Fasting & Prayer Week 3

YouVersion Notes

If Christ fasted, should Christians fast? 𝗬𝗘𝗦.

God is wanting to prepare the Bride for the days ahead, and fasting is a key tool that will help us be prepared. Fasting is something EVERY Christian should do.

Fasting is difficult! Pastor Chad Everett said “I do not feel led to fast! I feel like eating!” What we feel doesn’t determine our direction. What Jesus says determines our direction. (Matthew 6:16)

Therefore, we must ENDURE difficult things (like fasting; see last week’s sermon) to PREPARE ourselves for what is ahead. We are grateful to Holy Spirit for using this teaching to encourage us, and prepare us for the temptation ahead of us. Temptation IS coming, temptation IS real, and temptation IS coming to us all. Main Scripture References: “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Joel 2:12 (NKJV)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-4

Matthew 6:16–18, Matthew 9:14–15, Genesis 3:1–4, James 1:12–15, Matthew 4:1–4