To gain any good thing requires sacrifice; the better the sacrifice, the better the value. Whatever is given up in exchange for another is attached to a sacrificial value. No task or important thing will succeed without sacrifice which might include money, time, energy or any other valuable. You need to give-up something to get-up on the move.
Fasting is the abstinence from food and regularly from drink for a longer than usual time. Fasting has been practiced for a very long time with link to religion. Fasts are observed among believers and adherents of religions. Early Christians are associated fasting with penitence and purification. The Christian church established fasting as voluntary but serious believers in God observe fasts rigorously. Many Old Testament prophets and early Christian writers condemned the abuse of fasting as an empty formality by persons who led immoral lives. In modern times criticism of fasting has been based principally on other grounds. The hunger strike, a form of fasting, has been employed as a political weapon. Innumerable political prisoners in various parts of the world have engaged in hunger strikes. The Israelites observed fasting on different occasions, among which is in the conflict between the other tribes with the tribe of Benjamin, on account of the wrong suffered by a Levite's concubine and when they went to Mizpeh for the Ark of the Covenant.
Fasting has no specific time to be observed. It could be observed on different occasions like anniversaries, naming, wedding, ordination, public calamities, afflictions, looming danger, in times of bereavement. Fasting is better accompanied by prayer, confession and denouncement of sin, humiliation. Moses, Elijah, Daniel and some other prophets of the Old Testament observed it. So also Jesus Christ, our Great Master observed it and even taught on it. The early Disciples and Christians also observed it, for example, at the time of the consecration of Barnabas and Saul. It was observed by Paul, at the time of his conversion and of the consecration of the elders. Fasting goes along with service to God, it enhances spiritual power over challenges and some great achievements require fasting and prayers. Promises connected with fasting include quick response to your request, righteousness, God’s glory, and great reward attachment.
Duty of fasting is not for one person but for all including the elders and all the inhabitants of the land. God Himself declares that all should turn to Him with all their hearts and with fasting. Some of our prayers to God require fasting. Spirit of fasting is to loose the bands of wickedness, to make life easy, and to avoid all forms of oppressions. It also involves feeding the poor and helping the needy. It is not to be made an issue of demonstration for people to notice. It should be to God and God only.
Fasting is for the chastening and humbling of the soul. Imbibe the habit of fasting, make it part of your lifestyle. If you have not been fasting, start now and become perfect. It there is any special thing you want God to do for you, support your prayers with fasting. There is no true fasting that goes for nothing. Many believers observe fasting, which makes them stronger in faith, prayer, praise, worship, offering, sowing, charity and understanding of God.
Holy Bible References:
Deuteronomy 9:18
1 Samuel 7:6
2 Samuel 1:12; 12:16
Ezra 8:23
Nehemiah 9:1, 2
Esther 4:16
Psalms 69:10; 35:13
Isaiah 58:6-12
Daniel 6:18; 9:3
Joel 1:14; 2:12
Zechariah 7:5
Matthew 4:2-11; 6:16-18; 17:21
Mark 9:27-29
Luke 2:36-37; 5:33-35
Acts of Apostles 13:3; 14:23
1 Corinthians 7:5
Prayer Points:
· Praise the LORD God for HIS care for your welfare.
· Beg God to forgive you of all your wrongdoings against Him.
· Pray to God to show you what He has set for you.
· Pray that God should put off everything that spoils your relationship with Him.
· Beg God to grant you enough grace to back-up your prayers with fasting.
· Praise and thank God for answering your prayers and strengthening your fasting.
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