REASONS FOR FASTING...
“Your voice is breaking up… Can you hear me now?”
Doesn’t it drive you crazy when something disrupts your cell phone conversation?
Often, we don’t realize that we need to clear the air - spiritually speaking - so that we can hear the voice of God better. When we fast, we put ourselves in a better space to be able to hear Him.
God’s people throughout history have fasted to eliminate distractions and focus more attention on seeking God in order to know Him better and because of some kind of felt need. At times we sense that we need God’s wisdom, direction, provision, protection, healing, etc., in regard to a very specific time or situation in our lives.
We encourage you to dive a little deeper into the subject of fasting. Listed below are a few examples of why fasting was done in the Bible. You may find that you resonate with one or more of the following situations:
Preparation for ministry - Matthew 4:1-11 / Mark 1:12
Need for direction - Acts 13:1-3, 14:23
Need for protection - Ezra 8:21-23
Need for healing and renewal - Nehemiah 1:1-4
Need for repentance - Joel 2:12-14, Isaiah 58:1-12
Pleading for God’s help and strength - Esther 4
Breaking strongholds of Satan - Mark 9:14-29 - “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
National emergency - Joel 1:14-20
Intense longing for God - Mark 2:18-20
Returning to God - Nehemiah 9
Deliverance - 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
Seeking God’s mercy - Daniel 9:1-19
Fasting as a lifestyle - Luke 2:36-38
Taking a burden to God - 1 Samuel 1:1-18
Voicing discouragement to God - Psalm 42
Forgiveness - 2 Samuel 11-12:23, Psalm 51
If you do resonate with any of these examples, we encourage you to plan your own period of fasting!
In our next post, we will cover how to prepare for a fast. We are praying for you as you seek God in a deeper way this new year!
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