Are You Fasting?
Are You Fasting?
Jan 19Each January for the last 6 years our church has participated in a 21 day corporate fast. Today is day 11 of our fast. Just over half way there. I thought this would be a good time to post about some of my experiences while fasting in order to help you get through the middle season of your fast.
Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from particular aspects of life in order to seek deep dimensions of fellowship and blessings with God. I have learned a lot about fasting from Jentezen Franklin and now Stovall Weems who has put out a book about it but I think I have learned more through participation. If you have never fasted then you should begin a fast sometime soon. Matthew 6: 16 says, “When you fast…” not “If you fast”.
Following are just a few things I have learned over the past few years.
- We can never forget about God’s grace. It is our nature to fall into a system of merit and think in terms of achievement and rewards. The reality is that there isn’t anything we can do to get more of God’s love and there isn’t anything we can do to get less of His love. Fasting isn’t about impressing God or twisting his arm to recognize how good of a Christian we are. Fasting is simply removing worldly distractions in order to seek deeper dimensions with God. Jesus’ grace was enough to change our position with God. Our efforts are not required.
- I have learned a lot about my weaknesses. When you begin to fast; eliminating sugars, caffeine, breads and meats, your body brings to the surface all of its impurities and toxins. Naturally our body will trap toxins and chemicals found in those foods and hold them until we eliminate them for a period of time. The results are headaches, bad breath, stomach pains, dizziness, weird sleep patterns, skin rashes and even mouth blisters. All of the bad stuff is coming to the surface. The same effect happens to us spiritually during a fast. Our weakness and strongholds begin to surface. For the most part, Christians have learned to cover over our weaknesses but during a fast we are confronted with ourselves. It turns out we are looking in the mirror at our real selves. Questions like, “Do I really trust God?” or “Will I serve Him even if I’m hurting?” or “Will I remain obedient to this fast when I really don’t want to?” The weaknesses are in there, inside everyone one of us. The question is whether or not you are ready to confront them and gain the victory over them.
- I have learned more about God’s forgiveness. Why? Because during a fast I see my weakness and I experience failures. Many of us fail in different ways during a fast. Everything from bad attitudes, emotional outburst, temper outbreaks, eating things we shouldn’t, falling to various temptations and simply giving up. If you, like me have missed the mark then take no time for self-guilt. Don’t allow the devil to hold you down. Thank the Lord for His forgiveness and get right back up and begin again. Don’t get discouraged but rather be encouraged in that now you know an area to work on and be encouraged because now you have a new appreciation for God’s forgiveness.
- Fasting is not about food. It is very easy to get so focused on what you are and are not eating that you lose the real focus, which is seeking Jesus. One way to determine if you are getting more focused on food is to listen to what you are talking about. If you seem to be talking about food more than anything else then you may need to refocus. Fasting without a true focus on Jesus is just a miserable diet.
- Immature fasters can become prideful. We tend to feel like we are doing more or are really serving God better than other people when we fast. Fasting does not make us “super saints.” It does not make us better than another. True fasting should produce humility due to the fact we are becoming more aware of our weakness and our growing appreciation of our need for Jesus.
- The devil hates it when we fast. The last thing he wants is for you to become fired up about serving the Lord. Fasting will fire up your spirit life therefore the enemy will send troubles your way to try to keep you from becoming the man or woman of God that you were destine to be. So be ready to overcome his tactics by pressing in more to the presence of the Lord.
- Fasting knocks our props out. We live in a culture of props and stimulants. We can’t get our day started without a cup of coffee or 3. We need cokes and sweet teas to enjoy our meals and most of us are hooked on TV and games. Fasting is eliminating those things that have us propped up to either energize, comfort or entertain us in order to depend on God for our strength. Fasting is a vacation from self. Imagine your life now being fueled by the Holy Spirit rather than trappings of the world.
These are just a few of things I have learned. If you are fasting then I am praying for you to gain great strength from the Lord.
