Fasting can be described as abstaining from food, or some types of food, especially as an act of religious observance. Fasting is an area where you would need to develop discipline and controlled to be accurate and effective. Your mind has to be spiritually conditioned to conduct an effective fast. You must pray when fasting. They both work hand and hand.
(Matthew 6:16) – "When you go without food so you can pray better, do not be as those who pretend to be someone they are not. They make themselves look sad so people will see they are going without food. For sure, I tell you, they have all the reward they are going to get." (NLV)
Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. This brings Him into a place that when He is weak that's when He is strong. The outer appearance shouldn't resemble the inner appearance. The evil one observed the outer physical appearance of Jesus, which resembled hunger, but this was not a sign that the spiritual man was weak. While the adversary/devil tempted Him, the inner man was well equipped and ready for any challenge that may occur. He then takes control and speaks at the right time to counteract the evil attacks.
Forty days may sound a little wow to you, and you might say this is just too much days for you to fast. However, always remember, the mind controls the body. If the mind is condition to fast, the body will follow. So fasting is really a mind thing, not a body thing. This is why, when you fast, you must get your mind to focus on the spiritual things. At the same time, you also get your mind to reject the cornel things. In this process, the mind should be very busy making sure that you get what you need and not what you want.
(In Mathew 6:17) – It said "when you go without food so you can pray better, put oil on your head and wash your face. Then nobody knows you are going without food. Then your father who sees in secret will reward you." (KJV)
Fasting is for your inner man and not to show to others that you could go with food. This is called going on a diet for the physical body. If you abstain from food, sooner or later you will lose weight, but the inner man would not profit from such an act. The inner man is not visible, that's where your strength is located. You could know that someone is fasting, but you should not be able to determine by just his or her appearance.
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Matthew 6:16 KJV)Fasting is not a public display, is not to be publicized, unless it's a corporate fast.
When you fast and pray you must have an expectation that God will speak to you. Have an expectation that God will use you to channel His message to another. Open your spiritual bowel to receive what the Lord is about to say to you. Be sensitive to the voice that speaks. Prepare yourself to hear from God, by bringing your flesh into subjection through fasting and praying.
Fasting is the greatest spiritual discipline for seeking God's intervention. Combined with prayer they together make up the most critical weapons of spiritual warfare and deliverance. While we cannot manipulate God to fulfill our desires exactly as laid out, to him fasting always (when done the biblical way) moves God to fulfill his intended will over the matters.
Our Lord Jesus said fasting would be necessary for his disciples after He ascended."The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast," (Matthew 9:15-KJV))
The early disciples remembered the words of their master and thus they made fasting vital. The outstanding work God accomplished through them speaks for itself.
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