Fast Your Way To Health September 7, 2022

Devotional

Day 1: When Empty Stomachs Make Full Hearts

Fasting isn’t starvation—it’s trading physical hunger for spiritual nourishment. Isaiah 58 reveals God’s design: denying bread to break yokes. As we empty ourselves, light dawns, health revives, and chains snap. This discipline isn’t about deprivation but liberation. Every skipped meal becomes a prayer for God to fill what food cannot. True fasting redirects hunger from the temporary to the eternal. [01:11]

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.”
(Isaiah 58:6-8, ESV)

Reflection: What yoke have you been carrying that God wants to break through fasting? How might saying “no” to food create space to say “yes” to freedom?

Day 2: Stones Into Bread or Words Into Life

Jesus’ wilderness fast exposed the enemy’s oldest trick: mistaking physical cravings for true sustenance. When Satan offered bread, Christ clung to Scripture. Fasting trains us to crave God’s voice more than comfort. Hunger becomes the classroom where we learn dependence—not on meals, but on the Maker. [04:35]

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’”
(Matthew 4:1-4, ESV)

Reflection: When has physical hunger distracted you from spiritual hunger? What Scripture could you cling to when cravings for comfort arise?

Day 3: Pantry Purges and Soul Surgeries

Fasting acts like spiritual surgery, cutting out what numbs us to sin. Just as addicts remove triggers, believers must starve fleshly patterns. Isaiah 55 invites us to spend less on temporary fixes and feast on eternal nourishment. Every “no” to junk food weakens sin’s grip. [14:32]

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant.”
(Isaiah 55:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What “junk food” habits drain your spiritual vitality? What one practical step could starve a destructive pattern this week?

Day 4: Fasting’s Hidden Power Source

Some mountains only move through fasting-fueled faith. The disciples’ failure to heal the boy revealed unbelief’s roots in undisciplined flesh. Fasting isn’t magic—it’s spiritual weight training. Each hunger pang strengthens resolve, proving God’s presence matters more than physical provision. [20:33]

“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.’”
(Matthew 17:19-21, ESV)

Reflection: What persistent “mountain” have you been facing? How might fasting recalibrate your dependence on God’s power over your own effort?

Day 5: The Burning Yes Behind Every No

Temperance grows when a greater “yes” overshadows temporary “nos.” Titus 2 shows grace training us to refuse sin not through gritted teeth, but because we’re consumed with Christ. Fasting isn’t about deprivation—it’s about making room for the feast of obedience. [41:23]

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
(Titus 2:11-13, ESV)

Reflection: What holy desire could make saying “no” to fleshly cravings feel natural? How does Christ’s ultimate “yes” to the cross empower your daily denials?

Sermon Summary

Fasting is a Bible doctrine where food is laid down so the flesh gets afflicted and the soul gets turned toward God. Isaiah 58 ties the fast God chooses to loosing wicked bands, lifting burdens, caring for the afflicted, and seeing health spring forth speedily. God offers nourishment that money cannot buy, and Christ shows that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.

Christ’s forty days in the wilderness put fasting right in front of every Christian who wants to follow Him. Matthew 6 says “when ye fast,” not if, and it calls for secret devotion rather than religious show. Fasting is not just starving; fasting turns meal times into prayer times, asking God to nourish, cleanse, heal, guide, and give discernment.

The flesh hates being told no, but the flesh must not run the life. Romans 13 calls believers to make no provision for the flesh, while Jeremiah 17 warns that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. The old nature chases pleasure, food, sex, substances, money, comfort, and the next physical high, but the Spirit calls the soul to command the body and bring it into subjection.

Fasting becomes a way for the Holy Ghost to walk through the rooms of the heart. The hidden rooms of jealousy, lust, covetousness, gossip, and bitterness can be brought into the light and thrown out. Scripture warns that people can profess to know God while denying Him in their works, so fasting presses past church attendance and empty spiritual language into honest examination and obedience.

The battle in Matthew 17 connects spiritual power with prayer and fasting. Fasting does not earn power through performance, but sacrifice puts a believer in a place of deeper dependence, humility, and consecration. The practice can also reset the body, clear the mind, slow down anxious reactions, and create space to seek God in hard battles.

The power to say no grows through disciplined choices. Every disciplined no strengthens the ability to say yes to what matters most, but the no will not last without a greater burning yes for God, health, holiness, family, and spiritual victory. Fasting is not something a person checks off and masters; fasting is a practice through which God masters the appetites, priorities, and direction of life. Wisdom starts small, plans strategically, communicates with a spouse, and brings trustworthy people alongside for prayer and accountability.

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Key Takeaways

1. Fasting turns hunger into dependence [03:35] God does not merely remove food; God exposes what the soul has been using for comfort, strength, and satisfaction. Hunger can become a repeated reminder that physical bread cannot carry the weight of a human life. Prayer during the fast turns weakness into a place of active dependence on God. [03:35]
2. The flesh must not lead [16:45] The old nature often speaks through urgent appetites, emotional impulses, and the demand for immediate relief. Scripture does not call believers to obey every desire simply because it feels strong. The Spirit must lead the soul, and the soul must bring the body into subjection. [16:45]
3. Fasting exposes hidden strongholds [27:43] The heart can stay on autopilot while jealousy, lust, bitterness, and covetousness quietly occupy its rooms. Fasting creates room for the Holy Ghost to search those hidden places with clarity. Conviction becomes a mercy when it leads to repentance instead of self-deception. [27:43]
4. Every no needs a greater yes [49:12] Self-denial becomes empty and miserable when it rests only on restriction. A burning yes for God, health, holiness, and a better future gives strength to reject what pulls life off course. The deepest discipline grows from a stronger love, not mere willpower. [49:12]
5. Fasting grows through wise partnership [54:20] Sacrifice does not need to become a private performance or an isolated struggle. Strategic planning, marital communication, prayer support, and trustworthy accountability help sustain the work. Spiritual maturity often grows by joining faithful people already walking in the right direction.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Food, Flesh, and Early Death
[01:11] - Isaiah 58 and Health
[03:00] - What Biblical Fasting Means
[04:35] - Christ’s Forty Day Fast
[08:58] - Fasting in Secret
[10:07] - Marriage, Fasting, and Consent
[12:01] - Choosing Affliction and Humility
[14:32] - Make No Provision for Flesh
[17:32] - Bringing the Body Into Subjection
[19:42] - Prayer, Fasting, and Spiritual Power
[21:37] - How to Start a Fast
[25:25] - Drawing Closer to God
[27:43] - Breaking Fleshly Strongholds
[43:51] - Clear Mind and Hard Battles
[46:42] - The Power to Say No
[51:07] - Fasting That Masters the Appetite
[52:30] - Planning and Partnering in Fasting

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Isaiah 58:6-11

Verse 6: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” [01:19]

Verse 7: “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” [01:24]

Verse 8: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.” [01:44]

Verse 9: “Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;” [01:58]

Verse 10: “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:” [02:16]

Verse 11: “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” [02:28]

Matthew 6:16-18

Verse 16: “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” [08:58]

Verse 17: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;” [08:58]

Verse 18: “That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” [08:58]

Matthew 4:1-4

Verse 1: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” [05:38]

Verse 2: “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” [05:46]

Verse 3: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” [05:51]

Verse 4: “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [06:01]

Matthew 17:14-21

Verse 14: “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,” [18:25]

Verse 15: “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.” [18:25]

Verse 16: “And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.” [19:27]

Verse 17: “Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.” [19:27]

Verse 18: “And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.” [19:42]

Verse 19: “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?” [19:46]

Verse 20: “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.” [19:46]

Verse 21: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” [20:03]

Romans 13:14

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” [14:29]

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” [15:24]

1 Corinthians 9:27

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” [30:19]

Observation questions

In Isaiah 58:6-11, what actions does God connect with the fast He has chosen besides going without food? What kinds of burdens, needs, and wrong attitudes are named?
In Matthew 4:1-4, what temptation did Satan bring to Jesus after He had fasted, and what Scripture-based answer did Jesus give? [05:51]
What contrast does Matthew 6:16-18 make between fasting to be noticed by people and fasting before the Father in secret? [08:58]
According to Romans 13:14, what does it mean to “make not provision for the flesh”? What practical examples of removing easy access to temptation were given? [14:35]

Interpretation questions

Isaiah 58 joins fasting with feeding the hungry, helping the afflicted, and removing oppression. Why would a fast that only changes a person’s eating, but never changes the way that person treats others, fall short of God’s purpose?
Jesus answered hunger and temptation with the Word of God. What does “man shall not live by bread alone” mean for a believer whose body is hungry but whose soul has also been neglected? [07:14]
Matthew 17:21 connects prayer and fasting with a difficult spiritual battle, while Jesus also points to unbelief. How can fasting deepen dependence on God without becoming a way to try to earn power from God? [20:13]
Jeremiah 17:9 warns that the heart is deceitful, and 1 Corinthians 9:27 speaks of bringing the body into subjection. Why is it dangerous for a believer to treat every strong desire or emotional impulse as something that should be followed? [16:32]

Application questions

When hunger, stress, boredom, loneliness, or frustration hits, what does the heart usually reach for first—food, entertainment, spending, attention, comfort, or something else? What might that reveal about where the soul looks for nourishment? [03:35]
Is there a hidden room of the heart that needs honest attention right now—such as jealousy, lust, covetousness, gossip, bitterness, or another pattern? What would repentance and a real change of direction look like in that area? [28:11]
What is one way provision has been made for the flesh—through a habit, a place, a relationship, a device, or something kept close at hand? What boundary could make temptation less easy to step into? [14:35]
If fasting is undertaken, what could replace the usual breakfast, lunch, or dinner time with prayer? What specific needs could be brought before God during those hunger moments? [21:37]
What is one “no” that would protect something more important: health, holiness, financial stability, marriage, family, peace of mind, or obedience to Christ? What greater “yes” gives that no its purpose? [49:12]
What would be a wise and realistic first step toward fasting: one meal, daylight hours, or one day? Are there health concerns, work demands, or family responsibilities that should be considered carefully before setting that time? [22:29]
Who could be included for prayer, encouragement, and accountability if a fast is planned? For married people, how can unity and clear communication with a spouse be part of that decision? [52:30]

Sermon Clips

22s

“The burning yes has to empower the the burning no. See, I have to say I want God. I want health. I want power. I want God more than I want the food, more than I want the this over here. It's the burning yes for God that helps you to be able to say no to the other things.”

40s

“And here's how I'd like to close this. This is not fasting is not something that you master. It's not something like, oh, I checked it off the box, and I'm I've achieved it. It's like prayer. Is anybody in here you've mastered prayer? Anybody? anybody in here say, well, I've mastered giving. I've mastered soul winning. It's not something you master. It's someone that masters you.”

42s

“Number six, here's what fasting will do. Here's why you should do it. It'll strengthen your power to say no. Any people pleasers out there? always say yes to everybody? You have a hard time saying no? When you fast, it'll give you the ability to say, no. Can't do it. Every disciplined no strengthens your ability to say yes to what matters most. If you don't learn the power of no, you'll say yes to everything. I believe there's a lot of people in this room, you're poor today because you don't know how to say no.”

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