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Okay, Matthew, chapter 6, verse 16, and

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when you fast, now you want to catch

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that.

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Now remember, the Sermon on the Mount, the

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Sermon on the Mount, basically what our Lord

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is doing is He's describing kingdom people, Christians.

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And what He does in the first 18

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verses of chapter 6 is He wants to

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give us a glimpse into the secret life

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of a true child of God.

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And what I find amazing is this, Jesus

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assumes His people, in secret, are going to

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pray, and they're going to fast, and they're

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going to give.

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Of all the things that He could have

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said, He says, if I'm really wanting to

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spell out what true Christianity is, here's three

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areas of the life, above all others that

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He could have mentioned, He says, you look

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at a man or a woman, in secret,

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away from the eyes of everybody who's watching,

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see what they do with the money?

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See how they pray?

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And He adds fasting in here.

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When you fast.

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And you talk like that, when you fast,

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assuming that you will, not that you might,

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He doesn't say if you fast, you might

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fast, perhaps, He doesn't say it like that,

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He says when.

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Do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

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In other words, okay, from the very beginning,

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He's saying your righteousness better exceed that of

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the scribes and the Pharisees.

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The scribes and the Pharisees, they basically, their

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religion was outward.

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They looked gloomy when they fasted.

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They disfigured their faces, that their fasting may

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be seen by others, truly I say to

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you, they have received their reward.

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But when you fast, anoint your head, wash

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your face, that your fasting may not be

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seen by others.

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Don't appear to be fasting to others.

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You want to appear to be fasting by

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the one that it matters.

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But by your Father who is in secret.

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That's who you want to be seen by,

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and your Father who sees in secret will

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reward you.

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So, this is the Christian in secret, part

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five.

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And this is the last, fasting.

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The Christian in secret, part five, fasting.

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Fasting before your Father who sees in secret,

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that's the focus of today's sermon.

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So we need to ask these questions, fasting,

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what is it?

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Fasting, why is it so important to the

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Christian life?

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Do you know something?

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On Thursday when we pray, FBC, the Scottish

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Free Church had a breakaway group called the

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Free Church Continuing.

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And the man who is over that sent

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a letter to Jeff Thomas.

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And he basically said, we are not seeing

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people saved.

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He says in our churches, you might get

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a little bit of lateral movement, but we're

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not seeing anybody saved.

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We're at the particular Baptist chapel last Sunday,

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and I asked, when's the last time you

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actually used your baptistry?

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1990s.

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And Jeff asked the question, what do you

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men think is the problem?

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And I said, you know, Jeff, I've thought

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about this question, and one of the things

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that I brought up is, I'm afraid that

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in a lot of the churches, they're not

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praying.

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And even fewer are they fasting.

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And you know, one of the pastors in

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that prayer meeting, he said, I don't know

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any Christians who fast.

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Well, here I am going to preach on

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this, and to have a pastor say that,

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when Jesus says these words.

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Now listen, when you think about fasting today,

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I'm talking Christian fasting.

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To have a pastor say, I don't know

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anybody.

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But you know what, all you have to

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do is go online.

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You can find all sorts of things on

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fasting, intermittent fasting for health reasons.

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We've got a health conscious world.

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Are people talking about fasting in that realm?

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Yes.

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But how much is fasting being talked about

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in the Christian realm?

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I would guarantee you, in this country, far

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more people are talking about intermittent fasting for

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health reasons than anybody's talking about it as

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it's being talked about here.

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What I'm concerned about, I'm not concerned about

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the health reasons.

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I'm concerned about this fasting.

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I want to know what God says about

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fasting.

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I want to know why it's important to

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the Christian.

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And I want you to feel this.

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So, what is fasting?

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You see, you might think you know right

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off, and perhaps you do.

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But it's always good to be convicted by

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Scripture.

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What is it?

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Okay, turn to Esther.

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If you can find that little book, it's

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right after Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old

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Testament.

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Esther.

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We're just going to do a little bit

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of a Bible study right now before I

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really launch into preaching about this.

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Because I want to move through a number

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of verses here just to give us a

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biblical flavor about fasting.

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Oh, by the way, fasting is everywhere in

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your Bible.

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This is not like something Jesus brought up

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here in Matthew chapter 6 that just barely

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has any Old Testament representation or significance.

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Fasting is everywhere in the Old Testament.

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Fasting is in the New Testament.

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So Esther chapter 4 verse 16.

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Now you know the situation with Esther, right?

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Haman?

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Haman has had a decree made up to

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destroy the Jews.

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And you remember Mordecai says to Esther, you

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know, you've probably been raised up for this

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very thing, for this very hour.

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You need to go in there and plead

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for your people.

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And here's what she says.

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She says in Esther 4 verse 16.

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Now this is going to tell us something

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about fasting, so that's why I'm having you

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go here.

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She says, go gather all the Jews to

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be found in Susa and hold a fast

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on my behalf.

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There's fasting.

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And do not eat or drink.

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There it is.

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For three days, night or day, I and

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my young women will also fast as you

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do.

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So she says fast, don't eat or drink,

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and she says fast again.

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Then I will go to the king, though

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it's against the law, it's against the law

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to approach without being called, and if I

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perish, I perish.

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And you know, unless the golden scepter was

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extended, which it was.

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But that's fasting.

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She says, don't eat, don't drink.

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Fasting in this passage is not eating or

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drinking.

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Let's go to another one, 2 Samuel.

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Go back further into the Old Testament, 2

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Samuel.

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That's before the kings and the chronicles, 2

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Samuel.

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Now here, we're going to look at another

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situation that arose.

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This one concerning King David, 2 Samuel chapter

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12.

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Now what's very significant about this is this

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is immediately after his sin with Bathsheba.

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You remember what happened when he called for

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Bathsheba and she came and he sent her

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home?

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She sent word back saying what?

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What did she say to David?

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I'm with child.

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I'm pregnant, David.

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Well, David sought to bring Uriah in off

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the battlefield and to have him go home

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so that it would look like he was

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his child, but Uriah never would go home.

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And so in the end, David had Uriah

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killed, but she still was pregnant.

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Now Uriah is dead.

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She's with child, and David brings her to

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himself.

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Basically marries her, but the child is born.

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Well, God said the child's going to die.

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And so, look what you have.

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2 Samuel chapter 12 verse 16.

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David therefore sought God on behalf of the

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child, and David fasted and went in and

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lay all night on the ground.

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Now if you drop down to verse 21,

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what happens is the child dies.

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Well, the servants are all perplexed by David's

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conduct here.

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They think, oh, if David is this wrapped

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up in the child, if he's fasting and

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he's laying there on the ground all night

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while the child was still alive, we're afraid

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to tell him the child's died because we

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don't know what he's going to do.

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And he does just the opposite of what

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they think.

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Then his servant said to him, what is

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the thing that you've done?

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You fasted, this is verse 21, you fasted

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and wept for the child while he was

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alive, but when the child died, you arose

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and ate food.

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He said, while the child was still alive,

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I fasted and wept, for I said, who

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knows whether the Lord will be gracious to

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me.

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The child may live, but now he is

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dead.

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Why should I fast?

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Well, clearly, look what happens.

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You fasted, but when the child died, you

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arose and ate food.

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Well, clearly fasting here is the opposite of

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arising and eating food.

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It's the same thing that Esther said, fast

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and don't eat or drink for three days.

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This is fasting.

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Let me show you one more.

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Jonah, Jonah.

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So you go forward now into the prophets.

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And right there in the middle of the

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minor prophets, you've got Jonah, probably the most

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well-known of all the minor prophets, Jonah.

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Jonah 3 and verse 4.

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And you remember, Jonah had to go to

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Nineveh because he was supposed to go there

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as a prophet and warn them about God's

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coming judgment.

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And he didn't want to do it.

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So he tried to sail in the opposite

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direction.

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And God kept bringing him back to this

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reality.

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You need to go to Nineveh.

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And he does that.

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In Jonah 3 verse 4, Jonah began to

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go into the city, going a day's journey,

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and he called out, yet 40 days and

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Nineveh will be overthrown.

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Jonah and the people of Nineveh believed God.

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They called for a fast.

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They put on sackcloth from the greatest of

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them to the least of them.

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The word reached the king of Nineveh.

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He arose from his throne, removed his robe,

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covered himself with sackcloth, sat in ashes.

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He issued a proclamation published through Nineveh.

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By the decree of the king and his

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nobles, let neither man nor beast, herd nor

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flock, taste anything.

275
00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:11,720
Let them not feed or drink water.

276
00:13:12,140 --> 00:13:13,620
So they called for this fast.

277
00:13:13,940 --> 00:13:15,800
Here you have the same reality.

278
00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:17,780
We know when we come to the New

279
00:13:17,780 --> 00:13:20,700
Testament, Jesus fasted for 40 days.

280
00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:22,760
And it says, after he was done fasting

281
00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:24,320
for 40 days, what does it say about

282
00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:24,500
him?

283
00:13:25,700 --> 00:13:26,820
He was hungry.

284
00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:29,200
What makes a person hungry?

285
00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:30,940
A person gets hungry when they don't eat.

286
00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,760
So whatever fasting is, it produced hunger.

287
00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:36,220
Not eating produces hunger.

288
00:13:36,420 --> 00:13:39,700
It's pretty obvious what we're dealing with when

289
00:13:39,700 --> 00:13:41,100
we're talking about fasting.

290
00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:42,360
Now here's a second question.

291
00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,440
How long is biblical fasting?

292
00:13:46,060 --> 00:13:47,140
Here's what's interesting.

293
00:13:47,300 --> 00:13:48,600
Jesus says, when you fast.

294
00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:49,960
You know something?

295
00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:58,800
I don't believe, I'm almost absolutely certain as

296
00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,700
I'm letting the entire New Testament run over

297
00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:02,580
my mind right now, that there isn't a

298
00:14:02,580 --> 00:14:04,540
single place in the New Testament where it

299
00:14:04,540 --> 00:14:05,740
says how long they fasted.

300
00:14:06,220 --> 00:14:07,280
Not a single place.

301
00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,200
Jesus simply said, when you fast.

302
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:13,600
And he never said how long, he just

303
00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:14,040
said when.

304
00:14:15,700 --> 00:14:18,460
So there's no length prescribed.

305
00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:20,460
And in fact, you don't need to look

306
00:14:20,460 --> 00:14:21,900
at all these, but just listen to this.

307
00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,380
In Judges, you remember that situation, you remember

308
00:14:26,380 --> 00:14:30,020
where the man's concubine, he ended up cutting

309
00:14:30,020 --> 00:14:32,380
this woman up into 12 pieces and sending

310
00:14:32,380 --> 00:14:33,320
the parts all over?

311
00:14:34,340 --> 00:14:35,980
If you haven't read your Bible cover to

312
00:14:35,980 --> 00:14:37,780
cover, you might be shocked that that's actually

313
00:14:37,780 --> 00:14:39,080
in your Bible, but it is in your

314
00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:39,340
Bible.

315
00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,200
And basically what happened is Benjamin went to

316
00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:44,820
battle against the rest of Israel.

317
00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,280
And when Israel went out to do battle

318
00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:52,420
against Benjamin, Benjamin actually defeated Israel twice before

319
00:14:52,420 --> 00:14:53,820
Israel had victory.

320
00:14:54,220 --> 00:14:58,040
And after the second time, it says that

321
00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:03,080
they went out to battle, 18,000 men

322
00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,460
of the people of Israel were killed.

323
00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:08,400
And then all the people of Israel, the

324
00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,260
whole army went up and came to Bethel

325
00:15:10,260 --> 00:15:10,640
and wept.

326
00:15:10,740 --> 00:15:12,260
And they sat there before the Lord and

327
00:15:12,260 --> 00:15:14,960
fasted that day until evening.

328
00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,080
So basically what you have a picture of

329
00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,760
is this, battle fought, battles over, their mourning,

330
00:15:21,180 --> 00:15:24,000
they fast from that time all the way

331
00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:24,580
till evening.

332
00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:26,060
Here's another one.

333
00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,000
Daniel, when he was thrown into the lion's

334
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,540
den, King Darius did not wanna see Daniel

335
00:15:34,540 --> 00:15:34,960
killed.

336
00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:40,280
Darius was provoked into signing this decree or

337
00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:45,060
formulating this decree that led to Daniel being

338
00:15:45,060 --> 00:15:48,440
thrown into the lion's den, but Darius wanted

339
00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:49,400
him spared.

340
00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,560
And scriptures basically says this, the King went

341
00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,920
to his palace and spent the night fasting

342
00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:00,360
while Daniel was in the lion's den, all

343
00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:00,660
night.

344
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:02,660
So there's another example.

345
00:16:03,700 --> 00:16:06,280
The fasting, and we just saw it, David

346
00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,400
therefore sought God on behalf of the child

347
00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,220
and David fasted and went in and lay

348
00:16:10,220 --> 00:16:11,700
all night on the ground.

349
00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,000
Esther, you remember what she had said?

350
00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,020
You go fast, don't eat, don't drink for

351
00:16:16,020 --> 00:16:16,620
how many days?

352
00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,400
Three, three days.

353
00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:20,440
Here's another one.

354
00:16:20,940 --> 00:16:23,440
In first Chronicles, all the valiant men arose,

355
00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:28,600
this is after Saul and Jonathan and Saul's

356
00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,540
sons were killed against the Philistines.

357
00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:33,880
It says the valiant men arose and took

358
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,380
away the body of Saul and the bodies

359
00:16:35,380 --> 00:16:37,380
of his sons and brought them to Jabesh

360
00:16:37,380 --> 00:16:39,560
and they buried their bones under the oak

361
00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,500
in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

362
00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,420
Now, you do find in Scripture where Moses

363
00:16:45,420 --> 00:16:49,240
fasted for 40 days and you find where

364
00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,200
Jesus fasted for 40 days.

365
00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,480
We don't know whether Jesus drank, probably not.

366
00:16:55,580 --> 00:16:57,060
It doesn't specifically say.

367
00:16:57,260 --> 00:16:59,880
We know that Moses did neither eat or

368
00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:01,600
drink for 40 days.

369
00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,000
Now listen, when you get into the realm

370
00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:05,980
of 40 days of fasting, you got to

371
00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:07,839
believe that there's a supernatural element.

372
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,599
And so I know people have fasted for

373
00:17:11,599 --> 00:17:14,579
40 days, but they haven't gone without water

374
00:17:14,579 --> 00:17:15,500
for 40 days.

375
00:17:15,619 --> 00:17:17,380
That happens only supernaturally.

376
00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:21,920
So just you recognize that when Moses went

377
00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:23,500
up on that mountain and his face was

378
00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:26,359
shining and supernatural things were happening with the

379
00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,040
Lord Jesus Christ, he very supernaturally was being

380
00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:32,520
sustained in this 40-day fast, being driven

381
00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:33,220
by the Spirit.

382
00:17:33,220 --> 00:17:36,000
And so this is the longest fast that

383
00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:37,000
you find in Scripture.

384
00:17:39,300 --> 00:17:40,700
But again, what I'm going to say is

385
00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:44,060
this, when you fast, that's what Jesus said.

386
00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:46,160
What we do know is this, we don't

387
00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:47,940
know how long the folks in the New

388
00:17:47,940 --> 00:17:50,620
Testament fasted for, but we do know they

389
00:17:50,620 --> 00:17:51,180
fasted.

390
00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,220
Listen to this, the church in Antioch, while

391
00:17:54,220 --> 00:17:57,060
they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the

392
00:17:57,060 --> 00:18:01,060
Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas

393
00:18:01,060 --> 00:18:03,860
and Saul for the work to which I

394
00:18:03,860 --> 00:18:04,700
have called them.

395
00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:08,140
Then after fasting and praying, they laid their

396
00:18:08,140 --> 00:18:10,020
hands on them and sent them off.

397
00:18:10,580 --> 00:18:14,800
I'll tell you this, what you find specifically

398
00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,840
in the early church is that they fasted

399
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:19,980
when there were missions involved.

400
00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:23,400
And also this, Acts 14, when they had

401
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:28,000
appointed elders in every church with prayer and

402
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:28,700
fasting.

403
00:18:29,940 --> 00:18:30,760
You know what you find?

404
00:18:30,860 --> 00:18:32,860
When they're sending forth missionaries and when they're

405
00:18:32,860 --> 00:18:36,540
selecting elders, pastors in the churches, that is

406
00:18:36,540 --> 00:18:37,660
a time for fasting.

407
00:18:38,780 --> 00:18:41,580
Now, it doesn't specifically say that Jesus fasted

408
00:18:41,580 --> 00:18:44,900
when he appointed the twelve, but it does

409
00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:46,380
say that he went out on those mountains

410
00:18:46,380 --> 00:18:47,920
all night long, and I've got to believe

411
00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:49,140
he was fasting out there.

412
00:18:49,140 --> 00:18:51,860
It's very interesting when people are being appointed

413
00:18:51,860 --> 00:18:57,140
to certain mission endeavors or positions, that is

414
00:18:57,140 --> 00:18:59,460
a time when the church really ought to

415
00:18:59,460 --> 00:19:00,200
be seeking the Lord.

416
00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,740
I'll tell you this, if you get a

417
00:19:02,740 --> 00:19:06,420
bad officer in this church, it can divide

418
00:19:06,420 --> 00:19:07,780
the church, it can take this church in

419
00:19:07,780 --> 00:19:10,460
a direction you never anticipated it to go.

420
00:19:12,060 --> 00:19:14,860
Basically what we've heard about the chapel downtown,

421
00:19:15,540 --> 00:19:17,780
last time they had a pastor, 1935.

422
00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:19,280
You know what happened?

423
00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,640
They had two deacons, rogue deacons it sounds

424
00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,280
like, who basically prevented them from ever having,

425
00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,860
obviously they came and went, and then other

426
00:19:28,860 --> 00:19:29,840
things happened.

427
00:19:30,340 --> 00:19:33,700
Then you have this, Anna is found in

428
00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:35,520
Luke 2, she did not depart from the

429
00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,780
temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and

430
00:19:37,780 --> 00:19:38,040
day.

431
00:19:38,540 --> 00:19:42,420
Luke 5, Jesus specifically says, you remember that

432
00:19:42,420 --> 00:19:45,540
you basically had the question posed to Jesus,

433
00:19:45,540 --> 00:19:48,800
hey, why do the followers, why did the

434
00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,400
disciples of John and the disciples of the

435
00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,880
Pharisees, why do they fast and your disciples

436
00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:57,060
don't fast?

437
00:19:57,460 --> 00:20:00,340
And he said, listen, they will fast.

438
00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:01,680
When will they fast?

439
00:20:02,940 --> 00:20:05,340
When the bridegroom is taken away.

440
00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:07,940
Has the bridegroom been taken away?

441
00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:13,060
Just what we saw in Psalm 68, he's

442
00:20:13,060 --> 00:20:13,540
ascended.

443
00:20:13,540 --> 00:20:16,140
Which means he's no longer down here.

444
00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,540
Not in physical manifestation, he has departed.

445
00:20:21,820 --> 00:20:24,600
And now we will fast.

446
00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,340
That's basically what scripture says.

447
00:20:28,540 --> 00:20:31,580
Matthew 6.16, when you fast.

448
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,500
Matthew 6.17, when you fast.

449
00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,360
It's never prescribed how long, we just know.

450
00:20:40,180 --> 00:20:42,440
Jesus' assumption is, we are going to be

451
00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,060
a people who fast.

452
00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,700
But see, the question comes up, why?

453
00:20:48,620 --> 00:20:50,020
Why should we do this?

454
00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,640
I mean, what would be the motivation for

455
00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:53,260
doing this?

456
00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,020
Why is fasting so important in the Christian

457
00:20:56,020 --> 00:20:56,280
life?

458
00:20:56,340 --> 00:20:57,540
Well, let's read the text again.

459
00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,820
Matthew 6.16, if you're not there, jump

460
00:21:01,820 --> 00:21:02,360
back there.

461
00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,840
Matthew 6.16, when you fast.

462
00:21:08,350 --> 00:21:09,590
Of course, we've got the, you know, the

463
00:21:09,590 --> 00:21:10,970
negation here in the beginning.

464
00:21:10,970 --> 00:21:13,150
Don't be like the hypocrites.

465
00:21:14,210 --> 00:21:15,950
Don't disfigure your face.

466
00:21:16,510 --> 00:21:19,550
You don't have to let everybody know that

467
00:21:19,550 --> 00:21:20,210
you're fasting.

468
00:21:21,310 --> 00:21:23,470
You don't need to let anyone know you're

469
00:21:23,470 --> 00:21:23,930
fasting.

470
00:21:25,750 --> 00:21:27,710
I mean, I recognize if you're married and

471
00:21:27,710 --> 00:21:29,430
you're going to be fasting, you probably need

472
00:21:29,430 --> 00:21:30,970
to let some people in your family know.

473
00:21:31,050 --> 00:21:32,250
If we're going to have a church-wide

474
00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:35,450
fast, obviously we're communicating something about it.

475
00:21:35,630 --> 00:21:38,010
But the reality is, you don't need to

476
00:21:38,010 --> 00:21:38,870
let anybody know.

477
00:21:39,590 --> 00:21:41,710
Truly, I say to you, they've received their

478
00:21:41,710 --> 00:21:42,090
reward.

479
00:21:42,490 --> 00:21:45,270
But when you fast, here it is.

480
00:21:47,230 --> 00:21:50,210
Anoint your head, wash your face, that your

481
00:21:50,210 --> 00:21:52,670
fasting may not be seen by others, but

482
00:21:52,670 --> 00:21:54,070
by your Father who is in secret.

483
00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,460
And your Father who sees in secret will

484
00:22:00,460 --> 00:22:02,920
reward you.

485
00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:05,980
Now, there's absolutely no question about it.

486
00:22:06,500 --> 00:22:10,080
The Lord Jesus Christ is teaching us very

487
00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,280
specifically that fasting, when it is done in

488
00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,560
a manner that pleases our Heavenly Father, fasting

489
00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,800
is beneficial as a means to receive a

490
00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,140
reward from your Heavenly Father.

491
00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:29,100
That's just a reality here.

492
00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,380
Fasting is a way of tapping into the

493
00:22:34,380 --> 00:22:35,680
divine generosity.

494
00:22:36,780 --> 00:22:37,420
Lay it down.

495
00:22:39,530 --> 00:22:40,190
Reward.

496
00:22:40,450 --> 00:22:40,870
You see?

497
00:22:40,970 --> 00:22:42,590
You all see the term.

498
00:22:43,230 --> 00:22:46,050
That means that our Father in Heaven is

499
00:22:46,050 --> 00:22:48,290
going to render some kind of benefit to

500
00:22:48,290 --> 00:22:50,650
you for your fasting that He would not

501
00:22:50,650 --> 00:22:52,730
have given to you had you not fasted.

502
00:22:52,870 --> 00:22:55,550
Jesus is not teaching here, by any stretch

503
00:22:55,550 --> 00:22:58,750
of anybody's imagination here, you cannot deduce from

504
00:22:58,750 --> 00:23:01,410
this that Jesus is saying fasting doesn't matter

505
00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:02,770
when it comes to the reward.

506
00:23:03,150 --> 00:23:05,250
He's not saying God is sovereign, you're going

507
00:23:05,250 --> 00:23:07,050
to get the reward whether you fast or

508
00:23:07,050 --> 00:23:07,310
not.

509
00:23:07,470 --> 00:23:09,230
That is not what He's teaching here, and

510
00:23:09,230 --> 00:23:11,230
none of you would even claim that to

511
00:23:11,230 --> 00:23:11,890
be the case.

512
00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:13,410
Not based on these words.

513
00:23:13,890 --> 00:23:17,050
He specifically says, if you fast in secret

514
00:23:17,050 --> 00:23:19,690
to your Father who sees in secret, there

515
00:23:19,690 --> 00:23:22,930
is a reward for people who do exactly

516
00:23:22,930 --> 00:23:23,610
that.

517
00:23:24,030 --> 00:23:26,550
He renders some sort of benefit to us

518
00:23:26,550 --> 00:23:29,570
as a result of our having fasted in

519
00:23:29,570 --> 00:23:29,950
secret.

520
00:23:30,370 --> 00:23:31,770
Now just, all you have to do is

521
00:23:31,770 --> 00:23:33,550
look at that word reward.

522
00:23:34,950 --> 00:23:36,210
Listen, what kind of things can you get

523
00:23:36,210 --> 00:23:36,730
from God?

524
00:23:36,930 --> 00:23:38,910
I'll tell you this, things you can't get

525
00:23:38,910 --> 00:23:39,830
from anyone else.

526
00:23:40,910 --> 00:23:42,210
Anybody want that?

527
00:23:42,830 --> 00:23:45,470
Does anybody have a need here that you

528
00:23:45,470 --> 00:23:47,050
can't get from anybody but from God?

529
00:23:47,850 --> 00:23:50,250
See, this is who He's talking to.

530
00:23:50,390 --> 00:23:51,910
People who look at this in faith and

531
00:23:51,910 --> 00:23:53,770
say, yeah, yeah, yeah, I need that.

532
00:23:55,860 --> 00:23:57,000
Now, here's the thing.

533
00:23:58,060 --> 00:23:58,580
The reward.

534
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:03,940
Your Father who sees in secret will reward

535
00:24:03,940 --> 00:24:04,460
you.

536
00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:07,180
Jesus doesn't say what the reward is.

537
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:08,400
Why not?

538
00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:14,460
Well, probably because this term ought to be

539
00:24:14,460 --> 00:24:18,780
taken in as broad, such broad, such wide

540
00:24:18,780 --> 00:24:23,400
strokes, such deep and bountiful terms that you

541
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:23,740
know what?

542
00:24:23,820 --> 00:24:25,660
You don't want to ascribe any limits to

543
00:24:25,660 --> 00:24:25,800
it.

544
00:24:25,980 --> 00:24:27,620
Why doesn't Jesus put any limits on it?

545
00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:28,960
Because I suspect this.

546
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,080
I suspect the reward that one guy gets

547
00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:34,100
is not like the reward some sister gets.

548
00:24:34,420 --> 00:24:35,680
They're different things.

549
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,200
I mean, it's probably just as varied as

550
00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:39,060
it is vast.

551
00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,420
Look, does reward sound bad to anybody?

552
00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,100
Does that sound like a negative word?

553
00:24:46,020 --> 00:24:47,900
But listen, if I've got a pastor in

554
00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:50,300
this country telling me he doesn't know anybody

555
00:24:50,300 --> 00:24:52,520
who fasts, you know what that tells me?

556
00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,220
That tells me this country is riddled among

557
00:24:56,220 --> 00:24:59,960
professing Christians with unbelief over passages like that.

558
00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:01,880
They must ignore these passages.

559
00:25:02,260 --> 00:25:04,840
They must just downright not believe these passages.

560
00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,400
Because if you really believe these passages, you

561
00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,260
know what you're going to be doing?

562
00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:09,580
What are you going to be doing?

563
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,280
You're going to be fasting in the secret

564
00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:13,520
place, obviously.

565
00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,040
When you fast, do not look gloomy.

566
00:25:16,580 --> 00:25:17,300
Here's the thing.

567
00:25:17,820 --> 00:25:18,920
Here's what I want you to notice.

568
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,700
See, when you start thinking about reward, just

569
00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:24,240
think about the first part of this.

570
00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,120
When you fast, don't be like the gloomy

571
00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:32,520
hypocrites who disfigure their faces because their fasting

572
00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:33,620
may be seen by others.

573
00:25:33,620 --> 00:25:34,980
Now notice this.

574
00:25:35,460 --> 00:25:39,320
Truly I say to you, they have received

575
00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,820
their reward.

576
00:25:43,020 --> 00:25:43,780
You know what I think?

577
00:25:44,340 --> 00:25:48,560
I think we should let Jesus define reward

578
00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,020
there and carry the meaning over to the

579
00:25:52,020 --> 00:25:53,880
second time he uses reward.

580
00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:54,760
See, what do you mean?

581
00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:56,420
I mean this.

582
00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:59,320
What does reward mean in verse 16?

583
00:25:59,780 --> 00:26:00,720
What does it mean right there?

584
00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:02,720
They have received their reward.

585
00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:04,780
You know what it means?

586
00:26:05,340 --> 00:26:09,060
They fasted to be seen by others and

587
00:26:09,060 --> 00:26:11,880
Jesus said they got what they were after.

588
00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:13,900
That's their reward.

589
00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:15,520
They got what they're after.

590
00:26:15,940 --> 00:26:18,740
If you let that definition go to the

591
00:26:18,740 --> 00:26:21,920
second time, you'd say what's the reward when

592
00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,780
we, the true Christian, goes into the secret

593
00:26:24,780 --> 00:26:28,160
place and prays to our Father who sees

594
00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:28,540
in secret.

595
00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:29,480
What's the reward?

596
00:26:29,980 --> 00:26:31,520
I would say it's just the same thing.

597
00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:33,080
It's what you're after.

598
00:26:33,700 --> 00:26:35,520
It's what you've gone to God for.

599
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,880
They fasted to be seen and they got

600
00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:40,840
what they were after.

601
00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,120
The reward is precisely what they were after.

602
00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,500
So it makes total sense in the second

603
00:26:46,500 --> 00:26:49,020
part in verse 18 to take it the

604
00:26:49,020 --> 00:26:49,520
same way.

605
00:26:49,740 --> 00:26:52,000
Your Father who sees in secret will give

606
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,660
you what you came to him for.

607
00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:57,500
You see, they got what they were after.

608
00:26:57,740 --> 00:27:00,760
The whole idea is if you actually go

609
00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,400
in the secret place and you fast before

610
00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,720
him, you're going to get what you're after.

611
00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,260
Don't make it mean something different.

612
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,100
It's the same thing.

613
00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,460
Listen, so often we're so ready to say,

614
00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:18,240
oh, but you know, we can wrongly ask

615
00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:25,360
and brethren, I am telling you that Scripture

616
00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,160
does not primarily tell us that we don't

617
00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,740
get what we ask for because we ask

618
00:27:30,740 --> 00:27:31,560
for the wrong thing.

619
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:32,680
Can we?

620
00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:34,380
Yes, we can.

621
00:27:34,820 --> 00:27:35,360
We can.

622
00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,400
But that is not what primarily is dealt

623
00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:38,080
with in Scripture.

624
00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,480
What primarily is dealt with in Scripture is

625
00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:42,060
the fact that we don't ask and we

626
00:27:42,060 --> 00:27:43,080
don't keep on asking.

627
00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:45,060
We don't keep on seeking and we don't

628
00:27:45,060 --> 00:27:46,940
keep on knocking and we don't keep on

629
00:27:46,940 --> 00:27:47,480
fasting.

630
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:49,320
That's the real issue.

631
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:51,980
That's what Scripture hits us with.

632
00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,740
It doesn't tell us that primarily we're constantly

633
00:27:55,740 --> 00:27:57,000
asking for the wrong thing.

634
00:27:57,180 --> 00:27:58,840
Brethren, do you realize who you are?

635
00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:00,240
You were born again.

636
00:28:00,940 --> 00:28:02,540
Old things have passed away.

637
00:28:03,140 --> 00:28:05,660
You're new creations, new desires.

638
00:28:06,140 --> 00:28:08,700
You have desires for good things.

639
00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,280
Ask for them and keep asking for them.

640
00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:14,340
And God loves to put Himself on display.

641
00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,480
Do you ever hear a spouse comes from

642
00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:18,020
the Lord?

643
00:28:19,260 --> 00:28:20,840
Children come from the Lord.

644
00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:22,980
Anybody want some of those things?

645
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,720
I mean, look, the reality is a lot

646
00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:30,140
of times we're asking for things that we're

647
00:28:30,140 --> 00:28:31,440
asking for for ourselves.

648
00:28:31,860 --> 00:28:34,260
That doesn't mean you're just selfish and you

649
00:28:34,260 --> 00:28:35,480
shouldn't be praying that way.

650
00:28:36,740 --> 00:28:40,120
Brethren, only eternity is going to reveal the

651
00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,460
kind of reward that God's people have sought

652
00:28:42,460 --> 00:28:45,140
and found poured out on them by way

653
00:28:45,140 --> 00:28:45,720
of fasting.

654
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,060
I've told you this before.

655
00:28:47,140 --> 00:28:48,220
I'm going to keep telling you this.

656
00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:53,060
Jonathan Edwards, very specifically, when he had Brainerd

657
00:28:53,060 --> 00:28:57,980
dying in his home, he said in that

658
00:28:57,980 --> 00:29:01,980
communication that they had before Brainerd died, he

659
00:29:01,980 --> 00:29:06,920
told Edwards that he had not experienced a

660
00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,980
time of fasting in his life that he

661
00:29:08,980 --> 00:29:11,740
could remember that God did not give him

662
00:29:11,740 --> 00:29:13,440
some kind of answer to.

663
00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:16,120
And you say, well, that's him.

664
00:29:17,340 --> 00:29:18,460
Okay, that is him.

665
00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,500
But you just tell me, who's this promise

666
00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:22,000
made to?

667
00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:23,780
This promise is made to Brainerd?

668
00:29:24,340 --> 00:29:26,260
This promise is made to all of God's

669
00:29:26,260 --> 00:29:26,600
people.

670
00:29:27,460 --> 00:29:28,900
And only eternity is going to tell.

671
00:29:29,700 --> 00:29:32,560
The people, think about this, your prayer's been

672
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:32,940
heard.

673
00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:34,020
What prayer?

674
00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,340
Elizabeth, Zechariah, they wanted a child.

675
00:29:38,660 --> 00:29:39,740
Do we have anybody in the church that

676
00:29:39,740 --> 00:29:40,220
wants a child?

677
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:43,040
I know of at least one sister praying

678
00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:43,620
for twins.

679
00:29:44,820 --> 00:29:47,020
Anybody want a husband or a wife?

680
00:29:48,780 --> 00:29:53,060
I mean, listen, the salvation souls, we're asking

681
00:29:53,060 --> 00:29:54,020
God for revival.

682
00:29:54,780 --> 00:29:56,940
We're asking God for a place for this

683
00:29:56,940 --> 00:29:59,100
church to be able to meet on a

684
00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:00,120
permanent basis.

685
00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,200
The people that have asked God for greater

686
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,020
manifestations of his presence, for God drawing near,

687
00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:11,560
gracing his people with greater manifestations of his

688
00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,100
person, of his love, of his presence.

689
00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,840
People who want new revelation and manifestations of

690
00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:18,520
the cross.

691
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,840
People who want an empowering of their spiritual

692
00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:22,320
gifts.

693
00:30:22,940 --> 00:30:25,740
Anybody have some stubborn sin in their life

694
00:30:25,740 --> 00:30:27,620
that they'd really like to have grace and

695
00:30:27,620 --> 00:30:29,940
you've been messing?

696
00:30:30,180 --> 00:30:34,040
You know, Jesus said, this kind does not

697
00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,680
go forth expect by prayer and fasting.

698
00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:39,920
Now listen, I know there's a textual issue

699
00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:40,180
there.

700
00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,380
The whole point is this, you got a

701
00:30:43,380 --> 00:30:47,020
demon, a kind of demon that is in

702
00:30:47,020 --> 00:30:50,040
this boy and the disciples say, Lord, why

703
00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:51,940
couldn't we cast him out?

704
00:30:53,420 --> 00:30:56,640
Because obviously his answer is, you didn't pray

705
00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,380
and you didn't fast that you ought to

706
00:30:58,380 --> 00:31:00,140
have prayed and fasted if you're going to

707
00:31:00,140 --> 00:31:02,200
try to deal with demonic powers of that

708
00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:02,700
kind.

709
00:31:03,860 --> 00:31:05,820
Now look, you can just go around with

710
00:31:05,820 --> 00:31:07,400
your head buried in the sand like the

711
00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,560
devil's not real, but the devil is real.

712
00:31:10,060 --> 00:31:12,000
And his demons are real and this spiritual

713
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:12,980
battle is real.

714
00:31:13,220 --> 00:31:15,280
And what Jesus was teaching is there is

715
00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,920
a kind that is so resistant and reluctant

716
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,720
to be moved and God's people have to

717
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:23,760
take up prayer and they have to take

718
00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:26,220
up fasting if they're going to move these

719
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:27,980
kind of spiritual powers.

720
00:31:28,420 --> 00:31:30,500
You may have some stubborn sin in your

721
00:31:30,500 --> 00:31:33,060
life and you can't get victory over it.

722
00:31:33,420 --> 00:31:34,060
What are you going to say?

723
00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:35,940
Based on verses like this, you're going to

724
00:31:35,940 --> 00:31:37,280
say fasting won't help me?

725
00:31:37,900 --> 00:31:38,820
Just case closed?

726
00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:40,480
Are you going to look at this and

727
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:41,180
say, you know what?

728
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:42,360
That's a reward I'm looking for.

729
00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:43,680
I need help in this area of my

730
00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:43,920
life.

731
00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:44,800
I need to go.

732
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:47,580
Maybe some of you just plain need a

733
00:31:47,580 --> 00:31:49,700
greater burden for the lost.

734
00:31:50,020 --> 00:31:51,280
Maybe you need greater faith.

735
00:31:51,780 --> 00:31:52,940
Maybe you need greater love.

736
00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:56,800
I mean, listen, what is the reward?

737
00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,320
I'll tell you this, reward that you get

738
00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:00,560
from God is a good thing.

739
00:32:01,060 --> 00:32:02,800
Listen, what kind of reward has he already

740
00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:03,520
given to us?

741
00:32:04,700 --> 00:32:07,860
Scripture says if he has not spared his

742
00:32:07,860 --> 00:32:10,660
own son, but he offered him up, how

743
00:32:10,660 --> 00:32:15,690
will he not also give us anything?

744
00:32:16,190 --> 00:32:16,530
Everything.

745
00:32:17,430 --> 00:32:18,590
You see the argument?

746
00:32:19,250 --> 00:32:20,350
From the greater to the lesser.

747
00:32:21,450 --> 00:32:23,550
You got a guy that'll sacrifice his son

748
00:32:23,550 --> 00:32:26,270
for you and then you come for something

749
00:32:27,250 --> 00:32:30,930
that's only minusculely valuable compared to that?

750
00:32:31,890 --> 00:32:33,510
And what, is he going to refuse you

751
00:32:33,510 --> 00:32:35,190
the lesser thing after he's given you the

752
00:32:35,190 --> 00:32:35,750
greater thing?

753
00:32:36,250 --> 00:32:37,630
You see, that's the way Scripture argues.

754
00:32:38,670 --> 00:32:39,930
There's a reward to be had.

755
00:32:40,390 --> 00:32:41,510
That's what we're getting.

756
00:32:42,270 --> 00:32:43,650
Anybody need greater fruitfulness?

757
00:32:44,030 --> 00:32:46,510
Anybody seeking spiritual guidance over anything?

758
00:32:46,610 --> 00:32:47,970
You're kind of wondering whether to go to

759
00:32:47,970 --> 00:32:49,010
the right, go to the left.

760
00:32:49,270 --> 00:32:51,050
You're asking God, direct my path.

761
00:32:51,370 --> 00:32:52,050
You need help.

762
00:32:52,730 --> 00:32:54,770
You need, anybody need help in their marriage?

763
00:32:55,230 --> 00:32:58,070
Anybody have wayward children that they're praying for?

764
00:32:58,190 --> 00:33:00,350
Somebody that they're, I mean, you want blessing

765
00:33:00,350 --> 00:33:02,450
upon your children.

766
00:33:02,590 --> 00:33:03,990
You want protection for your children.

767
00:33:04,130 --> 00:33:05,570
You want victory over the devil.

768
00:33:05,670 --> 00:33:06,150
You need somebody.

769
00:33:06,450 --> 00:33:09,510
I mean, you're just in a desperate situation.

770
00:33:09,510 --> 00:33:10,450
You need help.

771
00:33:11,790 --> 00:33:13,390
I mean, anybody just in a place where

772
00:33:13,390 --> 00:33:14,450
they want God to come?

773
00:33:15,030 --> 00:33:17,250
They need an answer.

774
00:33:17,370 --> 00:33:19,490
They need some kind of movement from God.

775
00:33:19,670 --> 00:33:21,110
They need to know that God is real.

776
00:33:21,230 --> 00:33:22,950
They need God to come into their life.

777
00:33:23,190 --> 00:33:24,810
They need something to happen.

778
00:33:25,710 --> 00:33:26,670
Anybody stalled?

779
00:33:26,830 --> 00:33:27,930
Anybody stagnant?

780
00:33:28,010 --> 00:33:28,910
Anybody lazy?

781
00:33:29,070 --> 00:33:30,150
Anybody gone to sleep?

782
00:33:30,730 --> 00:33:32,270
It's like, you need help?

783
00:33:34,290 --> 00:33:36,310
Capture this reality.

784
00:33:36,310 --> 00:33:40,090
Jesus is saying, get what he's saying.

785
00:33:40,830 --> 00:33:45,790
He is saying, a Christian can go without

786
00:33:45,790 --> 00:33:52,130
food and without drink and do it secretly.

787
00:33:53,330 --> 00:33:57,390
And there is something about that that is

788
00:33:57,390 --> 00:34:02,610
designed to release the generosity of God upon

789
00:34:02,610 --> 00:34:04,550
the one who is fasting.

790
00:34:04,550 --> 00:34:07,810
So as to result in a reward upon

791
00:34:07,810 --> 00:34:11,489
that person that would not be given to

792
00:34:11,489 --> 00:34:13,949
that person if they didn't fast.

793
00:34:14,170 --> 00:34:16,070
That is precisely what he's teaching.

794
00:34:16,570 --> 00:34:17,489
And you see it.

795
00:34:18,150 --> 00:34:19,290
I'm not making this up.

796
00:34:19,570 --> 00:34:21,010
You've got Bibles in your own hands and

797
00:34:21,010 --> 00:34:22,030
you see it right there.

798
00:34:22,389 --> 00:34:23,730
And so for a pastor to tell me

799
00:34:23,730 --> 00:34:25,330
this week that he doesn't know of a

800
00:34:25,330 --> 00:34:27,550
single Christian in this country, he doesn't know

801
00:34:27,550 --> 00:34:28,929
of a single Christian that fast.

802
00:34:29,150 --> 00:34:29,750
Now, you know what?

803
00:34:29,790 --> 00:34:33,050
That doesn't mean that there isn't Christians that

804
00:34:33,050 --> 00:34:34,630
he's exposed to that fast.

805
00:34:34,750 --> 00:34:36,330
They just do it in a secret place

806
00:34:36,330 --> 00:34:37,870
and they do it secretly and they're not

807
00:34:37,870 --> 00:34:38,730
broadcasting it.

808
00:34:38,929 --> 00:34:39,989
So he doesn't know about it.

809
00:34:40,270 --> 00:34:40,770
But you know what?

810
00:34:40,850 --> 00:34:42,870
When a pastor doesn't know about anybody, it

811
00:34:42,870 --> 00:34:45,310
certainly means that the churches are not called.

812
00:34:45,510 --> 00:34:47,730
You know, in Acts chapter 13, Acts chapter

813
00:34:47,730 --> 00:34:50,230
14, those were certainly church-wide fasts.

814
00:34:50,469 --> 00:34:52,750
They were fasting.

815
00:34:53,110 --> 00:34:54,130
They were worshiping.

816
00:34:54,530 --> 00:34:57,010
And the Spirit said, set apart for me

817
00:34:57,010 --> 00:34:58,750
Barnabas and Saul.

818
00:34:58,890 --> 00:35:00,310
That was a church-wide fast.

819
00:35:00,690 --> 00:35:01,470
You know what it tells me?

820
00:35:01,470 --> 00:35:03,410
When you have pastors that don't know, it

821
00:35:03,410 --> 00:35:05,610
means that their churches are not doing church

822
00:35:05,610 --> 00:35:06,470
-wide fasts.

823
00:35:06,690 --> 00:35:07,950
They're not fasting for things.

824
00:35:08,290 --> 00:35:09,750
They're not fasting against the enemy.

825
00:35:09,870 --> 00:35:11,430
They're not fasting for the advance of the

826
00:35:11,430 --> 00:35:11,770
gospel.

827
00:35:12,190 --> 00:35:13,190
One thing is for certain.

828
00:35:14,470 --> 00:35:17,730
Jesus is not teaching us here that seeking

829
00:35:17,730 --> 00:35:21,790
a reward is somehow carnal or somehow criminal

830
00:35:21,790 --> 00:35:24,050
or somehow unspiritual.

831
00:35:24,530 --> 00:35:26,230
He's not teaching us that we ought to

832
00:35:26,230 --> 00:35:28,050
be reluctant to want this.

833
00:35:28,530 --> 00:35:29,590
That's plain.

834
00:35:29,590 --> 00:35:33,750
We have a heavenly Father who does really

835
00:35:33,750 --> 00:35:35,770
delight to give to His children.

836
00:35:35,930 --> 00:35:37,810
And I'm going to say this, Romans 8

837
00:35:37,810 --> 00:35:40,750
.32 again, He who did not spare His

838
00:35:40,750 --> 00:35:42,650
own Son but gave Him up for us

839
00:35:42,650 --> 00:35:42,830
all.

840
00:35:42,970 --> 00:35:45,130
How will He not also with Him graciously

841
00:35:45,130 --> 00:35:46,390
give us all things?

842
00:35:46,590 --> 00:35:49,330
Brothers and sisters, are you in the habit

843
00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,840
of fasting in secret?

844
00:35:55,860 --> 00:35:58,440
When you have a promise like this, if

845
00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,880
you don't fast, if you walk forth from

846
00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,500
this message today and you're not convinced you

847
00:36:04,500 --> 00:36:07,240
should be fasting, I would just say you're

848
00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:07,900
an unbeliever.

849
00:36:09,140 --> 00:36:13,480
You just plain can't believe this if you

850
00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:14,640
would go forth like that.

851
00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:16,500
Because I know something about the human race.

852
00:36:17,220 --> 00:36:19,960
We are desperately needy people.

853
00:36:21,340 --> 00:36:23,300
And with all the needs that you have,

854
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:25,720
for you to be able to go forth

855
00:36:25,720 --> 00:36:28,620
and basically shrug this off, there's no other

856
00:36:28,620 --> 00:36:31,280
reason than you than you just are not

857
00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:31,660
a believer.

858
00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:32,780
You don't believe me.

859
00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:34,500
You don't believe what's being said here.

860
00:36:35,340 --> 00:36:36,680
That's the only thing I could think.

861
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,580
Brothers and sisters, do we have anyone here

862
00:36:41,580 --> 00:36:44,720
who desperately needs anything from the living God?

863
00:36:46,260 --> 00:36:49,040
Does the word reward sound cheap to you?

864
00:36:50,140 --> 00:36:51,100
Not to me.

865
00:36:53,060 --> 00:36:55,740
I mean, brethren, you know one of the

866
00:36:55,740 --> 00:36:56,480
things you should do?

867
00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:00,000
Just go through the Scriptures and watch where

868
00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,860
fasting happens and then see what the outcome

869
00:37:02,860 --> 00:37:03,260
is.

870
00:37:04,100 --> 00:37:05,300
I'll tell you this.

871
00:37:06,220 --> 00:37:10,100
Anybody remember a certain king from the Northern

872
00:37:10,100 --> 00:37:14,340
Kingdom who was the husband of Jezebel and

873
00:37:14,340 --> 00:37:17,160
he was notoriously a wicked king?

874
00:37:21,380 --> 00:37:22,480
His name is Ahab.

875
00:37:23,100 --> 00:37:23,900
Can I tell you something?

876
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:30,260
He fasted and he sought God's mercy and

877
00:37:30,260 --> 00:37:37,580
God specifically, Scripture tells us, God specifically saw

878
00:37:37,580 --> 00:37:42,440
his fasting and his humbling of himself and

879
00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:44,080
he showed Ahab mercy.

880
00:37:45,220 --> 00:37:46,000
Listen to this.

881
00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:49,940
Jehoshaphat, you remember this?

882
00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:54,100
A great horde of Ammonites and Moabites were

883
00:37:54,100 --> 00:37:55,220
coming against Israel.

884
00:37:56,460 --> 00:37:59,220
They were in Edom and they were coming

885
00:37:59,220 --> 00:38:00,140
for Israel.

886
00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:02,000
They were coming for the Southern Kingdom.

887
00:38:04,100 --> 00:38:09,680
Jehoshaphat called Judea, he called the Southern Kingdom

888
00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:11,740
to fast and guess what happened?

889
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:13,100
Victory.

890
00:38:15,730 --> 00:38:16,990
They were against hordes.

891
00:38:17,150 --> 00:38:19,530
They were highly outnumbered and God gave them

892
00:38:19,530 --> 00:38:19,890
victory.

893
00:38:20,870 --> 00:38:22,570
See, this is the result of fasting.

894
00:38:23,170 --> 00:38:25,070
Ezra, you remember Ezra?

895
00:38:26,930 --> 00:38:30,830
Ezra went to Jerusalem when people were returning

896
00:38:30,830 --> 00:38:35,690
from Babylonia and he went there to teach

897
00:38:35,690 --> 00:38:36,370
the law.

898
00:38:36,710 --> 00:38:41,370
This is between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah.

899
00:38:41,910 --> 00:38:42,830
Ezra went.

900
00:38:43,390 --> 00:38:44,450
And you know one of the things that

901
00:38:44,450 --> 00:38:44,910
he said?

902
00:38:45,350 --> 00:38:49,030
He said, we did not want to ask

903
00:38:49,030 --> 00:38:53,350
the king for a military entourage to take

904
00:38:53,350 --> 00:38:56,430
us to Jerusalem because we had been boasting

905
00:38:56,430 --> 00:38:57,710
so much about our God.

906
00:38:57,710 --> 00:39:00,730
Last thing we wanted to do was ask

907
00:39:00,730 --> 00:39:03,090
for military help from the king.

908
00:39:04,530 --> 00:39:06,490
He says, I was ashamed to ask the

909
00:39:06,490 --> 00:39:08,450
king for a band of soldiers and horsemen

910
00:39:08,450 --> 00:39:10,150
to protect us against the enemy on our

911
00:39:10,150 --> 00:39:10,410
way.

912
00:39:10,510 --> 00:39:12,190
Since we had told the king the hand

913
00:39:12,190 --> 00:39:14,430
of our God is for good on all

914
00:39:14,430 --> 00:39:15,890
who seek him and the power of his

915
00:39:15,890 --> 00:39:17,490
wrath is against all who forsake him.

916
00:39:17,650 --> 00:39:18,390
You know what it says?

917
00:39:19,490 --> 00:39:21,670
Ezra and those Jews that were getting ready

918
00:39:21,670 --> 00:39:25,030
to go, they fasted and God heard them

919
00:39:25,030 --> 00:39:27,410
and they were safe the whole way.

920
00:39:27,710 --> 00:39:29,030
No marauders got them.

921
00:39:29,170 --> 00:39:30,470
No thieves got them.

922
00:39:32,310 --> 00:39:36,210
And then Nehemiah, remember him?

923
00:39:36,390 --> 00:39:39,090
He fasted before he was a cupbearer for

924
00:39:39,090 --> 00:39:41,990
our exercise and he fasted because he had

925
00:39:41,990 --> 00:39:46,530
a burden about the walls being restored and

926
00:39:46,530 --> 00:39:47,810
Jerusalem being rebuilt.

927
00:39:48,090 --> 00:39:48,590
And guess what?

928
00:39:48,630 --> 00:39:50,310
He got favor with the king.

929
00:39:51,050 --> 00:39:51,770
How about this?

930
00:39:52,250 --> 00:39:55,290
We know Esther and Mordecai, the Jews fasted.

931
00:39:55,490 --> 00:39:57,230
God heard them.

932
00:39:57,230 --> 00:39:58,330
God heard them.

933
00:39:58,610 --> 00:40:05,170
God gave Esther favor before Ahasuerus and what

934
00:40:05,170 --> 00:40:05,610
happened?

935
00:40:06,130 --> 00:40:08,330
Haman's whole plot was turned on its head.

936
00:40:08,790 --> 00:40:10,550
The enemies of the Jews were routed.

937
00:40:11,150 --> 00:40:11,830
Remember Daniel?

938
00:40:12,010 --> 00:40:12,890
He fasted.

939
00:40:13,210 --> 00:40:14,670
Remember what happened when he fasted?

940
00:40:15,930 --> 00:40:21,830
Very archangel Gabriel himself was dispatched and he

941
00:40:21,830 --> 00:40:24,430
came to him and he said, Daniel, you're

942
00:40:24,430 --> 00:40:25,830
greatly beloved.

943
00:40:26,610 --> 00:40:28,810
Does anybody just need that?

944
00:40:30,010 --> 00:40:32,250
You need greater assurance.

945
00:40:32,370 --> 00:40:34,430
You just need God to speak in your

946
00:40:34,430 --> 00:40:36,250
ear and say you are greatly beloved.

947
00:40:36,890 --> 00:40:37,650
That's what he got.

948
00:40:38,470 --> 00:40:41,490
And he also got revelation of what was

949
00:40:41,490 --> 00:40:42,970
going to happen in the future.

950
00:40:44,330 --> 00:40:46,290
The people of Nineveh, we looked at that.

951
00:40:46,530 --> 00:40:48,470
They went to fasting.

952
00:40:48,850 --> 00:40:49,410
What'd they get?

953
00:40:49,710 --> 00:40:50,510
They got mercy.

954
00:40:51,810 --> 00:40:53,150
You can imagine.

955
00:40:54,070 --> 00:40:57,450
There's 100,000 Ninevites in glory now.

956
00:40:58,190 --> 00:41:03,250
Jesus says, when you fast, your father who

957
00:41:03,250 --> 00:41:06,490
sees in secret will reward you.

958
00:41:07,690 --> 00:41:09,190
Do you think you fast enough?

959
00:41:09,570 --> 00:41:10,290
That's a question.

960
00:41:10,930 --> 00:41:15,810
Seems each one of us can measure our

961
00:41:15,810 --> 00:41:21,400
desire for God's reward by the extent to

962
00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:22,320
which we fast.

963
00:41:24,780 --> 00:41:27,700
Do you really believe people who fast get

964
00:41:27,700 --> 00:41:29,080
rewards from the Father?

965
00:41:29,660 --> 00:41:32,060
Rewards that others who don't fast don't get?

966
00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:33,660
I mean, do you believe that?

967
00:41:34,460 --> 00:41:37,100
If you believe God's Word, certainly you believe

968
00:41:37,100 --> 00:41:37,400
that.

969
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:41,040
Now look, let me just tell you this.

970
00:41:41,340 --> 00:41:42,680
There is bad fasting.

971
00:41:43,380 --> 00:41:43,840
You say, what do you mean?

972
00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,580
I mean, there is fasting that the Father

973
00:41:46,580 --> 00:41:47,780
takes no notice of.

974
00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:50,760
In fact, He finds repugnant.

975
00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:53,800
He finds distasteful.

976
00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:55,720
Bad fasting.

977
00:41:55,860 --> 00:41:57,260
You see it right here in Matthew 6

978
00:41:57,260 --> 00:42:01,060
.16. When you fast, don't be gloomy like

979
00:42:01,060 --> 00:42:01,720
the hypocrites.

980
00:42:02,380 --> 00:42:03,360
There's bad fasting.

981
00:42:04,620 --> 00:42:07,180
They fast and they don't get the reward.

982
00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:07,980
Why?

983
00:42:08,060 --> 00:42:09,740
Because their fasting doesn't please the Lord.

984
00:42:09,980 --> 00:42:11,020
They got nothing from God.

985
00:42:11,260 --> 00:42:13,440
They didn't fast to get God's reward, and

986
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:15,040
so they don't get God's reward.

987
00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:17,420
They force themselves to go without food.

988
00:42:17,740 --> 00:42:19,580
All sorts of people will force themselves to

989
00:42:19,580 --> 00:42:21,260
go without food or they'll do all sorts

990
00:42:21,260 --> 00:42:22,140
of religious things.

991
00:42:22,140 --> 00:42:24,980
People do religious things like they did to

992
00:42:24,980 --> 00:42:25,940
be seen by others.

993
00:42:26,220 --> 00:42:28,500
People also do religious things because they think

994
00:42:28,500 --> 00:42:31,720
that they're somehow paying God.

995
00:42:32,540 --> 00:42:34,360
They're trying to build up merit.

996
00:42:34,620 --> 00:42:37,140
They think fasting gets me merit with God.

997
00:42:37,460 --> 00:42:38,360
That's not why we fast.

998
00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:39,480
It's not to get merit.

999
00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:43,080
These Pharisees, you know what they said?

1000
00:42:43,180 --> 00:42:44,920
You remember the Pharisee and the tax collector?

1001
00:42:45,260 --> 00:42:47,500
Pharisee said, I fast twice a week.

1002
00:42:48,460 --> 00:42:50,180
I give alms of everything.

1003
00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:54,000
You see, there's a very self-righteous way,

1004
00:42:54,720 --> 00:42:57,380
the desire to have others admire your spirituality

1005
00:42:57,960 --> 00:42:59,820
that doesn't go anywhere with God.

1006
00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:02,880
We have other examples of bad fasting in

1007
00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:03,420
the Scriptures.

1008
00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:05,760
How about this?

1009
00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:12,560
Jeremiah 14.10 Listen to this.

1010
00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:16,380
Thus says the Lord concerning this people, they

1011
00:43:16,380 --> 00:43:19,980
love to wander, though they fast, I will

1012
00:43:19,980 --> 00:43:20,980
not hear their cry.

1013
00:43:21,660 --> 00:43:23,700
Think about a person who wanders.

1014
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:27,660
They're just, they're wandering from God.

1015
00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:32,480
You get people who's, when somebody's wandering, their

1016
00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:34,000
back is towards God.

1017
00:43:34,980 --> 00:43:37,800
What God sees is this, when this happens,

1018
00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:40,600
you get people whose backs are to God,

1019
00:43:41,240 --> 00:43:43,600
but they spin around and they look at

1020
00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,380
Him just when they need something.

1021
00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:49,520
He says, I don't hear those people.

1022
00:43:51,500 --> 00:43:55,610
Or there's this, why have you fasted?

1023
00:43:55,990 --> 00:43:57,490
That last one was in Jeremiah.

1024
00:43:57,650 --> 00:43:58,570
This one's in Isaiah.

1025
00:43:59,050 --> 00:44:01,990
Why have we fasted and you see it

1026
00:44:01,990 --> 00:44:02,230
not?

1027
00:44:02,370 --> 00:44:04,850
You see, Israel's asking this question.

1028
00:44:06,070 --> 00:44:08,690
Lord, we fasted and you don't see it.

1029
00:44:08,790 --> 00:44:09,850
You're not regarding it.

1030
00:44:09,890 --> 00:44:10,890
You're not giving us anything.

1031
00:44:11,130 --> 00:44:12,370
You're not rewarding us.

1032
00:44:13,350 --> 00:44:15,090
Why have we humbled ourselves and you take

1033
00:44:15,090 --> 00:44:15,970
no knowledge of it?

1034
00:44:16,550 --> 00:44:17,630
And then God answers.

1035
00:44:18,390 --> 00:44:20,030
Behold, in the day of your fast, you

1036
00:44:20,030 --> 00:44:22,290
seek your own pleasure and you oppress all

1037
00:44:22,290 --> 00:44:22,810
your workers.

1038
00:44:23,270 --> 00:44:24,810
You see, they were just, they were selfish.

1039
00:44:25,370 --> 00:44:26,850
Or here's another one, Zechariah.

1040
00:44:27,550 --> 00:44:29,110
Say to all the people of the land

1041
00:44:29,110 --> 00:44:31,870
and the priests, when you fasted and mourned

1042
00:44:31,870 --> 00:44:33,870
in the fifth month, when you fasted in

1043
00:44:33,870 --> 00:44:37,810
the seventh month, for these 70 years, was

1044
00:44:37,810 --> 00:44:41,150
it for me that you fasted?

1045
00:44:42,230 --> 00:44:44,770
You see, there's bad fasting.

1046
00:44:45,770 --> 00:44:47,790
When people are very selfish, when they don't

1047
00:44:47,790 --> 00:44:50,630
do it for the sake of God, did

1048
00:44:50,630 --> 00:44:52,150
you really want me?

1049
00:44:52,470 --> 00:44:53,090
That's the issue.

1050
00:44:53,330 --> 00:44:55,450
You know what's very interesting about Zechariah?

1051
00:44:55,790 --> 00:44:57,550
It actually reads this.

1052
00:44:58,710 --> 00:44:59,990
Did you fast for me?

1053
00:45:00,730 --> 00:45:01,590
For me.

1054
00:45:02,230 --> 00:45:03,590
It actually says it twice.

1055
00:45:04,850 --> 00:45:05,710
For me.

1056
00:45:06,110 --> 00:45:07,250
Did you really want me?

1057
00:45:08,130 --> 00:45:09,950
Did you really trust me?

1058
00:45:10,490 --> 00:45:12,130
Was I really in all your thoughts in

1059
00:45:12,130 --> 00:45:12,610
all of this?

1060
00:45:12,790 --> 00:45:14,650
Or were you just being mechanically religious?

1061
00:45:16,250 --> 00:45:18,610
Brethren, you know somebody can fast and they

1062
00:45:18,610 --> 00:45:20,730
just, they go on with their day and

1063
00:45:20,730 --> 00:45:22,910
they're just distracted by many things.

1064
00:45:22,990 --> 00:45:24,010
That's not what you want to do when

1065
00:45:24,010 --> 00:45:24,490
you fast.

1066
00:45:24,690 --> 00:45:26,490
When you fast, you want to give your

1067
00:45:26,490 --> 00:45:27,430
attention to the Lord.

1068
00:45:28,490 --> 00:45:32,050
When you fast, brethren, you know what?

1069
00:45:32,430 --> 00:45:36,570
Even when we glean things for ourselves from

1070
00:45:36,570 --> 00:45:40,130
the Lord, brethren, we want it.

1071
00:45:41,210 --> 00:45:42,450
I mean, one of the things, one of

1072
00:45:42,450 --> 00:45:45,810
the reasons oftentimes that I greatly desire to

1073
00:45:45,810 --> 00:45:47,970
see God give, you know what?

1074
00:45:48,330 --> 00:45:50,950
I want to see God give twins to

1075
00:45:50,950 --> 00:45:54,650
our sister because I want this church to

1076
00:45:54,650 --> 00:45:56,370
rejoice in the Lord.

1077
00:45:56,890 --> 00:45:57,750
And I want us to be able to

1078
00:45:57,750 --> 00:45:59,390
recall that and go back to that.

1079
00:45:59,510 --> 00:46:01,070
I would love to see God do a

1080
00:46:01,070 --> 00:46:03,310
miracle in providing us with a building so

1081
00:46:03,310 --> 00:46:04,770
we can go back to that over and

1082
00:46:04,770 --> 00:46:06,710
over and say, look what God did.

1083
00:46:06,790 --> 00:46:07,690
Look what God did.

1084
00:46:07,930 --> 00:46:09,790
You see, when it's all about that, it's

1085
00:46:09,790 --> 00:46:10,570
not just selfish.

1086
00:46:10,710 --> 00:46:12,070
We just want to get it and then

1087
00:46:12,070 --> 00:46:12,970
forget God.

1088
00:46:13,770 --> 00:46:15,670
That's not doing it for him.

1089
00:46:15,670 --> 00:46:18,090
Certainly there's a reward that has to do

1090
00:46:18,090 --> 00:46:18,470
with us.

1091
00:46:18,610 --> 00:46:19,810
Rewards are for us.

1092
00:46:20,730 --> 00:46:22,890
You're going to fast because you're asking for

1093
00:46:22,890 --> 00:46:23,670
something for you.

1094
00:46:24,230 --> 00:46:27,810
But you want it not detached from God.

1095
00:46:28,810 --> 00:46:31,050
It's not that you want it devoid of

1096
00:46:31,050 --> 00:46:31,370
God.

1097
00:46:31,650 --> 00:46:33,070
You want it separate from him.

1098
00:46:33,250 --> 00:46:36,290
That's absolutely what worldliness is all about.

1099
00:46:36,790 --> 00:46:39,350
It's when people are worldly who just, they

1100
00:46:39,350 --> 00:46:40,670
want what they want and they do what

1101
00:46:40,670 --> 00:46:42,350
they do and they give themselves to what

1102
00:46:42,350 --> 00:46:44,310
they give themselves to in this life.

1103
00:46:45,690 --> 00:46:47,210
With God not in the picture.

1104
00:46:48,030 --> 00:46:49,990
The love for God not in the picture.

1105
00:46:50,770 --> 00:46:52,810
God is saying, when you fasted, was it

1106
00:46:52,810 --> 00:46:53,230
for me?

1107
00:46:53,450 --> 00:46:54,670
Did you trust me?

1108
00:46:54,730 --> 00:46:55,510
Were you looking to me?

1109
00:46:55,710 --> 00:46:58,310
Or were you just gloating over how spiritually

1110
00:46:58,310 --> 00:47:01,010
superior you appeared to be because you were

1111
00:47:01,010 --> 00:47:01,490
fasting?

1112
00:47:02,770 --> 00:47:05,650
Did you think you were offering me something?

1113
00:47:05,770 --> 00:47:08,470
Did you fast just to build up your

1114
00:47:08,470 --> 00:47:09,050
own merit?

1115
00:47:09,570 --> 00:47:11,250
Or did you fast because you really needed

1116
00:47:11,250 --> 00:47:11,450
me?

1117
00:47:11,510 --> 00:47:12,610
Because you loved me?

1118
00:47:12,810 --> 00:47:14,210
Because you wanted to be with me?

1119
00:47:14,210 --> 00:47:16,270
You wanted to see me put my power

1120
00:47:16,270 --> 00:47:17,030
on display?

1121
00:47:17,410 --> 00:47:18,830
You wanted to see me arise?

1122
00:47:19,110 --> 00:47:20,450
You wanted to see my attributes?

1123
00:47:21,490 --> 00:47:25,010
Did you fast for me because you recognize

1124
00:47:25,010 --> 00:47:27,090
this world is just full of broken cisterns

1125
00:47:27,090 --> 00:47:29,730
and you had enough of drinking from them?

1126
00:47:29,970 --> 00:47:31,290
And you're looking to me and you're looking

1127
00:47:31,290 --> 00:47:32,610
to me for the satisfaction?

1128
00:47:33,130 --> 00:47:34,790
Because you're looking for my son?

1129
00:47:35,310 --> 00:47:35,650
You're looking...

1130
00:47:37,070 --> 00:47:38,850
Is that really what it's all about?

1131
00:47:39,590 --> 00:47:41,110
Did you fast for me?

1132
00:47:41,170 --> 00:47:42,690
Did you fast because you know me?

1133
00:47:43,430 --> 00:47:45,030
The fountain of living waters.

1134
00:47:45,810 --> 00:47:46,850
Listen to this.

1135
00:47:47,550 --> 00:47:49,770
Anna, she did not depart from the temple

1136
00:47:49,770 --> 00:47:52,190
worshipping with fasting.

1137
00:47:53,890 --> 00:47:55,870
Did you tie those two together?

1138
00:47:56,150 --> 00:47:56,770
What is worship?

1139
00:47:57,150 --> 00:48:01,790
Worship comes from the old English, worth Skype.

1140
00:48:03,650 --> 00:48:06,170
Worship has to do with finding worth in

1141
00:48:06,170 --> 00:48:06,490
God.

1142
00:48:06,730 --> 00:48:09,750
See when we attribute value and preciousness and

1143
00:48:09,750 --> 00:48:12,210
worth to God, that's what worship is all

1144
00:48:12,210 --> 00:48:12,550
about.

1145
00:48:13,970 --> 00:48:15,490
Worship with fasting.

1146
00:48:15,990 --> 00:48:17,810
Do you know what it says to God

1147
00:48:17,810 --> 00:48:20,470
when you say, I need you.

1148
00:48:20,590 --> 00:48:21,390
I'm not going to eat.

1149
00:48:21,550 --> 00:48:22,290
I'm not going to drink.

1150
00:48:22,430 --> 00:48:23,410
Those are pretty essential.

1151
00:48:23,930 --> 00:48:24,910
No, you know what?

1152
00:48:24,970 --> 00:48:25,890
All you have to do is miss a

1153
00:48:25,890 --> 00:48:27,730
meal or two and you start to see

1154
00:48:28,310 --> 00:48:31,050
how much eating and drinking really control your

1155
00:48:31,050 --> 00:48:31,450
life.

1156
00:48:32,010 --> 00:48:35,050
But when a person says, no, I am

1157
00:48:35,050 --> 00:48:35,650
not going to eat.

1158
00:48:35,750 --> 00:48:37,190
I'm not going to drink because I need

1159
00:48:37,190 --> 00:48:37,550
God.

1160
00:48:37,630 --> 00:48:38,930
I need his help.

1161
00:48:39,030 --> 00:48:40,550
I need him.

1162
00:48:40,550 --> 00:48:42,410
I'm going into the secret place and I'm

1163
00:48:42,410 --> 00:48:45,170
seeking him because I've got to have him.

1164
00:48:45,470 --> 00:48:47,710
Acts, the church at Antioch, while they were

1165
00:48:47,710 --> 00:48:49,850
worshipping the Lord and fasting.

1166
00:48:50,210 --> 00:48:50,870
Isn't it amazing?

1167
00:48:51,030 --> 00:48:52,590
Anna, worshipping with fasting.

1168
00:48:52,910 --> 00:48:54,870
The church at Antioch, while they were worshipping

1169
00:48:54,870 --> 00:48:56,010
the Lord and fasting.

1170
00:48:56,690 --> 00:48:58,170
You see, it's a matter of worship.

1171
00:48:58,850 --> 00:49:02,630
When you say no to many things, food

1172
00:49:02,630 --> 00:49:05,330
and drink is what's behind fasting.

1173
00:49:05,710 --> 00:49:07,510
But when you say no to the computer,

1174
00:49:07,650 --> 00:49:09,250
you say no to the television, you know

1175
00:49:09,250 --> 00:49:09,430
what?

1176
00:49:09,430 --> 00:49:11,050
We even looked at this Wednesday night.

1177
00:49:11,650 --> 00:49:13,290
When a man says no to his wife

1178
00:49:13,290 --> 00:49:16,570
and intimacy for a season of prayer, that's

1179
00:49:16,570 --> 00:49:17,970
what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7.

1180
00:49:18,250 --> 00:49:20,450
You see, when people are saying no to

1181
00:49:20,450 --> 00:49:22,850
certain things in life, certain things that they

1182
00:49:22,850 --> 00:49:25,190
find enjoyable, certain things that they find valuable.

1183
00:49:25,470 --> 00:49:27,150
When people say no to it, that they

1184
00:49:27,150 --> 00:49:29,170
might have God and they might choose God.

1185
00:49:29,790 --> 00:49:30,490
You think about it.

1186
00:49:30,770 --> 00:49:32,930
I mean, we recognize that.

1187
00:49:33,310 --> 00:49:36,810
We each recognize when people will make sacrifices

1188
00:49:36,810 --> 00:49:37,850
to be with us.

1189
00:49:37,850 --> 00:49:41,050
When people will make sacrifices on our behalf,

1190
00:49:41,470 --> 00:49:44,450
what that tells us about their esteem for

1191
00:49:44,450 --> 00:49:44,910
us.

1192
00:49:45,350 --> 00:49:46,770
Well, God's in the same place.

1193
00:49:47,130 --> 00:49:49,850
Don't think God's blind to how you make

1194
00:49:49,850 --> 00:49:51,550
decisions in your life.

1195
00:49:51,630 --> 00:49:52,950
He's not blind to it.

1196
00:49:53,590 --> 00:49:55,410
And that God who sees you in secret,

1197
00:49:56,290 --> 00:49:56,890
He knows.

1198
00:49:57,690 --> 00:49:58,510
He knows.

1199
00:49:59,130 --> 00:50:01,130
When you come in there and you're saying,

1200
00:50:03,030 --> 00:50:04,990
I'm not eating and I'm not drinking.

1201
00:50:05,210 --> 00:50:06,470
Now, Lord, you owe me.

1202
00:50:06,470 --> 00:50:08,570
That's not it.

1203
00:50:08,690 --> 00:50:09,990
This is not a merit deal.

1204
00:50:10,670 --> 00:50:13,510
This is a matter of, Lord, I need

1205
00:50:13,510 --> 00:50:13,670
you.

1206
00:50:13,770 --> 00:50:15,950
I'm not going to eat or drink because

1207
00:50:15,950 --> 00:50:16,730
I need you.

1208
00:50:16,910 --> 00:50:20,110
And I know you have regard for this.

1209
00:50:20,790 --> 00:50:22,590
You have regard for your people not eating

1210
00:50:22,590 --> 00:50:23,290
and not drinking.

1211
00:50:24,110 --> 00:50:25,370
I recognize that.

1212
00:50:25,710 --> 00:50:27,870
And Lord, I want that reward.

1213
00:50:28,710 --> 00:50:30,290
I need the Lord.

1214
00:50:32,570 --> 00:50:35,010
I need the Lord when it comes to

1215
00:50:35,010 --> 00:50:36,070
the city of Manchester.

1216
00:50:36,750 --> 00:50:39,150
I desperately need the Lord when it comes

1217
00:50:39,150 --> 00:50:40,170
to my daughter charity.

1218
00:50:41,330 --> 00:50:43,790
I need the Lord just to figure out

1219
00:50:43,790 --> 00:50:45,530
how to preach to you folks, how to

1220
00:50:45,530 --> 00:50:47,570
lead you, how to pastor you.

1221
00:50:48,670 --> 00:50:50,210
I need the Lord in my marriage.

1222
00:50:50,650 --> 00:50:53,030
I need the Lord to help.

1223
00:50:53,530 --> 00:50:54,850
I need the Lord to save.

1224
00:50:55,270 --> 00:50:56,910
I need the Lord to empower the gospel

1225
00:50:56,910 --> 00:50:58,030
as we're preaching it.

1226
00:50:58,630 --> 00:50:59,810
I need the Lord to turn the hearts

1227
00:50:59,810 --> 00:51:03,470
of these people that are coming under the

1228
00:51:03,470 --> 00:51:06,550
sound of, if God's going to provide a

1229
00:51:06,550 --> 00:51:09,430
building, brethren, anybody need a miracle?

1230
00:51:11,990 --> 00:51:14,510
I mean, anybody have somebody that is close

1231
00:51:14,510 --> 00:51:16,670
to them that they desperately want to see

1232
00:51:16,670 --> 00:51:17,130
saved?

1233
00:51:18,270 --> 00:51:21,390
Brethren, the days will come when the bridegroom

1234
00:51:21,390 --> 00:51:22,610
is taken away from them.

1235
00:51:22,810 --> 00:51:24,230
And then they will fast in those days.

1236
00:51:24,350 --> 00:51:25,830
What in the world is he saying there?

1237
00:51:26,610 --> 00:51:27,530
You know what he's saying to them?

1238
00:51:28,730 --> 00:51:30,610
For one thing, isn't it amazing you got

1239
00:51:30,610 --> 00:51:31,550
people fasting over?

1240
00:51:31,730 --> 00:51:33,270
Isn't it amazing to be a follower of

1241
00:51:33,270 --> 00:51:35,650
John and you're fasting when the bridegroom's there?

1242
00:51:36,610 --> 00:51:37,210
You know what?

1243
00:51:37,270 --> 00:51:38,850
Some people are so out of touch with

1244
00:51:38,850 --> 00:51:39,390
reality.

1245
00:51:40,030 --> 00:51:42,090
You know, if there's anything true, the disciples

1246
00:51:42,090 --> 00:51:44,210
of the Pharisees, the disciples of John, they

1247
00:51:44,210 --> 00:51:45,430
were out of touch with reality.

1248
00:51:45,790 --> 00:51:47,730
When you're over there fasting and the bridegroom's

1249
00:51:47,730 --> 00:51:48,610
actually among you.

1250
00:51:50,490 --> 00:51:53,090
You know what those, when, can you imagine

1251
00:51:53,090 --> 00:51:55,970
John saying, behold, the Lamb of God who

1252
00:51:55,970 --> 00:51:57,010
takes away the sin of the world.

1253
00:51:57,110 --> 00:51:58,410
Can you imagine if you were one of

1254
00:51:58,410 --> 00:52:01,190
his disciples and you kept following John after

1255
00:52:01,190 --> 00:52:02,170
he just said that?

1256
00:52:02,170 --> 00:52:04,190
He's out of touch with reality.

1257
00:52:04,650 --> 00:52:05,970
And Jesus is saying people that are in

1258
00:52:05,970 --> 00:52:08,590
touch with reality, they feel this.

1259
00:52:08,670 --> 00:52:09,390
Anybody feel this?

1260
00:52:09,730 --> 00:52:13,610
Anybody feel like, anybody have this cry of

1261
00:52:13,610 --> 00:52:15,150
their own heart like mine?

1262
00:52:16,810 --> 00:52:18,490
I say, Lord, I don't like this.

1263
00:52:19,730 --> 00:52:21,290
I don't like living by faith.

1264
00:52:23,320 --> 00:52:24,600
And I don't think you should either.

1265
00:52:27,100 --> 00:52:28,660
It's said we're going to live by faith,

1266
00:52:28,700 --> 00:52:29,280
not by sight.

1267
00:52:29,660 --> 00:52:30,600
You're going against scripture.

1268
00:52:31,080 --> 00:52:31,580
No, I'm not.

1269
00:52:32,900 --> 00:52:34,320
I don't think, I don't believe I am

1270
00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:34,680
at all.

1271
00:52:35,240 --> 00:52:36,480
You know what, right now, all we do

1272
00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:39,360
is look through the glass darkly.

1273
00:52:40,420 --> 00:52:41,900
Does anybody want more than that?

1274
00:52:42,540 --> 00:52:44,180
Anybody want to be done with the types

1275
00:52:44,180 --> 00:52:44,880
and the shadows?

1276
00:52:45,860 --> 00:52:47,660
Anybody want to actually see through the veil?

1277
00:52:48,420 --> 00:52:50,180
Anybody want to behold Him face to face?

1278
00:52:51,140 --> 00:52:52,580
I don't know about you, but I'm not

1279
00:52:52,580 --> 00:52:55,300
content with the little glimpses that we get

1280
00:52:55,300 --> 00:52:55,800
right now.

1281
00:52:55,940 --> 00:52:57,100
We may behold the glory of the Lord

1282
00:52:57,100 --> 00:52:58,820
from the pages of the scripture, but you

1283
00:52:58,820 --> 00:52:59,200
know what?

1284
00:52:59,420 --> 00:53:01,720
Jesus full well knew Him being there with

1285
00:53:01,720 --> 00:53:03,680
His people was different than when He left.

1286
00:53:04,580 --> 00:53:05,740
And He knew they'd fast then.

1287
00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:06,940
Why were they going to fast then?

1288
00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:09,160
Because there was a discontent in the heart

1289
00:53:09,160 --> 00:53:10,800
that they didn't have when He was sitting

1290
00:53:10,800 --> 00:53:13,640
there at the wedding feast with them, turning

1291
00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:14,660
water into wine.

1292
00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:16,000
And they could look at Him, and they

1293
00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:17,420
could hear Him, and they could touch Him.

1294
00:53:17,660 --> 00:53:19,080
And John could lay there, and he could

1295
00:53:19,080 --> 00:53:19,740
feel Him.

1296
00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:21,760
You know what?

1297
00:53:21,900 --> 00:53:23,740
There ought to be a discontent in you

1298
00:53:23,740 --> 00:53:25,780
that says, I'm going to fast.

1299
00:53:26,020 --> 00:53:26,380
Why?

1300
00:53:26,380 --> 00:53:28,200
Because remember, there's a reward.

1301
00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:29,640
What does that mean?

1302
00:53:30,160 --> 00:53:32,720
What that probably means is that people who

1303
00:53:32,720 --> 00:53:38,580
regularly fast, they have brighter glimpses and closer

1304
00:53:38,580 --> 00:53:42,220
communion with Christ than people that don't do

1305
00:53:42,220 --> 00:53:42,500
that.

1306
00:53:43,260 --> 00:53:47,040
Churches that give themselves to fasting, I suspect

1307
00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:49,520
you will see things happen in that church

1308
00:53:50,060 --> 00:53:51,800
that don't happen in churches where they don't

1309
00:53:51,800 --> 00:53:52,080
fast.

1310
00:53:52,180 --> 00:53:52,440
Why?

1311
00:53:52,660 --> 00:53:54,780
Because you would be negating the very reality

1312
00:53:54,780 --> 00:53:55,460
of a reward.

1313
00:53:55,940 --> 00:53:58,060
If you say, they're going to be just

1314
00:53:58,060 --> 00:53:58,520
the same.

1315
00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:00,520
There is a reward.

1316
00:54:01,640 --> 00:54:03,860
Brethren, we need to recognize this.

1317
00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:07,620
Anybody who just says, I want more, I

1318
00:54:07,620 --> 00:54:08,440
want more.

1319
00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:13,120
Now listen, I'm going to take you one

1320
00:54:13,120 --> 00:54:15,460
last place before I wrap this message up.

1321
00:54:15,540 --> 00:54:16,620
And it's found in Zechariah.

1322
00:54:16,700 --> 00:54:17,720
And I want you to turn there.

1323
00:54:18,100 --> 00:54:19,240
Zechariah chapter 7.

1324
00:54:20,660 --> 00:54:22,680
We already looked at this verse, but there's

1325
00:54:22,680 --> 00:54:23,560
more to be said.

1326
00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:27,460
Zechariah chapter 7.

1327
00:54:31,550 --> 00:54:37,430
Zechariah, this prophet, he looks forward to our

1328
00:54:37,430 --> 00:54:37,990
time.

1329
00:54:39,230 --> 00:54:40,390
And I want you to see what he

1330
00:54:40,390 --> 00:54:40,810
says.

1331
00:54:41,530 --> 00:54:43,930
Because this might be one of the most

1332
00:54:43,930 --> 00:54:46,450
glorious things you will see in all the

1333
00:54:46,450 --> 00:54:47,770
Bible concerning fasting.

1334
00:54:49,490 --> 00:54:51,730
Zechariah chapter 7 verse 5.

1335
00:54:52,330 --> 00:54:54,490
Say to all the people of the land

1336
00:54:54,490 --> 00:54:57,510
and the priests, when you fasted and mourned

1337
00:54:57,510 --> 00:54:59,130
in the fifth month and in the seventh,

1338
00:55:00,310 --> 00:55:02,870
for these 70 years, was it for me

1339
00:55:02,870 --> 00:55:03,710
that you fasted?

1340
00:55:03,810 --> 00:55:04,710
Now, get this.

1341
00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:11,960
The Israelites were deported to Babylon.

1342
00:55:13,260 --> 00:55:15,600
Jeremiah had prophesied and said that they would

1343
00:55:15,600 --> 00:55:17,200
be there 70 years.

1344
00:55:17,920 --> 00:55:18,860
Let's happen.

1345
00:55:19,580 --> 00:55:21,800
But now the 70 years is done.

1346
00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:27,080
And these Jews that had been deported, they

1347
00:55:27,080 --> 00:55:30,180
said, well, while we were in the deportation,

1348
00:55:30,640 --> 00:55:34,640
why we were exodus away from Jerusalem and

1349
00:55:34,640 --> 00:55:35,560
away from Israel.

1350
00:55:36,200 --> 00:55:37,340
We fasted.

1351
00:55:37,860 --> 00:55:40,500
We fasted in the fifth month.

1352
00:55:41,100 --> 00:55:43,320
We fasted in the seventh month.

1353
00:55:43,580 --> 00:55:46,000
We're also going to find out that they

1354
00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:49,740
fasted in the fourth month and they fasted

1355
00:55:49,740 --> 00:55:50,760
in the tenth month.

1356
00:55:51,530 --> 00:55:55,980
And what they're asking the prophet is, does

1357
00:55:55,980 --> 00:56:00,680
God want us to continue to fast like

1358
00:56:00,680 --> 00:56:03,720
we did then, now that we've actually come

1359
00:56:03,720 --> 00:56:04,200
back?

1360
00:56:04,700 --> 00:56:06,400
That's the question on the table.

1361
00:56:07,140 --> 00:56:12,240
Now, this is where God says, well, when

1362
00:56:12,240 --> 00:56:14,760
you fasted, was it for me that you

1363
00:56:14,760 --> 00:56:15,360
fasted?

1364
00:56:15,540 --> 00:56:18,980
In other words, you all are wondering whether

1365
00:56:18,980 --> 00:56:21,520
you should keep this thing going as to

1366
00:56:21,520 --> 00:56:23,780
whether I'm going to be pleased with it,

1367
00:56:24,280 --> 00:56:25,740
if you keep it going.

1368
00:56:26,240 --> 00:56:28,420
But I want you to know I never

1369
00:56:28,420 --> 00:56:31,380
was pleased with it because you didn't fast

1370
00:56:31,380 --> 00:56:32,020
for me.

1371
00:56:32,940 --> 00:56:35,440
Whatever you were fasting for, it wasn't for

1372
00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:35,700
him.

1373
00:56:36,680 --> 00:56:38,680
Now, here's what is so glorious.

1374
00:56:39,820 --> 00:56:45,040
The prophet now looks to the gospel age,

1375
00:56:45,320 --> 00:56:46,900
to our age.

1376
00:56:47,400 --> 00:56:48,520
And here's what he says.

1377
00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:50,360
Zechariah 8.

1378
00:56:50,560 --> 00:56:51,960
Go to Zechariah 8.

1379
00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:57,220
Thus says verse 19.

1380
00:56:57,420 --> 00:57:00,520
Zechariah 8 and verse 19.

1381
00:57:01,320 --> 00:57:08,000
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the fast

1382
00:57:08,000 --> 00:57:11,360
of the fourth month, and the fast of

1383
00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:14,380
the fifth, and the fast of the seventh,

1384
00:57:14,980 --> 00:57:18,860
and the fast of the tenth shall be

1385
00:57:18,860 --> 00:57:23,360
to the house of Judah seasons of joy

1386
00:57:23,360 --> 00:57:26,880
and gladness and cheerful feasts.

1387
00:57:28,100 --> 00:57:31,720
Therefore, love, truth, and peace.

1388
00:57:32,640 --> 00:57:34,140
Thus says the Lord of hosts.

1389
00:57:34,520 --> 00:57:36,960
And notice, I'm going to convince you here

1390
00:57:36,960 --> 00:57:39,420
that this is exactly talking about our time.

1391
00:57:39,640 --> 00:57:42,060
Thus says the Lord of hosts, peoples shall

1392
00:57:42,060 --> 00:57:44,960
yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.

1393
00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:47,200
The inhabitants of one city shall go to

1394
00:57:47,200 --> 00:57:49,320
another saying, let us go at once to

1395
00:57:49,320 --> 00:57:51,100
entreat the favor of the Lord and to

1396
00:57:51,100 --> 00:57:52,000
seek the Lord of hosts.

1397
00:57:52,180 --> 00:57:53,360
I myself am going.

1398
00:57:54,020 --> 00:57:57,800
Many peoples and strong nations shall come to

1399
00:57:57,800 --> 00:57:59,260
seek the Lord of hosts.

1400
00:57:59,460 --> 00:58:02,540
Brethren, this is the Gentiles pouring in, the

1401
00:58:02,540 --> 00:58:05,220
riches of the nations pouring in to the

1402
00:58:05,220 --> 00:58:07,040
true Zion, the true Jerusalem.

1403
00:58:08,280 --> 00:58:10,460
And he says, they're going to come to

1404
00:58:10,460 --> 00:58:12,400
seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and

1405
00:58:12,400 --> 00:58:13,860
entreat the favor of the Lord.

1406
00:58:13,860 --> 00:58:15,480
Thus says the Lord of hosts.

1407
00:58:15,820 --> 00:58:18,460
In those days, ten men from the nations,

1408
00:58:18,560 --> 00:58:21,500
that's us, the Gentiles, ten men of the

1409
00:58:21,500 --> 00:58:24,180
nations of every tongue shall take hold of

1410
00:58:24,180 --> 00:58:26,180
the robe of a Jew saying, let us

1411
00:58:26,180 --> 00:58:28,340
go with you for we have heard that

1412
00:58:28,340 --> 00:58:29,340
God is with you.

1413
00:58:29,740 --> 00:58:31,280
And if there's any doubts at all about

1414
00:58:31,280 --> 00:58:32,680
what this is speaking about, just go to

1415
00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:33,460
the next chapter.

1416
00:58:33,740 --> 00:58:35,980
Go to Zechariah 9 verse 9.

1417
00:58:37,760 --> 00:58:39,820
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.

1418
00:58:40,060 --> 00:58:42,080
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem.

1419
00:58:42,080 --> 00:58:44,860
Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous

1420
00:58:44,860 --> 00:58:46,120
and having salvation.

1421
00:58:46,600 --> 00:58:49,040
Is he humble and mounted on a donkey,

1422
00:58:49,140 --> 00:58:51,240
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

1423
00:58:51,540 --> 00:58:54,300
Here's our humble, glorious Savior riding to Jerusalem

1424
00:58:54,300 --> 00:58:56,380
with hosannas ringing out everywhere.

1425
00:58:57,080 --> 00:58:58,120
You know what he's saying?

1426
00:58:58,480 --> 00:59:00,500
The age has dawned.

1427
00:59:00,800 --> 00:59:03,540
That age in the past where you weren't

1428
00:59:03,540 --> 00:59:06,500
seeking me, when you sought to fast in

1429
00:59:06,500 --> 00:59:08,260
the fourth month, in the fifth month, in

1430
00:59:08,260 --> 00:59:10,000
the seventh month, in the tenth month.

1431
00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:11,940
You didn't fast for me.

1432
00:59:12,200 --> 00:59:14,560
But now the prophet is looking forward and

1433
00:59:14,560 --> 00:59:17,340
he sees the Christ coming and riding in

1434
00:59:17,340 --> 00:59:18,780
on the foal of a donkey.

1435
00:59:19,120 --> 00:59:22,560
He sees this age when nine men are

1436
00:59:22,560 --> 00:59:23,800
going to, ten men.

1437
00:59:24,140 --> 00:59:25,800
He sees the nations.

1438
00:59:26,260 --> 00:59:27,900
He says, you're going up.

1439
00:59:28,200 --> 00:59:29,320
You've got this God.

1440
00:59:29,560 --> 00:59:30,660
You're going to Him.

1441
00:59:30,940 --> 00:59:31,960
We're coming with you.

1442
00:59:32,380 --> 00:59:33,740
And here's what it says.

1443
00:59:34,480 --> 00:59:39,320
It says that those seasons are going to

1444
00:59:39,320 --> 00:59:43,680
be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts.

1445
00:59:44,260 --> 00:59:45,040
Don't you love that?

1446
00:59:45,140 --> 00:59:48,920
The fast shall be cheerful feasts.

1447
00:59:49,220 --> 00:59:51,240
Christian, get your eyes off the joys and

1448
00:59:51,240 --> 00:59:53,020
the glories of this world and behold that

1449
00:59:53,020 --> 00:59:53,980
secret place.

1450
00:59:54,260 --> 00:59:56,240
There's a feast for fasters.

1451
00:59:56,580 --> 00:59:57,780
That's what's being said here.

1452
00:59:58,080 --> 00:59:59,400
Oh, that God will once again make His

1453
00:59:59,400 --> 01:00:01,200
people hungry for such a feast as is

1454
01:00:01,200 --> 01:00:03,260
being described here that can't be eaten with

1455
01:00:03,260 --> 01:00:05,380
mouth and teeth in your head.

1456
01:00:05,760 --> 01:00:07,360
These are spiritual realities.

1457
01:00:07,500 --> 01:00:10,260
Brethren, I've got to believe this.

1458
01:00:10,600 --> 01:00:12,660
I've got to believe that this United Kingdom,

1459
01:00:13,020 --> 01:00:14,640
based on the things I'm seeing, I'm hearing

1460
01:00:14,640 --> 01:00:17,100
reports, come from an entire denomination.

1461
01:00:17,480 --> 01:00:19,880
They are not seeing converts.

1462
01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:21,620
There's lateral movement.

1463
01:00:21,740 --> 01:00:22,280
What's that?

1464
01:00:22,340 --> 01:00:24,200
That's not the kingdom of Christ increasing.

1465
01:00:24,540 --> 01:00:26,320
That is simply people from one church moving

1466
01:00:26,320 --> 01:00:27,220
to another church.

1467
01:00:27,600 --> 01:00:29,960
That is, all that is, that doesn't take

1468
01:00:29,960 --> 01:00:30,920
anything from the devil.

1469
01:00:30,920 --> 01:00:33,400
All that is one church's gain is another

1470
01:00:33,400 --> 01:00:34,400
church's loss.

1471
01:00:35,360 --> 01:00:37,240
Brethren, do you know what we need?

1472
01:00:37,320 --> 01:00:38,680
We need God to arise.

1473
01:00:38,880 --> 01:00:39,640
This kind.

1474
01:00:39,900 --> 01:00:41,620
You've got to believe that the United Kingdom

1475
01:00:41,620 --> 01:00:46,100
is somehow entrenched in the power of forces

1476
01:00:46,100 --> 01:00:48,940
that are keeping this people blind.

1477
01:00:49,240 --> 01:00:49,860
What do we need?

1478
01:00:50,280 --> 01:00:51,660
We need the reward of the Father.

1479
01:00:51,780 --> 01:00:53,140
We need God to arise.

1480
01:00:53,360 --> 01:00:55,320
There is one stronger than the strong man.

1481
01:00:55,500 --> 01:00:57,080
What we need is Him to arise and

1482
01:00:57,080 --> 01:00:59,400
once again bind that strong man and to

1483
01:00:59,400 --> 01:01:00,480
release the prisoners.

1484
01:01:00,480 --> 01:01:02,880
Brethren, what we find is we are in

1485
01:01:02,880 --> 01:01:05,380
an age when there is going to be

1486
01:01:05,380 --> 01:01:07,520
gladness and there is going to be feasting

1487
01:01:07,520 --> 01:01:09,020
in those times of fasting.

1488
01:01:09,400 --> 01:01:11,020
If you really want to learn something about

1489
01:01:11,020 --> 01:01:13,080
fasting, this is one of the most glorious

1490
01:01:13,080 --> 01:01:13,680
places.

1491
01:01:14,300 --> 01:01:20,020
Jesus says, Christian, to the secret place.

1492
01:01:21,620 --> 01:01:23,120
And go there with fasting.

1493
01:01:24,600 --> 01:01:26,300
And go there with expectation.

1494
01:01:27,520 --> 01:01:28,960
Because there's a reward.

1495
01:01:28,960 --> 01:01:33,320
And I just ask you, do you want

1496
01:01:33,320 --> 01:01:33,480
it?

1497
01:01:35,920 --> 01:01:37,440
I hope every one of you want it.

1498
01:01:38,060 --> 01:01:39,600
I hope every one of you are hungry

1499
01:01:39,600 --> 01:01:40,140
for this.

1500
01:01:42,460 --> 01:01:48,140
Anybody want just fresh revelations of the glory

1501
01:01:48,140 --> 01:01:50,860
of the cross and the blood that was

1502
01:01:50,860 --> 01:01:51,300
shed?

1503
01:01:53,800 --> 01:01:55,440
Brethren, what do you think?

1504
01:01:56,720 --> 01:01:58,880
I just ask you what you will think.

1505
01:01:59,340 --> 01:02:00,480
What do you think?

1506
01:02:01,240 --> 01:02:03,640
Who is going to see more of God?

1507
01:02:04,240 --> 01:02:06,820
Who is going to experience more of God?

1508
01:02:06,940 --> 01:02:10,040
Who's going to experience more of the supernatural?

1509
01:02:11,120 --> 01:02:13,220
Who's going to experience more of the power

1510
01:02:13,220 --> 01:02:13,780
of God?

1511
01:02:14,920 --> 01:02:20,200
People who fast or people who don't.

1512
01:02:24,110 --> 01:02:28,470
Father, I pray that you would just apply

1513
01:02:28,470 --> 01:02:29,050
your word.

1514
01:02:30,190 --> 01:02:31,750
Our Lord Jesus teaches this.

1515
01:02:32,470 --> 01:02:34,490
It's not something that I've made up.

1516
01:02:35,830 --> 01:02:39,070
There is a reward for those that go

1517
01:02:39,070 --> 01:02:40,930
into the secret place to be seen by

1518
01:02:40,930 --> 01:02:43,970
their father who sees in secret.

1519
01:02:45,350 --> 01:02:46,950
And I pray, Lord, you'd make us a

1520
01:02:46,950 --> 01:02:47,930
fasting church.

1521
01:02:50,540 --> 01:02:53,340
I pray, Lord, that you would unleash the

1522
01:02:53,340 --> 01:02:58,520
bounty that comes through fasting.

1523
01:02:58,700 --> 01:03:01,160
We see that you've designed it as a

1524
01:03:01,160 --> 01:03:03,580
means to tapping your generosity.

1525
01:03:03,580 --> 01:03:08,660
And I pray, Lord, that you would so

1526
01:03:08,660 --> 01:03:10,360
move upon us to make us the kind

1527
01:03:10,360 --> 01:03:15,120
of people that are effectual fasters in this

1528
01:03:15,120 --> 01:03:18,440
kingdom and in this race to the death.

1529
01:03:21,360 --> 01:03:27,650
Lord, I pray, actually a race when death

1530
01:03:27,650 --> 01:03:33,270
releases us to life and life more abundant

1531
01:03:33,270 --> 01:03:34,770
and joy unspeakable.

1532
01:03:35,410 --> 01:03:40,490
Lord, we pray for your help, for your

1533
01:03:40,490 --> 01:03:41,150
sustaining.

1534
01:03:42,590 --> 01:03:43,650
Lord, quicken us.

1535
01:03:44,410 --> 01:03:46,190
Move us to fast.

1536
01:03:47,030 --> 01:03:49,370
Give us a longing in our hearts for

1537
01:03:49,370 --> 01:03:52,150
you over food and over all the other

1538
01:03:52,150 --> 01:03:53,650
things that this world has to offer.

1539
01:03:54,350 --> 01:03:55,650
I pray this in the name of our

1540
01:03:55,650 --> 01:03:56,650
Lord Jesus Christ.

1541
01:03:57,190 --> 01:03:57,650
Amen.