Starve To Live: Fast Today, Thrive Tomorrow

Today, I want to share something with you that is on my heart.

I was on the treadmill Monday morning, running.

Well, this time I was walking, preparing to run. And I began to think about

a lot of prayer requests that have come our way.

A lot of people have asked prayer for clarity, trying to understand and see

things that they hadn't seen before. And we've been praying over clarity.

And I'll talk a little bit more about that on Wednesday. night.

And there are people that have been playing and asking for healing in their body.

And we've been praying over the supernatural power of God to empower bodies

and heal them from the top of the head to the sole of their feet.

We see it in scripture and we believe healing happens today.

And as I was walking on the treadmill, the Lord began to talk to me about some

things that I'm believing God for.

You know, I believe God for some things as well. And the word that I heard in

my heart was the word breakthrough.

So I'm walking on the trail when I hear the Lord say breakthrough.

And breakthrough is a sudden burst of momentum that will break through a thing,

whatever the obstacle challenge may be, break through it and you'll get on the

other side of it. I heard the Lord say breakthrough.

And I believe today is one of the most important messages that I've ever preached.

I probably say that every week, but I believe that today, that this message

today is going to be for you and it's going to be for your breakthrough.

How many of you need breakthrough in your life? There's some things going on

and you just got to get to the other side of this thing.

And God has told me when I was on the treadmill to tell the people how to experience breakthrough.

And so we see in Genesis chapter three, I'm going to build this thing.

We're going to read through verses 1 and 6 in Genesis chapter 3, verses 1 through 6.

Genesis 3:1–6

Watch this. Now, the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

And he said, the serpent shouldn't have been talking, but he was talking.

He said to the woman, has God indeed said you shall not eat?

Somebody say eat of every tree of the garden. Look at verse 2.

And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat. Somebody shout, eat. Eat.

The fruit of the trees of the garden, verse 3.

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,

God has said, you shall not eat. Somebody say, eat.

Nor shall you touch it lest you die. Verse four.

Then the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die.

Verse five. For God knows in that day you eat, shall eat of it.

Your ears will be open. I mean, I'm sorry, your eyes will be open and you will

be like God, knowing good and evil will conclude in verse six.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant

to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and

ate. Somebody shout, ate.

Ate. And she also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

The title of this message today is Starve to Live.

Starve to live fast today

thrive tomorrow fast today thrive tomorrow Genesis 25 29 through 34 let's build

this again Genesis 25 29 through 34 now Jacob cooked a stew and Esau came in from the field.

Esau and Jacob are twins. And he was weary.

Esau was a warrior. Jacob was not. Esau went out hunting.

He came back. He said to Jacob, please feed me with that same red stew for I am weary.

Therefore, his name was called Edom.

And Jacob said, watch this, sell me your birthright as of this day.

And Esau said, look, I'm about to die. So what is this birthright to me?

A birthright was a blessing you got and received as a firstborn.

He says, what is this birthright to me? I'm about to die.

Jacob says, swear to me as it is this day. So he swore to him and sold his birthright

to Jacob. Look at verse 34.

And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of the lentils.

Then he ate, somebody say ate. and drank, arose and went his way.

Then Esau despised his birthright.

What I want you to see in these two passages of scripture is Adam and Eve,

Jacob and Esau both literally ate themselves out of the will of God.

They ate themselves out of the will of God. But we see in Matthew chapter 4, verse 1 through 2.

Matthew 4:1–2

Matthew chapter 4, verse 1 through 2.

Matthew 4:1–2

Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

And when he had fasted, somebody say fasted, 40 days and 40 nights afterwards, he was hungry.

It's amazing. While food led to Adam and Eve and Jacob and Esau's downfall,

Jesus began his earthly ministry by fasting, by fasting.

Philippians 3, 18 through 19, Philippians 3, 18 through 19,

for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that

they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,

whose end is destruction whose God is their belly.

Very interesting. Whose God is their belly?

Whose God is their appetite? Whose God is their stomach?

Whose glory is their shame? Whose set their minds on earthly things?

I thought it was interesting the Apostle Paul is telling us that king's stomach is most of our gods.

We say we love the Lord. We say Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

We say the Lord, the creator.

He is the one that's for us. But the truth is, our belly is our God.

And King's stomach is ruling us. It's amazing to me that Jesus started out fasting.

And Jesus ended up, if he had to fast,

how much you think that you and I

don't have to fast if he had to fast and he

started out fasting and ended up glorious fasting is

mentioned 75 times in scripture biblical fasting isn't just skipping meals it's

intentionally abstaining from food for a spiritual greater purpose,

fasting is choosing to skip food in order to grow closer to God.

The way to a man's heart is through his...

Let me say it again. The way to a man's heart is through his...

Interesting. Many of you know this story. Stacey and I met.

We were a part of a church, and the way she introduced herself to me was she

made me a sweet potato pie.

I'm not a big sweet potato pie fan, but she handed me the sweet potato pie through our pastors.

Our pastors gave me the pie that said, this is from a lady named Stacy.

And I had seen Stacy around, but hadn't talked much to her, and she wanted to

give you this sweet potato pie.

Well, I wasn't a big sweet potato pie fan, but I went home that night,

watched some football, and I ate the entire pie in one setting.

Now, if you know me, I don't eat like that, but that pie was really good.

But unbeknownst of me, Stacey had prayed that if he is the one for me,

let him eat the entire pie in one setting.

Now, she never told me that until after we got engaged, okay,

because it probably would have freaked me out.

But nevertheless, nevertheless, she told me and I thought, wow.

And so she introduced herself to me through food.

Why? Because a way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

And so you get people's attention by what you feed them.

And so fasting, which is abstaining from eating for a certain period of time,

and choosing to skip meals to grow closer to God, intensifies your prayers.

Fasting intensifies your prayers. If you're believing for breakthrough or you're

praying over someone else and you're believing that they'll come back to God

or you're believing for a healing or you're believing that they will prosper,

whatever it might be that you're believing for, fasting will intensify your prayers.

I want you to understand that it's time to dethrone king's stomach.

Somebody say amen to that.

God knows there is never a convenient time to fast.

It's never a convenient time to fast. But fasting makes space for God in your schedule.

Fasting makes space for God in your schedule.

Fasting is body language. Or I'll say it this way. physical expression of your

deep desire for more of God.

Fasting is body language or a physical expression of your deep desire for more of God.

It intensifies your prayers.

Fasting humbles yourself so that God can promote you.

In scripture, we see a lot of times fasting would be also considered humbling

themselves or mourning.

Mourning would be an expression of fasting in the Old Testament.

Matthew chapter 6 verse 1, Matthew chapter 6 verse 1,

Matthew 6:1 Matthew 6:1

take heed that you do not do your charitable

deeds before men or your giving so that

you can be seen by them otherwise you have

no reward say reward from your

father in heaven so when you give don't be do it don't do it to be seen by men

you'll have no reward for your father in heaven look at verse six of the same

chapter Matthew six verse six but when but you when you pray go into your room when When you pray,

go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who

is in the secret place and your father who sees in secret real reward. Shout reward.

You openly. So notice when you give, there's a reward. When you pray,

there's a reward. Look at verse 16.

Jesus tells us, moreover, when you fast,

when you pray, when you give, when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites with

the sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their shout reward.

Notice when you give, when you pray, and when you fast, there's a reward attached to.

Give, you're investing in the kingdom of God. Praying, you're connecting with

God. Fasting, you're humbling yourself before God.

The Bible promises rewards to people who pray.

How many of you pray in the house today? How many of you give in the house today?

Now, how many of you will fast? When you pray, when you give,

when you fast, God promises to reward you.

There's a reward for abstaining from eating there's a reward from skipping meals

when you do it for spiritual purposes

there's a reward for it now in the natural I know Dr. LaToya kid Dr.

Fulton would tell us in the natural fasting is a cleansing an internal shower

for your body it's good for you.

Praise God that fasting helps your body out.

But there are also spiritual benefits that have rewards attached to it when you fast.

God rewards fasting every time.

Somebody say every time. He rewards fasting every time.

If what you are fasting doesn't mean anything to you, it will not mean anything to God.

If what you're fasting doesn't mean anything to you it will not mean anything to God.

So if you say if you don't eat green beans and you say I'm fasting green beans

well that don't mean nothing to you so it doesn't mean anything to God. Okay?

And another thing I'll say or interject here a lot of people would say well

pastor I'm going fast Facebook and I think that's good but that's not a biblical fast.

A biblical fast includes abstaining from food because we are dethroning the

God who is our belly off of his throne.

Our appetites, our cravings, our desires are being dethroned.

And so, yes, as I'm going to call a fast this week, yes, I'm not going to be

on a lot of social media. You know, I'm not going to I'm going to delete.

There's a game I like to play on my phone sometimes.

I have a little spare time. I'm going to delete that game because I want to focus.

Come on, somebody on what the Lord will have so I can draw nearer to him so

that my prayers can be intensified, so that I can humble myself before him,

so that I can put myself in position to hear from him, so I can be a candidate for promotion from him.

It's when we put ourselves in a position where we're saying,

I'm not going to eat because desiring to be with God is more important than eating this breakfast.

Are you listening to me today?

The Lord had me write down some things.

And I'm going to share this with you at the end, not what I wrote down,

but challenge you to write some things down.

And I wrote some things down of

what I'm believing God for. There are some things I'm believing God for.

And I wrote some things down. I wrote one thing down, and I was just going to

stop at one thing. And the Lord kind of looked at me.

Now, I didn't see his face, but, you know, I felt like he kind of looked at

me and said, you know I can do more than one thing at a time.

I said, you know what, you can. So I wrote down four or five things. Amen.

That I'm believing God for where this fast is because I need some breakthrough in my life.

Who else needs some breakthrough in their life? I need some breakthrough in my life.

I need some things to be corrected.

I need to see some manifestation of some good things taking place.

And fasting is what puts you in position to receive promotion from God.

When you focus on the benefits of fasting, it's easier to ignore the hunger while fasting.

When you focus on the benefits of fasting, it's easier to ignore the hunger while fasting.

If one of the things that you're believing for Where fasting is concerned I'm

just going to throw something out there I'm believing for a breakthrough in my body,

You got some things going on in your body And you're believing for a breakthrough

And you're getting real hungry Because King's stomach said It's time to eat

right now You know what time it is?

King's stomach said We better eat I'm going to give you a headache If you don't

eat If you don't eat right now You're going to get a headache This is what King's

stomach said You're going to start shaking If you don't eat right now You said

no, no, no, no I got to have this breakthrough.

And so if I got to put this food aside so I can experience this breakthrough,

you best believe I'm going to put that food aside so I can experience this breakthrough

in my life. Come on, somebody say amen.

When you focus on the reward, focus on the benefit of fasting,

it'll cause you to endure while you are fasting.

And as I'm talking about this message right now, some of you are getting hungry

right now. Now as I'm talking about it, you're like, I am getting hungry.

I want to eat some food because that's what King's stomach will do.

Your belly will start to say, you know what? We got, we're going to have to

eat. We're going to have to eat.

We're going to have to eat. I remember one particular time, my mom and dad,

I hope they're okay with me telling this story, but they, we had talked about

doing a fast and my dad, he didn't really want to fast.

So he told my mom, he said, once all the food is eaten up in the house,

then I will fast. Well, when is all the food going to be eaten up in the house?

We always go into the store. It's not going to happen.

You're going to have to choose when there's food in the fridge and say,

you know what? I need to be closer to the Lord.

So I'm going to skip drinking that Kool-Aid.

I'm going to skip eating that Twinkie. I'm going to skip this meal so that I

can draw closer to him. And when you draw closer to him and you're believing

God for clarity, you best believe you're going to get some clarity.

You best believe that God is going to reward you openly as you privately fast.

Isaiah 58, verse six, Isaiah 58, verse six, it says, is this not the fast that

I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickedness? I need some things loosed in my life.

I said I need some things loosed in my life,

to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, that you may break

every yoke for sake of time. Skip down to number nine, guys.

Skip to verse number nine for sake of time.

Watch this. Then you shall call and the Lord will answer. You shall cry and he will say, here I am.

If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking

wickedness. Go to verse eight. Should have went to verse 8. Look at verse 8.

When you fast, then your light shall break forth like the morning.

Now watch this. And your healing shall spring forth speedily.

Glory to God. Hallelujah.

I'm fired up about that. Healing shall spring forth speedily.

Your righteousness shall go before you and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

He's going to be behind you, protecting you when you fast.

Fasting breaks you free from everything that holds you back.

Fasting prepares the way for God to loose, undo, let go, and break things in your life.

Fasting prepares the way for God to give you fresh revelation,

fresh vision, and clear purpose.

How many of you want clear purpose?

One of the ways is to get rid of the excess eating so that you can get some

clear purpose in your life.

You'll know with clarity what you ought to do.

You'll have some fresh vision and some revelation when you fast.

God will begin to speak to you.

Fasting does not change God. Fasting changes you and your prayers.

Let me say it again. Fasting does not change God. You're not fasting to change

God. The Lord said, I am the Lord. I do not change.

Okay. So you're not, you're not manipulating, deceiving him that he's going

to change. Fasting doesn't change God.

Fasting changes you and your prayers.

I like this. I heard a man of God say this and I loved it. He said,

quit worrying and start fasting. Hey, I love that.

Quit worrying and start. I'm worried about that. That's an indicator. I need to start a fast.

I'm full of anxiety about this situation in my life. Start a fast.

Quit worrying and start a fast.

After a fast, Moses received the Ten Commandments.

After he fasted for 40 days.

Clear revelation.

After a 40-day fast, Moses received the Ten Commandments. Esther,

after a three-day fast saved her nation.

A three-day fast, God moved miraculously, and an entire nation of people were

saved after a three-day fast.

Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, had a baby after fasting.

She could not have children, but she fasted, and the Lord blessed her with the prophet Samuel.

Jehoshaphat, he was the king. Armies were coming against him to destroy them.

He fasted, called the entire nation to a fast.

They fasted. The word of the Lord came from the fast and said,

you will not have to fight.

Just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He sent the praisers out first.

And the praisers went out glorifying God, didn't get into any fights or battles.

And for over three days, the enemy was defeated and they stripped him of all

the spools and the goods. It was so many goods, Don, that it took him three

days to get all the stuff.

That was all after a fast.

Nehemiah received plans to restore the walls of Jerusalem after a fast.

Daniel fasted for what? 21 days.

It's called the Daniel fast. And he received an answer to prayer after fasting.

Anna was old in Luke

Anna the prophetess was old that

means you're not too old to fast and she

recognized baby Jesus as the Messiah she

said I don't want to die until I see the Messiah she fasted and saw baby Jesus

glory be to God Peter received revelation to preach to the Gentiles sitting

on top of the house fasting revelation came take this gospel to the non-Jews.

A lot takes place after a fast.

And I wish I could tell you. I wish I could get Kirk going and the drums going

and tell you that fasting is fun.

And fasting will be one of the best things you've ever done in your life.

Fasting is hard. But there's a grace on you.

To commit to fast when you understand that there are spiritual benefits that occur after a fast.

There was a few years ago, I needed some breakthrough in a certain area of my life.

And I went on a three-day fast, no food for three days, just only water.

And the Lord began to talk to me. And in day two, King's stomach was doing a whole lot of talking.

We got to eat. We got to eat. We got to eat. Why are you not eating?

Your kids are eating. Why are you not eating? We got to eat.

I said, no, I am fasting because I need some clarity on some things.

I had to make some decisions that were critical.

And that three-day fast, after the first, second day, lunch of the second day,

man, broke through and I began to hear God clearly, clearly.

When I heard him, there were some things he said to me that just catapulted

our personal life and our ministry because God honors fasting.

He rewards fasting.

Acts chapter 13 and verse 2. Acts chapter 13 and verse 2. Watch this.

Acts 13 · chapter mention Acts 13 · chapter mention

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,

Separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

When did this take place? As they ministered to the Lord. And what else did they do?

Fasted. Then they heard clearly what

the Holy Spirit said Very clear This is

undeniable what the Holy Spirit said Separate to me Barnabas and Saul Now before

the fast They're probably trying to figure out What are we supposed to do But

after the fast The Holy Spirit spoke to them Said this is what I clearly want

you to do Do this and do that,

Fasting with prayer Opens a different frequency with God.

Fasting along with prayer will open a different frequency with God.

I love what Jesus said in John chapter 4, verse 34.

John 4:34

John chapter 4, verse 34. Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him

John 4:34

who sent me and to finish his work.

One translation says, my nourishment is to do the will of him who sent me.

This is our food. This is our nourishment to do the will of God.

We could gain sustenance by simply having a desire to do the will of God. God will sustain us.

God will support us supernaturally when you decide that I am going to fast and

I am going to get the reward that comes with fasting because God rewards fasting.

And I am going to put the plate down and I am going to put the fork down and

I am going to put the sugar down and I am going to separate myself from what

other people are doing so that I can become a candidate to be promoted by God.

I can hear more clearly things will break through because my prayers and my

fasting are intensifying together and they're breaking through some things.