FASTING
Lesson 3
What Does Fasting Accomplish? (Isaiah 58)
The 58th Chapter of Isaiah is considered one of the greatest passages of scriptures concerning the subject of fasting. The historical and spiritual setting for this passage of scriptures is as follows: Israel was backsliding away from the LORD God again and began serving other gods, yet continued to keep some of God’s ordinances, like fasting. They had made fasting a religious show and wondered why it wasn’t working for them. Thus, God answers with the rebuke and instruction of Isaiah 58:1-14. The first five verses are a rebuke; the next seven are fasting promises. This passage is the subject of our lesson.
1. Fasting will loose the bands of wickedness in your life (loose the pangs and griefs of injustice and harm) (v. 6).
2. Fasting lets the oppressed, broken, and crushed go free from slavery (the grievously oppressed, discouraged, bruised) (v. 6).
3. Fasting will undo the heavy burdens (v. 6).
4. Fasting lets us break every yoke (v. 6).
5. Fasting gives us the opportunity to feed the poor with our bread (v. 7).
6. Fasting allows us to bring the afflicted to our house (v. 7).
7. Fasting opens our heart to clothe the naked (v. 7).
8. Fasting opens your heart to reach your own family (v. 7).
9. Fasting will cause your light to break forth like a new day (v. 8).
10. Fasting will cause healing to come to fruition (v. 8).
11. Fasting will cause you to walk in righteousness again (v. 8).
12. Fasting will cause the glory of God to guard you again (v. 8).
13. Fasting will cause the LORD to answer you and say, “Here I am” (v. 9).
14. Fasting will help you to stop blaming everybody else (v. 9).
15. Fasting will help you to get the victory over your mouth (v. 9).
16. Fasting will cause thy light to rise in obscurity (v. 10).
17. Fasting will cause your darkness to become like the noonday (v. 10).
18. Fasting will cause you to hear the LORD’s directions continually (v. 11).
19. Fasting will cause your soul to be satisfied and even prosper when things have dried up in your life (v. 11).
20. Fasting will cause you to be watered by the Spirit of God, a refreshing causing you to bear much fruit (v. 11).
21. Fasting will cause things that have fallen apart in your life to be rebuilt (v. 12).
22. Fasting will give you a good name: Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Paths to Dwell In (v. 12).
These are 22 really good reasons to fast. Do you really need anymore?
