Day Eighty-five

For awhile I had felt the Holy Spirit’s prompting to establish the discipline of fasting on a regular basis in my life. I was procrastinating and dragging my feet about actually doing it, though. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Not surprisingly, as I began to feel more and more convicted to do so, my bible study leader just happened to speak on the topic. Don’t you just love how God does that? :)

Fasting is not a common practice amongst Christians today. In fact, most are surprised to realize that fasting is something that Jesus expects His followers to do. Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:16 and 6:17 begin with: "And when you fast…But when you fast…"  Notice He doesn’t say ‘if’, but ‘when'.

In ‘Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life’, Donald S. Whitney lists ten purposes for fasting:

• To strengthen prayer
• To seek God’s guidance
• To express grief
• To seek deliverance or protection
• To express repentance and the return to God
• To humble oneself before God
• To express concern for the work of God
• To minister to the needs of others
• To overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God
• To express love and worship to God

Whitney also writes: ’There’s something about fasting that sharpens the edge of our intercessions and gives passion to our supplications. So it has frequently been used by the people of God when there is a special urgency about the concerns they lift before the Father...fasting is one of the best friends we can introduce to our prayer life.’

Will you consider fasting from something one day this week for the purpose of strengthening prayer for Deeper Still? It doesn’t have to necessarily be food. It could be the phone, media, computer, friends, sweets, etc. As you crave the item you are giving up throughout the day, allow that to be your prayer prompt; thus, spend that time feasting on God and prayer, rather than on the craving.

Dear Father,

I thank you that You are the one who sustains us. I thank you that ‘man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4)’. May I experience this truth through and through as I fast from _______ and feast upon You and Your Word instead. I pray for Kay, Priscilla and Beth today. I pray that You will give them a liberal dose of Your wisdom while preparing their messages. Give each of them ample time to seek You in prayer and in study of Your Word in regards to Deeper Still. I know that You long to give good gifts to your children, especially gifts that are in line with Your Word and its promises. We are praying for your presence to be felt by each of us at this conference, that You would touch each of us in the exact way we are needing to be touched. You know each of our needs, Lord. We stand here with arms wide open—fill each of our arms to overflowing!

In the amazing, loving name of Jesus,
Amen.