Fasting
What is Fasting?
Why Fast?
Prayer
Prayer is the language of the spirit. This is language over which you have no control. When you enter into prayer, you may enter because of some need or desire, but prayer only takes place when the Spirit takes over and you are carried away as by the current of a river.
When we study the life of Jesus, we see that Jesus did not pray between his periods of work and ministry, Jesus worked and ministered between His times of prayer. Prayer must be our first priority. It is through prayer that we strengthen our relationship with God and access the power of God for our living.
O what peace we often forfeitO what needless pains we bearAll because we do not carryEverything to God in prayer.
We’ve got to pray openly and honestly. Admit to God when you don’t feel like it or when the tv or someone is pulling you in another direction. Hey, we all have that wandering inclination and God is big enough to handle it. Just ask for more strength and discipline to be constant in prayer.
Remember, this is a practice. Just because it is the right thing to do doesn’t mean that it will happen for us overnight. Just keep being committed to the practice of prayer.
God’s faithfulness to us is our shield and armor! (Psalm 91:4) God knows we can be wishy-washy. That’s what grace is for!
So, take it easy on yourself. God loves you and wants you to reach where you’re trying to go… in Him.
Prayer needs fasting for its full growth. Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible. Fasting is the other hand, the one with which we let go of the visible.– Andrew Murray
Fasting is abstaining from food with a spiritual purpose in mind. Jesus teaches us that fasting and prayer are a powerful combination. While fasting is not explicitly commanded by Jesus in the Gospels, it seems that it is assumed that fasting would be a part of the life of the believer: “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
Fasting is abstaining from food with a spiritual purpose in mind. Jesus teaches us that fasting and prayer are a powerful combination. While fasting is not explicitly commanded by Jesus in the Gospels, it seems that it is assumed that fasting would be a part of the life of the believer: “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
Remember, the Fast should change your routine. If you are going about your regular routine merely with a change in diet, you are not fasting, you are on a diet! Fasting must change our routine. The Fast is to refocus us on the things of God. We should expect to be different when this time of fasting is over and not just physically…• By the time the fast is over, we should have created an atmosphere in our lives, our homes, our churches in which God is pleased to dwell.• By the time the Fast is over, we should have created such an atmosphere in prayer that miracles become daily events in our lives.• By the time the Fast is over, we should have prayed the yoke of bondage off of our sisters and brothers.
Yes, by the time a Fast concludes, we should have walked through the doorway of Kingdom Living! All this is accomplished through prayer and fasting. So, commit to a fast and do not grow weary nor take lightly the fast you commit to God. Divine opportunities are waiting all around for us to seize them in fasting and in prayer. God moves in powerful ways during sincere fasts (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-23).
Remember, the fast is to the Lord. The fast should cause us to redirect our focus, our attention. It should more regularly direct us to our prayer closets because fasting and prayer go hand in hand. Prayer is our Priority! And not just during the course of this Lenten fast, but in life. We’ve got to make every effort to ensure we add more and more time with God in prayer and meditation each and everyday for this is where we find LOVE, JOY and PEACE! God honors it when we deny the flesh and sow to the spirit. This is consistent with what we learn in Galatians 5:16-25 and in Colossians 3:1-17. Fasting is to honor the life of our spirits. Be assured, to nurture and to refine the spirit-life has eternal significance.
Remember, fasting is to abstain from food with spiritual purposes in mind. Our purposes are many:• we are seeking to grow even closer to God• to see the Gifts of the Holy Spirit fully operating in the Body of Christ• to experience the Fruit of the Holy Spirit being borne out in the lives of the people of God• to break the power of the enemy over our lives and the lives of those around us• to scatter the plans of the enemy• to gain more spiritual power• to wrestle ourselves away from unhealthy attachments• to see the Kingdom of God grow exponentially• to experience good physical, mental and spiritual health• to walk in miracles• to transform our minds• ultimately, to live our lives in ways pleasing to God
All our purposes will be fulfilled by the Power of God through fasting and prayer! Don’t waiver in unbelief. God is true to His Word! AND DON’T STOP PRAYING BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE ANSWER OR BECAUSE YOU DON’T FEEL ANYTHING. God moves in God’s time. And, be assured, whether you feel anything or not, God is listening!
The promise of God in Christ Jesus is this: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7 - but read the whole passage). This is an amazing promise, but what is “abiding”?
• Abiding is to dwell constantly in the secret place of the Most High (Psalm 91:1).• Abiding is to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)• Abiding is to have a song in your heart to God at all times (Ephesians 5:19)• Abiding is to write the Word of God on the tablet of your heart (Proverbs 7:2-3; Psalm 119:16)• Abiding is learning and strengthening ourselves through fasting and prayer.
The Fast is not to be an event that will pass, nor an experience that we will merely have; but, it is an entrance into a life of continual abiding in God, a pathway into the deeper things of God, a seat in the Presence of God.
Fasting is abstaining from food. This is the general definition. Breakfast is to break the fast of the previous night. Specific to our purposes, fasting in abstaining from food with a spiritual purpose at heart. Because fasting is spiritual in nature, when you abstain from food, you should also abstain from behaviors and activities that would distract you from your spiritual goals.
You fast because you are seeking to allow your spirit to become stronger.
You fast because you are seeking to allow your spirit to become stronger.
Fasting shifts your attention from your flesh to your spirit and allows you to be more attuned to God. God is a Spirit and we must come to God in spirit and truth (John 4:24 ). Fasting is effectively shedding your flesh with all it’s whining and complaining and neediness so that you can feed your spirit. When you spirit becomes stronger, so will your body and your emotions. Spirit permeates everything there is, so to ignore your spirit is really to disconnect and isolate yourself. To ignore your spirit is to miss out on the fullness of life. To ignore your spirit is to ignore yourself.
Your spirit is at your center. Your spirit is your core. This is the "secret place of the Most High" the psalmist sings about in Psalm 91 . Here is where God resides. Many people seek all over the place for God only to find that the search ends within themselves (John 4:19-24 ). This is God’s promise to us: God will be with us and in us (John 14:16-17 ). Fasting helps us to reach our Center.
Why Fast?
We fast to strengthen our relationship with God (Nehemiah 9). Jesus assumes fasting will be a regular practice (Matthew 6:16-18 ). The regular practice of fasting helps us grow spiritually stronger like exercise helps the body.
Fasting goes hand in hand with prayer. Fasting is a spiritual practice and prayer is the language of the spirit. You fast to empower your prayer life. There are many reasons to fast and pray:
Fast and pray to hear God’s voice more clearly and to know God’s Will (Daniel 9:3-4 ).
Fast and pray for spiritual clarity (Daniel 10 ).
Fast and pray to bring down strongholds in your life and the lives of those around you.
Fast and pray for direction and clarity in making decisions (Acts 13:1-3).
Fast and pray to free yourself and others of addictions.
Fast and pray to become more spiritually empowered.
Fast and pray for spiritual breakthrough (Joel 2:15-32 ).
Fast and pray for clarity and healing (Isaiah 58:6-9 ).
Fast and pray to create order in your life and in your household.
Fast and pray for God’s help against the enemy (2 Chronicles 20:1-30 ).
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