Know Your Enemy: Remedies Against the Flesh—Fasting in Christ | Matthew 4:1-11

ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church

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It's funny because I've never been so excited to preach about this subject, about fasting, and to actually do a fast.

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This study for me has been an incredible study of discovery and just so much insight that I've learned and gleaned from this.

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Even though I'd studied it before and I always sort of recognized the importance of fasting, not to the extent that this has impacted me in this particular sermon series.

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So I'm very excited to preach about this.

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And it's not just because this is my first time actually preaching about fasting. But it's because it's my first time really doing it and really practicing it that I really am enjoying it.

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Because I actually didn't think it was safe for diabetics to be able to fast.

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But this past week I've actually been trying intermittent fasting after learning more about it.

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And it has really been a tremendous blessing. I've just been amazed at how much it has helped me personally.

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And so that's why I'm really excited to share these things and to hope that they will also be a very big blessing in everybody's lives.

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And so last week was the first sermon on fasting that I preached on fasting in Israel and Babylon, which focused primarily on the

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Old Testament. And now I really want us to go ahead and grasp the significance of fasting in light of the

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New Covenant and the New Covenant, the New Testament. So then this raises a very important question.

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Should we as believers then still fast today?

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We need to obviously know that. And if you turn with me to 1

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Corinthians 10, we're going to be there for a little bit in this letter. In 1

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Corinthians 10, verse 13, we will see an important passage in light of this question.

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In 1 Corinthians 10, 13, God's word says,

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No temptation, no temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man.

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But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.

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But with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you will be able to endure it.

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Now, this is a powerful promise from God. God always provides a way out of temptation.

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But then let's ask ourselves, what ways of escape is he referring to?

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What does that mean? I wonder, right? That makes you kind of wonder, could it not be that fasting is one of those ways of escape?

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Right. Something to think about there. Even even as I've been preaching throughout this sermon series on the flesh, we go back to the very prominent, important passage in Romans chapter 8, verses 12 to 13.

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Right. If you by the spirit are putting to death the deeds of the body, the practices of the body, the flesh, then you will live.

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So once again, the question is, how then do we put to death the flesh?

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This is how we all we're starting to tie all of these different things together biblically and systematically.

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Would not fasting be one of those means that we put the flesh to death? And, you know,

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I was reading some commentaries where some some will say, oh, well, the flesh can't be the physical body because if you put the flesh to death, that would mean you would have to kill your body.

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Like literally kill it. It's like, no, that's not you're oversimplifying the issue here. Right. The flesh is primarily the physical body.

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And that is why fasting is such a powerful means to deal with that physical aspect of our flesh.

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It's not that we kill it. We don't harm ourselves. Right. Asceticism is condemned by God.

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And we will see a little bit more of that balance later on as well. But let's turn now back a chapter in first Corinthians to chapter nine and verse twenty four.

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And we will see a similar admonition that we read last week as well.

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This is actually key to what we are to understand about fasting in light of the new covenant in Christ.

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Now that we get to have the privilege of fasting in Christ.

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So first Corinthians, chapter nine, verse twenty four.

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God's word says, do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?

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Run then in such a way that you may win. Now, everyone who competes in the games, he's talking about like the

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Olympic Games, the Greeks exercises self -control in all things, all things.

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Note that they then do it to receive a corruptible crown, a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one.

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Therefore, I run in such a way as not without aim. In other words,

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I do have a purpose. I box in such a way as not just beating the air pointlessly, but I discipline my body and make it my slave.

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So that after I preach to others, I myself will not be disqualified. Amen. So here we see again.

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Adding to what we built on last week, that fasting is an important means, a critically important means of disciplining ourselves, of disciplining our bodies, our physical bodies.

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And it is, in fact, one of the ultimate forms of self -denial.

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Fasting is, in fact, one of the ultimate forms of self -denial, one of the most powerful, as we will continue to see when it's done properly.

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Of course, you've got to do it properly. That's what we're going to we're going to build on as well.

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We're going to make sure that we understand properly. Now, I want to go back.

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I want to I want to bring in our friend and theologian, John Owen. Once again, he has some very good words to say about this matter.

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He says in his book on the mortification of sin. For the mortification of any distemper, any distemper, any lack of self -control.

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So rooted in the nature of a man. Unto all other ways and means already named or further to be insisted on.

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There is one expedient, peculiarly suited, particularly effective, in other words.

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This is that of the apostle. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection.

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That's first Corinthians nine. Twenty seven. So we just read the the bringing of the very body into subjection is an ordinance of God.

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Tending to the mortification of sin, of putting sin to death.

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This gives check to the natural root of the distemper, of the physical appetite that's out of control.

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And withers it away by taking it by taking away its fatness of soil.

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In other words, it's to strike it at the root root cause, nip it in the bud.

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Powerful stuff. He continues. The papists or followers of the pope have laid the whole weight and stress of mortification.

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Of putting sin to death in our bodies, in our flesh, in voluntary services and penances, leading to the subjection of the body, knowing indeed the true nature, neither of sin nor mortification.

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Just like when Luther was a monk, if you all recall Luther's story, Luther was a hyper extreme monk.

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He wouldn't just scrub the floor. He would scrub the whole building. He would flagellate himself ridiculously.

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He would confess his sins for six hours a day. He wore everybody out because he was so extreme because he was doing what

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Rome was prescribing, which was to try to deny yourself in this ascetic, in this ascetic way, in this form of self abasement that does you no good apart from faith in Christ and regeneration.

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Amen. So Owen continues, perhaps because of this, it may be a temptation to others like ourselves, like the modern church to neglect some means of humiliation that are owned and appointed by God himself.

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In other words, let's not throw out the baby, the baby out with the bathwater.

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These things, even though they are abused by other false religions like Buddhism and Hinduism and Roman Catholicism, just because they're abused doesn't mean that they're not good for us when done properly with the right biblical perspective and balance.

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Right. So he continues the bringing the bringing of the body into subjection in the case insisted on by cutting short the natural appetite by fasting, watching and the like.

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Prayer is doubtless acceptable to God so long as it is done correctly.

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Amen. Those are powerful, wise words from the eminent theologian

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John Owen. So what is our answer then?

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Should believers still fast today? The obvious answer is absolutely yes.

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It is an absolute yes. We should still fast whenever it is warranted, whenever it is warranted, because as Pastor Daniel Hyde also explains, scripture teaches it.

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Church history testifies to it. And God uses it to pour out his spirit upon his people.

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And this is a reformed pastor speaking. OK, this is not foreign by any means to our reformed tradition, to the reformed

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Protestant faith. This is been long recognized as an important but neglected means of mortification and growth and holiness and sanctification.

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And yet, in spite of all of this, I have rarely heard of churches teaching about fasting and its importance for those things that benefit us.

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Mortification, putting sin to death and sanctification, growing in holiness and righteousness and conformity to the image of God.

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In fact, I think I've only heard one sermon. One sermon on fasting my entire

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Christian life. And I've been saved for a minute. Yeah, it's been like over a decade now.

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OK, it's been a while. And that church has sadly fallen by the wayside and strayed from the truth.

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And even though that church taught on fasting that one time, it did not really encourage fasting or build up a culture, a culture, a lifestyle, incorporate a perspective on fasting into our biblical understanding and worldview.

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Which is what I really hope for us to do. And out of the 2 ,893 ,843 sermons,

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Bible studies, classes, audio books, conferences, conference messages and teachings posted on sermonaudio .com,

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one of the biggest websites for conservative Bible preaching and teaching. Only 1 ,990 of them are about fasting.

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OK, 2 .893 million. And only not even 2 ,000 of those are about fasting.

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And even the ones that are listed about fasting, many of those are not primarily about fasting, but about something else.

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You know, you know, the percentage of that that's 0 .068

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percent, not even 1 percent of all of the preaching and teaching there is about fasting.

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That is an utter shame, utter shame. And, you know, even though there may be some teaching about fasting.

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At least some churches are doing it. It may not always be biblical.

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So there's there's there's a famine in the land regarding this matter.

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And even when there is teaching about it, we have to be careful that it's not unbiblical or imbalanced, because that's also very often the case that that's not going to be the case in our church.

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Amen. We're going to make sure that we are biblically grounded in fasting and we we we we we encourage it properly to do it properly and recognize its importance and benefits.

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While there should be no doubt that Christians still ought to fast.

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Lamentably, the practice of true biblical fasting has been neglected for far too long.

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And this is nothing new. Even way back then, men of God would often decry this neglect.

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Like John Owen, a lot of these men of God, they they recognize that this is a problem.

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And how much worse is it now in our day? And of course, this should come as no surprise to us.

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Right, because because fasting is such a powerful means of receiving

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God's blessings and a fighting back against our enemies, the world, the flesh, the devil.

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They all all our enemies want to keep us from doing it and from embracing it because it's so powerful.

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But as I said last time, we still need to make proper covenantal distinctions with respect to how and why

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God's people fasted back then in the old covenant and how and why

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God's people should fast now in Christ under the new covenant.

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Right now. Now, so then let's learn from the way, the truth and the life of our

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Lord and master, Jesus Christ. Turn with me now to Luke chapter five in verse thirty three,

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Luke chapter five, verse thirty three. And I will be sure to post a sermon notes up as well so that you all can look over this as we prepare ourselves for fasting.

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That which I'm hoping to do as a church when I finish out this series, Luke chapter five, the gospel of Luke chapter five, verse thirty three.

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We read. And they, the Pharisees said to him, the disciples of John the

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Baptist often fast and offer prayers. They do it regularly.

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The disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise. But yours, that is,

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Jesus disciples eat and drink and therefore do not fast.

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And Jesus said to them, can you make the attendance of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

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But the days will come, but the days will come. And when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.

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OK, important takeaway here. In other words, the disciples of Jesus.

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Now, are we disciples of Jesus today? Does that include us? Amen. It does.

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The disciples of Jesus are called to fast, but only when it is appropriate to do so at the appropriate times and necessity.

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OK, it is when it is appropriate. In other words, it is not always appropriate to do so.

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When it is a time to rejoice and to celebrate and to enjoy what God has given us, then we don't fast.

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But when there's a time, there's there's definitely there is a time to fast and a time to eat.

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Right. A time for everything under the sun. We must have balance, however, although my suspicion is that most, if not all of us actually suffer from not fasting enough.

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And this is where we need to take this into consideration. How many of us have practiced fasting, have done it when we struggle with something or we need to we need to curb our flesh or our appetites?

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This is and I'm not I'm not just I'm not just saying this to make us feel bad.

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Right. I'm saying this because I'm highlighting a problem in the church today. This is not this is not just this is the case.

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This is true of many, many churches, even the good ones. OK. You see what happened with Stephen Lawson.

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Many of you heard the news about Stephen Lawson and about this man of God. Right. Prominent preacher, popular preacher was involved with all kinds of ministries with Ligonier, from R .C.

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Sproul, with John MacArthur's ministry. And grace to you, he was a professor on preaching and he had a preaching ministry and was all traveling all over the world and everywhere.

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And now what happens? It's discovered that he has a five year affair with a woman like 40 years younger than him.

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Twenty five years old and he's 73. Utter shame, utter disgrace for a man of God, especially one with such prominence as him to fall under that kind of sin.

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And really, this man should have gone on a fast. This is where the issues of pornography that our society, even the church faces, even pastors face.

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Should have gone on a fast. He should have fasted. And I almost guarantee you that that would not have happened had he fasted properly and biblically.

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That's how powerful this is and that's how dangerous it is for us to neglect. This means that God has given us.

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Amen. This is powerful stuff, but we neglected to our demise. If we're not careful, it is an epidemic in churches today.

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And so. It's no surprise that our society, the world runs totally contrary to this, this concept of self -denial.

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Right. Totally contrary to it. And even in the church, we've elevated men to these positions of hero worship and status and prominence.

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And especially men like Steve Lawson, who are under so much public exposure and exposed to extra opportunities to be tempted.

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Men under those conditions, under that influence, should be especially prone to fasting and denying themselves.

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It's especially important. Why else? Jesus fasted for 40 days for a reason.

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There's a reason behind that that we will explore. Amen. So it's powerful stuff.

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We need to make sure that we do not become a statistic like that, sadly. But so.

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I want to read some excellent, excellent biblical teaching from the

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Reformed Second Helvetic Confession of 1566. I believe this was a

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Swiss confession from the time of the Reformation. It says all things which

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God made are good and without distinction are to be used in the fear of God.

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And with proper moderation, moderation for the apostle says to the pure, all things are pure.

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Titus 115 and also eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

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In other words, it's OK to eat something if it was offered to idols because an idol is nothing.

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However, if the man tells you that it was offered to idols, then you're not supposed to eat it because of not offending their conscience.

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OK, there's a balance. The same apostle calls the doctrine of those who teach to abstain from meats the doctrine of demons.

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Right. That's doctrines of that's asceticism of thinking that that food, some food, that foods are just inherently evil.

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For why? Why is that? For God created foods. Now, let's be careful here.

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OK, God did not create Twinkies. All right. So that some foods are just should not be eaten.

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Amen. We can't just say, oh, well, it's all good for us to eat. No, this does not refer to fake process, artificial foods that God did not create for our benefit and for our nurturing of our bodies.

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Because those things should be avoided, even if we're fat, even if we're not fasting, they should be avoided.

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OK, they're not. They're going to they do more harm to us. Now, the confession here continues.

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They are to be received. The foods that God created are to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know this truth, that everything created by God is good as long as it was created by God.

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OK. And nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

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That's from First Timothy for one, the same apostle Paul in the epistle to the

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Colossians, reproves and rebukes those who want to acquire a reputation for holiness by excessive abstinence, by asceticism in Colossians to 18.

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Amen. That is an excellent explanation of the biblical balance that we are called to have as believers under the new covenant fasting in Christ now.

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OK, we are not to be excessive about too much fasting to the point of showing off or make it in a type of virtue signaling.

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And but also doing it, actually doing it when necessary. Now, so that was from these the

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Vatican, the second Vatican confession in Chapter 24. You can look that up in your in the after the service in the in the sermon notes as well.

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So we are not we are not called to fast indiscriminately because it's not always necessary or appropriate.

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Unlike unlike the Old Testament Day of Atonement, fasting is no longer commanded as a regular practice or positive ritual.

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OK, nor is it a universal moral law. It's not like the

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Ten Commandments, which are always sin to do right. It is always wrong to lie, to steal, to commit adultery.

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That's always sin. It's never been acceptable. That is universal moral law.

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Fasting is not that. However, we are nevertheless expected to do it when needed for us.

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So it is more like a positive law in that sense. OK, very important to understand the distinction between moral law and positive law.

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Right. Like I said, universal moral law is always binding at all places, all people in all times.

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It is never OK to break the moral law. But positive law.

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So unlike the moral law, positive law is given to a specific people at a particular time, place and covenant.

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OK. It is not inherently moral, in other words.

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But when God commands a positive law, you are morally obligated to obey it.

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Right. Just like Adam and the special command that he received not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

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That command does not apply to us because I was specifically to Adam and Eve in the

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Garden of Eden. Right. Or Abraham, when God said, sacrifice your son.

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Offer him up to me. That command was only to Abraham and it would have been a sin for him to disobey

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God. But that command was only to him and it was for a specific purpose and reason.

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Right. Of course, God spared him that sacrifice and he provided the ram because it was also pointing to something greater, something greater.

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The greater lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Amen. Christ Jesus. Now, turn with me to Matthew chapter six, verse 16.

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Matthew chapter six, verse 16. Let's learn from the words and ways of the master himself.

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The Gospel of Matthew, chapter six, verse 16. Our Lord says now, whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearances.

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They their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly, I say to you, they have the reward in full.

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But you, us, that is when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your father who is in secret and your father who sees what is done in secret will will reward you.

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Amen. Notice. That Jesus did not say if you fast, but when you fast twice.

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OK, he said, whenever you fast, do it this way.

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When you fast, when you us, he's talking to us here as well. By extension, do it properly so that you will be awarded by your father in heaven.

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Accordingly, do it properly. At the right time and the right moment with the right motive and intention.

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Take note of verse 18. This is amazing stuff here. This is so amazing.

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And it's a shame that the church has neglected this for so long. Verse 18 says so that your fasting will not be noticed by men.

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Go ahead and anoint your head and wash your face. But by your father who is in secret, you will be noticed.

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And your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

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There is a blessing associated to this is new covenant blessing.

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Tied to fasting, powerful stuff. In fact, there are many, many powerful rewards and benefits to biblical fasting, which the

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Lord has ordained for our good. Many such as drawing closer to God.

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So that we more willingly and easily obey the spirit. That's a beautiful expression from the second

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Helvetic confession that I read earlier. Self -control, mastery of our bodies, of our flesh, divine guidance.

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A clear sense of direction in life. Better health and mood.

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Deliverance from all our mortal enemies. And so much more.

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It is even fasting is even an aid to the prayers of the saints and for all virtues.

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It helps us to practice holiness and all of the Christian virtues more consistently and regularly.

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So I really hope that this is starting to wet your appetite to not eat.

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This is good stuff. I really cannot. I just try to emphasize as much as I can to to for us to really be excited to do this.

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Fasting, however, OK, is no longer a sacrificial act of obtaining

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God's forgiveness. All right. We need to have this clear as in the day of atonement.

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Right. Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur. Excuse me. Yom Kippur. Because Christ himself is the perfect satisfaction of blood atonement that propitiates the very wrath of God on our behalf.

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Amen. So so if you murder somebody and you go on a fast, this is a very Roman Catholic way of thinking.

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Right. Well, I'm going to go on a fast to make up for what I did. No, that's not how this works. OK, that's not how it works.

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Sin must be dealt with on the cross by faith alone in Christ alone and for what he did through what he did for us.

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Right. And that brings us to now. Let's go back earlier to Matthew, chapter four in the gospel, where we see

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Jesus once again and his ways of dealing with the devil. Matthew, chapter four in a very important episode in the life of Christ on Earth.

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The word says that then Jesus was led up by the spirit. I'm sorry.

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I'm in verse one into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights.

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Notice the purpose was to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, in other words, he did not eat at all, neither during the day nor during the night.

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He then became hungry and the tempter came.

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The devil came and said to him, if you are the son of God, command that these stones become bread.

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But he, Jesus, answered and said, it is written for man shall not live on bread alone, not on physical bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

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Then the devil took him into the holy city and had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down for it is written.

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He will command his angels concerning you. And on their hands, they will bear you up.

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They will they will pick you up and rescue you. Lester, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

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And Jesus said to him again, it is written, you shall not put the Lord, your

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God, to the test, to the test.

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Again, the devil persistently took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

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And he said to him, all these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me.

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Then Jesus said to him, go, Satan, for it is written, it is written, you shall worship the

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Lord, your God, and serve him alone. Him only shall you serve.

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Then the devil left him. He gave up and behold, angels came and began to minister to him.

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Amen. This is a powerful episode in the life of Christ. There is much to learn and apply and apply from Christ in this encounter with the devil.

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One very important lesson here is that fasting is an act of spiritual warfare.

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Fasting is an act of spiritual warfare. It is a declaration of spiritual warfare.

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Remember that. Recall the six S's that I preached on before with our previous enemies, that God's means of deliverance.

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Fasting is a means of spiritual warfare, of fighting the world, the flesh and the devil.

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This is exactly what Jesus was also doing. So whenever you fast, also be sure to do it properly and for the right reasons.

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Lest you be tempted by the devil to cancel out your fast and do the wrong thing.

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Okay. We must have balance. As I said, as I said. And do not, do not presume upon God and his will for your life as a result of your fast or as a motive for fasting.

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Do not assume that he will say or do or expect him to give you what you asked for because simply because you fasted.

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All of this will make you more gullible and susceptible to the attack from the enemy.

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Okay. That is not why we fast. We fast because we want to hear from God and seek his direction.

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Not what we think we want. That's not what it's about, especially when we don't know and we're seeking

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God's direction for something difficult that we don't know. We need to allow the

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Lord to lead us and not presume upon his will or be self -serving and activate our flesh when the whole point of the fast was to cancel it out.

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Amen. And because this is important.

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Very important. Because you may likely face temptation before, during and after your fast.

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Very important. You will likely face temptation before, during and after your fast.

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So be prepared. Prepare yourself because your enemies, our mortal enemies, the world, the flesh, the devil himself, do not want you to fast and they will do everything they can to cancel it out and to use it as an opportunity to make you stumble instead.

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Every single time. They will try to thwart your fast and keep you from doing it or keep you from succeeding in it.

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OK. Now, notice as well that in this passage,

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Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for the very purpose of being tempted by the devil.

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Now, why is that? Why is that? OK. This encounter that Christ had also parallels the one that Adam and Eve had with the serpent in the blissful gardens of paradise.

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Right. There's a parallel here that the Lord is showing us. The first Adam failed miserably in paradise of all places.

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He had no need whatsoever to eat the forbidden fruit.

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He wasn't hungry. He wasn't fasting. Yet he allowed the serpent to take advantage of Eve who deceived her.

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Right. And then they both ate and fell and cursed the entire world universe because of it.

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But Christ, however, the true and better Adam, like that hymn goes, he is our true and better Adam.

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Christ submitted himself perfectly to intense temptation in the wilderness.

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By contrast, during a 40 day fast.

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That's the longest recording fat recorded fast in the in the scriptures. 40 days.

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Moses and Elijah also did it where where Jesus had every temptation to eat and fall, not just physically, but also by the wicked wiles of the devil himself to cause him to sin.

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And take note of how one of Christ's fiercest temptations.

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In fact, this is the fiercest temptation from the day from the devil came right after he fasted right after what?

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Because this is spiritual warfare. The devil hates it.

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And that's why we must do it. This is such a powerful blessing on our lives.

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Part of the reason that Christ fasted like this in the wilderness temptation was to was to rectify

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Adam's cataclysmic failure in the garden. It was to make it right to make things right by repairing and restoring our righteousness before God.

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Amen. It was to show how much better Christ was and still is and always will be.

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Amen. He overwhelmingly conquered the worst possible odds, far worse than what

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Adam faced in Eden. Yet Christ satisfied perfectly the personal, exact, entire and perpetual obedience to the covenant of the covenant that all the rest of us sinners have broken in Adam.

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That covenant of works that we are all guilty of until we are brought under Christ through faith.

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Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,

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Jesus, the son of God, let us take hold of our confession of faith of our faith.

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For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, beloved, but one.

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We have one and only one who has been tempted in all things like we are yet with out sin.

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Amen. Without sin, therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace because of what he has done so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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Hebrews 4, 14 through 16. Amen. Beloved.

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Amen. Praise be to God for that promise. Take hold of this and remember it as we go along in this series.

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For Christ is the end, the goal, the aim, the very purpose of the law.

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For what? For righteousness to everyone who believes.

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Not because he abolished it, not because he did away with it. Because but the law is good, but because he satisfied it perfectly on our behalf.

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Perfectly. Amen. Romans 10, 4. Amen. Praise be to God.

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Praise be to God through Christ, our Lord. So then, in addition to what we learned from the

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Old Testament, knowing now Christ teaching an example of fasting and that we should still fast.

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What then are some reasons for fasting in light of the new covenant? Okay. First, though,

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I want to touch on a preliminary here. Most of the Old Testament occasions for fasting are still good for us to consider and practice today.

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Okay. Except for the ceremonial fasts.

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Such as the one in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement for forgiveness of sins and for commemorating

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Israel's calamities. So we don't need to observe. We don't observe those fasts, but the other ones are still good for us to consider and to apply.

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Okay. Such as for mourning and things like that. Number one here.

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New covenant reason for fasting in Christ now is to resist sin and temptation.

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To resist and fight the world, the flesh and the devil. Amen. This is spiritual warfare.

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Like I said earlier. This also parallels the Old Testament fasting during times of war and impending danger.

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To seek God's protection and deliverance from our enemies. Our beloved brother

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John Owen once again has very wise words to speak to this issue.

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If the distemper, if that lack of self -control complained of seems to be rooted in the natural temperament and constitution.

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In other words, if we're struggling with a physical appetite that is out of control. Then when applying our souls to a participation of the blood and spirit of Christ.

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We must also labor in God's way to restrain the natural root of that lack of self -control.

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By denying ourselves physically through fasting. Amen. This is wise counsel.

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Wise counsel from my brother. John Owen. So let us meet the temptation of physical appetites.

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Whether it's lust, sexual sin, pornography, gluttony, food, lack of discipline, all of those things.

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We can meet those things and conquer them with a physical denial of food from our bodies.

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Amen. Good. This is very important. Another good reason to fast.

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Important reason to fast is to do it corporately as a church in service to God.

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And for the ordination of church officers and missionaries.

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People sent out to do a particular work or mission. And for the ordination of elders, pastors and deacons.

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In Acts chapter 13 verse 2. It says, and while they, the prophets and teachers at Antioch, were ministering for the work to which

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I have called them. I'm sorry. When they were ministering to the

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Lord and fasting. They were fasting. The Holy Spirit said, set apart for me

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Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away for that special work.

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OK. Similarly, in Acts chapter 14 verse 21. We read, and after they,

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Paul and Barnabas, had proclaimed the gospel to that city, which was Derby in Asia Minor and had made many disciples.

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They returned to Lystra and Iconium into Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying through many afflictions.

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We must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church.

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Having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

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This is really amazing stuff here. Notice how this was done.

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This fasting and praying. Was done. In every church.

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Every church. Not just some churches, but in every single church.

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They appointed elders and they fasted and prayed in that process.

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That is why when I preached on the series on biblical eldership, I had encouraged all of us to go on a fast.

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To help us to seek the Lord's will and the ordination of our elders.

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Very important to seek the Lord's will. So that if anything needs to be dealt with or discovered, it will be dealt with.

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Every church though. So every church should be fasting. If every church needs elders and elders need to be ordained, every church should be fasting at least for that.

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But how many actually do so? Now, what's another good reason?

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For self -denial and humbling ourselves. For self -denial and humbling ourselves.

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Similar to the Old Testament as well. And last week

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I also preached from Luke chapter, no, two weeks ago, I think. Luke chapter 9 verse 23.

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Where Jesus said, If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

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Right? Similarly, in Psalm 35 verse 13. But as for me, when they were sick, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.

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I humbled my soul with fasting. I humbled myself with fasting and my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

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This is when David was fasting for his enemies. Psalm 69 10.

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When I wept, when I wept in my soul with fasting and mourning, it became my reproach.

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My affliction. My denial. Fasting, by the way, is also very good, very powerful.

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Even for dealing with sins that are not necessarily physical appetites. But for pride.

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For affectation. For self -reliance. For thinking that we got it all under control.

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Because fasting humbles us. It humbles our attitude, our demeanor.

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And gets us before God. And submits us in submission to God.

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Powerful stuff. I think this was also in part why Paul fasted when he was first converted.

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And he became blind. He didn't eat for three days. Or drink, I think. In Acts chapter 9.

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He had fasted. I think that was a form of self -humiliation. To realize that he has been living a life of hypocrisy and sin.

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Another good reason. Number four. To seek God's direction.

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To seek God's direction. We deny our flesh in fasting to hear and obey the

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Lord's will better. It enables us.

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Like the confession says that I read earlier. It enables us to better obey.

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More willingly and easily obey the spirit of God. It's a beautiful thing.

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This is a beautiful thing. Powerful thing. And this also seeking

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God's direction. It encompasses many of the previous reasons for fasting. Many of them are for that.

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Like when ordaining elders. We seek God's direction for that. Or for difficult decisions.

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Any number of things are involved in seeking God's direction for our life. And give us a better sense of guidance and direction.

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Remember though. Do not presume upon God and his will for your life. Or assume that he will say or do something that you want him to do.

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Or expect him to give you what you ask for. Simply because you fasted. Okay.

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That's not the purpose of fasting. There are rewards for fasting.

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But it's not that. It's not oh well I want a Mercedes Benz. Or I want to get married.

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No. That's not what fasting is for. You're going to fall into a trap. Laid from the devil.

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Right for you to fall. We must not misunderstand. The purpose of fasting.

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Because the devil is also very resourceful. If you remember. When I preached on the devil and his schemes.

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He will take advantage of you if you are not careful. And these. And fasting.

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And. Lastly. Number five. An important reason for fasting.

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Very important. Is to intercede. For ourselves. And for others.

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And for healing. And deliverance. For healing and deliverance.

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From. Demonic. Oppression. Okay. Very important.

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Inner. And of course we already understand. Fasting is a form of spiritual warfare.

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So it makes perfect sense. It goes hand in hand with that. Intercessory fasting and prayer. Was also very frequently practiced.

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In the Old Testament. Such as with Jonah. When Nineveh. And even.

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Daniel. As well. And it's also good.

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Fasting is also good for spiritual deliverance. Because demons. Primarily attack us through our flesh.

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That's our biggest problem. The biggest problem we face. Is not so much. The devil.

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Even the world. It is primarily our flesh. The enemy.

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The world and the devil. Will try to take advantage of us. Through our flesh.

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Primarily through our physical body. Our senses. Our appetites. So then.

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If you deny the flesh. In fasting. You deny the enemy. All of them.

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You deny them access. You deny them interest. And you drive them out of your life. Because the devil will not be.

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In a person. Who is not. Who is denying himself. That is the opposite.

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Of what. The devil wants. Right. Now turn with me.

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In Matthew 17. As we start wrapping up here. Matthew 17.

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Verse 15. There's a.

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There's a very. Relevant story here. From the gospel. We read. Have mercy on my son.

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For he has seizures. And suffers terribly. For he often falls into the fire. And often into.

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Into the water. To drown. And I brought him to your disciples. And they could not.

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Cure him. And Jesus answered and said. Oh you. Unbelieving and perverse generation.

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How long shall I be with you. How long shall I put up with you. Bring him here to me.

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And Jesus rebuked. Him. And cast. And the demon came out of him. And the boy was cured.

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At once he was cured. He was healed. And then the disciples came to Jesus.

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Privately and said. Why could we not cast it out.

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And he said to them. Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you.

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For if you have faith the size of a mustard seed. You will say to this mountain. Move from here.

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To there. And it will move. And nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind.

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Does not go out. Except by. Fasting. And. Prayer. So. I want to.

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I want to really. Make this point here. That. Fasting.

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Is very frequently coupled. With prayer. And we must do this. Fasting needs to be coupled with prayer.

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As it often. Usually is. In the old and new testaments. With supplication and prayer.

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To God. We have to do this. In order to make sure.

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That we are prepared. And equipped. To do battle against the enemy. All of them.

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We need to. Always. Fasting. It's not something that we do.

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Just in and of our. In and of itself. It's meant to help us to grow. To mortify and to grow.

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In particular. And we must practice it. Along with the rest of the means of grace.

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That God has given us right. That includes prayer. The word. And. The preaching of the word.

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The sacraments. All of these things. Are synergistically combined. With fasting.

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In order to help us. To achieve these things properly. And to not. And to also.

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Not be misled by the enemy. Okay. That is why we must do these things. That is why

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Jesus also said. Go and sin no more. Lest a worse thing.

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Fall upon you. After having been. Delivered from many demons. Okay. We must go.

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And sin no more. And live rightly. That's the goal.

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Of fasting. It's not like the perverse. Roman Catholic Church where. Oh. Let's do fat

01:03:22

Tuesday. And let's. Let's just indulge in whatever sin we can do.

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Until we start the 40 days of Lent. Where we fast from sin. What an utter perversion.

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Utter proof. That is demonic. That is not. The point of this. Obviously. Right.

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So. Verse 21. I did want to call our attention to.

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Because it says. This kind of. Demonic oppression. Does not go out. Except by prayer and fasting.

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Now. We need to note here. That this was likely. A gloss. Or a commentary.

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That was added later. And that's why. In the LSB Bible. You'll see that it's in brackets. Okay. Because early manuscripts.

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Did not include this verse. And. But notice too.

01:04:14

How Jesus emphasizes. Faith. Really faith. More than anything. In that passage.

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Now. I want us to turn to the parallel account. In Luke chapter 9. In verse 42. Because that will also shed some more light.

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On what Christ is doing. And showing us here. Okay. In Luke chapter 9.

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In verse 42. The same account.

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We read. Now. While he was still approaching.

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The demon slammed him. This is the boy that was possessed. With demons. The demon slammed him to the ground.

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And threw him into a convulsion. Like a seizure. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit.

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And healed the boy. He healed him. Physically as well.

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Spiritually and physically. And gave him back to his father. And they were all astonished.

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At the majesty of God. Astonished. At the majesty of God's power.

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Okay. Now. I want to also join this. And finish it up with the other parallel account.

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In Mark chapter 9. Verse 21. To tie this all together. In Mark chapter 9.

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Verse 21. And he asked his father. How long. Christ asked the father.

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Of the possessed boy. How long has this been happening to him? And he said. From his childhood. And it has often thrown him.

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Both into the fire. And into the water. To destroy him. But if you can do anything. Take pity on us.

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And help us. And Jesus said to him. If you can. If you can.

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All things are possible. To him who. What? To him who.

01:06:18

Believes. That's the most important thing. Have faith.

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In. Our God. To deliver us. Immediately. The boy's father cried out.

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And was saying. I do believe. Help my unbelief. Now when

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Jesus saw. That the crowd was rapidly. Gathering. He rebuked the unclean spirit. Saying to it.

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You mute. And deaf spirit. I command you. Come out of him. And do not enter him again.

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Again. And after crying out. And throwing him into. Terrible convulsions.

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It came out. And the boy. Became so much like a corpse. A corpse. A corpse. That most of them said.

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He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand. And raised him. And he stood up. He stood up.

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And when he came into the house. His disciples began. Questioning him privately. Why could we not cast it out?

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And he said. This kind cannot come out. But by anything. But. But prayer.

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But prayer. So yes. Okay. Prayer. And fasting.

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Are vital. Especially in certain situations. There are times. Where we need to fast.

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And pray. For particular. Situations. And struggles. And hardships. Including spiritual.

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Oppression. Or demonic. Opposition. But faith. Faith itself.

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Is the ultimate victory. That overcomes the world. Amen. Like that hymn.

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It is faith. For everything. That has been born of God. Overcomes the world.

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And this is the overcoming. That over. That has overcome the world. Our. Faith.

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Has. 1st John 5. 4. This is the absolute.

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Power. Of the gospel. For our salvation. And of fearing.

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And believing. In almighty God. For fearing and believing.

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Of fearing. And believing. In almighty God. Through faith. Let's finish up here with Romans chapter 8.

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Verse 28. I really want to.

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I hope and pray. That this will encourage you all very much. Romans chapter 8.

01:08:53

Verse 28. I want to read. The end of Paul's chapter here.

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Verse 28. And we know. That for those who love

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God. All things. Work together for good. All things. For those who are called according to his purpose.

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His purpose. Not ours. His purpose. Because those whom he foreknew.

01:09:22

He also predestined to become. Conformed to the image of his son. And fasting is one of those means.

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That he conforms us to his son. Keep that in mind. So that he would be the firstborn among many brothers.

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And those whom he predestined. He also called. And those whom he called.

01:09:44

He also justified. And those whom he justified. He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things.

01:09:53

If God is for us. Who is against us. Who can be against us. He who indeed did not spare.

01:10:00

His own son. But delivered him over for us all. How will he not also.

01:10:07

Graciously give us. All things. Who will bring a charge.

01:10:12

Against God's elect. God is the one. Who justifies. Who is the one who condemns.

01:10:20

Christ Jesus is he who died. Yes rather who was raised. Who is at the right hand of God. Who also intercedes.

01:10:28

For us. Who will separate us then. From the love of Christ. Will affliction.

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Or turmoil. Or persecution. Or famine or nakedness. Or peril or sword.

01:10:44

Just as it is written. For your sake we are being put to death. All day long. We were counted as sheep for the slaughter.

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But in all these things. We overwhelmingly conquer. Through him.

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Who loved us. First. For I am convinced. That neither death nor life.

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Nor angels nor rulers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Nor powers nor height.

01:11:13

Nor depth nor any. Other created thing. Will be able to separate us.

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From the love of God. Which is in Christ Jesus. Our Lord. And all

01:11:25

God's people said. To that. This is the power of God that preserves us.

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And this is God's power. God's power is activated. In us.

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It is activated and awakened in us. When we take hold of these means of self -denial.

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And fasting. This is so powerful. Beloved that I really.

01:11:49

Hope that we can take away. From this. These things.

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And absorb them. Take hold of these study. Of the sermon notes.

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Review them and digest them. Meditate on them. And apply them as we get ready.

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To prepare ourselves. To practice these things. As a church beloved. And so.

01:12:14

Do not quench the spirit. Beloved. Do not despise prophecies.

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But examine all things. All things. From the past.

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To that which is good. To fasting. Which is good. For us. Abstain from every form.

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Of evil. Abstain. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you.

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Entirely. Entirely completely. And may your spirit and soul. And body be preserved complete.

01:12:47

Without blame. At the coming of our Lord. Amen. Let's go ahead and bow our heads.

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In prayer. Our precious almighty Father. Thank you so much

01:13:05

Lord for this beautiful. Lord's Day. Our time of fellowship and of worship. Of receiving your means of grace

01:13:12

Lord. And of your. The preaching of your word Father. We ask that you would bless us through these means.

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And that you would help us to grow. In our understanding. Of this amazing.

01:13:25

Privilege and benefit that you have given us. The means that you have given us. For us to do. To deny ourselves

01:13:32

Lord. To fast. And to really. Seek to take hold of this. And apply it to our lives

01:13:38

Father. Seeing how powerful it is Lord. The many incredible benefits and rewards.

01:13:44

And the blessings. That you give us. By means of fasting Lord. That you help us to become.

01:13:52

More and more like your son. To die more and more into sin. To crucify it

01:13:58

Lord. And to grow in righteousness. In obedience and holiness. To your holy word.

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Your holy law. We thank you almighty Father. We ask that you would bless those who couldn't be here.

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We ask that you help us as a church Lord. As a whole church. And as individuals.

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To practice this. This discipline Lord. Of fasting. Individually and corporately.

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Father we thank you. Amen. Please contact us at thorncrownministries .com