Kill Religious Sacred Cows Part 3

Kill Religious Sacred Cows Part 3

Luke 4:1-2, 14 - Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry... Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

Some say that because Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness, He could return in the power of the Spirit. Thus, fasting is taught as the key for power. "If you want to walk in miracles, signs and wonders, FAST! If you want to walk in power, FAST like Jesus!"

Does fasting give you power?

While Matthew 4 uses the words "Jesus fasted..." (Matthew is written to the Jews), Luke 4 does not record the word 'fasting'. Instead, the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to write, "being tempted for forty days by the devil."

Jesus was tempted by the devil concerning His identity - "If You are the Son of God..." The reason why He returned in power is not complicated. He overcame all the temptations of the devil, which revealed that He knew His identity and walked in His identity. The beginning of the verse already told us that "Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit" was being tempted for forty days by the devil. In John 3:34, God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure. The fullness of the Spirit was already in Jesus. In other words, Jesus was already filled with power.

NOTE: Believers who think that they need to fast to get power or move in power is to deny the fullness of power that is already IN them because of what Jesus paid for on the Cross.

Look at what the Bridegroom said about fasting.

Mark 2:18-20 - The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

Jesus was revealing the New Covenant. It is the new wine (Mark 2:22) that His death and resurrection would bring about.

"As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast." Jesus was WITH them, so they didn't need to fast. But Jesus would go to the Cross, and the disciples would have to fast (mourn). After Jesus resurrected, He gave His disciples the Holy Spirit. This is the promise of God, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Where is the Bridegroom now? He is IN us and WITH us.

This destroys the religious sacred cow of the obligation to fast.

The question is... "But how do we walk in power?" 

John 6:28-29 - Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you BELIEVE in Him whom He sent.”

The people saw the miracles Jesus did and they asked Him how they could do the same miracles. Jesus replied, "Believe in Me."

Apparently, walking in power has nothing to do with fasting. It has to do with simply believing. Mark 16:17 - And these signs will follow those who BELIEVE...

The key to walking in power is simply about believing in Jesus and what He says about you. It is knowing your true identity as the sons and daughters of God. EVERY believer can walk in POWER, whether you fast or not. Because fasting does not give you power.

It is knowing your identity that releases the power that is already IN you. Christ IN you is the Hope of glory.

Stop trying.

Stop striving.

Stop achieving.

Start trusting.

Start resting.

Start receiving. #killsacredcows