Fasting

Thursday 4 June
READ: Matt. 4:1-10
MORE LESSONS: Isa. 58:6-9

Fasting is one of the fundamental pillars of the Christian faith. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ gave us a sound example in fasting when He did so for forty days. What do you think Jesus was looking for? Power? Which power? It was not for power and I think it is erroneous when people tell us that Jesus fasted for forty days and it was only after then He was able to begin to manifest power; that is an error. Jesus didn't need a fast to move the earth. At 12 years of age, He sat down with doctors of the law answering questions to the amazement of His hearers. If on that day He wanted the earth to shift, it would have obeyed Him. It is not to say that we don't find power when we fast; there are a lot of manifestations of the power of God when we fast.
Jesus taught us two basic lessons by His fasting; first to give us a pattern that fasting is one of the ways we can touch the heart of God and bring things to happen on the surface of the earth. And secondly, He wants us to see the connection between prayer and fasting. Prayer is easier in the place of a fast. You have less energy to pray but you have faster penetration when you fast and pray.
There is what is called power habit. Power habit means, the kind of things a particular person does to have the power of God move upon his life. It differs from person to person. For some people, they cannot preach a major message except they have run three days fasting and prayer. That is how they are activated. There are ministers that if they have not sung songs, they can't push out. So when they get to the pulpit, they must sing and worship, then you kick- start them. Don't copy people anyhow; just find out which area you are gifted. It is the same thing about fasting. In the Old Testament days, people fasted and got wonderful results. Moses fasted for forty days twice, Esther and the entire Jews in exile fasted for three days (marathon), kings and prophets fasted and they all got God's attention.
In fasting, you are not bribing God by staying off food for a while; rather, as my father in the Lord once said, you are telling God that you desperately need His attention over certain issues so much that what the flesh needs do not matter to you but the spiritual communion with Him. If God answered people in the Old Testament, you are better placed today for answers if you don't give up. May God grant speedy answers to your prayers and fasting.

Prayer/Action
* Pray for strength to seek the LORD's face in fasting.

* Ask God to increase your strength through fasting and prayer

Take a day or two this week and fast over any matter that has bothered you for long.

Isaiah 58:8 gives us certain things that we can use a fast to achieve, list them out from this verse and ask God for them one by one

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Lord, in the month of June, give no one the opportunity to sympathise with me, in the mighty name of Jesus.