Wednesday, January 22, 2014

40 Day Challenge Week One

Fasting is the deliberate act of abstaining from food, and perhaps drink, for spiritual purposes. It is clear from Scripture that fasting was a spiritual discipline that God's followers were supposed to engage in. There are a number of reasons we should fast, but one thing is clear about fasting. Fasting is powerful. Humbling ourselves before God through fasting and prayer moves the heart of God. It moves God's heart for the benefit of the believer, for the benefit of God's people, and for the benefit of the world. We should be highly motivated to make fasting, with prayer, a regular part of our spiritual lives.

How do you fast? It's simple. Stop eating. Okay, there is a little more to it than that. But that is the basic idea. The practice of 'not eating' can be difficult physically, if not mentally, so drink water or other fluids to stem your hunger pangs. Skipping a meal because you are so busy you forgot to eat is NOT fasting. Skip one or more meals but do it with purpose. There are several purposes in fasting but the underlying goal is to honor God. So, here are some things you should keep in mind as you enter your period of fasting, no matter how short it will be. Fast in faith, trusting that it is important to God. Fast with the conviction that it is what you are supposed to do as a God-follower. Add a time of prayer in addition to your normal prayer life.

Lastly, if you are under the care of a doctor please consult him/her about whether fasting will affect your health. Hopefully you will find that skipping one meal once a week, will not be detrimental to your care. Even that is a reasonable fast if your intent is to honor God in doing so!

In the coming weeks, we will learn more about fasting and the power of fasting in a believer's life. As we continue together as a body of believers in the next 40 Days of Fasting, the elders encourage you to begin the discipline of fasting if it is not already part of your spiritual life. Remember that our focus at this time is to pray for those who do not know the Lord. Pray for those you know, those whose names have been submitted bo our brothers and sisters here, and pray for revival in our nation.

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