Thursday // 7th November 2024
The act of Fasting!
So we FASTED and BESOUGHT our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
Ezra 8:23
Throughout Scripture, we find Jesus releasing divine power through faith. It takes faith for people to receive God’s power, and it takes faith to exercise it. When the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out a demon, Jesus replied, _Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting._ (MATTHEW 17:20-21)
The robust tool of fasting increases our faith. Why? Because by its very nature, fasting is an exercise in humility. We cause the flesh to die so the spirit can grow stronger. In short, a powerful connection exists between spiritual power and faith. Fasting increases one’s faith, while overeating depletes it. Note, too, that the results of a fast often come after the fast ends, rather than during it (in my experience, at least). One last observation: On a fast, our carnal urges diminish drastically. This includes quieting the libido. Consequently, fasting-coupled with a few other ingredients is highly effective in breaking addictions.
Prayer, then, is the mechanism by which God releases His power into the world. Through prayer, we load the missiles of the Holy Spirit to descend on the planet. But prayer takes on a fresh dimension of power when we couple it with fasting. Overeating kills spiritual power. Fasting increases it.
Your brother in Christ,
Apostle Ashok Martin