It is my every intention that after you read this article, that you will be moved to tap into the power and privilege of fasting. There is power in fasting. It is a crucial aspect to be considered if you want to increase in the anointing. Many believers have never tapped into the benefits and power of fasting. In early church history, fasting was considered one of the pillars of Christianity.
Living in this modern era where the availability of high quality food and fast food are normal for most people and we gladly indulge in them, there is a supernatural dimension missing in our lives; while the belly is satisfied, our inner man is yearning for the miraculous.
Too many believers (as well as ministers) have relegated the subject of fasting to the back burner. It is somehow deemed as old-fashioned and not relevant to us in this hi-tech world in which we live. You will find that in both the Old and New Testaments and throughout church history, fasting was deemed essential. It was considered to be the channel of power.
Today, we rely heavily on modern technology for effective church service. What has brought revival in former generations is now mocked by modern believers. While we have dazzling lights, special effects, professional music for praise and worship, video and audio aid for a computerized service, still untold millions leave services Sunday after Sunday with their needs unmet.
Of course, great efforts have been made on the minister’s part to be studious and therefore giving the faithful attendees a solid word on Sunday with many going deep in the Hebrew and Greek meanings. I love all of that. All of these mentioned are wonderful but they cannot heal the sick and deliver the oppressed from wicked spirits. You may have noticed that in the last few years, great emphasis have been made on healing, however this time it is not on physical healing but emotional healing or emotional hurts. While this is a fine emphasis, there is something missing in all of this.
Where is the raw power that expelled sickness and demons out of the lives of oppressed people like we read in the Bible from the ministry of Jesus, Peter and Paul? Where is the raw power that exploded in the early parts of the 20th century in the lives of T.L Osborne, A.A Allen, Jack Coe, Oral Roberts, Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kulhman and John G Lake to name a few, who graced our world with the healing virtues of Christ?
When the church demonstrated the power of God, fasting played a major role. Fasting played a major role in the life of Jesus. He did not enter full-time ministry until after He fasted. Miracles, healings and casting out of devils occurred in his ministry after He came back from a fast. If Jesus fasted then we need to fast. In fact reading through the Bible you will discover there is a great cloud of witnesses, of people who fasted and had major impact. Here are some examples:
- Esther fasted when her nation was facing extinction, and God turned the situation around.
- Nehemiah fasted over the broken wall of Jerusalem and rebuilt it in 52 days.
- Ezra fasted for protection.
- The people of Nineveh fasted to avert the judgment of God.
- Daniel fasted for revelation.
- The apostles fasted for direction.
- Anna fasted to see the fulfillment of the Promised Seed.
- Cornelius fasted to receive salvation for himself and his household.
- Joshua fasted to expose the cause of failure.
- Ahab fasted to be forgiven.
- Jehoshaphat fasted when he was outnumbered in battle and he obtained a great victory.
- The king fasted to shut the mouth of the lions when Daniel was thrown into the den.
- Daniel fasted to mourn over the sins of Israel.
- Paul fasted and was delivered from shipwreck
You must learn to fast! It is imperative and not optional. Fasting forced impossible situation into miracles.
You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to because God will never force you but there are some things you will never see and taste until you learn to fast. There are people today who have taken the stance and declare that we do not need to fast since we are no longer under the Law. They contend that the practice was only for the early church. Looking closely at the Scriptures, we find that the Lord never did away with the principle of fasting, but man has attempted to do away with it. The Lord also declared in Matthew 6:16-18:
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. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Jesus said when and not if you fast, implying we have to set a time to fast. Furthermore He told us that fasting is unto the Father, and there will be a reward. That should be enough incentive for a believer to realize that there is recompense when we tap into the secret of fasting.
For more on fasting, we have a series of products that will help you.