So you know how in anime TV shows
you have those characters powering up? Well, fasting is kind
of like that for a Christian. Fasting is
essentially denying bodily desires so that you can place
greater attention on growing the spirit inside of
you, and this can result in greater power. The
longest I've ever fasted from food has been seven
days, and I'll tell you, to go that long without
food was tough. But during this period of
hunger, I felt this unusual hypersensitivity to
the voice of God and the leading of the spirit. And the reason why I'm
telling you all of this isn't to boast, but to tell you that I
speak from experience when I say this. Fasting is one way that
you can draw even closer to God and it could even push you to
greater heights in your walk with Him. However, there is a correct way to fast. So if you want to learn
how, follow these four steps. Step number one, pick a purpose. Matthew 4.2 And when he had fasted 40 days
and 40 nights, afterward he was hungry. In this passage, before Jesus
started His ministry and chose His disciples, we see that He fasted for
40 days and then He got hungry. So when you fast, you
normally set aside a period of time to fast and then you fast
for a particular reason. Jesus chose to fast for 40 days. So for you, you
could fast for a single meal, a full 24-hour period of time, or longer. I should also tell you that it can
be physically unsafe for certain people to fast from food for too long. So please check with your doctor if
you plan to fast for extended periods of time, especially if you
have any health conditions. Also note that Jesus chose to
fast right before He began His ministry and before He chose His 12 disciples. So before you fast, pick
a reason on why you're fasting. You can fast if you have
to make an important decision, or have something
important that you need to pray for, or if you want to
grow in spiritual discipline. I should also mention
that there's a certain power that comes with fasting, because according to Mark 9, verse 29, certain demons can only be cast out if someone is in a state of fasting. But please note that
while you can have many reasons why you fast, the heart of fasting can be summed up in this sentence. We fast so that we
can draw nearer to God. So once you pick a
time and a reason to fast, proceed to step number
two, which is to stop eating. And for this point, I will reread Matthew chapter four,
verse two, and read verse three. And when he had
fasted 40 days and 40 nights, afterward he was hungry. Now when the
tempter came to him, he said, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." In this passage, we
see again that Jesus fasted, was hungry, and that the
devil tempted him first with food. So please note that
the result of Jesus's fast was physical hunger. So when it comes to fasting, biblically, you really just have to stop eating. In the past, I've
heard some Christians say that you can also fast
from social media, electronics, or from desserts or other types of food. But I would argue
that those would be things that we can sacrifice or give to God. So I would not
categorize those under fasting. And my main argument for
that is because I cannot find a place in scripture
where people fasted something other than food altogether. Some people may argue
that in Daniel chapter 10, verses two to three,
Daniel fasted different things, but that was a time
of mourning, not fasting. Now all that to say, if
you wanna give up social media or electronics to
God, awesome, you can do that. And it would probably be healthy for you. Just note though, that
that would be considered something that you give to God
and could not be called fasting. And should you
decide to fast, please note that it's difficult
and that you'll want to eat and your body will
think of excuses to not fast or your mind will
try to justify you eating and try to get you
to break your fast sooner than you planned. Fasting food gets
especially tough once you hit dinner time or if you fast for a week, days two and three are incredibly tough, at least in my experience it was. So tip for when you
fast, when it gets unbearable because it might for
you, drink a big cup of water and pray and ask God for help. And then remember
that fasting is the exercise of dying to yourself so
that you can draw closer to God and to grow in the spirit. So again, if that's
uncomfortable for you, that's normal. Step number three,
keep it between you and God. Matthew chapter six verses 16 to 18. Moreover, when you
fast, don't be like the hypocrites with the sad countenance
for they disfigure their faces so that they may
appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say to
you, they have their reward, but you, when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not
appear to men to be fasting, but to your father
who is in the secret place and your father who sees
in secret will reward you openly. In this passage,
Jesus teaches his followers to hide the fact that
they're fasting if they're fasting. And then he tells them to wash their face so that people don't
know that they're fasting. So the main point here
is to make your time of fasting something special
between you and God alone. So don't go making it
obvious that you're fasting. In the passage, Jesus
was talking about how some people made it very clear that they were fasting and essentially they
were communicating to others, ooh, look how holy we are, we're fasting. So for you, don't
tell people you're fasting if you decide to. In my experience,
when people have asked me if I wanted to eat during a fast, I deflected with
a, I'll eat later, thanks. However, for you, don't
lie and say you're not hungry. It is okay to tell people
you're fasting if they ask you. The main point of the
passage was not to flaunt the fact that you're fasting like
it's some spiritual badge of honor. And the reason why is
because fasting is just us trying to get closer to God. So we should try to keep
that matter between us and him. And step number
four, pair fasting with prayer. Matthew chapter 17, verse 21. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Acts chapter 10, verse 30. So Cornelius said, four days ago, I was fasting until this hour and at the ninth
hour, I prayed in my house. Acts chapter 14, verse 23. So when they had
appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the
Lord in whom they had believed. First Corinthians
chapter seven, verse five. Do not deprive one
another except with consent for a time that you may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer. Please notice the
repetition in these passages and it's that fasting many
times is accompanied with prayer. And this sums up one of
the main focuses of fasting. Fasting isn't just abstaining from food, it's also drawing near to God during those times
of hunger and death to self. So if you decide to fast for a meal or for a 24 hour period of time, pray and dive into God's word during the times
that you would normally eat. If you think about it, a lot of our life revolves around food, thinking about it,
getting it, preparing it, eating it, and then cleaning up after it. So utilize this time
that you gained from fasting and think about why
you're fasting and pray. Ask God questions, sit in silence, read his words, seek his
will, and listen for his voice. And as the day passes and you get hungry, go back to God and grow
in your private prayer life. And as you pray,
learn to sit quietly before God and don't rush it. English preacher
Samuel Chadwick rightly says, "That hurry is the death of prayer." Okay? So if you ever
decide to fast in the future, please follow these four steps. Pick a purpose, stop eating, keep it between you and
God, and pair fasting with prayer. In the past, I fasted when
I've needed direction in my life, before I moved forward
in a romantic relationship, or when specific people needed protection because their life was in danger. And during my times of hunger, I felt God draw nearer to me. I hope the same will be true with you and that you'll
always remember, Jesus loves you.