A holy fast has two basic elements. Abstaining from food, and spending dedicated time with God in prayer daily, either corporately, or individually.
Abstaining from food can be quite a challenge – which suffices to persuade me that I need to make this a regular discipline in my own life. The Apostle Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 9:27, when he said "I beat my body and make it my slave ..." In other words, he buffets or resists the urges, desires, and drives of his own body so that his spirit is in control. In Romans 8:5-11, Paul speaks of the spirit and the flesh being in direct opposition. This is proven when we begin to fast from food. It's almost a sure thing that the moment we deliberately miss a meal or two, our minds cannot think about anything else but food - any food, even food that doesn't normally appeal to us. We are tempted. Our minds begin to reason and rationalize that it wouldn't be so bad if we just had a little bite. And, we are sure to get chuckles and grins from others as we reveal when we slipped and gave in to temptation, because it happens to everyone.
Fasting is just simply a diet if it is not coupled with dedicated time with God. It is imperative that we discipline our minds to think on His word, His character, and Who He is in us. Let's steer our minds to think on the purpose of the fast, disciplining our image center (imagination) to show pictures of those things which are listed in Philippians 4:8.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
During any fast, success is sure if we keep the purpose in front of us - thinking about it, committing to it, praying about it, and resolving to let your spirit be in control of your mind and your body. Just as an athlete trains and prepares for the game, we need to position ourselves for success before and during a fast.
Let's use this 40 day fast to apprehend God and everything He desires to pour out on us. Let's use this time to mobilize and position ourselves to walk in the promises He has set before us. Let's break the backs of apathy, lethargy, and do the training necessary to keep ourselves spiritually fit. Let's make ourselves available to the Lord so we can receive refreshing, renewal, and strength.
Shoulda Coulda Woulda
...every living person has regrets. “If only I worked harder on my project, I could have been promoted”…“If only I had said sorry, then my kids wouldn’t hate me”…“If only I went to graduate school…if only I married him then I would be happy…if only, if only…”. Do any of these ‘if onlys’ sound eerily familiar?... read more
United We Stand - Hillsong
In a word, this CD is “awesome”! If you’re looking for a good, all around CD that has a bit of everything, this is it. It’s got some great, high energy worship, with songs of more intimate praise as well as moments of “selahs”, where you’re just being still before God... read more
The Roots of Endurance is a challenging and thought-provoking book. It tells of the strength that three heroes of history evidenced in the face of difficulty. John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce. But this book is not a brief biography of these men. It is, instead, a study in how they dealt with the difficulties each faced... read more
Possessing Your Inheritance is like an easy-to-read roadmap from wherever you are to that most desirable of destinations – namely, your personal, unique inheritance in Christ... read more
How to Pray for Healing
“Bible-believing Christians certainly acknowledge that God is all-powerful. They use, without hesitation, the theological term “omnipotent” when describing God. However, we in [North] America sometimes have a difficult time bringing a practical application of this belief into our daily lives. Even in life-giving churches, the great majority of members rarely, if ever, see sick people instantly healed when they pray for them... read more
The Case for Faith
Many of us have been confronted about our faith and the claims made in God's Word. We try our best to answer questions and rebut any erroneous claims, but we may sometimes get frustrated by our inability to provide a satisfactory response to some of the tougher questions... read more
Is That Really You, God?
Have you ever questioned yourself on hearing God's voice, whether it is for a life changing decision or a passing thought? Have you ever been inches away from your goal and wondered, "Is this really you, God?" If so, then... read more
Shoulda Coulda Woulda
United We Stand - Hillsong
The Roots of Endurance
Possessing Your Inheritance
How to Pray for Healing
