Call a Fast – a Fast on Fear! by Jason Hooper

Birmingham, AL

On Sunday May 31st, the Lord woke me up directing me to, "Call a Fast"during our service that morning. As I inquired of the Lord in regards to the specifics of this "fast" He gave greater and more specific direction that this was not a "fast" in the traditional sense of abstaining from food for a given period of time, but it was instead to be a "Fast on Fear!"

This fast is a pre-emptive position to combat coming thoughts, schemes and accusation of the enemy. Fasting fear is both your Exit Strategy from the Wilderness of where you have been and the Entrance to your Promised Land.

If we will begin to take fear-producing thoughts captive and turn our worries into worship, the Lord will begin to bring a renewal to you in the spirit of your mind in a way that transforms your life, as well as significantly impacting the lives of those around you. As we begin to uproot unbelief, we will enter into an accelerated season of healing this summer (see Mark 6:5-6).

Interestingly, along with this direction to "call a fast on fear", the Lord also told me to personally begin a "physical health cleanse" and while I can certainly stand to be healthier and lose a couple of pounds now that the summer is here, I knew there was more to this than just physically flushing toxins and losing unwanted weight. Just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, first in the natural and then in the spirit – the Lord is wanting to show us something that He is desiring for His Body. (Photo via pixabay)

This is a time to lay aside the weight and sin that has so easily entangled each of us in times past that we might run and finish well the race that has been set before us (see Hebrews 12:1).  This is a time to fast "toxic" thinking that has caused many in the Body of Christ to "talk sick."

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

I call Heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

The Law of Attraction

The fear of loss is the greatest enemy against our ability to freely receive what God has freely given to us by the gift of Grace. In the same way that faith positions us to receive the covenant blessings and prophetic promises of the Lord – fear attracts the very things we fear the most.

For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. Job 3:25

Could it be that when we spend a significant amount of our time and the meditations of our heart focusing on what we are scared to catch or develop – that the fear we have attached to these conditions has actually invited them into our lives? This is why Paul highlighted the importance in our understanding the power of becoming what behold (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

In some cases people are getting sick because of thoughts they think, words they are speaking and the meditation and ponderings of their own heart. The great thing is, if this is the case in your life or the life of someone you know – all you have to do is repent (think different) and break agreement with that lie to position yourself to receive your healing!

Let's pray right now!

Dear Jesus, I thank You that you have given me the mind of Christ and that Your Blood is flowing throwing my body right now! In the Name of Jesus, I break agreement with the lie of ______ (fill in the blank i.e. cancer, migraine headaches, glaucoma, etc.) and I receive my healing, I receive my breakthrough, I receive my deliverance NOW as I align my spirit, my soul and my body with Your word for my life. I was not created to fear. I was born to do great things!! My heart is full of faith, full of hope and full of love and I am full of the Holy Ghost! Thank You that You are Jehovah Rapha – the Lord Who Heals me! (Photo via freeimages)

During this time of fasting, it is also a time to study the Names of God and receive revelation that you can stand on when the enemy attempts speaks lies to your heart.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.Proverbs 18:10

Fasting Fear

The Hebrew word where we derive the word "fast" from actually means, "to cover the mouth" (Strong's #H6685 derived from 6684). The application of this spiritual discipline is commonly understood to mean that we abstain from certain foods or food altogether as the Lord leads. Just as fasting food deals with what we put into our mouth, fasting fear deals with how we see with our eyes, hear with our ears and perceive with our heart (see Mark 4:24 and Luke 8:18).

If we are going to "fast fear", we must also fast doubt, unbelief, the traditions of men, Negative Thinking and Speaking, and Plan "B"s conceived in our own efforts and according to our own understanding. Fear is conceived when we believe a lie.

Scripture is clear that "doubt" can actually hinder our ability to receive from the Lord those things that we have asked for and have need of (see James 1:5-8). We see through the life and ministry of Jesus that "unbelief" limited the power of God to heal and work miracles (see Mark 6:5-6). The "traditions of men" (doing something because it has always been done that way) when embraced and exalted over the leading of Holy Spirit can actually limit the power of God's Word in our life (see Mark 7:13).

Negative thoughts are the seedbed in which fear sows the worst of seeds. We see in Paul's letter to the Philippians how to deal with anxious thoughts, how to turn our worries into worship, how to fast the very fears that produce a negative thought posture and how to feed our faith (photo via wikimedia):

1. Rejoice & Rejoice Again!
2. Pray
3. Give Thanks
4. Meditate on the "Good News"

Philippians 4:4, 6-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus... Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Feed Your Faith

Anyone who has dedicated significant time to the spiritual discipline of fasting knows that it is not just about abstaining from eating or drinking for a given amount of time, but instead replacing something natural with something supernatural. Jeremiah gives us a key to this "replacement" in Jeremiah 36:6:

You go, therefore, and read from the scroll which you have written at my instruction, the words of the Lord, in the hearing of the people in the Lord's house on the day of fasting. And you shall also read them in the hearing of all Judah who come from their cities.

I have found this to be a great help to me when engaging in an extended time of fasting. I set aside the times I would normally spend eating food to instead "eat the word". Spending this time reading, responding, reflecting and responding to what the Lord is saying through His Word offers nourishment that so satiates my spirit; it more than satisfies my "need of natural food". (Photo via pixabay)

Fasting Fear is more than simply choosing not to entertain negative thoughts that would produce doubt and unbelief – it is being intentional to lean into the voice of Love, Himself while listening to hear His word for your life.

Just as perfect love casts out fear, when we are able to clearly hear the voice of Perfect Love it causes all fear, insecurities and "what if's" to melt away as wells of faith and hope are uncapped in our hearts in a way that empowers us to spring forward in the very areas we had previously been gripped by fear (see 1 John 4:18).

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear... 1 John 4:18a

Belief Produces Behavior – Recognizing the Origin of Fear

People will tell you that it is natural to be fearful, but we can see from Genesis 3 that fear was the result of eating fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and that is still the case today. You were not created to fear.

In the same way that the serpent deceived Eve, the enemy still seeks to entice you and I by suggesting we eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He looks for us to entertain his lies and allow them to create thoughts we think, which then produce beliefs that we hold based on how we perceive our circumstances to be.

Fear will cause you to do things your rational self which would never do. In fact, most of what we have categorized as "sin" in the Church is first a belief issue before it ever becomes a behavior issue. The root of sin has more to do with what you believe in your heart than what you do with your hand.

Simply put, beliefs produce behaviors and whatever is not from faith is sin (see Romans 14:23). Understanding that fear is the root of pride and is planted in self-centeredness will help you to assess the thoughts in your life that deserve to be weeded out, so that faith can grow and reproduce the fruit of the Spirit and Nature of Jesus in your life. (Photo via pixabay)

When we entertain thoughts that the Father is not thinking toward, we are already eating fruit from the wrong tree. Jeremiah 29:11 is and always will be God's plan for your life:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Join us in "Fasting Fear" this June and enter into a Summer of Healing!

Jason Hooper
Senior Leader & Pastor, King's Way Church
Email: info@kingswaybirmingham.com
Website: www.kingswaybirmingham.com