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    Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer: Bringing Our Understanding and Motives in Line with the Word to Ensure Effectiveness
    Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer: Bringing Our Understanding and Motives in Line with the Word to Ensure Effectiveness
    Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer: Bringing Our Understanding and Motives in Line with the Word to Ensure Effectiveness
    Ebook161 pages4 hours

    Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer: Bringing Our Understanding and Motives in Line with the Word to Ensure Effectiveness

    By Bill Randall

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    About this ebook

    What is fasting? How often should I fast? Is there a right and wrong way to fast? Are there physical benefits to fasting? Will fasting and prayer really help me live a life more pleasing to God? Those, and other valid questions are addressed squarely right here. It is unfortunate that most assume that the subject of fasting and prayer is esoteric (obscure, cryptic, mysterious, and restricted to the few). This book is intended to open the door of understanding for all who desire to know what the bible says about fasting and prayer. If this is your motive, you will not be disappointed because Examining Gods Purposes for Fasting and Prayer draws its conclusions directly from the Word of God. Once the reader becomes acquainted with the principles outlined in this book, he/she will be better equipped to practice this vital (and oft neglected) spiritual and physical discipline.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateOct 11, 2010
    ISBN9781481763387
    Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer: Bringing Our Understanding and Motives in Line with the Word to Ensure Effectiveness
    Author

    Bill Randall

    Bill Randall is a servant of Jesus Christ, having been saved by the grace of God on November 1, 1981.  He is a retired Command Master Chief (E9), U.S. Navy.  He has had past ministry opportunities, including Associate Minister, prison outreach, preaching, bible study and Sunday School teacher, and a myriad of other church outreach efforts.  He has also served as area coordinator for the National Day of Prayer for Kenosha & Racine counties (Wisconsin) from 2002-2005, and is the founder of the grassroots organization: "Concerned Citizens for Truth" (CCFT).  Bill is an unlikely author of a book on fasting, having been raised in a city known for sumptuous cuisine: New Orleans, Louisiana.  But through guidance given by the Holy Spirit, Bill became acquainted with and regularly practices the principles of fasting and prayer.  This is Bill’s first book, a work compiled from 1992 through 2005.  He has a son (William III), and four daughters (Cherita, Katherine, Gabrielle and Isabel).  He and his wife, Wendy, reside in North Carolina.  It is their hope that this book is a blessing and encouragement to all.

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      Book preview

      Examining God's Purposes for Fasting and Prayer - Bill Randall

      Examining

      God’s Purposes for

      Fasting and Prayer

      Bringing our understanding and motives

      in line with the Word to ensure effectiveness

      by

      Bill Randall

      Image1348.PNG

      © 2006 Bill Randall. All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

      First published by AuthorHouse 6/8/2006

      ISBN: 1-4208-3519-X (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-481-76338-7 (e)

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      Foreword

      Chapter 1

      What is Fasting?

      Chapter 2

      The Sabbath, the Temple, and Motives

      Chapter 3

      Who should fast; when and how

      Chapter 4

      Physical and physiological considerations

      Chapter 5

      Hearts overcharged

      Chapter 6

      Asceticism

      Chapter 7

      God’s Grace: Perfect

      Chapter 8

      Spiritual Warfare: …but by prayer and fasting.

      Chapter 9

      Isaiah 58

      Chapter 10

      Repent

      Chapter 11

      Prayer

      Chapter 12

      Revival

      Questions and Answers

      About the Author

      Introduction

      Fasting is a physical discipline of obedience to the Word of God. When done with the right attitude, it enables a child of God to be more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The objectives of this book are not intended to put forth arguments that are enticing words of man’s wisdom, although everything presented herein should be considered with careful scrutiny, as well as with spiritual discernment.

      You will also notice that many scriptures are used throughout this book. I use this approach because the Word of God is the ONLY authority that anyone has. All Truth stems from His Holy Word. My intent is to rightly divide the Word as it applies to the theme of this discourse on fasting and prayer.

      My request to you, no matter what your background or premise, is that you carefully and prayerfully consider the entire presentation. I am by no means claiming or implying that I have THE inside track on the key to fasting. In fact, I claim to know nothing in and of myself.

      On the other hand, if you’re wondering why your flesh seems to be in control (or, yielding control to evil influences) too often, the Word of God sheds light on the fact that fasting can …break EVERY yoke when done in humility according to the scriptures.

      If this printed work is of benefit to you or others, it will only be so in direct proportion to its relation to the Truth of the Word of God. As you read and study, I trust that you give glory to the One from Whom all of the treasures of knowledge flow: Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

      For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.

      (Romans 11:36)

      May the Lord’s richest blessings abide with you as you strive to learn more of Him through His Word.

      —Bill

      Foreword

      Foreword: Rev. Gregory Burns (New Dimensions Christian Center, Pensacola, FL)

      I believe we are living in the most exciting days of history. God is about to pour out His Spirit in an unprecedented and unparalleled measure. This outgoing entails raising up men and women of God who are willing to pay the price to be a part of such a move of God.

      I believe that one such person is Bill Randall. He was a member and strategic leader in our congregation for several years while stationed in Pensacola, FL. One of the many contributions he made to our Church was a weekly article in our Church bulletin on the subject of fasting.

      Our members were always complimentary of the sound scriptural and well-balanced information he put together on the subject of fasting. The same is true of this book: sound, scriptural and well-balanced.

      The mission statement of New Dimensions Christian Center is summed up in the motto Our Destiny is Helping You Unlock Your Destiny. It is so exciting to see Bill and his family continually working in the fulfillment of God’s destiny for their lives. If you desire to go to the next level of God’s destiny for your life through fasting, this book will be most beneficial.

      Foreword: Rev. Dan Remus, First Assembly of God (Kenosha, WI)

      I have found Bill Randall to be a person who has learned the principles first hand in his own life that he is sharing in this book. The chapters are anointed, challenging, practical and would be a blessing to any intercessor or church’s prayer ministry.

      I was challenged in my own walk with the Lord and committed to challenging my church to more times of fasting and prayer.

      Foreword: Rev. John K. Carter, Jr. (Lieutenant Commander, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy)

      In an age when many Christians are in search of and in need of irrefutable manifestations of the presence and power of God in their lives, my brother in Christ and shipmate, Bill Randall, sets forth a most excellent work on the spiritual discipline and exercise of fasting. This work will assist the obedient and committed follower of Christ (or those who wish to be) to attain higher levels of fellowship with Christ and increased spiritual strength and joy. It will call readers to conviction, commitment, personal change and personal growth. The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit is readily felt as one examines Bill’s explanation, exposition of and exhortation on the subject of fasting.

      For much too long, Christians have sought the workings of the Holy Spirit without an unwavering resolve to the prayerful and regular practice of the spiritual discipline of fasting. The result is a Christian who too closely resembles the description Jude uses to describe apostates (clouds without water carried about by the winds Jude vv. 12), or the Apostle Paul’s description of false prophets living in the perilous times of these last days (having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof… II Timothy 3:5).

      Jesus fasted and He instructed His followers to fast and pray. The Word of God gives testimony to the fact that our Lord Himself found fasting essential to a faithful walk in the will of God and the work of ministry. To truly be the Lord’s disciples in the present age, Christians must seek to emulate His manner of living in the present age.

      Bill helps us to discover (or, rediscover) the spiritual devotion and right motivations that truly pleases the Lord. Bill skillfully explicates a way to victorious operation in the spirit realm with authority and power beginning with our own spirits. The theological underpinning Bill uses to present his thesis is solid, and his work is scripturally sound. Bill Randall brings to us a fuller understanding of the import of the Sabbath rest and tells us what fasting is, why it is important, how it may be done successfully, and how it may be done incorrectly. His writing on the physiological aspects of fasting is well researched and excellently written in a fashion that is easy for all to grasp.

      As you read Bill’s labor of love and witness his obedience to the Lord, I pray that you too will be moved to greater obedience and devotion to God, and that you will come to experience the richer blessings of those who offer their temples humbly and completely to Him as their reasonable service—just like Christ.

      Foreword: Pastor Chris Parker (Bethel Baptist Church, Fundamental, Independent Baptist Church, Rota, Spain)

      Few Christians practice fasting, especially as taught in the Bible. One of the reasons for this is a lack of plain, simple teaching on the subject.

      This book will help correct that shortage. Here you will find answers to your questions about fasting, and encouragement to practice fasting.

      Having been Brother Bill Randall’s pastor on two separate occasions, I can safely say that he practices what he preaches. I trust that you will enjoy this book, and that it will aid you as you practice this neglected Biblical teaching.

      Foreword: Evangelist Bill Franklin (Harvest Ministries, Pensacola, FL)

      I have known the author of this book for many years. He and I have been closely associated through these years and share a real desire to walk in the fullness of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

      I am sure that the emphasis of this book is something that is urgently needed in this country, and indeed in every area where people are hungry to experience the realm of the Holy Ghost, which can only be realized through fasting and prayer.

      This book strikes home at the need for brokenness and the right attitude in our pursuit of the abundant life there is in Jesus Christ. It will be my earnest prayer that this book receives the attention and interest that it deserves and that its message may be a rich blessing to thousands of readers.

      Chapter 1

      What is Fasting?

      Fasting is willingly doing without food for a given period of time. The Old Testament word for fasting is tsuwm, which means to cover over the mouth (i.e.: to not eat). The New Testament word is nesteuo, which means not eating; to abstain from food.

      When the average person sleeps overnight, they go through what is usually their longest period in a day without food. If the person, after awakening in the morning eats a meal, this action BREAKS the (overnight) FAST. We know this to be breakfast. But the overnight period without food is not (ordinarily) a period of fasting.

      Fasting should not be confused with the absence of food due to circumstances or a person’s inability to obtain it. If a person desires to eat and would eat if given the opportunity, it is NOT fasting. But if circumstances don’t allow food AND the person consecrates this time unto the Lord, it is acceptable unto the Lord as fasting.

      Hunger is the physical craving for food. Hunger is physiological, and does not depend on whether or not a person is fasting. Starvation (which, by the way, is a term grossly misused by the colloquialism: I’m starving—in relatively affluent societies) refers to a condition in which a person’s body lacks the necessary nourishment to sustain normal health and vitality. Fasting is not starvation when done with proper preparation, conducted in the proper setting, and extends to no longer than forty days.

      There are many aspects to fasting, many of which will be covered in the following chapters. However, we must realize that there are still many things that we don’t know (and may never fully understand while here on earth) about fasting. The apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write:

      For now we see through a glass, darkly…

      [I Corinthians 13:12(a)]

      In other words, we are able to look into certain matters, but our being able to have a complete, clear picture and full understanding is limited. Even so, we should be encouraged by the fact that our walk of faith is not directed by what we see:

      "For

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