Hallelujah!
And thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry at Carish Church.
As we journey in this season of great awakening,
! May God pour fresh life into you through His Word
! and align you more deeply with His purpose.
Matthew chapter 6.
I want to read from verse 16 to 18.
Jesus said,
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 thy head,
and wash thy face,
that thou appeareth not unto men to fast,
but unto thy Father which is in secret,
and thy Father which sees in secret,
shall reward thee openly.
Here ends the reading of God's Word.
Please let's pray.
Father, thank you for bringing us together
to share fellowship and to hear your Word
and to experience your power and your goodness.
We pray,
as your Word is taught,
give us understanding.
I submit myself under your power.
Holy Spirit,
use me as your vessel
to teach your Word
in accordance with sound doctrine,
healthy ways,
and in line with what you want us to hear this morning.
I pray that as I teach on fasting,
give us deeper understanding
and clearer insight into fasting,
and let the strength it takes
to engage in the spiritual practice of fasting
be granted through the teaching of your Word.
We give you praise.
Holy Spirit,
let my speaking be your speaking,
and let your name be glorified.
We thank you in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Why fast?
Why do I put myself through all that regal,
that physical discomfort?
Why should I do that?
Is it necessary?
Is fasting necessary at all?
When you look at the text we just read,
Jesus said,
Matthew 6, verse 16,
He says that,
moreover,
when you fast,
or when thou fastest.
When thou fastest.
Now,
when you look at the verse 3,
Jesus said,
when thou doest alms.
Let's look at the New King James Version.
When you do charitable deeds.
Okay.
So,
Jesus said,
when,
verse 5,
when you pray.
So,
verse 3 says,
when you do charitable deeds,
or when you give.
Verse 5 says,
when you pray.
Verse 16 says,
when you fast.
Okay.
So,
it's not if you pray.
It's not if you do your charitable deeds.
It's not if you fast.
It is expected of you,
of us to pray.
It's expected of us to give.
It's expected of us to fast.
True spirituality,
so long as Christianity is concerned,
includes fasting.
It includes giving.
It includes praying.
You cannot be spiritual without praying.
Prayer is just the norm of the believer.
And Jesus,
he says,
when you.
So,
not if you went.
That means,
as you're expected to pray.
And the same thing he said about fasting,
in the verse 16.
Fasting,
in Christianity,
involves voluntary abstaining,
voluntarily abstaining from food,
and sometimes drink,
for a set period to focus on prayer,
repentance,
and seeking God.
So,
it's not just not eating,
but it's voluntary,
abstaining from food,
and drink,
for a period,
not throughout your life,
only for a period,
to focus on prayer,
to focus on repentance,
to focus on seeking God.
So,
three things we'll be focusing on as we pray.
What are we going to be focusing on?
Prayer.
What are we going to be focusing on?
Repentance.
And what are we going to be focusing on?
Seeking God.
Prayer,
repentance,
seeking God.
Shall we all say that together?
Prayer.
Shall we say it one more?
Time.
Prayer,
repentance.
And so,
we are setting this time aside,
these 21 days,
setting these days aside,
for solely to pray,
solely to repent,
and solely to seek God.
Now,
we are doing that through fasting,
and fasting is putting aside,
or setting aside,
that period for abstaining from food,
and drink.
When you read the scriptures,
fasting appears throughout scriptures.
Jesus himself fasted for 40 days,
and the early church,
in Acts chapter 13,
also fasted.
In Acts chapter 14,
they fasted.
Actually,
Acts chapter 14,
verse 23.
In Acts chapter 14,
verse 26,
it says,
when they are appointed elders,
they prayed with fasting.
So,
fasting is not Old Testament.
It's not just Old Testament.
It's also in the New Testament.
Fasting is only under the Old Covenant.
It's also under the New Covenant.
Okay?
Jesus fasted.
the early church fasted.
It is presented as a voluntary spiritual discipline,
rather than a commanded ritual for all believers.
So,
fasting is not a commanded ritual,
but it's a voluntary exercise,
voluntary spiritual discipline,
and it's very important to understand that.
Also,
we have to understand that the goal of fasting
is not simply to go without food,
but to direct attention,
affection,
and dependence towards God.
Hello?
So,
the goal of fasting
is not just to abstain from food,
but we are directing attention,
affection,
and dependence towards God.
Fasting is most valuable
when it is done sincerely before God
rather than for the approval of others.
So,
you are doing it sincerely before God,
not because others,
we are all fasting,
so you want to appear to be fasting,
in the morning,
you eat two bowls of indomie.
So,
it's important.
Now,
I want us to look at the benefits,
some of the benefits of fasting.
Number one,
spiritual benefits,
okay?
When we look at the spiritual benefits,
we look at the theological benefits,
and we also look at the physical benefits,
right?
So,
A,
spiritual benefits.
Number one of spiritual benefits,
it deepens dependence on God,
or it has a way of deepening your prayer life.
When you read scriptures very carefully,
throughout scripture,
you see,
fasting is always paired with prayer.
Many Christians find out that
fasting helps them become more attentive,
focused,
and earnest in prayer.
So,
for example,
Moses,
before God,
you know,
he was depending on God for the law,
in Exodus 34.
He actually was looking up to God.
So,
dependence on God.
Another example is Daniel.
When Daniel was seeking to understand,
in Daniel chapter 9,
Bible says that,
I desire to seek understanding,
and I give myself to fasting.
So,
it's more dependence on God.
Esther wanted intervention,
Esther,
the book of Esther chapter 4,
for the Jews.
So,
she engaged in fasting
as an expression of depending on God.
God,
if you don't do it,
it will be done.
We are counting on you.
And the early church,
our Bible says that,
in Acts chapter 13,
verse 2,
as they ministered to the Lord
and fasted,
they were actually looking up to God.
Then God spoke.
Okay.
So,
fasting helps us to depend on God.
That is why fasting always goes with prayer.
Fasting always goes.
If you don't add prayer,
really,
it kind of doesn't seem to be a spiritual exercise.
Okay.
It's just starvation.
Bible never says that,
fasting alone.
Bible usually talks about fasting and prayer.
Fasting and prayer.
God doesn't answer fasting.
He answers prayers.
All right.
So,
the easiest way of
demonstrating dependence on God
is in prayer.
Anyone who depends on God
gives himself to prayer.
Okay.
So,
fasting,
number one,
the benefit,
it helps us to deepen our dependence
on God.
Number two,
it also helps us to deepen prayer
and intimacy with God.
How many of you have experienced
times of fasting
you feel closer to God?
It helps you to spend more time with God.
It helps you to be more God-focused.
So,
it deepens prayer
and intimacy with God.
So,
number one is,
it deepens dependence on God.
Number two,
deepens prayer
and intimacy with God.
You pursue God more.
God loves it
when we look up to him.
God,
God loves it
when we depend on him.
And God loves it
when we get closer to him.
God loves it
when we are hungry for him.
So,
once,
you see,
your hunger for food
will push you
to be hungry for God.
So,
hunger serves as a,
you see,
sometimes when you're fasting
and you feel the hunger,
it reminds you to just pray.
Many people who have engaged
in fasting
have reported
greater focus,
clarity,
and a sense of God's presence
when replacing meal
with prayer
and scripture.
Anytime you replace meal
with prayer and scripture
when you are fasting,
you will really feel
the presence of God
closer
and
a greater clarity
and greater
focus on God.
Number three,
fasting builds
self-control.
Last week,
we saw how
Paul
reasoned
with
Felix
concerning
righteousness,
self-control,
and the judgment
to come.
Self-control
is necessary.
It's one of the
fruits of the spirit.
Self-control.
Many people's
problem
is self-control.
Many of us
in our spiritual journey
have problem.
It could be that
this morning or yesterday
we were just praying,
God,
help me do it.
This thing is really
getting in the way
of my work with God.
There are things
which always seek
to get in the way
of your work with God.
When we pray,
it helps us
gain upper hand
over those things.
Self-control.
So,
fasting
builds
self-control
and humility.
Fasting
has a way
of subduing
fleshly
appetites,
fostering
discipline,
reveal
spiritual conditions
and lead
to repentance
and brokenness.
When you are fasting,
it helps to reveal
your spiritual condition
and that will help
us to repent.
That's why
we set this time aside
to seek God
and to repent.
Okay,
so,
it does that.
And when you study
the scripture
very carefully,
fasting can be
an outward expression
of an inward repentance
and a way
of humbling
ourselves
before God.
In the scripture,
in Psalm 35,
verse 13,
the psalmist says,
I humble my soul
with fasting.
But as for me,
when they were sick,
my clothing was sackcloth.
I humbled my soul.
How did I humble my soul?
Shall we all read
that sentence
from I humble?
Let's go.
I humble my soul
with fasting.
One more time.
I humble my soul
with fasting.
So,
fasting in scripture
is seen as
humbling oneself
before God.
It's voluntary.
It's different
from humiliation.
Humiliation.
Humiliation,
external forces
act on you
by humbling yourself
before God.
Daniel said,
I humbled myself
with fasting.
In Psalm 69,
verse 10,
it says that,
when I wept
and chastened
my soul
with fasting.
Other translation
we use,
I humbled my soul
with fasting.
Chastise my soul.
Bring my soul
under subjection.
So,
I subdued my soul.
That's where
my appetites are.
That's where
my feelings are.
Sometimes,
during the time
of fasting,
your soul
is so humbled,
you are able
to actually forgive
the way you should.
So,
English Standard Version
said that,
when I wept
and humbled
my soul
with fasting,
subdue my body,
bring my body
under subjection.
In Ezra,
chapter 8,
verse 21,
it says that,
then I proclaim
a fast there
at the river
of Hava,
that we might
humble ourselves
before our God.
Why did I proclaim
the fast?
That we might
humble ourselves
before God.
We are about
to step into
a season of
humbling ourselves
before God.
Humbling ourselves
before God.
That's the Christian fasting.
Other fastings,
I don't know
what it means,
but Christian fasting,
we are
humbling ourselves
before God.
One of the most
wicked kings
in the history
of Israel
is King Ahab.
He was the one
who went and married
Jezebel.
Most of you
have heard that
name,
Jezebel,
Jezebel.
And King Ahab
was very stubborn,
notorious,
and wicked.
And King Ahab
fasted,
because fasting
is a way of seeking
God and humbling
yourself.
So in 1 Kings
chapter 21,
verse 27,
it says that,
so it was,
when Ahab
heard those
words,
that he tore
his clothes
and put on
sackcloth
on his body
and fasted
and lay
his sackcloth
and went
about mourning,
because God
said,
I'm going to deal
with you.
Judgment is coming,
punishment is coming.
Bible says that
he tore his
clothes,
a sign of
regret,
a sign of
humbling yourself,
you know,
or distress.
I'm distressed.
Ah,
I can't live a normal
life.
I can't be normal.
This is a type
of distress.
Tore his clothes,
put on
sackcloth,
and went
about mourning.
Look at the next
verse.
Verse 28 says that,
and the word of the
Lord came to
Elijah the
Tishbae,
saying,
look at verse 29,
see how Ahab
has done what?
Humble to
the Lord.
That's,
fasting means
to humble.
See how Ahab
assembled himself
before me.
Because he
assembled himself
before me,
I will not bring
this calamity
on him.
This wicked
king,
he deserved
punishment.
God has sent
Elijah to tell
him that judgment
is coming,
and when he
heard the word,
he humbled himself
before the Lord,
tore his clothes,
put on sackcloth,
went about mourning,
and God said,
hey, prophet,
see, see the way
this guy assembled
himself.
Because of the
state he has put
himself in,
I will not bring
the calamity
in his days.
In the days of
his son,
I will bring it,
because that's
what the judgment
is coming.
But because of
his state of
humility,
because of his
fasting,
I've suspended
it.
He will not
live to see it.
His son will
feel it.
I don't know
what my father
might have done,
my mother
might have done,
but, you know,
there's a way
that judgment
that is meant
for parents
can extend
to their children.
it is what
it is.
That's how
life is.
I don't believe
it.
I don't believe it.
Why is it that
when you register
as a GP,
they ask your
district,
is it in your
brother's line,
is it in your
father's line,
was your father
diabetic,
was your mother
diabetic,
hypertension,
there are some
things.
It stays in
the blood.
If it's true
in medicine,
then it's true
in spiritual
terms too.
In Exodus
chapter 20,
I think there's
three or verse
four,
it says that,
visiting the
iniquities of
the fathers
to the third
and the fourth
generation.
Yeah.
A father can do
something,
a mother can do
something,
and some of us
were born into
a battle we
didn't start.
Your wrist,
your eyeballs,
your hair texture,
your hair color,
your biology
has everything
to do with
your parents.
So,
God said,
you have done
it,
but it's still
a way of
punishing you
is by punishing
your children.
So,
he said,
but because of
fasting,
I've suspended
it.
I've deferred
the judgment.
So,
if the most
wicked king
in Israel
had impending
judgment,
calamity,
suspended,
how much more
a good person
like you,
sitting in church
and being in
Christ?
Fasting
can suspend
certain things,
especially when,
that would lead me
to the next one,
when you humble
yourself.
So,
Ahab
humble himself.
My sister,
my brother,
let's take advantage
and humble ourselves.
It's voluntary.
No one
should be forced
to fast.
No one
should be
forced to fast.
Else,
it's not biblical
fasting.
It might be
medical purposes,
because doctors
will say,
near by mouth.
So,
if you go
and they realize
you have eating,
they say,
no,
we have to
cancel the
surgery
and do it
another time.
That one,
you are forced,
you have to.
They say,
if you don't
fast,
we won't do
the surgery.
But God
is not like that.
It's voluntary.
It's not commanded
that you have to fast,
but it's taught
that you have to
learn how to
humble yourself
for spiritual purposes.
Amen?
And so,
God suspended
the judgment
coming because
he fasted.
Number four,
it breaks
spiritual strongholds.
It breaks
spiritual strongholds.
Strongholds.
What's a stronghold?
A stronghold
is anything
that holds you strong.
Can I be
frank with you,
please?
I know sometimes
we try to use
science to try
and explain.
Science doesn't
really explain
spiritual things.
Sometimes you can
tell in a family,
everybody's marriage
is suspended.
It's a stronghold.
Sometimes you can
tell in a family,
every child
in your auntie,
so you have
started your grandma
or her children,
every first child
or second child
must have
some kind of
deformity.
and you can
see the thing
is,
it happened
to your sister
and you are
born again.
You can
stop that
strongholds,
you know.
Yeah.
Some of us,
our marital situation
is not
Mary Kay issue.
But you've
tried everything,
beautiful edges,
beautiful stuff,
you've gone to
the gym,
you are growing
your beard,
and you don't
know.
Every time a woman
comes into your
life, you feel
maybe this is a
potential, for
some reason,
the thing doesn't
work.
Or iniquity is
discovered.
You find out,
no, it don't
work.
It will come.
Listen, and you
are growing at a
very fast rate.
This fasting
must draw a line.
Yes.
When your dad
turned a certain
age, or your
mom turned a
certain age,
this malady,
this negativity
popped up.
He became
diabetic.
She was
declared this,
this, this,
that, or that.
Different things
that happen.
Please, an
apple never
falls far
from a tree.
I think it's
always good to
look at the
trail.
There are
some times you
can see.
Every male in
your family
ends up in
prison.
And you've
had a boy
too.
Your baby
is a boy.
That,
mom, you
need to
believe God.
Break that
stronghold.
Break that
stronghold.
It's not
everything that
happens to your
family members
that is permitted
to happen to
you if you
can rise up
and take the
bull by the
horn.
Yeah.
Everybody in
your family
goes to
divorce.
Minus you.
But you
don't go
around just
wishing.
Do something.
Enforce the
victory of the
cross.
Take steps.
And I'm
telling you,
fasting breaks
strongholds.
In Mark
chapter 9,
verse 29,
Jesus says that
this one,
and some of us
are dealing with
this kind,
this kind can
come out
but,
come out
by nothing
prayer and
fasting.
Nothing can
deal with this
matter.
But prayer and
fasting.
So,
fasting destroys
spiritual,
or breaks
spiritual strongholds.
Number five,
renewed
spiritual vision
and sensitivity.
Renewed
spiritual vision
and sensitivity.
Let me put it
in a different
way.
it helps
you to be
able to
receive a bit
easily from
the Holy Spirit.
Practically.
You know,
there are
decisions you
have to make.
You know,
life is made
up of decisions.
Some decisions
are minor,
other decisions
are major.
You are not
sure,
let's say you
are a student,
you've got two
offers,
good courses,
we are not
sure which one
to do.
You are confused
about it.
You can talk
to,
you've spoken
to all the
aspects and
still you are
not sure.
Sometimes in
the time of
fasting,
you can get
clarity.
Things can be
clear.
Two guys have
come to you,
they are both
good.
You are not
sure which one
to say yes
to.
Because,
you know,
that's a major
decision.
May more than
one guy come
to you.
Oh,
you say amen.
Okay,
okay,
you only want
one.
Okay,
okay.
May that one
person show
up.
All right,
but let's
be more
serious about
this.
Sometimes,
it's good to
fast.
Something I
just dropped
in my spirit.
It's not
on my
script,
but permit
me to
drop it
in.
Sometimes,
maybe even
the name
choices for
your children.
You are
pregnant,
you are
looking at
name books.
It's good
to look
through name
books,
but potentially
in the time
of fasting,
I'm talking
about the
husband,
because your
wife is the
pregnant one.
She shouldn't
be doing
fasting.
But maybe
in the time
of fasting,
ask God,
what name
should I
give to
this child?
What name
should I
choose?
Which school
should I
choose?
What I'm
trying to say
is that maybe
you want to
start a business.
You are not
sure whether
you should do
hair business
or shoe
business.
because you
have got
some good
suppliers from
China.
You are not
sure because
your investment
can go into
one for now.
You are not
sure.
Two jobs
offers have
come.
Which one
should I
When you
are fasting,
it helps
you to be
clear on the
voice of the
Holy Spirit
or the
visions or
promptings of
the Holy Spirit.
Many major
decisions we've
made concerning
this church
has been made
through fasting
and prayer
or during the
time of fasting
and prayer.
Amen.
You are
believing God
for the fruit
of the womb
and when you
fast, you'll
be shocked how
you begin to
suddenly realize
oh, I could
have done this.
You might not
hear a voice,
my son,
my daughter,
like God
speaks only
American.
No.
You might
not hear it
but you
watch this,
but you have
clarity.
You have
clarity in
your inner
man and
you have
peace about
a decision
to make.
So fasting
helps us
get clarity
from what
God,
our renewed
vision and
sensitivity to
the spirit.
Someone getting
something.
Let me quickly
jump into
theological
benefits.
You might
not be very
much interested
by that
at least.
When we
talk about
theological
benefits,
that means
so long as
scripture is
concerned,
aligning yourself
with scripture,
you know,
it's just
beneficial.
Even Jesus'
birth and
his death
and his
resurrection
was according
to scripture.
So our
fasting is
also according
to scripture.
In Romans
chapter 1,
the Bible
talks about
Jesus Christ
who was
born as
the scriptures
are predicted.
In 1 Corinthians
chapter 15,
verse 3 and
4, it
talks about
I deliver to
you first
for what I
received,
that Christ
died for
our sins.
How?
Verse 4.
He was
buried and
rose again
on the third
day according
to scripture.
So that's
what we mean
by theologically
in line
with what
scripture teaches.
Theological
benefits,
number one,
you participate
in biblical
tradition.
Biblical,
it's just
been,
it's something
that goes
on in the
Bible.
So why
don't you
also add
yourself to
what people
in the
Bible were
doing?
Does that
make sense?
Fasting is
practiced
throughout the
Bible.
As I said
earlier,
Jesus Christ
fasted,
the early
church,
the apostles
fasted,
Moses also,
many in the
Old Testament
including
David,
Moses,
Daniel,
the prophet
Jonah,
many fasted
in the
scriptures.
Number two,
fasting also
helps refocus
on the
ultimate hope.
So number
one is
participates
in biblical
tradition,
number two
refocuses
on the
ultimate hope.
What does
that mean?
Christian
theology
teaches that
earthly things,
while they
are good,
are not
the
believers'
ultimate
source of
life and
satisfaction.
Fasting
points towards
God as the
true source
of fulfillment.
So it
helps move
your focus
from earthly
things to the
ultimate hope
is God,
and for that
matter,
actually,
it also helps
the believer
to focus on
more important
things,
the second
coming of
Christ.
fasting helps
you to move
away from
just running
your life
based on
purely
materialistic
things,
physical
things,
and helps
you to
learn
dependence
on God.
Number three,
fasting is
actually an
act of
devotion,
and an
act of
worship.
As they
minister to
the Lord
and fasted,
it's an
act of
devotion.
So it's
like in
scripture,
when you
look at
scripture,
you can
see,
fasting was
an act
of devotion,
act of
worship,
as they
ministered
to the
Lord and
fasted.
So fasting
is an
act of
worship,
it's an
act of
devotion.
In
scriptures,
fasting is
not just
primarily about
self-improvement
or about
some breakthroughs,
but about
offering
yourself
to God.
It can
become an
act of
worship when
done with
the right
heart.
So when
you do
it with
the right
heart,
your fasting
is actually
an act of
worship and
devotion.
Amen?
And then
number four,
fourth point
is it
teaches
stewardship
of desires.
Stewardship
of desires.
In other
ways, how
you handle
your desire,
I will
explain it.
Theologically,
fasting reminds
believers that
desires should
be ordered
under God's
will rather
than the
rulings of
my life.
Okay, so
my life, I
want a wife.
Let's say I'm
not married and
I want a
wife.
I want a
wife.
When you
fast, it's
also, even
though you can
use the
fasting to
break strong
goals, it
gets to a
place where
fasting is
more yielding
to the
will of
God.
You know,
moving away
from just
what I want.
It helps
you to align
yourself with
what God
wants.
Because
fasting breaks
the power of
the flesh or
it subdues the
power of the
flesh.
Except a
grain of
wheat falls to
the ground and
dies, it
abides alone.
So there are
times when
something must
die or
something must
be terminated
for something
godly to be
germinated.
it.
And fasting
helps to
terminate what
I will, I
want.
It's just me.
Sometimes,
physically speaking,
sometimes when you
are so hungry,
you are just
tired, you
can't be bothered
about a lot of
things.
And in that
state when you
are praying,
you find it
easy to say,
God, you
know, let
your will be
done.
Praise God.
Hallelujah.
Now, quickly,
let's go on to
the physical
benefits, some
physical benefits
of fasting.
Fasting, I
think many of
us will like
this.
Before I say
that, scientific
research on
various forms of
fasting supports
several potential
health effects,
though results
vary by
individuals during
or health
status.
Right.
Now, one of
the physical
benefits of
fasting is
weight loss
and metabolic
health.
I know you
like it, but
you don't want
people to see
you are happy
about it.
Weight loss,
or let me put
it this way,
rest from
digestive system.
Rest for the
digestive system.
It rests, it
gets to rest.
There's something
I think, I
think, in
horticulture
called regurgitation.
Animal,
ruminants,
they regurgitate.
Some of us,
our intestines
has a way of,
even when you're
asleep,
you know, so
rest for the
digestive system,
and that will
invariably lead
to some weight
loss.
you don't
fast because
you want to
lose weight.
Then that's
just weight
losing exercise.
Fasting is
primarily
spiritual,
but for
some reason,
it comes
with some
fringe
benefits.
Yeah.
The other
time I was
looking at my
belly, I
said, you,
June is
coming.
You will
go down.
You, you
will go
down.
You will
go down.
But,
rest for the
digestive
system, which
giving the
body a
breath of
constant
digestion,
allows for
cellular
repair and
can reduce
inflammation.
It's
actually
recognized by
medical
science.
Number
two,
which
applies to
all of us,
is similar
to what I
said earlier
on in
spiritual
benefits.
Bodily
discipline and
self-control.
Fasting
trains the
body to
submit to
the will
rather than
the appetite.
So,
this is
beautiful.
You will
like this.
When we
talk about
bodily
discipline and
self-control,
what happens
is that during
fasting, you
build the
virtue of
temperance,
that extends
to other
areas of
your life.
So,
you see,
the way you
are struggling
with some
addiction and
other things,
once you
build that,
and I
referred to
something like
that last
Sunday,
once you
build self-control
in one
area, it
begins to
extend to
other areas.
So,
you are
dealing with
an addiction,
join the
fasting.
When the
self-control
is built up,
you realize
that you can
deal with it,
you can overcome
it.
and then
what happens
is that
maybe
nicotine
addiction,
maybe
alcohol
addiction,
maybe
gambling
addiction,
maybe
gossip
addiction,
maybe
sleeping
addiction,
some people
have an
addiction to
sleeping,
oversleeping,
sleeping,
maybe
addiction
to meat,
food,
chocolate,
Coke
addiction,
food.
Listen,
I'm not
saying they
will go,
but what I'm
saying is that
when we
engage in
the fasting,
the discipline
of fasting,
it helps
the body
to respond
to the
will,
not just
the appetite.
For most
of the time,
our body
responds,
we live
under the
influence of
our appetite,
not the
influence of
our will.
So,
there are
times you
don't want
to do it,
but appetite
says you
don't have
a choice.
Come on,
go on.
Fasting
helps you
to be
able to
bring the
body
under
subjection.
The body
lines up
to the
demands
of the
will,
not just
the
demands
of the
appetite.
It is
amen there.
Today is
like lectures,
it's good,
because what
is ahead
is serious.
Number
three,
heightened
alertness.
Number
three,
physical
benefits
of fasting,
physically,
heightened
alertness.
Many
Christians
report that
fasting
produces
mental
clarity
and
sharp
focus,
which aids
in prayer
and scripture
reading.
Mental
clarity
and
sharp
focus.
So,
heightened
alertness.
When you are
fasting,
something helps
your faculties,
or you can put
it this way,
brain and
cognitive
benefits.
Fasting
comes with
some cognitive
and brain
benefits,
potential
improvement
in focus,
memory,
et cetera.
And then
the last
one,
physical
benefit,
is number
four.
Fasting
helps in
breaking
unhealthy
patterns.
Unhealthy
patterns.
So,
fasting
from food
can interrupt
cycles of
overconsumption
and help
reset
unhealthy
habits.
I should
say it
again.
Okay,
I will say
it again.
Fasting
from food
can interrupt
cycles of
overconsumption
and help
reset
unhealthy
habits.
Physical
benefits.
Praise the
Lord.
This is just
to add
this as I
round up.
Caution.
Oh,
footnote.
These
effects
vary between
individuals.
Everybody's
body mass
is different.
All right.
But one
of the benefits
actually is
that it
can reduce
the risk
of diabetes.
Fasting
can reduce
the risk
of diabetes
and certain
health
challenges.
So,
I think
it's a good
exercise.
But as
I said,
not everybody's
body will
react the
same.
All right.
Because based
on your age,
based on your
genes,
based on your
existing health
condition,
you know,
and based
on your
regularity,
it might not
be the same.
So,
anytime I
fast,
I don't
struggle to
lose weight.
But some
of you,
your story
is different.
You can do
five days
raw fasting
and nothing
has changed.
But it's
human to
human.
All right.
And please
don't beat
yourself because
you are not
seeing so much.
But definitely
there will be
benefits.
And then
the second
thing I want
to draw to
your attention
is fasting
should not
be viewed
as a
guaranteed
health
treatment.
Don't view
it as a
guaranteed
health
treatment.
Okay.
So,
please,
caution.
Don't view
it as
health
treatment.
And then,
finally,
important
caution is
people who
are pregnant,
diabetic,
underweight,
having
eating
disorders,
or taking
certain
medications,
or have
significant
medical
conditions,
should
consult a
healthcare
professional
before
undertaking
a food
fast.
Don't
spiritualize
everything.
God,
no,
please.
You have
a body.
Your body
is not
spiritual,
it's
physical.
I am
not a
health
aspect,
and I'm
not giving
health talk
here.
I'm just
teaching.
Okay,
we are a
church,
and we are
about to
embark on
a fasting.
However,
if you
fall under
some of
these
conditions,
pregnant
women,
don't
worry,
we'll
fast for
you.
Stop
comparing
yourself to
others,
because maybe
you need
energy.
Our bodies
are different.
So let me
repeat it.
People who
are pregnant,
people who
are diabetic,
people who
are under
weight.
I need
to say
overweight,
please.
Don't add
yourself to
it.
People who
are under
weight,
people who
have
eaten
disorders.
people who
take
certain
medications,
or who
have
significant
medical
conditions,
should
consult a
health
professional
before you
undertake this.
Does that
make sense?
Did you
receive
something?
Very
interesting
preaching
today.
Thank you.
Thank you for
listening to
this message
by David
Entry.
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you've been
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