• Scriptural faith is in the heart, but hope is in the mind.

1 Thessalonians 5:8— “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”

• The helmet is “the hope of salvation.”

 

Today we are talking about the hope that is given to us when we feel like we are facing more than we can handle and we are the underdog.

 

READ 1 Samuel 17:20-21 “So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.”

 

POINT #1 – WE ARE RARELY PREPARED FOR THE FIGHT

 

READ 1 Samuel 17:23-26;32-37

23-26 “Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.”

“So, the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”

“Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

The Critics

1 Samuel 17:28-30 “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

Kingdom Principle: He turned from the critics

1 Samuel 17:31-33 “Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

POINT #2 – IF GOD IS FOR US, NOTHING CAN STAND AGAINST US

1 Samuel 17:34-36 “But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”

• David’s confidence comes from God’s faithfulness, and it is the drive he needs to overcome.

1 Samuel 17:37 “Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”

1 Samuel 17:38-39 “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.”

READ 1 Samuel 17:40-47

“Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.”

“And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.”

“And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

POINT #3 – THIS IS HOW WE FIGHT OUR BATTLES

• Maybe you don’t feel equipped to overcome the things that you are facing.
• Maybe you know that your trial is too much for you.
• For David, this is a spiritual battle, and it takes God’s involvement to experience a victory.

1 Samuel 17:48-51

“So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.”

Paul speaks to this in Ephesians 6:12.

READ Ephesians 6:12-13 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

READ 1 Samuel 17:52a

“Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines…”

Suddenly, the once frightened Israelite army is emboldened by a little boy and his sling. Because of David’s bravery and trust in God, they are all given hope that they too can be a part of the triumph of God.

POINT #4 – HOPE IS CONTAGIOUS

Ancient church father Thomas Aquinas said it this way, “Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope with things that are not at hand.”

Think: My God is more powerful than any force in the universe. Together we can do amazing things.

Feel: If God is with me, there is nothing I cannot overcome.

Do: Choose faith over fear.

How do we spread hope? By sharing the good news of the Gospel. We can be born again into a living hope through faith and belief in the death and burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” NIV

• Hope is the direct outcome of the new birth
• It is the direct outcome of being born again by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ
• It is specific faith in His death, burial and resurrection.

 

 

 

 

 

• Ingredients for a Successful Marriage
• God’s Word defeats the enemy

 

2 Kings 4:8-37

Elisha meets the Shunammite Woman

⁸ Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. ⁹ And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. ¹⁰ Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”

• They were a hospitable couple who went from providing meals for Elisha to providing space for him.
• You will invest in what you are passionate about.

 

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Make room for God in your home so the Word of the Lord can be fulfilled in your lives.

 

The Prophet asked, “What can I do for you?”

¹¹ And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there. ¹² Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³ And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ”She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”

• Consider the heart motives of the Shunammite woman.
• She did not bless the man of God in hopes of getting something.
• Do you need help in the political realm or do you need some protection?
• Her answer was I am content, I am good, Everything is fine, I am all set.

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Godliness with Contentment

Godliness with Contentment

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

The Secret of being Content

Philippians 4:12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (NIV)

Gehazi answered the question for her.

¹⁴ So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.” ¹⁵ So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶ Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!” ¹⁷ But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.”

• No son was an indication that she would have no one to care for her in the future.
• This couple positioned themselves for a blessing.
• “Do not lie.” she is saying, let what you are saying to me be backed by God and able to be carried through all the way.

Ingredient for a Successful Marriage: Embrace God’s will for your life and act on it.

Their Promised Son Died

¹⁸ And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. ¹⁹ And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” ²⁰ When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. ²¹ And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. ²² Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”

• The Shunammite Woman knew how to deal with a storm.
• She took him to the prophet’s room. It was in that room that the Prophet spoke the Word of the Lord to her.
• She laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she called her husband.

 

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Respect

• Respect can be defined as ‘to feel or show honor for, to think highly of, or to look up to, to have regard and to be thoughtful of, to show consideration and concern for another individual’.

 

The Shunammite Man trusted his Wife

²³ So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.”

• When her circumstances around her looked hopeless, she still said, “It is well”.
• “It is well”- the phrase in the Hebrew means – God will bring clarity and there will be a righteous resolve or judgment.
• She was saying to her husband, the reason I am going to the prophet is because I believe there will be a righteous perspective brought forth. “It is Well”

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Trust

Trust is weightier than details, just like grace is weightier than the law. (anonymous)

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Agreement

Amos 3:3 Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

• Communication breeds agreement.

 

Prayers are hindered if you are not in agreement with each other.

1 Peter 3:7 –“ Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

• She didn’t let her circumstances slow her down

25 So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! ²⁶ Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well.” 

• Elisha wanted to know “is everything in order?”

⁷ Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”

• God did not tell the prophet their son had died. But God knew.

²⁸ So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

• She got a hold of his feet
• The prophet was their connection with the Rhema word of the Lord

 

²⁹ Then he said to Gehazi, “Get^[f] yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.”

I Will Not Leave YOU!

³⁰ And the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 

• This is the same phrase Elisha spoke to Elijah in 2 Kings 2:2
• Expectation is the breeding ground of miracles

³¹ Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”

Elisha Went in and Shut the Door

³² When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. ³³ He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. ³⁴ And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. 

Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son

³⁵ He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ³⁶ And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” ³⁷ So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.

Ingredient of a Successful Marriage: Love and Honor God

• Put God first in everything.
• They sacrificed and built a place for the man of God.
• They were given a child by God.
• When the devil touched their gift, they went right back to the maker.
• The presence of God in your marriage does not mean it will be easy but it will work.

Ingredients of a Successful Marriage

1. Make room for God in your home so the Word of the Lord can be fulfilled in your lives.
2. Godliness with Contentment
3. Embrace God’s will for your life and act on it.
4. Respect
5. Trust
6. Agreement
7. Love and Honor God

• What disqualifies a person?

Results Of Fasting
Self-denial

Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Right priorities

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Dependence upon God

2 Chronicles 20:3, 12 – “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

vs 12 – “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

• Fasting led to God’s divine intervention

• No other power can enable us to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to do the things we could not do in our own strength.

 

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (NIV)

• What God can do depends upon His supernatural power being released in us and through us.

 

Jesus Walked on Water

Matthew 14:25-26 – “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.”

 

Matthew 14:27-29 – “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”

 

Matthew 14:30-32 – “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”

 

Matthew 14:33 – “ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

 

How does fasting change us?

Romans 8:7 – “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

 

“Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

 

Results Of Fasting
Self-denial

Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

(1 Corinthians 9:25–27)

 
Right priorities

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Dependence upon God

2 Chronicles 20:3, 12 – “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

vs 12 – “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

• Fasting led to God’s divine intervention

1. When you give…

Matthew 6:2-4 “So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”.…(Berean Study Bible)

2. When you pray…

Matthew 6:5-6 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

3. When you fast…

Matthew 6:16-18 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

 

Giving, Prayer, Fasting

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

 

Prayer and Fasting

Let’s read the story in Matthew 17:14-16

“And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

 

Matthew 17:17-19 – “Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.”

 

Matthew 17:19-21 – “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (KJV)

 

How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives!

 

What is fasting?

 

Definition: Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.

 

Matthew 4:2 – “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”

• Jesus fasted food but did not abstain from water.

 

Fasting brings a person into a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord.

Psalm 42:1-2a “As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So pants my soul for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

 

In Psalm 42:7a – Deep calls unto deep…

 

Worship God in Spirit and Truth

John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

Scriptural Purpose for Fasting

Fasting is the scriptural means ordained by God for us to humble ourselves before Him.

Psalm 35:13 – “I humbled my soul with fasting…” (NAS)

Psalm 35:13 – “I afflicted my soul with fasting…” (ASV)

 

Here are four scriptures on humbling from the NT

 Matthew 18:4 – “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 23:12 – “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

1 Peter 5:6 – “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”

 

Fasting is a way that God Himself has appointed for His people to humble themselves before Him.

 

Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly, To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

 

Sin Entered the World

Genesis 3:6 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food…she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

 

Whose god is their belly!

Philippians 3:18-19 – “they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

 

The Daniel Fast

Fasting for Health and Healing

 

God has promised in Isaiah 58:6,8 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?”

(8) “Then your light shall break forth like the morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.”

 

When we begin fasting and praying for physical health and healing, we must realize that it is God who heals.

Exodus 15:26 – His name is Jehovah Rapha means, “I am the Lord who heals you.”

 

Read the story of Daniel

Daniel 1:5 – “And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:8 – “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

 

Daniel 1:9-10 – “Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:11-12 – “So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

 

Daniel 1:13-15 – “Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.”

 

Daniel 1:16-17 – “Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

 

Daniel 1:18-19 – “Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.”

 

Daniel 1:20-21 – “And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.”

We enter the Daniel fast for two physical reasons:

1. As therapy when we are sick and need healing
2. As prevention to keep us from becoming sick or getting a disease

 

The Daniel Fast with holds extra rich foods.

We eat necessities on the Daniel Fast

1. To cleanse our digestive system
2. Rest our body
3. Renew our system

 

Read from Counsel Bible

The Daniel Fast rests on three Biblical foundations

1. Faith
2. Prayer
3. Fasting

 

God Can Heal Through Fasting

God has given each of us a wonderful physical body that He calls “His Temple”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Steps from the Biblical Account of Daniel

1. Be Specific
2. Fast as a Spiritual Commitment
3. Reflect Inner Desire by Outer Discipline
4. Pray to Perceive Sin’s Role in Poor Health

James 5:13-16 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

5. Fast as a Statement of Faith to Others
6. Learn the Effects of the Foods You Eat
7. Yield All Results to God

 

Practical Principles to Remember

• The Daniel Fast is longer than one day.
• The Daniel Fast is a partial fast
• The Daniel Fast Includes healthy food
• The Daniel Fast requires abstinence from rich foods

 

 

• The Hebrew name means “the burning ones.”

 

Isaiah 6:3 “And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

• Holiness when implied to God’s nature, indicates His absolute moral purity, in this case above His creation of the whole earth.

 

(McKenna & Ogilvie, 1993) write: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” No other attribute is so praised. Angels do not sing, “Love, Love, Love” or “Justice, Justice, Justice”—they only sing “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

 

God’s Army is Unseen to the Human Eye

2 Kings 6:15-17 15When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (ESV)

• He is the Lord of hosts – “Lord Sabaoth”, The Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

 

It is God’s holy and glorious presence in which our holiness begins.

Isaiah 6:4-6 “And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.”

• The closer we get to God the more we realize we are unclean.

 

Isaiah 6:7 “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

• The Lord has a remedy for our sins.

 

Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

• The Lord prepares us for our mission.

 

God is Holiness and his plan for his people is holiness

The Lord proclaims His holiness to Moses:

 

Leviticus 19:1-2 1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

 

Leviticus 11:44-45; as well as many other places, God proclaims “…ye shall be holy; for I am holy:”

 

“Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).

This may come as a surprise to some, but this is not a request…it is a command from God.

 

Holiness is a Command

1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:17-19 “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:20-21 “He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (NIV)

 

1 Peter 1:22-23 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (NIV)

• Living holy is by faith in Jesus Christ
• We are purified by obeying the truth

 

Worship is a Lifestyle

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (NIV)

 

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (NIV)

 

Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

The New Testament Way To Holiness

1 Corinthians 1:28-31 “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

• Jesus Christ is our wisdom from God
• Jesus Christi is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
• We have nothing to boast about except the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Make Jesus Famous!

1. She taught Moses that God is good (Moses rejection of Pleasure)

• In the face of crushing and depressing circumstances she was convinced God is good!
• When we trust that God is good we make right decisions (Exodus 2:2, Hebrews 11:23)
• When we trust that God is good we can release things into His care

2. She taught Moses that God is a covenant God (Moses chooses Israel)

• Jochebed taught Moses about the promises of God. The promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to make them great a great nation and to bless all others through them.
• Moses was basing His choice on the character of God.

Malachi 3:6 “Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.”

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?”

• His promise of judgment to those that reject Jesus
• His promise of salvation to those that receive Jesus

Teach your children to trust the goodness of God and to make decisions based on His character not their circumstances, teach them to believe and respond to the promises of God.

First – She had great respect for human life

• She had an overpowering love to preserve the lives of her children.

Second – She had great respect for spiritual life!

• Moses refused to be an Egyptian prince. A testimony of the spiritual truths he learned from his mother.
• Scripture tells us that Moses was not willing to put aside the spiritual base built by his real mother!