Spiritual Fasting Creates An Environment For Miracles
Fasting forces the flesh to go under the authority of Gods Spirit in us. When we are effectively fasting, we are letting God have all the room. His Spirit becomes powerful and mighty in our words and actions.
This is the perfect atmosphere for heaven to touch the earth and transform our circumstances of lack, chaos, and fear into Gods ordained circumstances of supply, peace, and faith. However, we must ensure that our fast is done for heavenly rewards, not earthly rewards. God blesses us when we keep our fast secret unless our testimony of fasting is used to edify others.
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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.
What Should You Not Do While Fasting
Fasting means no food or drink and also abstaining from bad habits and sins such as smoking, swearing, gossipping, arguing, fighting or being disrespectful, cruel or selfish. Sexual relations are also banned during the hours of fasting .
Spiritual Fasting Opens Our Heart To Hearing Gods Voice
When we fast, there is almost nothing distracting us from hearing Gods voice. We have emptied ourselves of our most basic need so we can put our full attention on God. This is the best time to make those difficult choices in life.
When we are at a crossroads and dont know which way to turn, fasting helps us to hear Gods direction. As we walk in the Spirit, we wont be hung up by the desires of our flesh trying to hold us down and keep us off course.
We will be able to hear more clearly from God when our spirit is stronger than our flesh.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh .
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Prayer Can Work Miracles
Throughout the scriptures, we see many examples of the Lord working miracles as an answer to prayer. In Old Testament times, the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lions den because he refused to stop praying. When he prayed to God in the lions den, angels appeared and closed the mouths of the lions. Through daily prayer, you can also experience personal miracles such as healing, peace, and forgiveness for sins.
Ideas For What To Do:
If youve prayed about fasting , and are sure its right for you in this season, here are some tips to help you get started:
- You dont have to take on a lengthy fast. Start small. Maybe skip one meal a week. Start your fast after dinner and do a one-day fast, only skipping two or three meals. Work your way up to longer fasts, if thats where you feel called.
- Always drink plenty of water and liquids. Stay hydrated.
- Set aside time during your fast to focus on God. Spend your meal time worshipping God, praying, and listening for His voice.
- Use your fasting as a time of reflection, self-denial, focus, listening, and cleansing. Allow God to penetrate your soul to cleanse and purify it, strengthening it for the journey ahead.
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Benefits Of Fasting And Prayer
The bible records different instances where people fast and pray before a major breakthrough. Therefore, fasting and praying prepare you for a supernatural blessing. Even though there are numerous benefits of fasting and prayers, we classify them into five.
Fasting and prayer help you to receive Gods direction and guidance Anytime I pray and ask God for something and I did not receive a revelation on my request, I go into fasting and praying. A few years ago, I was praying to God for direction, and God didnt reveal anything to me. After some time, I went on the mountain to fast and pray for three days. Behold, I received the directions before I left the mountain.
Daniel fasted for Gods guidance in Daniel 9: 3, and in Daniel 9:21-22, he received guidance. In Exodus 34:28, Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights to receive the ten commandments. Fasting and praying will help you make the right decision when you are confused.
Fasting and prayer bring victory: Some longing battles require fasting and praying. Jehoshaphat begged God for guidance and asked the people of Judah to start fasting when he heard they were surrounded by the vast army from Edom. 2 Chronicles 20:2-3. The fasting and prayer brought victory to the Israelites.
Fasting and prayer bring you closer to God: Prayer generally connects you to God, and when you combine both it brings intimacy between you and God. The urge to sin will no longer be there, and the Holy Spirit will flow
What Does Fasting Look Like In Todays Busy Life
If you have been following along you know this has been a rough season for me. I believe in living life without a mask. When life is hard I talk about it. When life is good I talk about it. Nothing is hidden and God gets all the glory when things change. It is a motto to live by and certainly, one benefit of a fast is learning that truth heart-deep!
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Can Catholics Get Tattoos
The Pope has backed tattoos , saying they can help build communities. At a meeting with young people ahead of an upcoming Synod of Catholic bishops, Pope Francis told them dont be afraid of tattoos . He said that while in some cases the number of tattoos were exaggerated, they could also be a symbol of faith.
What Are The Spiritual Benefits Of Fasting And Prayer
Is there something you have been praying over for a long time? Something urgent that you need God to answer now?
Fasting slows you down long enough to hear Gods voice. We saw that when we looked at the benefits of fasting and prayer in the Bible verses above. When you fast in obedience to Jesus Words you find:
Fasting can cure Spiritual dryness. It feels like wave after wave of Gods grace raining down on you when it finally breaks.
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Be At Peace With Yourself
Fasting and prayer can bring you a deeper understanding and acknowledge of how much we value worldly pleasures. These pleasures also stoke our egos. In the Islamic faith, fasting is the time to abandon ego and inculcate self-restraint. It is also a reminder of ones fortune in being able to eat whatever and whenever we want. By fasting we are sharing the pain the the suffering of the millions in this world who dont have food and water.
Unlike Islam, fasting is not mandatory in Hinduism. It is more a spiritual practice to purify the mind and achieve Gods grace.
Easing Your Way Into A Fast
If youve never fasted before, begin slowly. For those with dietary constraints, fast from social media or other comforts unrelated to food.
- Begin by skipping one or two daily meals replace food with prayer and petitions.
- Write the names of loved ones who youre fasting for in a journal or prayer card.
- Come out of a fast gradually by eating broths and vegetables dont consume rich or heavy foods immediately.
Celebrate spiritual breakthroughs when they arrive trust that God sees and hears your earnest prayer and sacrifice.
St. Augustine of Hippo once said, BY THE HELP of the merciful Lord our God, the temptations of the world, the snares of the Devil, the suffering of the world, the enticement of the flesh, the surging waves of troubled times, and all corporeal and spiritual adversities are to be overcome by fasting, and prayer.
When We Deny our Flesh, our Spiritually Cravings are Fortified.
Fasting and sacrificial prayer will not go in vain. It will always benefit those in your immediate circle and in the lives of Christ-followers in your community.
Let God be good to you through fasting and prayer in this new season of your life. As Psalm 34: 8 declares to us all, O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him, .
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Get Alone With God In Intercessory Prayers:
In the next stage of your waiting, spend some time in intercessory prayers.
This could be for your neighbors, community, and the nations leaders, for people unreached with the Gospel of Christ, and so on.
Job 42:10 : After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Why Fasting And Prayers
There are many reasons why we fast and pray. Apart from the spiritual benefits, it is also good for your health if you do it moderately.
The first reason for fasting and prayer is that it helps you to spend more time and focus on God. Whenever I am fasting and praying, I dont go out. I stay indoors for days, all I do is read the Bible and pray. I spend the majority of the hours praying during fasting.
Secondly, Fasting shows your commitment and seriousness to whatever you are asking God to do during that period. Except you are not doing it sincerely. God cherishes those with strong faith and serious desire. Joel 2:12Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.
Thirdly, fasting and praying are one of the fastest ways to experience Gods supernatural power and the flow of the Holy Spirit. Fasting and praying connect you to a higher spiritual realm. The reason why many Pastors and Church leaders embark on regular fasting.
Medically, fasting can help you lose weight. There is what is called intermittent fasting, doctors recommend it to those with obesity or overweight. It is an eating pattern that curbs the rate at which you eat.
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How To Do A Spiritual Fast: Hildegards Spiritual Fast
âSome people are greedy and do not abstain from abundant food. Thus forms in them toxic, tough, dry . ââHildegard of Bingen
Hildegard was a firm believer in moderation. Much of her work in natural herbal medicine as well as theology sought to unify her belief that we are interconnected. Man is connected with the natural environment and all is connected with the divine. For Hildegard, nature was a means for the divine to be not just reflected but also to be physically connected to man.
As a benedictine nun, fasting was just a part of life for Hildegard. But she also saw it as an important practice for everyone. For Hildegard, healthy fasting was how we maintain balance and moderation in the face of abundance and our natural weakness for excess.
Discipline was a central theme for her. So the discipline required to fast was an essential strength to develop in order to ward off temptation, imbalance, and thus ill-health.
Hildegard also believed that when people âare quick-tempered and peevish,â it leads to the formation of toxins in their bodies. She saw our physical health as a function of both our spiritual and mental disposition â and vice versa.
With that in mind, we thought weâd share some of Hildegardâs spiritual fast as inspiration for you.
Prayer For Healthy Holy Fasting
Father, your Word is full of wisdom and knowledge. I pray that we, as children of God, trust you Lord and humble ourselves before you… seeking you God like never before. I pray for everyone fasting and beginning to fast.
I pray that they are led by you, Father, and not the world. I pray the distractions and temptations will not overcome them during this time. Thank you, Father, for loving us enough to send your Son to die for us. We will be forever grateful. In Jesus name, Amen
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Things To Avoid When Fasting And Praying
Let me offer a word of caution when asking, Is fasting healthy?
Fasting is a Spiritual discipline that is hard to cultivate. I highly advise working up to bigger fasts by fasting part of a day for a while. As you become accustomed to the effects of fasting you can fast a day, a few days, or more. Dont worry about what to do when you are fasting. Plan on praying and let God lead you.
Spiritual fasting is not about the body. Yes, there are physical benefits of fasting and prayer over time, but there is also a danger. It is easy to turn a time of fasting into a diet. Resist the urge.
The more healthy benefits of fasting and prayer will be seen in Spiritual satisfaction and nearness to God rather than weight loss.
Benefits Of Combining Fasting And Prayer
Therefore, the combining of fasting and prayer is important because it enables Christians to gain:
- a closer relationship with God
- spiritual breakthrough
- a greater level of self-discipline
The Bible teaches us to fast and pray Pray continually Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. .
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Why Did I Decide To Fast 40
- For a few years, my health has been deteriorating. The diagnosis is an Auto-Immune Disease called Hashimoto Thyroiditis
I was empty, hurting, and in need of clear direction in a lot of areas. As I prayed I was more confused by Gods answer to be still. So I began asking God to speak more clearly. Fasting and spiritual awakening go hand and hand and I went to God fully expecting Him to answer.
Importance Of Fasting And Prayers
Fasting and prayer are a necessity for Christians, to enable them to seek the face of God wholly.1. GREATER INTIMACY WITH GODWe deny our carnal nature in order to fulfill the desires of God. What He wills for our lives can be found through fasting and prayers. Our spirit and soul experience joy because of fasting.Its a decision to momentarily die to our flesh to fulfill the greater things of a mighty God who seeks us. Mark 2:20
2. SURRENDER OF ONES COMFORT TO GAIN SPIRITUAL CLARITY.Our 21st-century culture can lead you to become numb to what matters to God. Yet praying through fast challenges sharpens our spiritual discernment.When we fast from things such as social media, television, food, and even negative mindset, we readily get answers as we tend to pray the way the spirit wants. Romans 12:2.
3. OUR HEARTS OPENS TO SPIRITUAL REVIVAL.We kindle the Holy Spirit fire during the course of fasting and prayer, we become change agents and intercessors for the broken and hurting during the period of fasting and prayer as we become sensitive in the realm of the spirit, hence we connect to the needs of others. Our hearts are revived and refreshed spiritually because of the act of fasting and prayer as recorded in Acts 1:8.
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Answers To Earnest Prayer
The first and most immediate answer is the reward of what our fast is for. What was the specific stated purpose as we rehearsed above? Fasting functions as a kind of assistant to prayer. It comes alongside some specific request were making of God, through the access we have in Christ , and expresses an unusual earnestness. Fasting, as a handmaid of prayer, makes some special plea to God, with an added intensity from normal, everyday prayer.
Fasting is a kind of special measure in the life of faith. Normal life is not fasting. Normal life is steady-state prayer and enjoying the Giver through his gifts of food and drink. Fasting is a special mode, for unusual prayer and for showing the Giver we enjoy him more than his gifts.
Prayer To Align With God’s Heart
Lord, I want to get Your Word so deep into my heart that it becomes MY word! I want to see things the way You see them, hear things the way You hear them, and feel things the way You feel them. I want to get so aligned with You that our hearts beat in syncopation together. I thank You that once Your Word gets that deeply rooted in my heart, my spoken words will release rivers of power and authority against the works of the devil that he has designed for my destruction! I thank You that just as Your words created the universe, my spoken words of faith create a change in my atmosphere! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
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