The Fast I have Chosen

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Christ spoke in parables for the purpose of keeping his message a secret.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Now Christ hadn’t even been on the cross, yet he is using this phraseology. It is a spiritual
statement about denying self and taking up the life of Christ by following him. Obey Christ and
you’ve got a cross.

Matthew 16:25-27 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come
in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his
works.

Christ’s formula for living in this life.

Matthew 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of
death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

What’s it talking about? The transfiguration of the very next verse. We have learned that the
word of God is, was and will be. So how does this apply to us? How do we see Christ
transfigured, coming in his kingdom? The kingdom of God is within all of God’s elect. Virtually
everyone witnesses the transfiguration, if they are in Christ.

John 14:8-9 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath
seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

How do we see Christ transfigured? We see him in our lives.

To know Christ in the flesh is not to know Christ at all according to:

2 Cor 5:16-17 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known
Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If Christ is not living his life in you, you don’t know who he is. The people that think that say:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew
you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

They don’t have any use for his words. He doesn’t dwell in houses made with hands, and we are
not under the law.

New speaker: Isn’t there a ‘will be’ component there (referring back to Matt 16:28)? In the lake
of fire in the second death?

Mike: Oh yes.

Q: Not tasting the second death until they see the son of man coming in his kingdom? The ‘will
be’ component is their role in the lake of fire, the apostles, they won’t taste that second death.
They will in the essence of, not at the lake of fire, but their role as saviors.

Mike: As saviors, yeah, and that’s the word that is used in

Obadiah 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the
kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

Mount Zion is the saviors, it’s saying that out of the elect, God is going to use the elect to be the
saviors of the rest of mankind. Saying the same thing in...

Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Matthew 17:1-3 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth
them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine
as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses
and Elias talking with him.

Revelation 1:14-16 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes
were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his
voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his
mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

The brass, sun and white raiment bright as light; all of those things are telling us who Jesus is
because the sun is light. It brings light, it runs the darkness off and everything that’s in the sun is
manifest.

The truth is that, when we see Christ as he is seen right here, let me read it again.

Matthew 17:1-3 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth
them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine
as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses
and Elias talking with him.
Christ’s face as the sun is the truth of his word. That’s all that’s being said there. His raiment was
white as light. Raiment in scriptural terms:

Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

We are told that Adam and Eve were both naked and were not ashamed, we’re told that the
church of Laodicea thought that it had everything when in reality it was poor, blind, miserable,
wretched and naked. They didn’t see that they were full of sin. The bright clothing are pure white
righteousness.

The reason Moses and Elijah were talking with Christ is that Moses and Elijah are the two most
prominent people of the Old Testament. Moses is more prominent than Abel or Noah or
Abraham. He is the giver of the law, revealing the law. The law is only typical law, it is not the
true law.

Matthew 17:4-13 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if
thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when
the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched
them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no
man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying,
Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples
asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and
said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias
is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise
shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them
of John the Baptist.

Just what the flesh wants to do, erect a physical house. Moses and Elijah were never there, it was
a vision. Dead people are dead. John the Baptist was in the spirit and power of Elijah. That’s
what it calls for back in Malachi (I will send my messenger in the spirit and power of Elijah...).

What did John the Baptist do that restored all things? John recognized Jesus Christ for who he
was.

Matthew 17:14-15 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man,
kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore
vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

There’s always a trial right after you have a good (mountain top?) experience in the Lord. You
feel you are getting somewhere with Christ and right then and there under those very
circumstances, you will be tried. Be prepared for it.
New speaker: Isn’t that symbolic though in each of us when you gain something in Christ, some
piece of understanding, then there’s falling into the fire and into the water, that’s into the fiery
trial, into the water of Christ, back and forth; that’s that competing (inaudible). Some people
don’t recognize the trials because we are so caught up in the madness that we are going through
and don’t realize that it’s a trial, and then we doubt the trial of water.

Mike: That’s an interesting point, because Christ delivers this man, here, delivers him from that
lack of control. He gives the man control, salvation from his test. In the process, the disciples
who couldn’t cast him out, listen to what he says:

Matthew 17:16-20 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus
answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long
shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of
him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and
said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for
verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

(Paul makes the same statement in Philippians 3:8.)

1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as
unto babes in Christ.

(They had all the gifts, but they didn’t have the fruit.)

Christ says, you can remove mountains. What is he talking about? How is it that anyone has done
anything greater than Christ?

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be
written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be
written. Amen.

Who do you know that’s done so many miracles the world could not contain the books, since
Christ? There’s nobody! Spiritual salvation is far superior, ‘much greater works.’ This is a
mountain being thrown into a sea. Mountains are dominions and powers in your life.

And then he says:

Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

What does he mean there? Do we have to go on a 40-day fast like Christ did before we can do
this? I don’t think so. Let’s go to:

Isaiah 58:1-4 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people their
transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my
ways as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of
me the ordinances of justice, they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted,
say they, and you see not. Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and you take no knowledge.
Behold in the day of your fast, you find pleasure and exact all your labors. Behold you fast for
strife and debate and you smite with the fist of wickedness, you shall not fast as you do this day.
Is it such a fast as I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, is it to bow down his head as
a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him. Will you call this a fast, an acceptable
day to the Lord?

(I’m going to interpret that so you can give it some thought. There are many people today, down
in New Orleans and Mississippi doing many wonderful, wonderful works. Helping people who
really need it and they feel good about it and it is good, but it doesn’t take the place of ‘doing the
things that I say.’ They approach him and say “Father, what do you want us to do?” Well, I want
you to do good works. Ok, I’m going to do good works. Well, I also want you to love your
enemy. Oh, I’m not going there.")

Isaiah 58:5-8 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow
down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a
fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the
bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye
break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD
shall be thy reward.

1 John 4:1-2 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

Matthew 17:22-27 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall
be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised
again. And they were exceeding sorry. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that
received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes.
And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon?
of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up
the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of
money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.