FASTING and PRAYING: How to Get the Devil Running!
The Spiritual Disciplines are a means by which you can develop and practice your faith. Spiritual Disciplines help you become stronger and better prepared to deal with the challenges of life. FASTING is a spiritual discipline; so is PRAYER. Both Fasting and Prayer are inward disciplines—that is, disciplines which help you with your personal development as a Christian.
Fasting is abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. It is not a hunger strike or a Weight Watchers diet. Instead, Fasting is a holy discipline that helps you control your desires, clear your head, and focus on God. Fasting is not a show; it is a sacrificial service to God from us, and is entirely for our benefit.
To enter into the discipline of Fasting you should follow a very practical progression: crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Never try a full fast for the first time. Do a partial fast, skipping a meal or so. Also, if you have health issues or you are on medication, be sure to check with your physician before entering into a fast. While it is true that God wants us to fast, He does not want us to die trying!
The Bible mentions various types of Fast. I have grouped them in what I believe are the major categories:
1. Partial Fast (Daniel 10:3). This is when you eat some foods but not others.
2. Normal Fast (Luke 4:2). Abstaining from foods except water for a period of time. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Today, this fast would normally be for a day or a week.
3. Absolute Fast (Esther 4:16). This kind of fast is not popular today; your body needs water after a while. But with God (as it was with Esther), all things are possible.
4. Group Fast (Leviticus 23:27). This is usually a short fast, for a day or a few days, and the entire “assembly” (or church) is asked to participate.
Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline that draws us closer to God, strengthens our walk with God, and helps us develop the discipline needed to focus on the things that really matter in life. Engage in the discipline of Fasting, as often as possible.
Praying is another powerful spiritual discipline that keeps you connected to God in a regular yet intimate way. For many people, they engage in Prayer without knowing its depth and strength as a spiritual discipline. Prayer provides an opportunity to make direct contact with God. No busy lines, no “hold for a minute”, or “there are 19 people ahead of you!” Prayer can get you through to God because God asks us to always pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Prayer is appropriate at all times. In good times, pray. In tough times, pray. Hannah prayed for a son and God gave her Samuel. King Hezekiah prayed for healing and God added 15 years to his life. David prayed that God would save his son, but his son died. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and yielded to the will of His Father. Do not shy away from the discipline of praying. God loves you and will respond to you with a “Yes”, “No”, or “Wait”.
A disciplined prayer life (making time to pray regularly) allows you to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and invite His Spirit to saturate your spirit (Matthew 6:9-10). Praying provides opportunities for strategic communication with God: you acknowledge your sins, ask forgiveness, petition for your daily provisions, and talk about anything else.
When the spiritual disciplines of Fasting and Praying come together, you will get the devil running! That is what Jesus did when He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11). Fasting gives you clarity. Praying gives confidence. Fasting disciplines your flesh. Praying develops your faith. It is a deadly duo that the devil does not like! Together, Fasting and Praying will get the devil running! Make him run!
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