7 Types of Biblical Fasts – Mike Bickle
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7 Types of Biblical Fasts
I. intercessory & contemplative prayer
A. The premise we are working from is that the Holy Spirit is going to raise up Anna's and Mary's; both male and female, both old and young.
B. Two dimensions of prayer: the intercessory prayer of Anna and the contemplative prayer of Mary. Both of them significantly enriched alongside the grace of fasting.
II. grace of fasting is a privilege
A. The grace of fasting significantly increases and enhances our experience in God.
B. The fasted lifestyle is a far easier way to fast than the occasional fast. Our mind set, the rhythm of our bodies, our emotions all change: fasting becomes easier
C. An unspoken lie exists in the church. It says we can’t fast like believers of old due to the modern pace of life. I believe this is a lie that we must confront.
D. Fasting will be Joyful at the End of the Age
"Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer…for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 56:7)
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: `The fast of the fourth month…shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah." (Zechariah 8:19)
E. God will romance the human heart in the bridegroom fast. This grace of fasting is necessary to equip the forerunner ministry to be a voice, not just an echo.
III. 7 biblical fasts
A. We will look at 7 types of biblical fasts to put the bridegroom fast in context.
1. Fast to avert individual/national crisis 1 Samuel 7:6;Jonah 3:3-5;Joel 1:14
4. Fast for political purposes-like revival fasting, protest fasting, an appetite for things to be right, a desire for justice. Gandhi lived this way...in protest to see justice come to India. Matthew 5:6
a. Fasting related to corporate sin over a nation or city l Samuel 7:6; Nehemiah 9
6. Fast in preparation for a divine assignment
“I proclaimed a fast…that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way” (Ezra 8:21)
"Now in the church that was at Antioch…as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’" (Acts 13:1-2)
7. The Bridegroom Fast
"the disciples of John came to Him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’” (Matthew 9:14-15)
B. The Bridegroom Fast is our focus because this is the kind of fasting I believe will be primary in the generation that the Lord returns.
C. In Matthew 9:14-15, Jesus introduces this new paradigm of fasting.It is fasting in the grace of God and it is the highest experience of fasting.
D. This fasting is relates to the Friends of the Bridegroom in verse 15. John the Baptist was the first Friend of the Bridegroom. That is a title used two times in the scripture on two different occasions.
E. John the Baptist called himself a Friend of the Bridegroom in John 3:29. Some months later, Jesus called his twelve disciples Friends of the Bridegroom.
F. Both times the term ‘Friends of the Bridegroom’ is related to this fasting grace.
G. Jesus relates this mourning to the losses of the embraces of the bridegroom they had grown accustomed to.
H. Jesus said, "When I am gone, the very remembrances of my former embraces, the nearness I had with them will cause longing, languishing in their hearts.” This intimacy is only possible through the Holy Spirit.
I. Jesus said, "They will mourn." This mourning is as being lovesick or being wounded by love. God awakens lovesick desire that thrusts us into ever deeper desire for Him.
J. There is a 3-fold focus to the Bridegroom fast.
K. The purpose of the Bridegroom fast is to increase our spiritual capacities to freely receive or experience more of Jesus in our hearts.
L. This fasting has a catalytic dimension. It accelerates our capacity to receive more of Jesus that lasts longer and penetrates deeper.
M. The deep regions of God's heart will be given under the banner or face of the Bridegroom God. He will give them to the heart that cannot live without knowing Him deeply. To these He will give this anointing.
N. Jesus said he would reward us openly. We are rewarded through this lovesickness, this mourning as our hearts enter in more and more.
O. A bit of revelation of the Bridegroom makes us insatiably hungry. The rich get richer in Spirit as they follow their desire for the Bridegroom.
7 TYPES OF BIBLICAL FASTS
1. Avert Crisis
· National (Neh. 1:4) – 700 M with gold
· Individual
· Corporate Ministry
2. Increase Power In Ministry – Matthew 17:21
· John Lake & Mahesh / 40’s
3. Corporate Revival – Joel 1:14; 2:15; Luke 2:37
· “Holy Spirit Breakthrough”
· Protest Fast
§ Gandhi / Ireland (20 Men)
§ Anna – Protested spiritual barrenness
4. Express Mourning & Repentance
· Corporate Sin (national & ministry)
§ Commemorative – Zech 8
§ I Samuel 7:6; Neh. 9:1-2
· Personal Sin – Ps 38
· Personal Loss –
§ Jonathan – 2 Sam 1:12
§ Abner – 2 Sam 3:35
§ Infant – 2 Sam 12:16-23
5. Preparation For Divine Assignment (New Season)
· Journey – Neh 1:4 & Ezra 8:21 (For wisdom & protection)
· Elders – Acts 14:23
· Mission – Acts 13:1-2
6. To Receive God’s Secrets
· Revelations usually kept hidden by the Holy Spirit. – Daniel 10:2-3
7. Bridegroom Fast
· High Pinnacle – Bridegroom Pledge
· New Wine: New Pledge of His Holy Spirit Activity
§ OC – HS Empowered special deeds
§ NC – HS Empowered inner man
Friends of the Bridegroom
www.fotb.com
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