"Fast While Your Stomach Is Full"
An old spiritual discipline that has lost favor among Christians needs revival. Fasting. And according to the way people fasted in the stories of the Bible, you can fast while your stomach is full-not too full!
Daniel 10:3
Daniel was grieved about the slowness of reversing the exile of Israelites in Persia . So he fasted from rich foods, wine and lotions while he plead with God.
Daniel 6:18
King Darius couldn't sleep while Daniel was in the lions' den and he fasted from having musicians perform for him while he worried about Daniel .
Isaiah 58:6
God actually wanted Israel at one point to stop their food/drink fasting and replace it with a new way of fasting: "Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people." We can fast from some of our comforts while getting involved with helping needy people.
The point of fasting is to use abstinence of something I value to remind me of those things God wants me to value most. I can fast from watching "24" for a month and use that time calling a few people I know need encouragement. I can fast from saying negative things about someone and replace it with saying kind things about that person. I can break an addiction by fasting from that habit.
Dick Eastman says in his book, "Change the World School of Prayer," "Fasting mysteriously deals with the stubborn self-will of the inner man as it conquers outward fleshly desires."
Through fasting we become more aware that life isn't about food, fun and material things. The discipline of fasting awakens a new sensitivity to spiritual things, especially when fasting is accompanied by meaningful Bible meditation and prayer.
With this in mind, I believe I need to deliberately plan fasting events in my life. The Global Rain Movement is organized by Adventists world-wide to encourage us to fast and pray specifically in preparation for the abundant and urgently needed outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us as a church. Without that we cannot take the Gospel message to the world so that Jesus will return.
Frequently we read about leaders in the Bible who called the people to fast and pray. Notice the purpose of Joel 's call: "Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land into the Temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to him there. The day of the Lord is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be!" ( Joel 1:14-15).
If you sense God calling you to fast and pray to prepare for God's outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then join me on June 28 - July 7; ten days of fasting and praying. What you fast from is for you to decide. Whatever it is, let it lead to extra time spent in Bible study and prayer that is focused on seeking the power of the Holy Spirit for yourself, your family, your church and school.
-- Pastor Ivan Blake
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