Fasting and Revival CUP! KKIM/DDC

Dear Family of Jesus,

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”I love this quote by Kathryn Kuhlman, Faith healer and Evangelist, who passed on years ago……This is what I try to do each day before I write the CUP and go on the radio………

“Before I came out here tonight, I died a thousand deaths. Kathryn Kuhlman, died a thousand deaths, before I could even come out here tonight, to tell you about Jesus. I died a thousand deaths, so that you would not hear the words of Kathryn Kuhlman, but rather hear the words of God.”

From our Dear, Dear friend Karen Rowe……….

How can we Refuse Jesus now? I surrender my stubborn pride & desires even more than yesterday … To the fullest I am enabled Today to see in me! The Life and Love God gives is Worth all I have to surrender to HIM!

Self Control is a fruit of the Spirit and being healthy in all our choices is good!

Just to share… I hope this is a blessing to someone.

Love,

Karen

Let’s check the mailbag………..

Dewey my brother once again the spirit if divorce rears It’s ugly head and pain is caused in the body of Christ you are right one does not completely get over the loss of a spouse through divorce. But when it does happen and reconciliation is impossible, let me say this it can get better as long as we stay close to God in his word and in prayer. He knows what need and he will comfort us and supply our needs as long as we seek him. Love ya bro see you next week for the taping of Dewey and friends, sounds like it will be awesome can’t wait.
Steve@KAZQ

DEWEY: THIS IS A NOTE ABOUT JAMES BRADLEY. MY GRADE SCHOOL TEACHER IN RANDOLPH, WIS. WAS MY TEACHER FOR THE FIFTH GRADE. HER NAME WAS MRS. ROBERTS. SHE USED TO TALK ABOUT HER NEPHEW WHO WAS JAMES BRADLEY. SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIM. THINGS FINALLY CONNECT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. SHE TAUGHT US HISTORY AND SPELLING AND SHE WAS MY FAVORITE TEACHER. FROM JERRY FISHER YOUR FRIEND IN JESUS

Note:James Bradley (born 1954) is an American author, specializing in historical nonfiction chronicling the Pacific theatre of World War II. His father, John Bradley, was one of six men who became famous for being photographed raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi. That photograph has gone on to be one of the most duplicated and reproduced photos ever taken.

Thanks for your notes Steve and Jerry! God Bless you both!

Please pray for Jim’s Brother Wilburn who may be passing soon……..Pray for Wilburn and his family…….

Wilburn (77). His wife Rae, my nephew, Doug (50) and the three daughters, Theresa, Carla (and grandsons Derrick and Colby) and Robbie (and grandson Lucas).

We are praying Jim! God Bless you all!

This from Jannetta our lovely webmaster……….

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said,
“Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door,a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here,and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.”

“I know little of what is on the other side of death,but I do know one thing…

I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

AMEN!

I just love to learn to the point that it stretches me……makes me a bit uncomfortable……this has to be led by the Lord However……..I just love getting closer to my Lord. The Lord has moved me to learn more on Fasting and Revival.

I am one of those that a good sermon is one that makes you a bit uncomfortable and is not a High School pep rally!

Friday I had on air with me Pastor Dennis Dunn and his lovely wife Laverne, talking about Dennis’ new book.

In Pastor Dennis Dunn’s book, “God’s Got This” he says this……..

People today seem to believe that God should be reduced to their level of standard and understanding. But God says in Isiah 55:8 “My thoughts are neither your thoughts nor my ways.”

Amen……….I feel that the too much of the Church today has been infected with that type of thinking and Preaching. Dummy the Word of God down to fit my lifestyle, seems to be the thinking of too many!

The Lord has put on my heart to go into the depths of His Word……….and two of the things he really is putting on my heart right now is Revival and Fasting.

The Church speaks a lot about Revival but it seems much of the Church is running around in circles and can’t come together for revival! The Church needs to come together in the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Church also does not Preach and Teach enough on fasting, just like Revival many talk about it, but don’t teach on it.

I am praying and studying on fasting…….the following write up is from www.bible.com.This thought got my attention….Fasting is to make Satan turn lose what he is holding! I feel Satan is holding things from me and my family and Ministry and the Unites States of America.

This is a very long write up, I have been reading over it for a few days and also praying over it.

I encourage you to do the same………..I know this will help change your life, if you receive it! AMEN!

And as you read pray………listen………..pray…….listen for the Lord to show you things…….I believe He will……take your time………..

Our most important invest is not money……..it is time with the Lord………

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT…
FASTING?
The “key” of fasting to receive God’s authority in His kingdom, will be covered in this teaching. The Lord said He would give us the “keys to the kingdom.” What did He mean by that statement? Keys to the kingdom are actually keys of authority.
Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
KEYS OF AUTHORITY
When Jesus becomes our Lord, we are automatically transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:12-13 says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.” Now that we have a new king and live in a new kingdom, we must understand “kingdom principles” if we are to be victorious Christians. We cannot overcome until we have the keys that unlock the kingdom of heaven. The Lord never meant for us to wait until we die to experience heaven but purposed for us to bring heaven to the earth through the power of His Spirit. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). We are unable to receive God’s healing, provision and blessing if we do not know the keys the Lord has given us to accomplish kingdom living. Keys represent authority in the Kingdom of God, and authority is gained by using them. Fasting is only one of the keys to the kingdom; others are prayer, praise, worship, intercession and travail (a prayer burden from the Lord).
The key of fasting has nearly been lost to the modern church. It is also one that some say was only for early day Christians. Looking closely at the Word of God, we find that the Lord never did away with the principle of fasting, but it has been man who has attempted to make it obsolete. Fasting is still a valid key that can be used today to bring us into kingdom living. What is fasting? It is another means by which we can suffer for the Lord, through the voluntary abstinence from eating. Biblical fasting is done to bring spiritual results and is not simply for physical purposes. Doctors today are discovering the physical benefits of this practice and have found that abstaining from food (not water) for several days has a wonderful cleansing effect upon the body. Many impurities are burned up within the body as it is denied food, thus clearing the mind, and cleansing and healing the body. Even nature shows us that fasting is good medicine as we automatically lose our appetites when sickness strikes. Many people in the world are practicing fasting and finding it not only healthful, but even a wonderful way to lose weight quickly. However, even though we may enjoy these benefits while fasting, the Christian primarily fasts for spiritual purposes and not for health reasons. Obeying spiritual principles can produce positive physical results, but they are added blessings. Even people that are underweight who fast for spiritual purposes have been known to gain weight after completing their fasts.
The Lord tells us in Matthew 6:16-18 that when we fast, we are to do it unto the Lord. He doesn’t say if we fast.
“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” We can see that our motives in fasting must be pure. We are not to do it in order to broadcast it, but we are to do it as quietly and simply as possible so as not to attract attention to ourselves. We are to appear to others as though we are not fasting. There are exceptions, such as when we are fasting as a group for a specific thing. Then it must be announced so that others can take part. We find this in Joel 1:14, “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord.” The main thing the Lord desires is that it be done unto Him and not as a show unto men. Our heart attitude must be right to produce spiritual results.
Jesus, by fasting, set an example that we might follow in His steps. Matthew 4:1-4, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
This Scripture shows us that the Lord drank water but did not eat food, for it says that after forty days he was hungry. The normal fast is without food, drinking water only.
There are also absolute fasts recorded in the Bible. Upon Saul’s conversion in Acts 9:9, he immediately went on an absolute fast for three days, having neither food nor water. (“And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”) The body can go for a number of days without food, but cannot go for long periods without water. Therefore, the Bible does not record any absolute fasts that go beyond three days, except the account of Moses spending forty days and nights on top of Mount Sinai (Horeb) without food or water. This was a supernatural encounter with God and he was sustained during that time, because otherwise he would have died, as the human body cannot go without water that long.
Exodus 34:28-29, “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shown while he talked with him.”
We can see that because Moses was in the literal presence of the Lord, it was that presence that sustained him so he neither needed food nor water. This, of course, is an exceptional fast.
The Lord did not set up any specific duration that we are to fast, but from His teachings, we see that he did expect us to fast.
Luke 5:34-35, “And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”
Fasting can be done for one meal, one day, one month or for however long God leads. It depends on how the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Shorter fasts are easier to endure until we have built up our “spiritual muscles”. A helpful book we recommend is Arthur Wallis’, God’s Chosen Fast. It is a spiritual and practical guide to fasting. A three day fast is most beneficial as a spiritual cleansing. An example of this is Paul’s being thrust into his fast upon conversion. After the three days of cleansing, he received the Holy Spirit and his eyesight when Ananias laid hands on him (Acts 9:17-18). We also can be spiritually cleansed by fasting so that we receive more of the Lord’s Spirit and have our spiritual eyes opened to new dimensions. A three day fast is also especially helpful in breaking any addictive habits.
These then are two reasons for fasting: We receive spiritual cleansing and our spiritual eyes are opened, and we also obtain victory over the devil. When Jesus encountered Satan, He was able to overcome Him because His fasting had given Him spiritual strength. Isaiah 58:6 also gives us light on this purpose of fasting: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” Many people believe that fasting is to move the hand of God, when in actuality it is to make Satan turn loose of the things he is holding.
Fasting looses the bands of wickedness. When Jesus discussed the keys to the kingdom, He told us to bind and loose. When we fast, we loose the bands of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, set the oppressed free, and break every yoke of the enemy. Fasting is an important key to getting the victory over hard situations that do not seem to respond to normal prayer.
Fasting builds our faith. In fact, this is what Jesus meant when he spoke to the disciples in Matthew 17:21 in answer to why they were not able to cast a demon out of a child. He said, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” He was telling them if they wanted their faith to be at such a level as to be able to cast out demons, then they must fast and pray for their faith to increase.
Fasting also makes it easier for us to hear the voice of the Lord. We find an account of this in Acts 13:2-3:
“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
While fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them and gave them direction. We too can be directed by the Lord if we seek Him through prayer and fasting.
Fasting and mourning are closely associated in the Bible. Two examples of this are found in Ezra and Nehemiah.
Ezra 10:6, “Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.” Nehemiah 1:4, “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.”
From these Scriptures, we see that fasting and travail (a prayer burden from the Lord that brings crying and tears) were combined. Both of these men were fasting for the repentance of God’s people. How we need this same kind of intercession today. Here were men so burdened for the sins of their people that they fasted, travailed and prayed.
Today, God is looking for people who are willing to take the same kind of burdens in the Spirit. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, so many are eager to do something for the Lord; however, due to a lack of proper teaching, they end up doing works in the flesh instead of works in the Spirit. Works that we do in our own strength profit nothing, but works that are inspired by the Spirit are profitable and bring results. Prayer is work in the Spirit. That is why it is not easy to pray. Travail and fasting are works in the Spirit. Witnessing under God’s leadership is a spiritual work. God is looking for laborers who are ready to go to work for Him. (Matthew 9:37-38, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”) The Lord is looking for workers, people who will labor to produce eternal results. Laboring in the Spirit brings many into the kingdom of God and causes much growth in the church.
Fasting is also one of these labors. It is a form of afflicting our soul. (Isaiah 58:3, “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?…”) By afflicting our soul, we say to our flesh, “Flesh, you are demanding to eat, but Christ is stronger than the desires of my soul. My spirit shall rule my soul, and my soul shall not have dominion over me.” Numerous individuals today are in bondage to their appetites because they have never denied themselves anything. The Lord wants us to be ruled by the Spirit, not by the flesh. Fasting brings the flesh unto subjection of the Spirit. (Matthew 4:4, “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”)
Fasting is also a way we can minister unto the Lord. We read in Acts 13:2 that they ministered unto the Lord and fasted. It is a way we can offer the time we generally spend in eating as unto the Lord in prayer. As we spend this time with Him, it causes things to happen in the Spirit. We do not understand this principle any more than other mysteries in the Bible, but we find that by applying it we get results. There are many things I don’t understand with my natural mind, but I receive them by faith because the Word of God says they are true. If God’s Word says it, that settles it. I don’t even understand why Jesus had to die on a cross to save us from our sins. However, because I believed that He did and received His forgiveness in my heart, I was “born again.” Likewise, I do not understand all the principles of fasting, but I do know they work.
We have discussed the absolute and the normal fasts, but we need to also mention the partial fast. This is a fast where we restrict our intake of food, but do not totally abstain. We have a record of this in Daniel 10:2-3, “In those days I, Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled”. Daniel went on a three-week partial fast, restricting his diet of all pleasant food, meat and wine. It was during this time that he had a visitation from an angel. Fasting always suppresses the flesh and heightens our spiritual sensitivity. Generally speaking, we hear the Lord’s voice more easily while fasting.
We all can benefit by giving up our pleasant bread for a season. The Lord blesses us for whatever sacrifices we make for Him. Our country is suffering under a spirit of gluttony and it would be a great blessing for the United States to have a time of national fasting unto God. We sit down and eat many times when we are not even hungry, simply because it is a habit. We should not eat out of habit or tradition, but rather that we might glorify Christ in our bodies. (I Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”)
Fasting sometimes comes spontaneously. Often if people are grieving they lose their appetites and unconsciously fast. That is why mourning and fasting are mentioned together in the Bible. Another type of spontaneous fasting occurs when we are so busy seeking God about a situation or a spiritual goal that we simply forget to eat. (We are moving too fast to take time to eat because we are concentrating on the things of the Spirit. We are moving in the spirit in a “fast” way. The fasting acts as spiritual dynamite to speed things up in the Spirit that would normally take a longer time to come to pass.) Some Christians are forced to fast due to a lack of food in their part of the world. They can dedicate this time to God and He will bless it as He would a voluntary fast.
Does fasting move the hand of God? No. If we believe that God withholds from us and we have to fight to get Him to bless us, then we have a wrong conception of the Lord. Isaiah 58:6 indicates that fasting is not to move the hand of the Lord, but it is to make Satan turn loose of what he is holding back that rightfully belongs to us. Jesus died so we could have the blessings. They belong to us as His children. However, we must press in and demand the enemy to release some things. This is our right as sons of God. Sometimes Satan still controls much territory in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. He has many in bondage. Fasting is a key that breaks loose the bands of wickedness. As we fast and pray, Satan must let our children who are bound by spirits of rebellion and drugs go free. He must take his hands off our loved ones, our friends and family. Some people are so bound that only fasting can loose them from the wicked chains of darkness.
We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when fasting is needed. Sometimes it is not necessary because the problem has already been “prayed through.” We need simply to rest in the Lord until His time for our answer to arrive. If we fast at those times, we will just be going hungry. We need also to seek the Lord as to whether He would have us go on a partial fast, normal fast or total fast. If we will ask, He will let us know. He will confirm His will to us. If we cannot hear His voice too clearly, He will send somebody to speak His counsel to us. We must trust Him.
We need also to check our motives when we fast. If they are selfish, our fast will not be accepted by the Lord. We see this in Jeremiah 14:10 and 12, “Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.” We cannot fast and have evil, unrepented sin or selfishness in our lives and expect God to answer our prayers. Many times we don’t even recognize selfish prayers. When we pray for our loved ones to be saved or delivered, and our motive is to only bring relief to ourselves instead of being concerned that they receive the peace and joy of Jesus, we are wrong. Let us examine our hearts when we seek God for anything.
Isaiah 58 is the great fasting chapter. Here we read how this key can break the bonds of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens and bring healing. It frees the oppressed and the depressed. It breaks every yoke. Some people are yoked to bad habits in this world, and fasting can break those yokes so they can be free to enter into the kingdom of God. A three-day fast will break most addictions.
Isaiah 58:7 also says, “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?” Fasting makes it possible for us not only to give “spiritual bread” to those that are hungry, but also releases our finances so that we can give “natural bread” to the poor and needy. The Lord wants us to have an abundance so we can be a blessing to others. He will bring the poor to our houses to be fed. He wants us to be able to minister to others. He will give us a ministry and cause people to be drawn to our doorstep by the Holy Spirit for counsel and prayer.
Verse 7 continues, “when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him.” We are to cover others’ sin through fasting and prayers of mercy. We are to ask God to forgive them and give them another chance. If we were stripped naked right now and our lives were bared before the world, every one of us would be ashamed and embarrassed about our past sins. None of us could stand. All of us would fall down naked, exposed and humiliated. However, we do not have to suffer this because Jesus paid the price for our sins and washed those things away. Praise God! They are not there anymore; God does not remember them, and neither should we. (Hebrews 10:17, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”) We need to pray for others to be released from the burden of sin that is upon their lives.
Verse 7 also says, “…and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” One trick of the enemy is to get us so busy ministering to others that we fail to minister to our own flesh. We must also ask the Lord to do a work of cleansing in our lives, and also make sure that we take time to let the Lord minister to us through His word, and in time spent alone with Him. Also, we are not to neglect our own flesh and blood. We must not get so busy with others’ needs that we do not minister to our own families. We are to fast for them, pray for them and spend time with them.
In verse 8 we see the fruits of fasting, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.” Healing will come forth quickly through fasting. If we have a besetting sin that we cannot get the victory over, fasting will strengthen us spiritually and deliver us from that bondage so that our righteousness can go before us. What a beautiful promise that the glory of the Lord shall be our reward! We receive a reward during the time of fasting, but it does not stop there. We also will be rewarded by seeing things come forth in the future as answers to our prayers.
Verse 9 says, “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.” By this we see there are conditions to our fast. We cannot point our fingers at others in condemnation if we expect our prayers to be answered. We must come humbly before the Lord if we desire to see our prayers answered.
The remainder of Isaiah 58 explains that the Lord will cause us to be lights to others, and that we shall not walk in darkness but have the Lord continually guiding us. He says we shall be taken care of in drought. No matter what is happening in the land, we shall have plenty. Waste places shall be rebuilt, and the Lord will restore and repair the damage that has been done to our lives. We shall ride upon the high places of the earth and shall inherit God’s blessings. Fasting brings restoration not only in our individual lives but in the life of the church also.
To sum up the different kinds of fasts:

(1.) Normal Fast – No food, water only.
(2.) Absolute Fast – Absolutely no food or water (Caution: Should not be undertaken over 3 days and only then if you have a clear directive from the Lord and are in good health).
(3.) Partial Fast – Abstinence from certain kinds of foods (i.e.: No meat or sweets, soup only, fruit and vegetables only, etc. In Daniel 10:3, Daniel ate no pleasant bread).
(4.) Juice Fast – Fruit and vegetable juices only.
(5.) Corporate Fast – A church or group of people who feel God has called them to fast together for a certain period of time.
(6.) Chain Fast – A church or group of people who commit to fasting for a long period of time and each individual commits to fast for a day or longer and signs up for so many days so that the entire period is covered for the designated fasting period. (Our church did this for an entire year at one time.)
(7.) Jewish Fasting Period – The Jewish fast began at 6:00 P.M. in the evening and ended the next day at 6:00 P.M. (Some people follow this time period to begin and end fasts.)
(8.) Fasting Plus Prayer — Remember, fasting should be combined with prayer. God called us to fast and pray, not fast and preach, nor fast and work. God did not call us to fast and do hard physical work. Although some work and certain responsibilities cannot be avoided while fasting, accounts in the Bible reveal that they arranged times to fast and pray when they did not have to work so they could make seeking God the focal point during the fast, especially when the fasts exceeded 3 days. Giving up our free weekends and vacations to fast, is one way we can sacrifice to the Lord.
(9.) Fasting and Abstinence — Although the word “fast” is used as abstaining from food in the Bible and does not refer to giving up other things, during a fast one can practice abstinence from other pleasures as well, such as entertainment, T.V, hobbies and sex, as spoken about in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5.

If you are considering an extended fast, you should seek competent medical supervision of someone familiar with fasting. This is especially needed if you are taking any medications. (This article is informational and spiritually directive and is not intended to take the place of medical advice). We would also recommend you reading these books for detailed information on fasting: God’s Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis or The Coming Revival by Dr. Bill Bright.

This from Mary Fairchild on Fasting………

In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to observe several set times of fasting. For New Testament believers, fasting was neither commanded nor forbidden in the Bible. While early Christians were not required to fast, many practiced prayer and fasting regularly. Jesus himself affirmed in Luke 5:35 that after his death fasting would be appropriate for his followers. Spiritual fasting clearly has a place and a purpose for God’s people today.

What is Spiritual Fasting?

In most cases, a spiritual fast involves abstaining from food while focusing on prayer. This can mean refraining from snacks between meals, skipping one or two meals a day, abstaining only from certain foods, or a total fast from all food for an entire day or longer.

For medical reasons, some people may not be able to fast from food altogether. They may choose to abstain only from certain foods, like sugar or chocolate, or from something other than food. In truth, believers can fast from anything. Doing without something temporarily, such as television or soda, as a way of redirecting our focus from earthly things toward God, can also be considered a spiritual fast.

The Purpose of Spiritual Fasting

While many people fast to lose weight, dieting is not the purpose of a spiritual fast. Instead, fasting provides unique spiritual benefits in the life of the believer.

Fasting requires self-control and discipline as one denies the natural desires of the flesh. During spiritual fasting, the believer’s focus is removed from the physical things of this world and intensely concentrated on God. Put differently, fasting directs our hunger toward God. It clears the mind and body of earthly attentions and draws us close to God. So, as we gain spiritual clarity of thought while fasting, it allows us to hear God more clearly. Fasting also demonstrates a profound need for God’s help and guidance through complete dependence upon him.

What Spiritual Fasting is Not

Spiritual fasting is not a way to earn God’s favor by getting him to do something for us. Rather, the purpose is to produce a transformation in us—a clearer, more focused attention and dependence upon God.

Fasting is never to be a public display of spirituality—it is between you and God alone. In fact, Jesus specifically instructed us in Matthew 6:16-18 to let our fasting be done privately and in humility, else we forfeit the benefits.

While Old Testament fasting was a sign of mourning, New Testament believers were taught to practice fasting with a cheerful attitude.

Lastly, it should be understood, spiritual fasting is never for the purpose of punishing or harming the body.

Some Examples of Fasting in the Bible

Old Testament

Moses fasted 40 days on behalf of Israel’s sin: Deuteronomy 9:9, 18, 25-29; 10:10.
David fasted and mourned the death of Saul: 2 Samuel 1:12.
David fasted and mourned the death of Abner: 2 Samuel 3:35.
David fasted and mourned the death of his child: 2 Samuel 12:16.
Elijah fasted 40 days after fleeing from Jezebel: 1 Kings 19:7-18.
Ahab fasted and humbled himself before God: 1 Kings 21:27-29.
Darius fasted in concern for Daniel: Daniel 6:18-24.
Daniel fasted on behalf of Judah’s sin while reading Jeremiah’s prophecy: Daniel 9:1-19.
Daniel fasted regarding a mysterious vision from God: Daniel 10:3-13.
Esther fasted on behalf of her people: Esther 4:13-16.
Ezra fasted and wept for the sins of the returning remnant: Ezra 10:6-17.
Nehemiah fasted and mourned over the broken walls of Jerusalem: Nehemiah 1:4-2:10.
The people of Ninevah fasted after hearing the message of Jonah: Jonah 3.

New Testament

Anna fasted for the redemption of Jerusalem through the coming Messiah: Luke 2:37.
Jesus fasted 40 days before his temptation and the beginning of his ministry: Matthew 4:1-11.
The disciples of John the Baptist fasted: Matthew 9:14-15.
The elders in Antioch fasted before sending off Paul and Barnabas: Acts 13:1-5.
Cornelius fasted and sought God’s plan of salvation: Acts 10:30.
Paul fasted three day fast after his Damascus Road encounter: Acts 9:9.
Paul fasted 14 days while at sea on a sinking ship: Acts 27:33-34.

My prayer is that Today’s CUP on fasting will change your life!

Look what’s happening in Egypt. Here’s a report from Tom Doyle of E3 ministries…. a Dear reind of KKIM’s Frank Haley…………

Great News From Egypt~
This week I am in Egypt with my old seminary buddy – pastor Brent Allen from Ohio. Brent and the church he leads want to get involved with the ministry in this strategic and influential country. We’re excited to have them. The 10 national leaders that make up e3 Team Egypt have planted about 50 churches in the last 6 months and 8 of these new works are in villages which had no church until now. God’s hand is on the e3 Egypt team. This week we visited with a few of them that went to jail for sharing Christ with Muslims. You should see the joy on their faces!

Could 1 Million Muslims in Egypt Now Jesus Followers?
Though the political climate is threatening, and the vast social issues like women’s rights are ignored, that is only part of the story of The New Egypt. What you won’t hear on the news is that Egyptians have never been more open to Jesus. The national desperation has shaken the people and they are searching for answers. Believers are sensing this and are becoming bolder in sharing their faith. Muslims in some cases are seeking out believers and asking questions.

Most believers tell us that over 1 million Muslims have now become believers and have a deep love for Jesus. Actually this has gotten press coverage and recently on Egyptian television a government official said that 3 million Egyptian Muslims have left Islam and are now following Jesus! Only our Father in Heaven knows the exact number. But we do know that Jesus is revealing Himself to Muslims. So many of them are having Dreams and Visions about “the man in the white robe named Jesus.” We are so getting all ready for the release of our new book: “Dreams and Visions- Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?” It is available September 1st and I attached the cover for you to check out. Ok, I’m really excited. Thank you prayer team for praying us through this long process of getting the book together.

Meet “M”
“M” loves Jesus with her whole heart. When she talks of Him, the joy from her heart overwhelms you. “M” is from a Sunni Muslim family in Alexandria. She had dreams about Jesus and that began her search for the truth. She found a Bible and secretly began reading the gospels. She quickly fell in love with Jesus and trusted Him as her savior. She is shocked that her Muslim husband has not killed her.
I met “M” a few days ago and she allowed me to videotape her story. For security reasons I did not capture her face on camera during the story. “M” has such a deep trust in Jesus. She has to because in Egypt, new believers are killed often. The government does nothing about this. 82% of Egyptians believe that if a person leaves Islam they should be killed.
But you would never know from talking to “M” that she has a care in the world. She told me that I could share this with all of you: “Hi my name is “M” and I love Jesus and will follow Him for the rest of my life. I love Egypt and I love my family. Now that I know the Truth about Jesus and how wonderful He is, I pray for my husband and family everyday. One day I believe that they will walk in the light too. Would you pray for them with me? I love you brothers and sisters in America. Pray for us believers in Egypt. It is not easy here.”

What a precious woman of God…

If You Want to Know What’s Happening Politically in Egypt- Please Read on!

Civil War Coming to Egypt
We just returned from ministry in remote Egyptian villages and are back in the capital city. Cairo is home to Al-Azhar University, which is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. It is also the chief center for Sunni Islam worldwide. For Arab Muslims, this is the Promised Land. But a civil war may erupt in Egypt next week.

The mood in the country is extremely tense. Even though we were here in May with JoAnn and the Selah Women’s team- everything is different.

The reason for this is that a few weeks ago, the nation of Egypt took a giant step backwards. As predicted the Islamic Brotherhood candidate Mohammad Mursi (also spelled Morsi) won a runoff election and was declared the winner of the national election. Mursi, if you remember was just released from prison when Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. As a leader in the Brotherhood, he was a known terrorist. Now he is President of Egypt.

The country is split down the middle as traditional and radical Muslims are elated, and progressive Muslims and Christians are devastated. As Americans, we have been asked more than a few times why President Barack Obama encouraged the overthrow of the Mubarak regime when it was a given that the Islamic Brotherhood had been waiting decades for an opportunity like this. The Radicals now rule and Coptic Christians are especially angry with our President for pushing for Mubarak’s fall. They are visibly angry.

Mohammad Mursi promises change and just what will that change look like? Well it depends on whom Mursi is talking to. When speaking to the western press, Mursi sounds moderate and even hopeful at times. But when he talks to the Islamic Brotherhood and Middle East press outlets his message is just the opposite.

He is on record promising:

– A strict government implementation of the koran.

– Christian Churches to be limited to one meeting a week.

– The institution of Sharia Law.

– The end of the 30+-year-old peace treaty with Israel.

– The restriction of women’s rights.

Why a Civil War?
During the Presidential election, the interim government is run by the Egyptian military, smelled corruption at the ballot box. The military dissolved the Parliament, which was already dominated by the Islamic Brotherhood. Mohammad Mursi won the election. At least it was announced that he won. Egyptians believe that the election was stolen. Now Mursi has ordered parliament to reconvene, directly opposing the military leaders. Last night we peeked into Tahrir Square and it was jammed with thousands of angry Muslims who are Mursi supporters.

At this point it is a standoff between the Islamic Brotherhood and the military. Both sides are vowing to fight this, and a civil war could erupt next week since the military has threatened to remove Mursi from office if he does not dissolve parliament next week. As if it couldn’t get any worse…. Ramadan begins next week. This means the spiritual warfare will increase dramatically as Muslims fast and dedicate themselves for 30 days to serve the false god of Islam.

Rights for Women in Egypt?
Last week in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, a women’s rights group assembled to protest the prevalent sexual abuse epidemic in Egypt. The West has often hailed Tahrir as “Revolution Square” and as a new symbol of democracy. Not so fast. When veiled Egyptian women assembled en masse to call attention to their plight, an angry mob of men began to grope, molest, and even attempted to rape some of the women. One European reporter was stripped of her clothes, molested repeatedly, and barely escaped with her life.

And where were the Egyptian police charged with keeping Tahrir Square safe? They were watching and some were even participating in the multiple molestations. A woman at the scene was raped and reported it to the police. She then had to prove the rape by submitting to an inspection by a male doctor in front of on looking soldiers and police. The quick verdict was that she was the guilty one. Incredibly, she was charged with “insulting the Egyptian military.” This brave woman will probably face jail time for going public with her brutal rape. How incredibly sad this is….

Women’s rights have almost been non-existent in Egypt. Christians are deeply concerned that with the Islamic Brotherhood in charge now, the Tahrir Square incident is a picture of the new Egypt.

Despite the chaos in Egypt- Jesus is setting people free. Please pray for the many new believers. Pray for out e3 Egypt team too. Thank you. I leave with Brent to go to Jordan for a few days to check on the progress of the Syrian Refugee outreach that our Jordan team is leading. Thank you for your support of this initiative.
Thank you also for your prayers for the Doyle family while I am in the Middle East. The attacks at home are constant when I am on the front lines. Please pray for JoAnn and our family too. Thank you! We are so excited that our family is growing with John-Mark and Nora’s wedding in June and Sarah and Matt’s in November! How blessed we are!

Jesus is in control! From Cairo with love, Tom

Let us be in prayer………

What The Lord Is Saying Today

Become a “Food for Learning” Partner with us. In addition to personally sponsoring 6 children, Bev and I are committed to donating $20 a month to feed a child for a month. How about you? See below.

July 16, 2012. Nothing moves you away from God once you have decided to stick with Him. You made a decision to invite Him to take over your life. He has struck an eternal covenant to forever protect and defend you from all enemies. You would be a fool to even try to walk away. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can take you away. His grace is sufficient to see you through your current and future problems. He is the one who will never let you down nor forsake you. Take a moment to thank Him for the rains that are falling outside. You have prayed so long and hard. Now, He answers by opening the clouds over you.

Psalm 16:8 (MSG) “Day and night I’ll stick with GOD; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.” Ras Robinson

Subscribe t o “What the Lord Is Saying Today”

July 16, 2012. Draw on the Holy Spirit’s power within to change negative thinking, behavior and habits. These are things you have wanted to change for a long time. The old way is entrenched within your brain. Allow Me to form a new mental picture of the desired change. Over and over repeatedly think and act on this new picture and your brain will actually rewire. If the old way reoccurs, shout NO! And return quickly to your new thoughts and actions. This way leads to freedom, joy and peace like nothing you have ever experienced. Walk out this path and what you have always wanted will seem to suddenly occur.

Philippians 4:8-9 (MSG) “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious-the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Bev Robinson

Scroll down to see “Photo of the Day” from our ministry to children in the Philippines.

July 16, 2012. Stay open minded. Just because you have not seen or heard of something before does not mean it is not legitimate. Be willing to receive Me in any form that I desire to show up. Be careful not to quench Holy Spirit in the way in which He moves. No one knows which way the wind blows from one moment to the next and no one can harness its power. Likewise, do not limit the power with which We as One operate. Receive, embrace and cling to those things that are true. Have childlike faith to believe the unbelievable. Many have missed a blessing because of their unwillingness to receive.

Matthew 11:4-6 (NASB) “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have thegospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does nottake offense at Me.” Kevin Robinson

Here is Doctor Joe………….

Sitting Less May Add Two Years to U.S. Life Expectancy
Americans may add as many as two years to the nation’s life expectancy if they can stand up more often and watch fewer hours of television, a study found.

While studies have shown that too much time sitting and watching TV are bad for a person’s health, today’s research in the journal BMJ Open is the first to show how reducing sedentary behaviors may increase life expectancy in the U.S., now about 78 years, said Peter Katzmarzyk, the lead author.

Participants in an attempted World TV watching record sit in front of a TV at the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum. “It’s about the inactivity in your muscles,” Katzmarzyk, a professor of epidemiology at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said yesterday in a telephone interview. “When you’re sitting your legs are completely inactive.

‘‘It’s not just about getting physical activity in your life. Just because you’re doing 30 minutes of physical activity, what about the other 23.5 hours,” he said. “Don’t just sit the rest of the day.”

For those who work in an office setting, standing during meetings, walking over to a colleague’s desk rather than sending an e-mail and getting up as often as possible are a few ways to keep the muscles in the body active, he said.

Reducing sitting time to fewer than three hours a day may add two years to U.S. life expectancy and cutting TV viewing time to fewer than two hours a day may extend life by about 1.4 years, according to the study, which analyzed previous research.

Earlier Data
The researchers pooled data from five studies that involved almost 167,000 adults. They combined the data with figures from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was used to determine how much time U.S. adults spent sitting and watching TV. Americans watch an average of five hours of TV a day, according to a June 2011 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The analysis found that sitting less would reduce premature deaths by 27% in the U.S., while spending fewer hours in front of the TV may reduce it by 19%, Katzmarzyk said. Previous research has shown that every two hours of television viewing raises the risk of Type 2 diabetes 20%, the risk of cardiovascular disease 15% and the risk of early death 13%.

While today’s study looked at the total U.S. population, individual actions such as weight, diet, health and whether someone smokes go together with other factors to determine a person’s life span, said Nancy Copperman, director of public health initiatives at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, New York.

“I wouldn’t bet I would die two years earlier because I sat in the office all day,” Copperman, who wasn’t an author on the study, said yesterday in a telephone interview. She did agree that people who sit as part of their jobs “need to take an activity break where we actually get up and walk around.”

www.DrJoeFawcett.com

Thanks Dr. Joe!

In the Love of Jesus Christ, Dewey Sharon and Family

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