When I consider what God built in the United States through faithful prayer and fasting on the part of humble American citizens (see yesterday’s blog), I believe that He is capable of doing it again. I believe He is willing to reach into lives and decisions and behaviors—on both the micro and the macro level—and bring about repentance and change. All He needs is a people humble enough and hungry enough to ask Him.

As you enter your fast, spend time reading Isaiah 58. This chapter is the classic “dos and don’ts” chapter about fasting, and it outlines the over-the-top blessings that spring forth from doing it in an honorable way. When you read it, make note of every promise associated with fasting. These promises belong to anyone who fasts with the right heart. These promises belong to you.

My pastor spoke to the church recently about fasting. I gleaned the following comments from what he said.

• Fasting is a determined effort on your part to put aside time to seek God. By fasting, you are going to God and saying, “God, You’re the sustenance of my life.” This is what you are saying whether you fast one meal, for one day, for three days, or more. This is what you are saying if you enter a Daniel fast, as well.

• When you fast, you are setting yourself aside to get deliberate and intentional about your spiritual walk. Fasting clears the air and enables you to position yourself to hear from God about specific things in your life, such as your career, your family, or your children. As you hear from God, then go after those things in prayer as you fast.

• Jesus discussed three spiritual disciplines in Matthew 6:2-18, giving, praying, and fasting. Of each He said when you give; when you pray; and when you fast. He did not use the word “if”—even with fasting. Giving and praying are fundamental aspects of Christian living; Jesus’ message makes it clear that fasting is also an important discipline.

• Trust God for breakthrough when you fast. Isaiah 58:6 asks, “Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?” Because the Word declares that yokes break when you enter a fast the way God prescribes, then you can expect that bondages in the lives of those for whom you pray will break when you fast. Isaiah also said, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27). The anointing of God breaks yokes of bondage; fasting breaks yokes of bondage. Therefore, a logical conclusion would be that fasting according to the direction of God will bring God’s anointing.

• Fasting is spiritually powerful. The Word does not say if you fast; it clearly states when you fast. That said, fasting is not to be entered into as a legalistic ritual; your motives for fasting are a key to the outcome of your fasting. Make sure you enter your fast for the right reasons, with a good heart, and not to draw attention to yourself. God will help you with your motives as you seek Him.

• Nehemiah fasted when he heard of the distress and decay in Jerusalem. Daniel is known for the approach he took to fasting—eating vegetables and drinking water (see Daniel 1:12 and 10:3), and the apostle Paul fasted often. Following Paul’s unusual conversion experience, he fasted for three days (see Acts 9:9). While he and other leaders fasted in Acts 13, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (verse 2), launching the men into groundbreaking missionary work. Paul also fasted, along with Barnabas, when they appointed elders in the churches they started, praying over these men and commending them to the Lord (see Acts 14:23).

• Jesus also fasted. After He was baptized by John in the Jordan River, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2). This forty-day fast ended with Jesus successfully resisting every temptation thrown at Him by the devil (see Matthew 4:3-11 and Luke 4:3-13), and launched Him into the world-changing ministry that would culminate with His sacrificial death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection. After the Lord’s fast, Luke’s account declares that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district” (Luke 4:14).  Jesus’ fast accompanied four key breakthroughs: 1.) The successful resistance of powerful temptations posed by the devil himself; 2.) The launch of His ministry; 3.) When He returned to Galilee, it was in the power of the Spirit; 4.) News of Him spread far and wide—without a man-directed PR machine.

In summary:

• Fasting is a New Testament practice still valid today.
• Fasting is a way to set time aside to seek God.
• Fasting breaks yokes and bondages off of the people and situations for which you pray.
• You are to take care to fast with the right motives.
• Men and women in both the Old and New Testament fasted.
• Emptying your table through fasting sets your table for receiving direction from God and the power to follow through.

I’d like to thank my pastor for the outline I borrowed from notes taken during his message. May God bless all of you as you set aside time to seek Him this month.

Dorothy

Fasting has played a significant role in establishing this nation and in bringing forth guidance in dark times in our history. Before the United States became a nation, the Continental Congress declared a fast to be held on March 16, 1776.[1] President John Adams declared a fast for April 25, 1799,[2] and President Abraham Lincoln called for prayer and fasting three different times: on the last Thursday of September, 1861; on April 30, 1863; and then on the first Thursday of August, 1864 [3] (see footnotes, end of blog).

The Lord pointed His disciples to the discipline of prayer and fasting when they were unable to cast a demon out of a deaf mute boy stricken with seizures (see Mark 9 and Matthew 17). Later, when Jesus instructed the disciples concerning their inability to drive out the demon, He concluded with these words, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

Prayer is powerful; prayer with fasting underscores one’s seriousness before God. When I first became concerned about the United States, I prayed frequently for the nation. And as I learned more about issues and problems in the nation I felt troubled about what seemed to be a lack of concern for the nation’s downward spiral. I took this alarm to God.

“Lord! Don’t You think it’s time someone called a fast for the nation? Who’s doing this?” (I have learned since that many groups and individuals have been praying and fasting for America.) I persisted, “Lord, who’s fasting?!”

His response? “No one’s stopping you from doing it.”

And so I began fasting with a determined focus in the month of January. Not having had a strong track record with fasting, I dove into a ten day fast in 2010. It was spiritually amazing. The voice of God was clear, and the year that followed was the best year I had experienced in my life up to that time. However, I drank fruit juice throughout the entire ten days, and my esophagus knew it. It was burning up.

In 2011, I wanted to fast again in January. The Lord led me to a different approach for my body’s health. I fasted twenty-one days, but in sets of threes—two days liquid fast (only one fruit juice per day; the rest was water) and one day Daniel fast (see Daniel 1:12 and 10:2-3). I followed this sequence for the duration. Again, the year that followed was wonderful, and I had no physical issues. One benefit for me personally with this way of fasting involved my dislike for most vegetables. After going without food for a couple of days, I looked forward to those veggies!

I continued with this in 2012 and 2013. Now I wish that earlier in my Christian life I had taken the practice of fasting more seriously. I can sense God’s presence and help throughout the rest of the year in a far greater way after fasting in January.

One resource that helped me get over my reluctance to fast was a book by Jentezen Franklin, simply entitled Fasting (© 2008). I read it before I started the first big fast in 2010, and by the time I finished reading it, I couldn’t wait to start! Trust me, that in itself is a miracle. A second resource that I have referred to every January is Pastor Franklin’s website which carries a devotional blog. His entire church fasts together, many of them for the full twenty-one days, some forgoing all food while others participate in a Daniel fast. I enjoy the daily devotions geared toward fasting, but I think what excites me the most is reading the comments of believers from around the world, all talking about their fasting. Reading it connects me with the larger body, all of us fasting together. His site is http://www.jentezenfranklin.org

I would like to challenge you to prayerfully consider spending some time this month before God with not only prayer, but also fasting. Whether it’s a meal, a day-long fast, a three-day fast, a Daniel fast, a media fast, a sugar fast—ask God if He might be leading you into some quality time with Him by fasting here at the beginning of the year. I’ll bet you could think of a thing or two both in your life and the nation that could use some prayer!

And as you ask the Lord to show you how He wants you to participate, He’ll direct you.

Dorothy