Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts (7 page)

The cure for confessionitis is found in the way we confess our sins. We should not just say, “I’m sorry for (
insert specific sin here
).” This leaves us
with excuses for our actions such as “I couldn’t help it” or “The devil made me do it.”

You are responsible for the sin that has habitual control over your body (see Rom. 6:13). To pray, “I’m sorry” doesn’t mean you take responsibility for it. You are called upon to renounce (repent) every sin done in your body. This involves praying audibly.

Fast and pray, “I am responsible for (
insert specific sin here
). “When you take responsibility for yourself and your sin, you humble yourself before God and enable Him to bless you with the freedom He desires to give you.

Step 6: Disown Sinful Influences

The final step to spiritual freedom involves
disowning sinful influences that come from friends and acquaintances
. Each of us is predisposed to certain behavior from several sources, including (a) emotional/psychological problems, (b) genetics, (c) direct sinful stimulation, (d) wrong heroes or role models and (e) direct satanic or demonic activity.

For many people, these things are part of their family heritage. To gain spiritual liberty over the bondage associated with these influences, we must disown the sins of others and their influence on our lives (see Exod. 20:4,5; Gal. 5:24).

This may appear easier said than done. Actually, a few simple steps can help you through this process. First, recognize that you have been crucified, buried and raised with Jesus Christ and you now sit in the heavenlies (see 2 Cor. 4:14). Second, publicly state that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ (see Gal. 5:24). Then verbally claim the blood of Jesus over the evil one (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 John 1:7).

Pray audibly, “I disown (
insert specific negative influence in your life
).”

These six steps can help you break the influence of things that might otherwise keep you and your family in bondage for generations to come. To summarize:

Practicing the Disciple’s Fast successfully will not be accomplished by slavishly following the preceding six steps. You must be actively and purposely involved in determining how, and whether, each step is to be applied to your own unique situation. The following are some principles to consider.

Take inventory of all six principles
. Some people will need to work through all six steps, praying audibly each of the six prayers. You may think you have no problem with one of these items until you make it a matter of prayer. Be especially aware of your tendency to delude yourself. Make each step a matter of honest reflection and prayer before you follow it.

Focus on your problem
. If, after honest reflection and earnest prayer, you sincerely believe that you do not need all six of these steps, select those that do apply to your individual needs. Only one or two may be adequate to deal with your problem. Spend your time on your major problem.

The purpose principle
. The more specific and purposeful you are, the more specific your results. If you are vague in dealing with your sin, you will have defused any possible results. When you fast to break a specific sin, you focus all of your energies onto that sin. Then God can give you the ability to overcome it.

The prescription principle
. When you deal with sins, you must learn to pray the exact prescribed words that deal with why you were in bondage. Only when you audibly remind yourself of the causes of your sins will you be able to break the result. It is not enough to pray “Forgive me, Lord,” and let it go at that. You must also fast and pray; for example, “I take responsibility for having allowed myself to become addicted to alcohol.” Naming your sin and affirming your accountability for your actions is a step toward overcoming the “besetting sin.”

The inner journey principle
. You never gain an outward victory over sin until you take inner responsibility for your actions. You cannot journey without until you have journeyed within. Just as the rings of a tree tell us it grows from the inner to the outer, so Christians must develop inner character before they can deal with the outer problems. The roots must grow before there is fruit.

The public principle
. Obviously you will have to deal with your sin to break its bondage over you. The question arises: How public should your
confession be? Basically, sin is an internal act or attitude. It is something that usually begins in the heart long before it reaches the hand. Given time, however, sin eventually becomes public. Those things done in darkness ultimately work into the glare of camera lights and public scrutiny.

Fasting is a private vow made to God. Therefore you must begin dealing with sin in your private fast before it becomes public. You begin with your confession to God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). Sometimes, however, sin must be confessed to another person, or to a church—that is, the public.

How public should your confession be?

You should include in your circle of confession all those who were included in your circle of sin. If it was a private sin, keep your confession private. If only a few people know about your sin, then only those people should hear your confession. If you have sinned against the Church and the world, your confession should be open and in public.

1
. The basic outline for this section is from Neil Anderson’s
Victory over the Darkness
(Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1990);
The Bondage Breaker
(Eugene, Oreg.: Harvest House, 1988); and
Setting Your Church Free
(Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1994). See Appendix C.

M
Y WIFE AND
I
ONCE FOUND OURSELVES OWNING TWO HOUSES
. W
E HAD
moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, because God led me to help found Liberty University there. We bought a house in Lynchburg, and put the sale of our previous house in God’s hands. It didn’t sell for two years. We fasted together to solve the problem. I never doubted the leadership of God, and I prayed daily for its sale. My wife and I agreed together (see Matt. 18:18) and fasted, but it still didn’t sell. We didn’t give up; consequently, after we had fasted for the third time, God sold our house.

“Life is like a football game,” says Sam Rutigliano, former NFL coach of the Cleveland Browns. “And he who makes the fewest errors…wins.” I don’t think my wife and I made an error buying a house in Lynchburg; however, our decision did raise an unforeseen problem.

Everyone has problems and hard times. Job, in the oldest book of the Bible, said, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). According to natural laws, everything that is made will break. Every person will eventually get old and feeble. Every business will collapse if not attended. Houses must be painted, cars must be tuned up, fields must be replanted every spring and everyone must face problems that need to be solved. Again, Job understood this: “Man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7,
NIV
).

Most people, however, are surprised when they have problems. Recently I was rushing home from church to be in time to receive an
important telephone call. While driving rapidly up Thomas Road, my right front tire blew out. I exclaimed with a pound on my steering wheel, what I always say when trouble comes.

I expect a perfect world, so I am surprised when I have problems. Yet, reading the Scriptures should convince me that there are problems—serious problems—life threatening problems—problems that will be difficult to solve.

If you are like me, expectations of a perfect life result in three wrong attitudes toward problems. When problems come we think:

A secretary in my office was complaining because a check bounced. She was absolutely sure that her husband had done it or that the bank had made an error. I heard her on the telephone with the bank, then a long silent pause…

“Oh…I forgot to stub that check!”

We all make mistakes that cause us problems. We all forget about things, and our forgetfulness creates more stress. We are all human, and that means we can’t think of everything.

Three attitudes will galvanize your thinking as you prepare to solve problems.

The book of Ezra tells the story of the Jews traveling back from captivity in Persia. King Cyrus of Persia gave them permission to return in 538
B.C
., and to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. First, Zerubbabel led the people back to begin work on the Temple. The surrounding nations caused trouble, so the work went slowly, even stopping for several years. The Temple was finally finished in 515
B.C
.

Then Ezra, a priest, attempted to lead a second group of people back to Jerusalem. He gathered them on the banks of the Ahava River, but then realized he had a major problem.

Put on the Spot

Ezra needed protection as he led a multitude of defenseless people across the wilderness to return to the Promised Land. The “badlands” were inhabited with gangs of thieves who attacked caravans. Ezra said, “I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road” (Ezra 8:22).

It was similar to the American homesteaders traveling West, who needed the U.S. Cavalry when they crossed Indian territory. Ezra’s problem, however, was different. He found himself on the spot. “After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey” (v. 22,
CEV
).

The Risk of Theft

Not only were the Jews returning home, but they were also bringing all of their household goods and treasures with them. Do not think of Israel as prisoners released from prison. They were not like Jewish escapees from the holocaust during World War II. Many Jews had settled down in Babylon, built houses and established businesses. Archaeologists have discovered that the Jews—who previously were a nation of farmers—became a people who thrived as shopkeepers in Babylon.

Many Jews had grown wealthy in captivity. Those who remained in captivity sent treasures with Ezra to rebuild the Temple. These Jews did not want to settle in the primitive conditions of the Promised Land. They didn’t want to suffer privations to rebuild their nation. They wanted to enjoy the luxury of Babylon. These Jews were required to send along
gold and silver for rebuilding the Temple. Ezra was transporting their money and many of their possessions. “In all there were: 25 tons of silver; 100 silver articles weighing 150 pounds; 7,500 pounds of gold” (v. 26,
CEV
). Ezra was fearful that this treasure might be stolen.

Fasting About the Problem

Faced with this significant problem, Ezra called a fast: “So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer” (v. 23).

Notice that the problem was more than a personal matter. It involved all of God’s people who were traveling across the wilderness, plus all of the thousands remaining in Babylon who had given gold and other treasures to him. Ezra’s problem was also their problem. This was a problem of national proportion. How could he get the people, gold and silver back to the Promised Land? He could call the people to what we are calling an Ezra’s Fast.