Life in the “FAST” Lane
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6:17,18
Fasting for many of you this will be a new experience which you may not fully understand or appreciate. Let me explain a little about fasting—what it is, why we do it and what it accomplishes.
First, a fast is a voluntary denial of food to yourself; that is, while on the fast you don’t eat as you normally would. While there are partial fasts where you do without certain foods and still eat others, most fasts in the Bible involve doing without food completely. Care should be taken to drink plenty of water while fasting, and any people under a doctor’s care should ask their doctor if it is advisable for them to fast. Nursing mothers should also avoid a complete fast. Fasting without prayer is just a crash diet. Fasting with prayer, on the other hand, is a dynamic expression of spiritual urgency which is an available tool in the hands of believers to greatly affect things and situations around them. We fast for several reasons:
1. To express our desire to be closer with Jesus;
2. To experience spiritual breakthrough in our personal life;
3. To receive direction and vision of God’s purposes;
4. To empower prayers for spiritual deliverance;
5. To focus prayer on specific needs or issues;
6. To humble ourselves before God and remind ourselves of our utter dependency on Him.
During the early stages of a fast, it seems as though all our attention is drawn to our physical bodies—our stomach and head hurt, all we can think of is what we’ll eat when it’s over, and we often feel very weak. But as the fast progresses (differently for each person), you will find your heart and mind much more drawn to and sensitive to spiritual things. Fasting alerts you to kingdom realities and God’s moving, unlike almost anything else. Fasting unlocks doors of possibilities, perception and power. It isn’t just a religious exercise. Aside from all the physical hassles, fasting is a thrilling experience!
