Sermon Notes: The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

When you give. When you pray. When you fast.

– A three strand cord is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple braided cord is not easily broken.”

FROM DEFENSE → OFFENSE 

NEW VERSE → “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Matthew 9:14-17

• To see what I’ve never seen, I must do what I’ve never done

Fasting: “to abstain from food”

I ABSTAIN, so I can OBTAIN

Abstain from food so you can obtain God’s presence. 

Feast on the Word of God

Our culture screams: “Give me, give me, give me.”

The kingdom says: “Give me Jesus and I’ll have everything that I need.”

Prayer & Fasting is the KEY to the power you desire for your life.

Matthew 4:2 “For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry.”

Different Types of fasts:

• Absolute, Normal, & Partial
• 24 hour fast, 3 day fast, 5 day juice, 21 day daniel, intermittent 
  • Deuteronomy 9: Moses fasts before receiving the 10 Commandments 
  • Daniel 6: King Darius was tricked into signing a law that threw Daniel in the lion’s den. Darius fasted 
    • Daniel 6:18 “Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.
  • Daniel 10: Daniel fasts 21 days only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & water for an answer to prayer for a vision God gave him
  • Acts 9: Paul fasted for 3 days after his conversion
• Health benefits
  • Burns fat, accelerates your metabolism, strengthens your immune system, fasting has shown profound effects at treating or preventing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke while improving overall lifespan

Fasting is the defense mechanism to keep you from going through the motions

• • Adam & Eve (Sin entered the word via the temptation of FOOD!)
  • The Israelites got tired of manna, so God provided truck loads of quail that eventually killed them (plague)
  • Jesus was tempted by Satan in the Wilderness
• Matthew 4:3 “During that time the devil came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 6:16 “WHEN you fast…don’t make it obvious like the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything will reward you.”

1. Fasting gives you deciding power

Acts 13:2-3 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.”

2. Fasting before sending out missionaries

• Fasting draws you close to the Father

• Psalm 69:10 “When I wept and chastened (humbled) my soul with fasting…”

3. Fasting brings about blessings

• Matthew 6:18 “… And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Freedom – Focus – Ferver