Isaiah 58:6-7 is this not the fast which I choose to loosen the bonds of wickedness to undo the bands of the yoke and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house when you see the naked to cover him and do not hide yourself from your own flesh let’s talk a little bit today more about the purpose of fasting Isaiah 58 is a great chapter to read all about fasting what is fasting it’s just abstaining from food some people abstain from food and water you can’t do that for a long period of time most people’s bodies you could actually fast 40 days before you’d begin doing harm to yourself now that’s not true for everybody certain people have certain medical conditions and so you certainly need to be aware of that but fasting is a very powerful tool what does it do it breaks the power of your flesh your flesh rises up meaning even your physical body rises up and says you do what I say I’m hungry feed me I want this do that take care of this and in our culture especially there is an incredible focus on sensuality I want to feel something I want everything to be comfortable and nice for me what fasting does it denies the flesh what it wants which is food and it’s actually a great habit to just fast once a week take one day a week it’s actually healthy for your body to let your body detox let your digestive system cleanse one day a week it’s a great habit that I’ve enjoyed in my life for many many years to fast regularly once a week and then perhaps consider a longer fast once a year of several days or maybe a week or maybe longer depending on what God calls you to I know some people who have never fasted thinking you actually do that oh absolutely it’s not bad for your body it’s actually good for your body I remember the very first time I fasted my body screamed at me all day you’re going to die you need food I actually told my body shut up or we’re going to fast again tomorrow and you know my body quit tormenting me so much and that really is a part of the point of fasting is when you deny your flesh in a certain area it begins to open your spirit when people go on extended fasting times many times they have visions many times they have dreams people’s spirits get more open to the Lord fasting causes you to be more spiritually aware more attuned to the spirit of God it breaks patterns in your life releases your spirit to gain ascendancy fasting also brings you into a place of humility and submission to God fasting creates a certain physical weakness in your body that forces you to rely upon God fasting is a great habit to get in to Isaiah 58 also talks about the fact that fasting is not just for yourself but fast on behalf of other people to break bondages in other people’s lives and I found when people have addictions, bondages fasting is a great way to begin to overcome that to begin to allow your spirit to rise up and gain ascendancy in your soul that your spirit governs your mind will and emotions instead of your sexual appetite or your physical appetite or your desire for comfort ruling your life fasting just begins to bring that thing into submission to the LORD very powerful tool and if you’ve never done any fasting I encourage you to consider that let’s just pray Father would you just speak to each one of us what are you saying to me about fasting for me personally Lord is that something that I need to learn to do do I need to read more books on it or understand about it God do you want me to simply take a day, a week, and fast just listen listen and let God speak to you father what are you saying to me personally about fasting what do you want me to do I pray that you hear something very specific from God do what it is that he tells you to do and again fasting is just a great tool to break the power of the flesh open the spirit spend time with the LORD take the times you would have been using for a meal and just spend that time with the LORD eat the word of God consume that let that dwell richly in your heart during times of fasting and today as you go through your life again look for opportunities to bless people around you love God with all your heart and make a difference in your sphere of influence today