Fasting for Breakthrough
17 January 10
Mk 9:23
“If you believe, all things are possible to him who believes”
· Christian life is a life of faith – believing God
· Faith unlocks possibilities, opportunities, supernatural intervention
· Faith must be active, assertive and not just a ‘mental asset’
· Faith comes through hearing the Word of God – Word = Rhema – spoken
· If you decide to break out you are declaring war, spiritual conflict
a) Spiritual Conflict
Eph 6:12
“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers …”
· Spiritual powers and evil spirits work together to hinder Kingdom advance
· They impact thoughts, emotions, actions, atmosphere of people and cities
· They impact an manipulate relationships and destinies
b) Satan – The Lord of Flies
Matt 12:24
“… this fellow doesn’t cast out demons but by Beelzebab the prince of demons”
· Beelzebab = NT954 = Baal-Zebab = the Lord of Flies – root Lord of Dunghill
· Evil spirits are like flies that gather around and infect
· Flies: = major pest, shuttle between dung and food
= each fly can carry up to 6 million bacteria on their feet
= if recently walked on excrement it can transmit hepatitis, parasites etc
= Vomit on food before they eat it and pass on bacteria
= Lay several hundred eggs on food and rotting material
= One fly lives up to 21 day
· Fasting for 21 days can break the cycle of demonic infestation or influence in life Jud 20:26
c) Familiar Spirits:
· Operate like house flies – buzz around and land on people
· Familiar spirits associate with people – become familiar with their lifestyle
· They have a voice that speaks constantly
· They hold a soul in bandage to old pattern, beliefs, bondages, lifestyle
· They seek to control your destiny – must resist!
3. The Spirit of Unbelief:
a) Matt 17:14-21 Boy with Deaf and Dumb spirit
b) Deaf and Dumb spirit
· The young child had a deaf and dumb spirit Mk 9:25
· He was tormented from childhood (infancy) by this spirit
· Deaf and Dumb = impacted and controlled his ability to hear understand and speak
· Deaf = Impacts learning abilities, dyslexia, memory, concentration
= Impacts physical hearing
= Impacts ability to hear and respond to the voice of God
· Dumb = Impacts ability to comprehend, understand, speak, speech disability
= Impacts physical speech
= Impacts ability to speak the Word of God
· Controlled his life and destiny – activated self destructive behaviour
· A spirit of unbelief operates with a deaf and dumb spirit
c) Spirit of Unbelief
· Mt 17:19-20
“Could not cast it out? Because of your unbelief”
· The reason there was no breakthrough was unbelief
· v17 Faithless generation – problem of unbelief affected whole generation
· Spirit of unbelief = power that influences people – operates with deaf and dumb
· People cannot hear the voice of God and cannot receive revelation
· Hear an anointed massage but don’t see that it applies to them
· Spirit of unbelief shuts down the realm of the supernatural
Cast an atmosphere of doubt, skepticism over individual, city, church
e.g. Mark 6:5-6 Nazareth Mark 8:22-23 Bethsenda
Result:
Negativity ‘Nothing change’ ‘Giants’
Pessimism Supernatural quenched ‘Grasshoppers’
Problem focused Reasoning Mk8:17 Despair – No hope
We are ‘not able’
· A spirit of unbelief stopped a generation entering the promised land
· Joshua and Caleb had another spirit = they wholly followed the Lord
d) “Only by Prayer and Fasting” Jesus – no other way
Matt 17:21
“Not to go out” is to resist changing, resisting to spiritual pressure
· ‘Except’ = there is a way to get victory, to break through unbelief
· ‘Prayer and Fasting’ = divine way of overcoming spiritual unbelief
= divine way of breaking controlling influence
= divine way of changing impossible situation
4. Setting up your Fast:
i) Identify the issue
What is the area of resistance?
Be specific
Write down your goal for the fast
ii) Identify what fast you will do
How long
What kind of fast
What extra time are you going to give to God?
iii) Be proactive spiritually
Repent of iniquity
Break soul ties to ungodly things
Vocally reject any spirit operation
Reject lies you have accepted
Embrace and declare the Word and promises of God
iv) Reactions are normal
a) Body: tired, headache, breath, tongue, sweat
b) Soul: irritable, confusion, discouragement, increased spiritual activity
c) Spirit: circumstances may deteriorate initially, may take perseverance for break through, increased awareness of spiritual realm/discernment