Fasting, A Hunger for God

A Hunger for God   1/17/20
 
We’re excited about this season 3 week season of prayer and fasting and consecration unto God.  Encourage us as we go forward.  Want to encourage you from the word of God.  give you some practical teaching concerning fasting I to keep a clear focus and be profitable, we can profit even more during this time of fasting and prayer.  Know that it is an act of obedience, act of faith.  A time of sowing to the spirit, and not the flesh. Understanding the warfare.  Know that if we sow to the spirit we reap life but if we sow to the flesh we reap destruction.
Know what it means to sow to the spirit and reap life and reap the abundance of what God has for us.
 
Matt 5:6 blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.
Fasting is not a hunger strike, or a spiritual diet, but a hunger for righteousness, for the things of God.
God create within us a greater hunger. We are sowing to our spirit man.
One thing lacking in the people of God is a hunger a real desire for the things of God, for his word and a greater hunger and thirst for righteousness.  If we have this hunger we shall be filled.
 
A giving of ourselves in fasting and prayer so that God can fill us with all the fullness of what he desires for us to have.  There are some things that need to be done in our lives and in our environment that can only be done by the hand of God.
Face of God so that we can touch our family, our lives, our city, our church,
We are seeking the hand of God.
Draw nigh to him and he will draw nigh to us.
Understand in this fast that if we hunger after righteousness, we shall be filled.
 
Sowing to the spirit man
A deep yearning for the things of God
If we hunger for righteousness we will be filled 
Seek His face so the hand of God can touch us.  Desire to draw nigh to Him  and He will draw nigh to us.
 
Ezra during the time of coming out of captivity 70 years
Ezra, Nehemiah, Joshua, and Haggai came back to build the temple. They a=were all contemporaries and instrumental in going back into the land of Jerusalem and
They reclaimed some things the enemy had stolen that God had judged them by.
 
Confidence in relationship with God and other people
Through the spirit of the living God, we afflict ourselves to seek a right way
 
(Proverbs 14:12) The right way is His way, not our way - “there is a way that seemeth right unto a man      (Prov. 3:5) trust in the lord with all your heart.  Lean not to your own understanding 
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Seek God’s face so the hand of God will touch us, our loved ones, our nation, our families, so His glory will be revealed! Make an impact on this world.
If my people will turn.  I WILL HEAL THEIR LAND  2CHRONICLES 7:14
There is darkness, but His glory shall be revealed
There will be light in the time of darkness
Let our light so shine that people will see THE GREAT WORKS OF God and glorify the Father
Ezra was seeking a way
The favor of god on them that hunger and thirst after righteousness.  His favor Is on uw  not seeking man’s help.  We’ve already boast.  Not seeking the hand of man.
 
Hand of God against all them that forsake him.
(Ezra testified to what God had  already done   8:22)
       Ezra testified I was ashamed …the hand of our God is upon all that seek Him
God is with us   I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him."
Already testified h
 
The battle is the Lord’s
He will do all He has promised for our future
Not depending on man, He provides for us and gives victory for times ahead
They fasted and sought the Lord their God and He entreated them
 
Bread of life- the word of god
Desire the sincere milk of the word of God
Feed on His word – sowing, investing, planting spiritual seed.  We need more devotional times in the presence of God
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Sowing and reaping
Galatians, sow to the spirit, reap life
Sow to the flesh and reap corruption
Peace, joy in the Holy Spirit
 
(Galatians 5:6,7)  be not deceived, god is not mocked
 
Great benefits, fullness of life, abundant life - feed on the spirit
Warfare between the flesh and the spirit, what you feed the most will be dominant
God desires that we commune with him.  Man is created in His likeness.
 
Communion, walking with Him in a father, son relationship
God gave man dominion over His creation
 
(I Thes 5:23)  We are spirit, soul and body
The lord sanctify you wholly, that you be preserved blameless
God breathed into man’s nostrils and God communed with Adam
Spirit first, soul secondarily and body
 
The Shekinah glory lifted and God’s mercy was extended instead of shedding Adam’s blood in judgement
God shed the blood of an animal instead
 
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God granted mercy through the blood of Jesus, so that if we confess the Lord Jesus we can be saved
Our senses send information to the mind
God is not is not important to the spirit man,   until he is born again.
Until then, the spirit is dead.   (Ephesians 2)
The entrance of thy word has given light  (Psalm119:130)The heart of man is the candle of the lord, (Proverbs 20:27) 
when born again the candle is lit again.
(John 1)  in Him was life and the life was the light of man
Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God
We now have a right to understand things freely given
(ICor 2:9)  eye hath not seen, nor ear heard…
(1Cor, 2:14)  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
 
Before the fall, Spirit man was in order. 
Spirit first, then soul, then body.
 
After the fall everything was turned upside down,  understanding and wisdom were key.
Adam and Eve succumbed to the trick of the devil, to  the temptation to partake of the forbidden fruit.
The pride of life, desired to make one wise
The devil fell because pride was found in him because of his beauty
Before salvation, our priorities are out of order - body, soul and spirit - upside down.   We take time for food, clothing and shelter for the soulish man first.
The Spirit man is lacking before being born again
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Born Again, the order is turned back around
You can take back spirit, soul and body in that order.
The spirit bears witness and is dominant so that we are walking and living in the spirit.
Our ultimate desire is that we live in the spirit,
We sow to the spirit, put aside fleshly appetite, knowing that if we sow to the flesh we reap corruption.
 
There are great benefits to fasting
Be not weary in well doing.  You will reap, Just don’t faint! Hunger for the Word.
(Job 23:12)  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.   
Put at priority the word of God more than the food that will sustain you, sowing into the things of the spirit so we can grow and be strong in the spirit. in the things of the spirit.
(Philippians 3:13) Forgetting those things behind, pressing toward the mark…
Grow stronger in this time as we set our faces like a flint.
You shall be full of joy
David was looking for what sustains him
As the hart pants for the waterbrook, so my soul longs after Him.
He will fill the hungry soul with goodness  (Psalm 107:9)
 
Hunger and thirst after righteousness and be filled.
Be Filled with His spirit.  Filled with joy “ I came that your joy may be full”, wisdom, seek God for a right way, spiritual discernment, insight onsight  able to see from God’s perspective  a higher level of faith

Fullness of joy, fullness of life
He came so that our joy might be full  (1 John 1:4)
The joy of the lord is our strength.  (Nehemiah 8:10)
The devil tries to steal our joy because that’s where our strength lies

No time to look back, set your fade like a flint! 
Jesus lets us see from His perspective, by the Spirit, not the flesh – walk by faith, not by sight
 
(2 Corinthians 5:7) a higher level of faith,  He satisfies us with good things.
(Hebrews 11:6) without faith it is impossible to please God, He rewards those who diligently seek Him.   There are great rewards in seeking the Lord!  Don’t get weary! God’s original intent and ultimate desire is that we live in the spirit.
 
Romans chapter 8 gives us understanding of what it really means to have life in the Spirit  to be led by the spirit and live in the spirit.  Gives understanding of the importance of investing in the spirit man to advance the kingdom of God. 
(Romans 8:5) after the flesh mind the things of the flesh or after the spirit
If you sow to the flesh you cannot please God
Carnal minded is death, spiritually minded is life and peace
If any man hath not the spirit he is none of His
(Verse 8:8)   So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
 
(Verse 9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
 
Sow to the spirit in fasting and you will find yourself not yielding to the flesh.  You will find yourself  able to overcome in every battle.
(Verses 8:12-14) “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
 
If you consume yourself with the things of the spirit you will walk in the power of his might.
Our intent and motivation in our fasting is that we become strong in the Lord and the power of his might.
God’s is more precious than silver and more costly than gold, nothing I desire compares to you.
 
We are in the last days/the evil day- chaos and confusion, pandemics, etc.as Jesus said it would be.
Strengthened with might in the inner man
 
Love is our motivation that Christ dwell in our hearts   to know the love of Christ
All things work together for good
To know the love of Christ that passes knowledge.
That you be filled with the fullness of God
The fullness Godhead bodily and we are complete in HIM.
If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the father
 
His words , ATTITUDE, , his power, His actions – His power should be seen in us.
 
Be filled with all the fulness of God.
According to the power that is working in us.
 
 
Give no occasion to the flesh,
Unto Him be glory the church.