What is fasting?
Fasting is a spiritual teaching that is taught in the Bible. It’s a time to replace our hunger for things – to being hungry for the Lord. Many characters in the Bible fasted: Jesus, Moses, Daniel, and many more.
- Jesus was tempted by Satan, so He fasted for forty days. He was really weak because of hunger but by the strength of the Lord, Jesus was able to face His temptations.
- Moses was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights without eating bread or water. During his time of fasting, he wrote the Ten Commandments.
- Daniel fasted for three weeks. His fast consisted of only eating fruits, vegetables, and drinking water. Daniel’s purpose of fasting was to remain faithful to the law of God, to repent for the sins of the people, and to draw near to the Lord.
Why is fasting important?
Fasting is important because it allows you to hear and see God clearly. It gives you an opportunity to be in a deeper, intimate time with Him. It pushes you to be hungry in prayer and in Him as the Bible encourages you. Fasting helps you to recognize your sins and God’s goodness. While you may be weak physically, Jesus will give you strength to be strong spiritually. It is, truly, a beautiful way to connect with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
My experience with fasting:
The first time I fasted was in 2015 while I was in Asia with the World Race. I fasted for three days, no food and only water. That was hard but so rewarding. God told me that I needed to move to Austin, Texas after I returned to the states to make disciples. I obeyed and said yes. After I moved to Austin, I encountered many challenges but it brought me closer to Jesus than ever before. Being there opened the doors to connect with strangers who did not know the Lord and share the Gospel. It allowed me to connect with strangers who did know the Lord and worship together. I was able to disciple my roommate and lead her closer to Christ.
If you are feeling spiritually disconnected, I encourage you to fast and spend time with Jesus in hunger and allow Him to restore you. If you are feeling spiritually close to God, I encourage you to fast to see what He has to say to you during the time of His goodness. The Lord will answer your prayers whether it is during the fast or afterwards. His love for you is sufficient!
I asked the DMP team to give me one word that represent fast and here are some of the responses:
- Listening. Surrendering. Intentional. Learning. Seeking. Grounding. Intimate. Hoping. Vision. Fasting. Closer. Sacrifice.
“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.” -Matthew 6:17-18