Fasting to me was like the final frontier, its one of those things that I knew that would benefit my walk with God but I never had gotten around to committing to more than a day due to laziness, giving up food for God was something that I was uneasy about, like it was the last part of my life that I had control over. Funny isn’t it how we say to God take all of me; my weaknesses and my pain but when we start on our journey as a Christian we still try to be in control of our lives! Still fighting for our independence even as it leads us away from God’s will.
So I told God that I would give him a seven-day fast and my husband said that he was convicted to do the same. After day one I was already thinking, why had I promised to do seven days! I was mentally kicking myself every-time I had hunger pangs and remembering my failed first try at fasting, several years before. My husband stood with me in prayer and helped me to focus on God. The second and third day I started to have headaches but overall I felt more determined to complete the fast, partly to the fact that I was amazed that I hadn’t gone sleep eating.
The more I spent time fasting and giving up the time to God, I was able to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit more clearly and as a result was able to be obedient to his voice. I had the revelation on how much I needed him (God) and felt my spirit become more sensitive to people around me. I noticed how God was using me to intercede for my colleagues and people that I met during the week on a deeper level. God wants us to spend more quality time with him: giving, praying and fasting, but for some reason a lot of Christians have omitted fasting from their walk with God.
Luke 5:33-34
They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."
Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
This week of fasting has made me more determined to give everything to God because he deserves my all. I will definitely be making fasting a regular part of my lifestyle, the benefits that God has blessed me with for sacrificing food far outweighs my need for it.
A good book on fasting that I would recommend is: Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
-Chaka
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