Fasting to Feed Your Spirit

^"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Matthew 6:33 ESV

I'm sure all of you have heard about fasting. It has become a way for people to diet in order to lose weight. For the purpose of this post, we are going to focus on fasting in order to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. 

When you're fasting it should be done for the right reasons. In the bible it talks about fasting in secret.

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Matthew 6:16-18 ESV

This passage is telling us that when we fast we should have the right heart posture when doing so. We shouldn't be seeking praise from people around us for fasting. We shouldn't fast to show the world how 'holy' we are or how 'close to God' we are. Our purpose of fasting should first and foremost be to make our flesh submit to the Spirit and to refine ourselves in alignment with God. If we are fasting to gain praise or recognition, that will be the only thing we get out of our fast. However, if we are fasting for the right reasons, God will reward us with things far greater than the praise of others.

**Before proceeding, I want to mention, I am not a health professional and my statements should be taken as such. If you have any health concerns, please talk with your physician before starting a fast. 

What is Fasting?

The actual definition of fasting is to abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink. When it comes to fasting, the intent is to deepen our relationship with God. The purpose is to abstain from things that may have a hold on your life - things that may take your focus off of Jesus and the life you should be living.

"But I say, walk by

the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Galatians 5:16-17 ESV

Most times fasting is done by abstaining from food and drinks for a period of time. Fasting can also be cutting activities out of your life, either briefly or indefinitely. For some it may be social media, television, spending money, or even eating at restaurants. Anything you have in your life that could be a distraction. Most times they talk about food fasting because food has been the enemy's prime weapon since the beginning of time. Satan tempted Eve with an apple and he tempted Jesus with bread after He fasted for 40 days.

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:2-4 ESV

Food is an easy weapon. It's the nutrition for our physical body. It's what we need to sustain energy for our physical body. The fact that food is a basic need, why would we question whether or not it actually could deprive us spiritually? The last line in that passage, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 and says 'man shall not live by bread alone but by the Word of God.' The Word of God is the Bread of Life. It's what feeds our soul. If we are not in our bible daily, we are in essence starving our spirit. The purpose of a fast from physical food is to put emphasis on our spiritual appetite and feeding our spirit more intentionally.

Why Should I Fast?

This is a question that only you can answer. If fasting is something you feel led to do, you should spend some serious time with Jesus to determine your 'why' behind the fast. Some things that could prompt you to fast are feeling like you've hit a wall spiritually, you're trying to gain clarity on a matter, you're wanting a breakthrough in some aspect or another. The first time I fasted was the beginning of this year. The purpose for my fast was to gain clarity on the call Jesus has for me. Whatever your 'why' is, write it down and hold onto it. Having a reason behind what you're doing will help you stick with your fast. It allows you to ground yourself and center yourself back in truth when you become tempted - because you will be tempted at one point or another during your fast. I can promise you that. Arguably, if you're not being tempted during your fast, maybe you aren't fasting the thing you should be fasting. 

Here is a list of verses for you if you're seeking your 'why.'

• Seek Guidance - Acts 13:2-3

• Repentance - Joel 2:12

• Humble Yourself - Ezra 8:21-23

• Grow Closer to God.- 7:7

• Spiritual Breakthrough - Mark 9:29

• Demonstrate Dependance - Deuteronomy 8:3

How Do I Fast?

This question is ultimately another question that only can be answered by talking with Jesus. There are a lot of

ways you can fast. From different lengths of time to different stipulations on the fast. It really is going to come down to what you feel God is calling you to do. If you look up different fasts, you'll find the Daniel Fast, the Esther Fast, Intermittent Fasting... There are so many different ways to fast. I'm not going to go into every method of fasting. I'll let you do some research to discover more. I'll just highlight some ideas to get you started.

1. Discover your Why. First and foremost you need to spend time with Jesus. This step is crucial to the success of your fast. You need to search your heart to find your 'why' for your fast. What are you looking to accomplish in your walk with Jesus? (guidance, breakthrough, repentance, etc)

2. Ask Jesus for guidance on what exactly you will be fasting. Whether it is giving something up completely or just cutting some things out. 

3. Ask Him to help determine an appropriate amount of time. This could be one day or three days or even a week. It's not recommended to go without eating or drinking anything for longer than 3 days.

4. Determine what you will do instead of eating. During my fast, I had compiled a list of scriptures that highlighted the specific thing I was gaining clarity on. During meal times, or idle time, I would pray and study those verses in order to feed my spirit and gain direction and guidance where I needed it. Maybe you will fill your time with prayer or worship. You want to fill that time with something to draw you closer to God.

5. Write it down. I found it very beneficial to journal throughout my fasting journey. I started by writing down my why, what I was fasting, and for how long. I also did check-ins throughout the day and made notes on how I was feeling or thoughts that came to me. At the end of the day I would basically recap and spend some time praying on and over the things that transpired over the course of the day and what's to come. Even now, I enjoy being able to go back and reflect on that journey. Sometimes reflecting allows us to also give praise and thanks in areas we didn't realize we've experienced a breakthrough in.

Some Ideas:

• Fast from all food and drink other than water

• Complete Fast: No food or drink of any kind

• Liquid only fast: Fruit or veggie juice, broth. No solid food

• Partial fast: 

  • 1 or 2 meals each day

  • Certain foods or drink (Example: Daniel Fast)

• Esther Fast: No eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset for a 3-day duration

There is no one right way to fast. Ultimately it is whatever you are led to do by God. What you fast and how long you fast can vary. And each fast you do may be different from time to time. It's all based on where you are spiritually and what exactly you are seeking. God won't steer you wrong. Lean into His guidance. The fast I did at the beginning of the year was kind of a mix of the Daniel and Esther Fast. For three days I ate only raw fruits, veggies, and nuts. I drank mostly water and limited myself to one cup of unsweetened, decaffeinated tea each day. For me that combination worked and I saw breakthroughs and found clarity. I believe that's because I did what I was led to do by The Spirit.

In your fasting journey, God may give you direct answers and He may give you guidance to do things that may not seem to make sense. If you haven't read my post God's Will or Yours? I highly recommend taking a minute to read it. The breakthrough you are seeking may require some footwork on your part. There may be some repentance, or other areas you need to surrender in order to see breakthrough happen. As an example, you know a couple who are looking at divorce. So maybe you're praying that they reconcile and work through it. It may be God's will for them to reconcile, however in order for reconciliation to happen, one or both parties may have some personal "work" to do before that can happen. I say that to say, be open to what God tells you or guides you to do. You may not understand how or why it matters because it's "not what you asked for." That's ok. It's not your job to understand. Your job is to have faith and be obedient to His instruction. He has a reason and purpose for all things.

Is it Necessary?

Whatever your 'why' is and however God leads you to fast, the purpose of fasting is to rely on God. To look to Him for provision and guidance. He is our provider in all aspects of our life. Our job is to give Him praise and trust Him through it all.

Fasting from things other than food can bring forth breakthroughs, if that's how God has directed you. If you are seeking true breakthrough and you are serious about giving your 'why' to God, fasting from food and drink is really where you should be looking for guidance. God gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. For us to willingly give up something we need to survive, just for a small period of time, is a beautiful sacrifice to God and shows our commitment to Him.

"So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Matthew 17:20-12 KJV

When you are up against a mountain that feels too big to climb and there seems to be no way to the other side, this is when you need Jesus. This is when you need to seek Him with everything in you. In this passage Jesus is saying that there will be times you will need to pray and fast in order to see a breakthrough. You need to have faith like a mustard seed and through your obedience in The Holy Spirit, mountains will move.

I was always told that Matthew 17:20 referred to only needing just a small amount of faith to see God work. While yes, this is true I want to add another layer to this verse for you. A mustard plant can have very slow growth to start; just like learning to have faith and trust in God can be slow going at first. Once it takes root, it grows at a high rate of speed. There are some mustard plants that are considered "invasive." This means that they take over the other plants surrounding it and form dense strands that emit a chemical that will cause other plants to not grow. Imagine starting out with a small amount of faith and it just grows tremendously and your entire world changes. Once that seed of faith has been planted, it's unstoppable and will overcome anything it's near because it's rooted in Jesus Christ.

If you are hungry for that type of faith and to feel a move of The Holy Spirit in your life, I pray this post has offered some guidance or hope. If you're on the fence about whether or not fasting is a crucial part of your walk with The Lord, I want to leave you with this thought; Jesus, The Son of God, fasted after being baptized to gain clarity on His ministry and also to grow closer to God, The Father. It helped Him to submit to The Father's will in His humanity. What makes you think that we would never need to fast during our time on earth in order to see breakthrough?

Each of us have our own trials and tribulations throughout life. When the storms are raging, where is your focus? What are you setting your eyes on? It can be easy to focus on the problem or the struggle. That's when we begin to sink. Jesus is standing on the waves waiting for us to reach up and take His hand. Will you outstretch your hand and seek His guidance?

Dear Lord-

I pray the words you have given me touch the hearts of people as you intend. I pray that those who are seeking it, find breakthrough and clarity by seeking you to the fullest. Thank you for your example and for your loving guidance. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.