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i hope you haven’t eaten yet… we’re fasting.
can i be honest? im in the wilderness, and it’s well-timed. because we begin 21 days of prayer & fasting today.
let’s read Matthew 4:1
Matthew 4:1–2 (ESV)
1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
i made a short video about the wilderness.
with that, here is a guide on fasting.
talk soon,
o.
a spiritual guide to fasting: drawing closer to God
introduction: understanding true fasting
let me challenge you with a question that i always ask people who discuss fasting with me: are you truly fasting, or are you just not eating? this distinction is crucial because when you're simply not eating under the guise of fasting, it will be unproductive and have undesired consequences.
the biblical foundation of fasting
from the Old Testament to the New Testament, there have been multiple accounts of God's children being instructed to fast. but before we dive deeper, let's examine a powerful interaction between Jesus and some questioning disciples, found in Matthew 9:14-15:
"Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
here's the powerful revelation: we fast to produce a certain result and experience. Jesus is the bridegroom, and one of our primary reasons for fasting is to get closer to Him. we want to experience His closeness, feel His proximity to our hearts and souls, and draw nearer to the Spirit of the Living Christ.
the purpose of fasting
1. spiritual over physical
food, as nourishing as it is to the flesh, can sometimes tarnish the spirit. when Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-4), it was the Spirit that led and sustained Him. this teaches us that fasting is about spiritual nourishment over physical satisfaction.
2. declaration of love
fasting is telling God, "I love You more than i love food, social media, gaming, or anything that could become an idol in my life." Philippians 3:19 warns us about those "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things."
3. spiritual warfare
when you fast, you're suppressing your physical self and entering into the realm of the spirit. your engagement with both heavenly and wicked spirits increases massively. this allows you to:
- strengthen your spirit by fighting off evil
- learn about your spirit through drawing nearer to the Holy Spirit
- enter spiritual battles that can only be won through fasting and prayer
how to fast properly
Jesus gave us clear guidelines for fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. the key principles are:
1. keep it private between you and God
2. don't make a show of your fasting
3. maintain your regular appearance and routine
4. trust that your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly
types of fasts
based on my personal experience and biblical guidance, here are different fasting approaches:
duration options:
- 1-day fast
- 3-day fast
- 7-day fast
- 21-day fast (like Daniel)
- 40-day fast
- purpose-driven fast (until breakthrough)
sample structure
from my personal 40-day fast experience:
- no food or drink until noon
- fruits only from noon to 3 pm
- kosher food from 3 pm to 6 pm
- the final three days: complete fast from food and water
what true fasting is
fasting is the crucifixion of the flesh to the point where only the spirit remains. it's an act of humility showing:
- how weak our bodies are
- how strong our desires can be
- how desperately we need GOD
as written in Ezra 8:21: "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us."
spiritual benefits of fasting
during my fasts, i've experienced:
- nightly dreams and visions
- revelations that came to pass
- unprecedented closeness to Abba Father
- growing aversion to worldly distractions
- spiritual breakthrough
- increased spiritual sensitivity
a final word of encouragement
remember Romans 8:14: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." when the fast becomes challenging, hold onto these words that God spoke to me during my struggle: "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT."
this isn't about intermittent fasting for health benefits. this is about entering into a deeper relationship with God, fighting spiritual battles, and experiencing breakthroughs that only come through dedicated fasting and prayer.
may your fasting journey bring you closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.