SubTheme: Why do we have to fast?
Text: Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Matt 17:21
Quote: The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree, the ties, which bind us to the material world, in order that we may concentrate our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things. – Ole Hallesby.
Wisdom for LIFE is a Divine mandate, drawing inspirations from the word by exploring key spheres of life and enabling everyone to live a balanced life. It is a monthly publication with daily posts on social media.
We have concluded the eight part series on the topic: “Worthy is the Lamb” (Rev. 5:12). We examined the 7 redemptive rights that we have through the salvation offered us by the slain lamb – Jesus Christ. In the last edition, we concluded that blessings come to us by OBEDIENCE.
We shall begin a four part series on the topic: Empowered through Fasting. This series will address the misconceptions among believers about fasting. The purpose of a thing delivers only to the level of our understanding. Do we fast to move the hand of God or impress men?
Fasting has become a major part of the Christian life and other religions. Every man fasts either as declared by their spiritual heads or to seek the face God for urgent spiritual intervention. At most times, we don’t secure our desires because we fast and pray amiss (James 4:3).
Fasting is a spiritual virtue (like faith and love), which is engaged by every human that desires to grow spiritually and commune with God intimately. Fasting isn’t a periodic event; it is a life-long lifestyle to control our carnal desires in order to gain spiritual momentum. (2 Cor. 10:4)
Moreover, fasting is ordained to change our level of spiritual authority because we live in a world of darkness and wickedness. Fasting for 14 or 41 days in a whole year doesn’t change anything. It is our commitment to living a fasted life (spiritual minded) that matters (Romans 8:6).
From our reference scripture (Matt. 17:15 –21), the disciples couldn’t cast out a demon from a lunatic boy, but Jesus rebuked the devil and the boy was delivered instantly. Notice that Jesus didn’t talk about fasting first, he pointed them to their unbelief or weak faith.
Therefore, fasting is not to move the hand of God, He is the unchanging changer; it is to increase our level of command. In the army, an officer’s command increases by training and results gotten over time. The longer we tame the desires of the flesh, the more spiritual we become.
We don’t fast to please God, we do to become like Him. A football trainee aiming to be a football star doesn’t train to please his coach; he trains to be like the super stars that he admires. Fasting is our spiritual training module that removes our dross of carnality. (James 4:8).
Furthermore, we fast to heighten our spiritual sensitivity and spontaneity. A student sitting for a core course is likely to stay actively awake in order to read some more. So also, a believer that has seen the urgent need for power lives a fasted life (1 Pet. 5:8).
Without the voice and presence of God, life becomes a burden to us, life loses value and we become victims rather than victors that we are. The only access to His voice and His presence is spiritual sensitivity. Therefore, we fast to be more empowered for all round victories in life.
Emmanuel T. Olaniyi writes by Divine inspiration and teaches the word.
I am an INFLUENCE in my generation towards the ADVANCEMENT of humanity.
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