Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship, in Lancaster, California, and now Leona Valley, California. He also began the Westside Christian Radio Network ”“ WCFRadio.org ”“ in 2019. His sermons, books, articles, and radio programs have sparked change in the lives of many. He is notable for his emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, particularly emphasizing extended fasting (even up to 40 days).
Brother Gary, thank you for sending this video out. I was watching this yesterday and thinking about sending it out myself..
This message came at a good time, as our church will begin a week of prayer and fasting. Jesus never said if you fast, but He did say "When you fast.”
From Pastor Aaron Doxey ( Prayer Culture Church):
Join us Sunday as we dive into some teaching and prepare our hearts to go into a week of prayer and fasting. You can also find a packet of helpful, practical information about fasting at the church, on the back table.
Additional prayer room hours will be available this week. See our schedule below.
M >> 12-1p 6-7p
T >> 12-1p
W >> 12-1p 6-7p
Th >> 12-1p 6-7p
F >> 12-1p 6-7p
S >> 12-1p
"He is notable for his emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, particularly emphasizing extended fasting (even up to 40 days)."
I just thought I would quote it - I won't even say anything, because the deception stares me in face and mocks me at this point - and you all love to have it so.
""And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
[I just thought I would quote it - I won't even say anything, because the deception stares me in face and mocks me at this point - and you all love to have it so.]
Evan, I don't know...I remember I have been there a number of years ago. After I came out of charismania, I thought deception was lurking everythere. Satan tried to push me over in the other direction, thinking everything that calls itself Christian must be in some way or another polluted and corrupted.
I like to listen to both pastors, I think they are solid and used by God to speak to many people. I may not say amen to everything they do or say, at the same time I am aware that God uses available vessels, and they truly are.
This is a good and much needed teaching on fasting and these guys know what they are talking about. They also warn of the dangers of asceticsm. Most men of God are used to fasting.
I really do not understand where you see the deception. Your statement implies you think you are the only one who is not deceived.
It’s a tough call. Obviously fasting is a private matter per Jesus. But when it comes to teaching about it, it seems to be a little different. But you have to be careful.
I think Mike Brown goes a little overboard in talking about his healthy lifestyle which has clearly done wonders for him. At the same time gluttony is a huge problem especially for western Christians. So maybe there needs to be more encouragement.
Like I said it’s a tough call.
Fasting is an important discipline, yet there is little teaching in scripture about the nature of fasting. We simply read that people did it. We know that fasting is abstaining from food for a period of time. We find most of the Bible's detailed teaching in the book of Isaiah. According to Isaiah, fasting is not for the purpose of having God hear us. It is not for us to humiliate ourselves before God, hoping He answers our prayers because of it. It is for the purpose of breaking the bands of wickedness and breaking yokes. It changes us because we put aside a need of the physical body and allow God to give us strength.
How its done, exactly, is not clear from scripture. One interesting verse in Acts says, "Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off." One has to ask, how long were they together that after fasting and praying they sent them off?
It is good for ministers to teach some practical things. For example, if you decided to fast for five days, abstaining from food and only taking water, you need some wisdom about how to break that fast lest you do damage to your body.
A healthy lifestyle is also important. Many Christians are gluttons, and most Americans can identify with the temptation to eat too much as we have it available to us so readily due to the blessing of living here.
//It is for the purpose of breaking the bands of wickedness and breaking yokes. It changes us because we put aside a need of the physical body and allow God to give us strength.//
That’s certainly how I understand it. We need to teach our stomach that it (nor anything else) tells us what to do, except the Lord.
Thank you for posting. This was a well balanced discussion on a very important subject, and done well.
Rusty
"He is notable for his emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, particularly emphasizing extended fasting..."
In contrast Paul wrote: "For to me, living means living for Christ..." (Phil. 1:21, NLT)
Interesting that in his testimony at the beginning Shane doesn't even mention Jesus or the Gospel. Also his books are not really Gospel centered.
With the endless discussions we are now having about what is real and what is counterfeit, I believe our only hope would be that we get back to basic Gospel teaching and remember what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
"for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]." (1 Cor. 2:2 Ampl.)
In Christ alone...
Markus
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