Fasting & Prayer: 3 Tips for Effective Fasting
It is the culture of most Christians to fast at the beginning of every season, particularly new calendar years, new birthday years, and sometimes during transitionary moments like changing jobs, starting a new relationship, studies, and so forth. Fasting is simply a way of drawing closer to God by weakening the physical so the spirit man can be more active. In Luke 4: 14, we are introduced to fasting as an activation key for the power of the spirit to operate within us. Jesus went into the wilderness full of the spirit but came back after 40 days of fasting full of the power of the spirit.
Types of Fasting
Throughout scripture, we learn of so many people going through fasting and this has been the basis of the classification of fasts into Dry/Absolute, Daniel, and Intermittent fasting. The first time we are introduced to fasting in scripture is in the book of Exodus 34, with Moses up on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights without food or drink. We also meet Jesus in the new testament in the books of Luke 4 and Mark 1, withdrawing to the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. Note here that both Moses and Jesus took time away from the noise of the world and went into exclusion for a period so they could draw closer to God. This type of fasting is what is termed, dry/absolute fasting, there is zero intakes of food or drink whatsoever.
In the book of Esther, we are introduced to a variation of this type of fast that over time has been termed, the Esther Fast. Esther engages all the Jews living in the city to fast for three days without taking food or drink for three days to unlock the favor of God so she could stand before the King and save her people. And guess what, it worked! Homegirl got her people saved. When Daniel was afflicted, he went into intense prayer and fasting for 21 days eating only fruits and vegetables. In Daniel 10, we discover that Daniel devoted some time to God seeking knowledge and wisdom, and revelation of God’s will for His people in Babylon. Intermittent fasting is a form of a partial fast that can either take the form of a dry fast for some time in a day or a Daniel fast.
Three Tips for Effective Fasting
Scripture advises us to be mindful of our motive and attitude towards fasting. Fasting is for intimacy with God and not the applause of the world. It is to be done in secret between you and God unless and only unless anyone else must know. Remember God knows our hearts and it is our responsibility to make sure our hearts are in the right place as we fast.
Engage God
Because Fasting is about intimacy with God, it is critical to engage him as you embark on this journey. Extend an invitation to your program and surrender by submitting to His will for that particular moment of your life. In the first chapter of Jeremiah, we find God informing Jeremiah that He knew him before He even formed him in the womb. This speaks of a destiny that’s already mapped for the children of God and this implies that your intentions to fast are not a surprise to Go. He already knows about it and in the same way He says He knows the plans in Jeremiah 29, He knows the best plan of execution for your fast. Paul says in Ephesians 3:20, God can do all things far more abundantly than we can ask. This means that you can engage him, seek counsel and He will do it for you. Remember the plan is to be effective, not exhausted.
Read the Word
Apostle Paul says the word of the Lord is a sword we can use against the energy. It is also a revelation of the character of God and how He showed up for His people over time. By definition, intimacy is close familiarity with something and as a motive for fasting, it is about familiarity with God. To be familiar with God, you are going to need the knowledge of whom you seek to be close to. What better place to seek if not His word, a love letter of how He showed up for his people over and over again? You can only weaponize that which you know otherwise that weapon can work against you. This is the nature of the word of God, Paul calls it a double-edged sword full of power in his letter to the Hebrews. Your deliverance is in the word, the same way that your breakthrough, instruction, values and whatever you are seeking after is found in the work. We find God in the book of Jeremiah 29:13, informing the remnants of Israel in Babylon that He will only reveal Himself to them if they sought after Him with all their hearts. Start in the word!
Pray & Pray
“Finally, be strong in the Lord…for we do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and cosmic powers of darkness…therefore, stand firm praying at all times in the spirit”, Ephesians 6:10-18. Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus encouraging them to pray. Pray is a weapon that works best when coupled with honor, glory, praise, and worship. When you go to the altar, you better bring some form of offering, and whatever your offering is accompany it with Prayer. Prayer honors God and throughout scripture, we are either taught how to pray or encouraged to pray. It is a command from God so much that Christ even when to the extent of teaching us to pray in Matthew 6 where He connects it to fasting.
Happy Fasting!!!
