Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that kindly requests that you stop wearing Harley-Davidson shirts if you don’t even listen to him.
Quick Note: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH video/visual podcast is still available. And we just corrected a typo in the third video.
Note that the 10 short episodes are interconnected and must be viewed consecutively—watching them out of order will leave you confused. (You can take your time, of course. But watch them all in succession.)
Also, my book 48 Laws of Spiritual Power – which is for ALL Christians, since we are all servants of God in need of His power – is only $3.99 in all digital version (Kindle, Nook, eBook, etc.) until the end of May.
The following is an exploration I did for myself a few months ago. I’m sharing the “raw notes” with you today with the hopes that it illuminates and inspires.
Major Biblical Examples
- Joel’s Call to Repentance (Joel 2:12-13)
God called for sincere repentance through fasting, weeping, and mourning, which led to divine blessing.
- Nineveh’s Corporate Fast (Jonah 3:5-10)
The entire city’s fast in response to Jonah’s warning resulted in God relenting from planned destruction.
- Isaiah’s Teaching on Effective Fasting (Isaiah 58:6-9)
This passage connects proper fasting with answered prayer, promising “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer.”
- Daniel’s Prayer and Fast (Daniel 9:3-23)
Daniel combined prayer, petition, and fasting in seeking God. His prayer received an immediate response – the angel Gabriel arrived before Daniel even finished praying, saying “As soon as you began to pray, a word went out.”
- Esther’s Critical Intervention (Esther 4:15-16, 5:2-3)
Facing a crisis threatening her people, Esther called for a three-day fast before approaching the king – a dangerous act that could have resulted in her death. The outcome exceeded expectations, with the king offering her “up to half the kingdom.”
- Ezra’s Journey Protection (Ezra 8:21-23)
When seeking divine protection for a dangerous journey, Ezra proclaimed a fast. The text explicitly states: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
- Nehemiah’s Restoration Prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11, 2:4-8)
Through fasting and prayer, Nehemiah sought God’s help in restoring Jerusalem. His requests to rebuild the city were subsequently granted by the king.
- Jesus’ Teaching on Spiritual Breakthrough (Matthew 17:14-21)
Jesus explained to His disciples that certain spiritual challenges require both prayer and fasting, saying “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
- The Primitive Church’s Direction (Acts 13:2-3)
During a time of worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit provided clear direction to the Syrian Antioch church, leading to Paul and Barnabas’s first apostolic journey.
Key Principles Demonstrated
– Fasting intensifies prayer and spiritual focus
– Fasting demonstrates humility and dependence on God
– Fasting shows sincerity and urgency in seeking God
– Major spiritual breakthroughs often follow periods of fasting and prayer
Important Note
Fasting is the “handmaid of faith.” When done with proper motives, it is an act of humility, which Jesus taught increases one’s faith (Luke 17:1-10).
The Bible emphasizes that fasting alone doesn’t move God. Rather, it’s the sincere heart attitude and genuine seeking and sacrifice that accompanies the fast that matters most.
In this way, fasting increases our faith.
Fasting also weakens the flesh and strengthens the human spirit. This is why a person’s carnal appetites are subdued on a long fast and why fasting is a key ingredient in breaking an addiction.
So there you have it.
Until next Thursday.
fv
Three Resources and 10 Years Past