THE POWER OF FASTING

MEMORY VERSE: And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. Luke 4:14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 4-6

One spiritual activity that is fast becoming unpopular today is fasting. Yet, fasting is one of the most important spiritual activities that a believer must engage in. The body of Christ have been so weakened as a result of our lack of fasting. There are certain things you need to know about fasting. Firstly, fasting is a must for believers. Jesus told His disciples, “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face” (Matthew 6:17). Take note of the phrase “when thou fastest ”. It is ‘when’ you fast not ‘if’ you fast, in other words Jesus expects His disciples (believers) to fast regardless of whether they have a need or not. You should fast when things are not going as planned. Also, you should fast when things are going as planned. Another reason why you must fast regularly as a believer is that there are some things you can’t get done without fasting. As i said recently, anyone who does not fast is limited. The disciples of Jesus loved God. They left all, followed Jesus and served Him with all their heart. They obeyed God; they were righteous men living a life of holiness. Yet, they were limited. They brought a child possessed by a demon to them and they could not cast the demon out (Mark 9:14-32). If you leave fasting out of your spiritual activities, you will be limited and that’s the gospel truth! 

One of the advantages of fasting is that it increases your spiritual capacity to receive spiritual power. Our spiritual life is like a pipe. Food is like a sponge that blocks the pipe so that the power of God is not able to fully flow through us. The power of God may flow through us but it will be very limited. Fasting drains that pipe. Fasting makes you completely open to God and His power is able to flow through you in an unusual manner. Some years back a great man of God shared how after a long fast, he hugged one of his friends and that one fell under the power of the anointing. The man was flat on the floor for over 5 minutes. 

Fasting is also a means of sharpening your spiritual senses so that God can get through to you. When Moses wanted to receive the Ten Commandments, what did he do? He fasted. When Jesus wanted to start His ministry, what did He do? He fasted. You want to be able to hear God when He speaks? Fast. When you fast you become spiritually empowered. After Jesus fasted for forty days and forty night, the bible records that He returned in the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 4:14 says, “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.” I had been witnessing to a particular sister for a while and nothing happened. One day, i saw her in the rain outside her house shaking. When i asked what happened, she told me her husband locked her out of the house due to a misunderstanding and walked off. I used that opportunity to witness to her – i told her Jesus is able to resolve the whole matter and bring the man back home. She gave her life to Christ and we said a simple prayer. An hour later, the man who had been gone for over 7 hours returned.  A week later, she told me that she had just attended a job interview but she was scared. We prayed again in the name of Jesus and she got the job – after several years of unemployment. You want power to be released every time you mention the name of Jesus? Cultivate a lifestyle of fasting and praying. 

NOTE: There are also medical benefits of fasting. Fasting helps weight loss. It promotes longevity. Believe it or not, the less you eat the longer you will live. It improves your brain function.  It improves immune system because it reduces free radical damage, regulates inflammatory condition in the body and starves off cancer cell formation. Also, fasting helps clear the skin and prevent acne. 

twitter@BroOluwatoki 

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world