What Is Fasting?Sample

WHAT DOES FASTING DO?

Fasting increases your control over your life. We are spirits enclosed in bodies; however, most of the time, we let our bodies control our spirits. Fasting puts the control back in our hands so that our bodies can become servants to the Lord. Fasting does not change God and His standards of righteousness or His will, but it changes us. In other words, God doesn’t need it; we do!

•Fasting Changes Things: Fasting changes the destiny of nations and individuals. (Jonah 3:5-10). God will not despise a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17)

•Fasting brings God’s power into difficult situations: Divine guidance and wisdom come as we wait on God in prayer and fasting. (Deuteronomy 9:7-11)

•Fasting revives us: The power of self is reduced through surrender, and God can then have greater freedom to work in us. (Philippians 2:13)

•Fasting purifies us spiritually: It is a spiritual discipline that keeps us engaged with God when we willingly give up our pleasures to focus on God.

•Fasting leads to brokenness: Fasting, being an expression of humility and repentance, helps us in our submission and reverence of God as He works in us.

Substituting Meals

•Each day many of us are likely to spend a lot of our time on meals—thinking about what we're going to eat, then shopping, then cooking, then serving it, eating, and eventually cleaning up! It's possible to spend multiple hours of our day just on food.

•However, when you are on a fast, you are able to clear out that extra space so you can create time with God, and that is something that pleases God.

•Fasting can ideally save you so much time that you may not even know what to do with it! That is why our encouragement is that during the fast, all meal times should be spent in prayer and the word.

•In essence, at meal times, don't stick around your office or class; vanish! Take a prayer walk, or sit somewhere outside and read your Bible and pray. Every one of those days, spend extra time with the Lord. You could, for example, read 5 books of the Bible in one week! In the evening, cook and take care of your family if they are not fasting—sit at the table and bless them—and participate in your family devotions! Pray for your family.