Public ministry begins by fasting!
Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Luke chapter 4:
1 From the moment of His baptism, Jesus overflowed with the Holy Spirit. He was taken by the Spirit from the Jordan into the wilderness of Judea to experience for forty days the ordeal of testing by the accuser. He ate no food during this time and ended his forty-day fast very hungry.
Even though Jesus was filled with The Holy Spirit, He found it necessary to fast and be tested. At the end of the testing, He began His public ministry in the power of The Holy Spirit:
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
Luke also recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 13:
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
First, they fasted and heard The Holy Spirit’s instructions. Second, they once again fasted and prayed, then sent Barnabas and Saul (Paul) out for public ministry.
And in Acts chapter 10:
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
Cornelius demonstrated the three “When’s” from the Words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 6: When you give to the poor, when you pray, and when you fast.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God”.
FATHER recognized the prayers and generosity to the poor as an Eternal offering. As a result, FATHER dispatches an angel to Cornelius in preparation for sending Peter to his household.
5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.
8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Cornelius’ fasting and prayers initiated Peter’s ministry to include all of mankind. Peter was given a vision of the men that were sent to bring him to the house of Cornelius.
22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was Divinely instructed by a Holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”
Fasting opens up the supernatural!
Peter arrives at the house.
28 Then Peter said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’
Cornelius fasted until 3 PM. Was it to be an all day fast? I don’t know, but does it really matter? The important thing is that Cornelius fasted and prayed… and he feared GOD. As a result, he had a major impact on the public ministry of Peter.
The moment you and I interact with anyone, this too is a public ministry opportunity. Think about it!