In the book of Isaiah chapter fifty-eight and verse six. It says,

6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, (And I’m reading the New International Version) to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7. 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?

8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning...

Listen. You may be seated in the house of God. Isaiah is talking about the real kind of fast. But when we look at this Scripture, he’s saying to us that a fast is mostly for ourselves for a cleansing.

But he’s saying, “I want you to take your fasting beyond yourself.” He said, “I want you to take your fasting into acts of kindness, acts of charity.” Do you hear what I’m saying tonight? He’s saying, “I want you to take it beyond you.” He said, “I want you to clothe those that have no clothes.” He said, “I want you to give shelter to those that have no shelter.” He said, “I want you to give food to those that have no food.”

He’s saying, “Fasting is good. And fasting is great. But if you would do these things of acts of kindness, then it will cause your light to break forth.

In the book of Isaiah chapter fifty-eight and verse eight, he said, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn.”

You see, we think that just fasting, going without, abstaining from is the way to get the get the breakthrough. But in the midst of your fast, when you begin to look after somebody else, that’s when your breakthrough is... Oh, my God, my God.

You see, we’ve been taking a fast, and we’ve been using a fast just for ourselves, so that we can get a little more spiritual. But God said being more spiritual means going out and doing something for somebody that can’t get it for themselves. He said that’s when you’re going to get your real breakthrough.

Have you ever been on a fast? Hallelujah. And on that fast all you could do was think about yourself? You see, when you’re on a fast and you’re thinking about yourself, self is going to tell you that you’re hungry. That’s why you can’t stay on the fast. That’s why when you begin to fast you’re still hungry. Because you still got your mind on you.

But when I get my mind off of me... Oh, my God, my God. Doing something for somebody else is going to cause me to stop thinking about myself. And when I stop thinking about myself, God is going to take over my situation.

This is a revelation about fasting. We talk about the Daniel fast, and how he ate beans and drank water. We talk about going and abstaining completely from any type of physical nourishment. Don’t we?

But see, let me explain this kind of fast to you tonight. Look at your Bibles. Look at verse eight again. It said, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn.” It says that you’re going to have a new beginning. Do you hear what I’m saying? When the light breaks forth like the new dawn, every morning is a brand new morning.

You want a new beginning? This is how you get a new beginning. My God, my God. This is a revelation from heaven. He said you’re going to have a new beginning. And your healing with quickly appear.

“Wait a minute. I thought I was fasting for my healing.” No, you’re not fasting for your healing. You’re going out and healing somebody else. And when you go out and heal somebody else, then your healing is going to break forth.

Wave your hands to Jesus tonight.

He said your healing is going to appear expediently. Then your righteousness will go before you.

You see, you won’t have to plead your cause any more. Don’t you get tired of trying to plead your own cause? You see, that’s when your righteousness is going to go before you.

Let me tell you something. Because actions speak louder than words. I can say that I’m this person, but what do my actions really say? Oh, my God, my God.

Look at your Bibles tonight.

“And the Glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” He’s going to protect you, isn’t He, with His Glory? He’s going to cover you. He’s going to surround you with the Glory. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer. You will cry for help, and He will say, “Here am I.”

You see, many times when we go into a place of fasting, we want to get into a place of seclusion, don’t we? That’s alright for a little while.

But after while I got to break out of that place of seclusion. I need to go out and see who I need to help. I need to go out. And I need to find somebody and say, “What can I do for you today?” I need to get out of me and get on my mission, and be about my Father’s business.

The Word of God is quick and powerful, isn’t it? But when we really get a revelation about what it says, it causes an illumination in us. You see, now we can have a new outlook about fasting. You see, when people begin to talk about fasting, people begin to dread.

That’s why He said anoint yourself. And He said don’t let your countenance show what you’re doing. When people start fasting they start getting into a place of depression and oppression. But that’s not where you need to be.

I need to be up. I need to be up, and I need to be out. And I need to be about my Father’s business.

You see, fasting will cause the power of God to move. You remember when the disciples said, “Why could we not cast out this demon?”

He said, “Because of your lack of faith.” But then He said, “This kind goeth out not by,” what? But fasting and praying. When you’re fasting and praying, God is sending you out on a mission.

See, many times we get into that place where we’re just in self. “I’m fasting for my breakthrough.” But see, remember that word “me.” If I always have that word “me” in my vocabulary... Oh, my God, my God. Who am I preaching to tonight? I need to get me out of the equation, don’t I? I need to add I Am to the equation. I need to add my brothers and my sisters to the equation. And my Lord is going to begin to move for me.

You see, you can read a Scripture over and over and over again. But until God reveals it to you, all it is is another word about fasting. See, we thought that just fasting was going to bring the breakthrough. But it’s the mission that I go on while I’m fasting that’s going to bring the breakthrough.

Lord, what can I do for You? And where do You want me to go? Here am I, Lord. Send me.

Look at your Bibles. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, if I don’t try to oppress somebody else because of what I’m going through, with the pointing finger and malice, malicious talk, if I get out of that place of maliciousness in my heart, then God is going to move for me.

You see, He can’t move for us while we’re in a place of maliciousness. He can’t move for us while we’re in a place of revenge, and seeking how I’m going to get somebody back.

See, some of us are notorious for always trying to have the last word. If I can get out of that place, then God can move for me. See, I’ve been there, done that. But I done moved on from there. I can’t stay in the place where the devil at. Do you hear what I’m saying? Because he has nothing to do with me. He has nothing in me. He can’t find his place in me. That’s why he can’t stay around me.

We’re talking about fasting. Getting a breakthrough. Having a new beginning.

Some of us need a new beginning. We’re not going to get it by wallowing in our self pity. Oh, my God, my God. I must be preaching to myself tonight. I’m going to come out of self pity. Because I know with whom I have to do. I know who my Father is.

I heard somebody say, “He’s God to some folks, but He wants to be Father to others.” He’s our Father. He’s our heavenly Father.

That’s why in the Lord’s prayer... I heard a preacher say that that should not be a model prayer. I love that prayer. Our Father, which art in heaven. When I don’t know what to start it with, I can start off with that. Because there’s an intimacy between me and Him. He’s your Father.

Tonight you been wondering what you’re going to do, because you don’t know yet. You done tried to fast. And it don’t seem like the fast is working. Now come on and fast. And while you’re fasting, get out and do something for somebody else. Get out and feed. Get out and clothe. Get out and shelter.

You can shelter somebody without providing what we call a house for them. Jesus is a shelter in a time of storm. You can shelter somebody by keeping them covered in prayer.

This is the fast that we need in the body of Christ. Saints of God, it’s time for us to fast. And I hear about churches going on a church fast all the time. But now I got the revelation of, well, in the midst of the fast, what are they doing? Oh, my God, my God. But in the midst of our fast we’re going to be busy. Do you hear what I’m saying?

See, some of us got clothes hanging up in our closet that we can’t wear. We need to take them downtown somewhere and give them away, don’t we? Some of us got cupboards stocked with food. We need to take some of that food and see some of these folks on the street and offer them some of that food, don’t we?

And in the midst of us being about our Father’s business, our light is going to break forth as the dawn. And we’ve talked about a new beginning. It won’t just be talk. It’ll be reality.

Come on, give God a handclap of praise tonight.