Post by israel-1 on Nov 28, 2008 15:48:52 GMT -7
Getting In Touch With The Power Within
One of the "keys" to the kingdom ( Matthew 16;19 ) has a thread that goes way back in the history of Gods relationship with man. That key, we will take a look at:
FASTING
When The Holy Spirit finally got my attention, He gave me a hunger for His Word, and everything I read I took it to heart. During this time I was blessed with finding out the importance of fasting. The denial of the flesh has in itself many benefits. Here are some I experienced :
First, I found out discipline. All my life the fulfilling of the lust of the flesh is the only thing I had known. When I was hungry, I ate. When I was thirsty, I drank. Going without these I found to be completely contrary to what I knew, and believe me, my flesh put up a terrific battle ! When those hunger pangs start, everything of the flesh cries out : Food, food, food !!! The hunger pangs go away after about the 4th. day, thank God, but to get to that point sometimes take a few times of trying and failing. I started with one day and graduated. The longest time i have fasted at one time is 10 days ( I think, it may have been more, because I lost track about then ). All fasting is good, even if for one meal, but, you experience much more AFTER 4 days.
In fasting after 4 days, when the hunger pangs are gone, then you come to another benefit: Feeling the spirit inside you. Man what a blessing ! To actually be in touch with the life inside is quite an eye opener, and the longer you fast, the more prominent. In 7 plus days, it seems like you are spirit. You no longer feel flesh. There has been times that I felt supernaturally strong ( I was ) . Although my body was weak, an inner strength took over and every day that passed, I felt STRONGER ! I understand what it meant when I read when Jesus , after the baptism, coming back from being drove into the wilderness, came back " IN THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT ". Halleluiah !!!!
I have felt like, after 7 days, I could take one hand and snatch up a tree and throw it.
Another great benefit is that the Word becomes more intense, more alive ! Revelations come forth, because the Word is Spirit, and you are in touch with the spiritual realm. Your thinking becomes different, because you aren't thinking of fulfilling the lust of the flesh...
PRAYER LIFE : Wow !!! Talking about speaking straight to God ! I remember during a time of fasting, praying seemed to be so religious, repetitive, that I asked God to give me a deeper prayer life, and that is when I began " travail of the spirit ". The spirit would double me over, groaning, praying for things beyond MY understanding, sometimes for hours...
The importance of fasting is beyond any words I can come up with...
If you want a deeper walk with God, fast.
Here are some scriptures referring to fasting :
Psalms 35: 13 , 109: 24
Jeremiah 36: 6
Matthew 17: 21
Mark 9: 29
I Corinthians 7: 5
2nd Corinthians 6: 5 , 11: 27
Jeremiah 14: 12
Zachariah 7: 5
Matthew 6: 16
Isaiah 58
I want to encourage everyone that has a heart toward God, want a deeper walk with God, to deny the flesh by fasting and prayer...
PEACE and Love in the Holy Ghost,
One of the "keys" to the kingdom ( Matthew 16;19 ) has a thread that goes way back in the history of Gods relationship with man. That key, we will take a look at:
FASTING
When The Holy Spirit finally got my attention, He gave me a hunger for His Word, and everything I read I took it to heart. During this time I was blessed with finding out the importance of fasting. The denial of the flesh has in itself many benefits. Here are some I experienced :
First, I found out discipline. All my life the fulfilling of the lust of the flesh is the only thing I had known. When I was hungry, I ate. When I was thirsty, I drank. Going without these I found to be completely contrary to what I knew, and believe me, my flesh put up a terrific battle ! When those hunger pangs start, everything of the flesh cries out : Food, food, food !!! The hunger pangs go away after about the 4th. day, thank God, but to get to that point sometimes take a few times of trying and failing. I started with one day and graduated. The longest time i have fasted at one time is 10 days ( I think, it may have been more, because I lost track about then ). All fasting is good, even if for one meal, but, you experience much more AFTER 4 days.
In fasting after 4 days, when the hunger pangs are gone, then you come to another benefit: Feeling the spirit inside you. Man what a blessing ! To actually be in touch with the life inside is quite an eye opener, and the longer you fast, the more prominent. In 7 plus days, it seems like you are spirit. You no longer feel flesh. There has been times that I felt supernaturally strong ( I was ) . Although my body was weak, an inner strength took over and every day that passed, I felt STRONGER ! I understand what it meant when I read when Jesus , after the baptism, coming back from being drove into the wilderness, came back " IN THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT ". Halleluiah !!!!
I have felt like, after 7 days, I could take one hand and snatch up a tree and throw it.
Another great benefit is that the Word becomes more intense, more alive ! Revelations come forth, because the Word is Spirit, and you are in touch with the spiritual realm. Your thinking becomes different, because you aren't thinking of fulfilling the lust of the flesh...
PRAYER LIFE : Wow !!! Talking about speaking straight to God ! I remember during a time of fasting, praying seemed to be so religious, repetitive, that I asked God to give me a deeper prayer life, and that is when I began " travail of the spirit ". The spirit would double me over, groaning, praying for things beyond MY understanding, sometimes for hours...
The importance of fasting is beyond any words I can come up with...
If you want a deeper walk with God, fast.
Here are some scriptures referring to fasting :
Psalms 35: 13 , 109: 24
Jeremiah 36: 6
Matthew 17: 21
Mark 9: 29
I Corinthians 7: 5
2nd Corinthians 6: 5 , 11: 27
Jeremiah 14: 12
Zachariah 7: 5
Matthew 6: 16
Isaiah 58
I want to encourage everyone that has a heart toward God, want a deeper walk with God, to deny the flesh by fasting and prayer...
PEACE and Love in the Holy Ghost,