Why You Should Fast
Mk 9:29
He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer.
NIV
there are situations and life circumstance that can only be overcome through a faith "experience" born out of fasting, in the above mentioned case a boy was healed from a demon influenced sickness.
If you do not already know of the
power and importance of fasting, here are some very important facts:
- Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.
- Fasting and prayer can restore the loss of the "first love" for your Lord and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.
- Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, "I humble myself through fasting."
- Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.
- The Holy Spirit will quicken the Word of God in your heart and His truth will become more meaningful to you!
- Fasting can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience.
- Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your own life-and make you a channel of revival to others.
- Fasting and prayer are the only disciplines that fulfill the requirements of II Chronicles 7:14:
"If my people, who are called
by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from
their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and
will heal their land."
If you fast, you will find yourself
being humbled as I did. You will discover more time to pray and seek God's
face. And as He leads you to recognize and repent of unconfessed sin, you will
experience special blessings from God.
Fasting is a sacred time in which
Christians abstain from food, or other pleasures, and take the time to focus on
God. If you are interested in focusing your life around God, while feeding the
poor, deepening your faith .
- 1
Determine
the reasons of your choice to fast.
This may be repentance of sin, deepening your personal relationship with Him,
asking for His strength or wisdom, etc.
- 2
Hold
the right motives. Note that fasting as a Christian
means to humble thyself before Him. It is a way to Glorify our Lord. Keep these aspects in mind while you fast. Try to
hold off any other reasons for fasting such as weight loss, etc. Center it
around Jesus.
- 3
Pray
before your fast. Pray, confessing every one of your
sins, and inviting the Holy Spirit to lead your life. Let Jesus know you wish
to know Him personally. Acknowledge that He has died on the cross for our sins
and rose 3 days later, freeing us from condemnation, and giving us His free
gift of eternal life. Ask forgiveness from everyone you have hurt; ask
forgiveness from God. Forgive those who have hurt you.
- 4
Meditate
on the Gospel, and on the Holy traits of our Lord. These may include the ability to forgive, His strength or
wisdom, His peace, the capacity to love unconditionally, etc. Praise Him for
these attributes! Surrender your life and thank Him for all He has done for
you!
- 5
Determine
the length of your fasting experience, whether this is for 1 meal, 1 day, 3
days or a week (Jesus and Moses fasted for a period of 40 days, but that is no
sign that anyone else might do that).
You may wish to try a shorter fast, and start slowly at first, if you have not
previously fasted.
- 6
Note
the type of fast you are being called to.
You may feel that Holy Spirit calls you to a specific type of fast. A partial
fast may mean giving up only certain types of foods. Juice fasts remove the
pleasure of chewing any type of solid food, yet fruit and vegetable juices are
permitted.
- 7
Drink
enough water to support life, since it is not a food, observing this Absolute
Caution: In an absolute fast one abstains
from solid and liquid "foods" -- for example, fruit juices are
foods -- but, water is essential for life, as one may go into a foggy mental
state, then coma and die after a mere 4 or 5 days of dehydration.
- 1
Hold
morning worship. Worship Him and praise Him for His
attributes. Read God’s Word, and meditate that God will lend you His Wisdom, so
that you input His Word into your life, and gain a full understanding of it.
Pray for God’s Will to be done, and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Ask
God to lead you in spreading His Glory into the world we live in.
- 2
Go
for a prayer walk. Walk outside, hand in hand with
nature, while noticing God’s wondrous creation. Thank Him for everything He has
created as you walk. Ask Him to give thee a spirit of thanksgiving and
appreciation.
- 3
Pray
for the welfare of others. Pray that
church leaders will preach His Word as God intended, that your friends and
family members will grow closer to Him or accept Him into their lives; pray for
government leaders to come to Him and ask Him for His Will.
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