Esther fasted, Nehemiah fasted, Daniel fasted, David fasted, and the
indication is that all the people fasted at set times and during troubling
circumstances.

Fasting is not something that is easy for me to do and I have rarely engaged
in this spiritual discipline. I know that I have missed many blessings as a
result. However, if I had my spiritual journey to do over I would most
definitely fast more and it would have saved me from many mistakes. I would
define fasting as not eating physical food during the daytime (Dr. Floyd has
a blender and uses it extensively during his fasts.). The fast is made even
more effective by the complete abstention from food day and night during the
fasting period. Some are unable to fast from food because of medical
conditions or medications and if you are not sure please consult your
medical professional. If you are unable to fast from food, you can fast
other things such as television viewing.

If you want to break out spiritually then fasting should be in your
repertoire. Fasting is indeed the gateway to supernatural power, guidance,
wisdom and every spiritual blessing. Try it! (And while you are fasting,
pray for me, please!)

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com