Fasting for Breakthrough: When Fasting, Avoid This

by Marilynn Chadwick

"Give me some tips on how you fast,” a friend asked as she prepared herself for her first fast. Her question got me thinking. What have I learned that's made fasting a valuable part of my prayer life? I shared some of those tips with you yesterday. But I should point out that fasting does not make us super saints. In fact, Jesus cautions all disciples in his Matthew 6 tutorial on prayer against being prideful when we fast. Or when we pray. Or when we give, or serve, or do anything in his name.

When you fast, Jesus warns, don't parade around your spirituality for others to see. Dress nicely, wear your makeup, go about business as usual. Then your father in heaven, "who sees what is done in secret" will reward you (see Matthew 6:16-18).

Some very religious people were proud of their fasting. Jesus responded with this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evil doers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 9-14 NIV).

Instead of making us proud, fasting should gently squeeze us into a posture of humility. We may find a heightened awareness of our own sin bubbling to the surface when we fast. This humbles us. So, confession and repentance naturally become part of our fast. In this way, fasting is like spring cleaning for our soul.

Ponder the words about fasting from Jesus. Use this season of fasting and prayer to humble yourself. It's a good time for personal reflection and confession. And remember, God is pleased just because you are setting your mind to seek him (Daniel 10).

Never forget how much God loves you. You’re not fasting to earn his favor. Rather, go boldly to that throne of grace and ask the Lord's help in areas you may feel stuck.

The Bible teaches that fasting and prayer can help us break through stubborn problems. Fasting helps us cast those troubles into God's strong hands. "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10). Repent and receive his forgiveness and power. And remember, throughout church history, periods of repentance often lead to greater revelation, and ultimately to revival.

Fasting for Breakthrough: Practical Tips

by Marilynn Chadwick

Generally, fasting is from food, but it doesn’t always require total abstinence. The Bible includes the story of Daniel. While seeking understanding for a vision, Daniel fasted for three weeks (Daniel 10). During that time, Scripture tells us, he “ate no choice food, meat, or wine, and didn’t use lotions” (Daniel 10:1,2). Some today call this kind of partial fast, a “Daniel Fast.”

Fasting doesn’t necessarily have to be from food. We read in Isaiah 58 about a powerful type of fast in which we pour our lives out to the spiritually and physically hungry of the world (Isaiah 58:10). “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loosen the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter...?” (Isaiah 58: 6,7 NIV).

It is possible to fast from things other than food, as long as it costs you something in terms of time, energy, comfort, or convenience. A creative friend once did a 21 day fast from social media. She called it her "antisocial prayer experiment." That kind of fast might be harder than giving up food!

According to the Bible, fasting is part of a normal prayer life. When Jesus was giving his disciples some tips on prayer, he said. "When you fast…" not "If you fast…" (Matthew 6).

The Bible is clear. Fasting sharpens prayer.

Before a dear friend tried her first full day fast, she asked for some practical tips. I'm not an expert, but here are a few thoughts off the top:

• Staying hydrated is the secret to effective fasting.  It helps to sip on water throughout using this lemon water recipe shared by a naturopathic physician: Squeeze the juice of 3-4 lemons into a half gallon pitcher of pure water and add 3 Tablespoons of pure maple syrup. You won’t taste the maple syrup, but it can help regulate blood sugar. I also have a cup or two of green tea first thing in the morning to avoid getting one of those nasty little caffeine withdrawal headaches.

• When the urge for food hits, that's my prompting to pray. I take extra time to read and meditate on the Bible. Fasting heightens my spiritual sensitivity and seems to sharpen my prayers in ways I don't understand.

• List any problem areas in the lives of those you love up close. Where do they feel stuck? Fasting can help you contend for their breakthrough.

• Fast and pray when suffering or injustice overwhelm you. The Israeli hostages grabbed my heart early on. Fasting and prayer has helped me share in their suffering in some small way and unites my prayers with others around the globe.

Fasting helps us seek God in humility. We take our hands off the problem and put it squarely in God's hands. We remain dependent upon God knowing he is bigger than our problems. Mysteriously, fasting can even help us grow our faith. And the Bible is clear. Our faith always pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).

Fasting for Breakthrough: Getting Unstuck

by Marilynn Chadwick

Do you feel stuck today? Maybe you need a breakthrough in prayer. Or relief from a stubborn problem. A breakthrough usually occurs after a long struggle against some kind of obstacle or enemy. A spiritual breakthrough can be described as that sudden leap forward in an area where we've been fervently seeking God. In short, a breakthrough is getting "unstuck."

One way I've experienced personal breakthroughs in prayer is through fasting. I’m not sure why fasting adds power to my prayers. It just does. Jesus spoke of fasting as a normal part of one's prayer life. "When you fast," he said. Not "if you fast" (Matthew 6:16-18).

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a few too many spiritual battles lately. Seems like everyone I know these days is walking through intense trials. Some are fighting hard through painful circumstances, family conflict, financial struggles, or even long-standing illnesses. Many feel “stuck.”

I’ve decided it’s time to get a fresh grip on my faith, look to God for strength, and refresh my commitment to fasting. It’s a powerful way to stand in the gap for those I love. And when combined with prayer and God’s Word, fasting is a great way to get unstuck.

Let’s face it. As long as we live on planet Earth, we’re in enemy territory. That means we must always be watchful. Vigilant. Yes, Christ’s work on the Cross set us free from sin and death. But we must guard that freedom daily. I’m reminded of the old Revolutionary War saying, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

God’s Creation is good, but since the Fall, our world is crawling with enemies. There’s no denying it. And we live in an earthly body with demanding appetites and desires. Even if we manage to avoid the more obvious traps and addictions, our flesh still wants its own way. My friend’s three-year-old daughter once said it best, “But Mommy, all I want is what I want when I want it.”

Our flesh seldom craves the things God asks of us. In fact, it usually craves the opposite. Bottom line? If I don’t control my body, it will control me. I’d rather sleep late than begin my day with a study of God’s Word and prayer. Yet I know from experience that my days just plain go better when I launch them with this “power hour.” In much the same way, I’d rather eat than fast, which also requires that I subdue my flesh. Maybe that’s what the apostle Paul meant when he spoke of “disciplining my body, making it serve me” (1 Cor. 9:27 ISV).

That’s where fasting comes in. From a purely physical standpoint, fasting cleanses the body and gives it rest. Spiritually, fasting goes beyond what we can see and somehow sharpens our “spiritual ears” and adds power to our prayers. Jesus himself fasted. Over the next few days, we’ll explore what the Bible has to say about fasting and how it can help us experience breakthroughs in prayer.