THE POWER & PURPOSE OF FASTING…

Now more than ever we desperately need to modify our spiritual diets. By design, the world that we live in today has flooded our subconscious with so many options that we have failed to notice our spiritual malnourishment as a body at large.

One of the greatest spiritual disciplines has been marketed to many of us as optional rather than mandatory and that is a grave error.

Throughout scripture we learn that God in His omniscience has never nor will He ever speak idly. Lets briefly examine scripture to further solidify this point.

Matthew 6: 16-18 KJV says

“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”

It’s very significant to note that here He says “when” and not “if”.

“When” indicates certainty while “if” indicates possibility. Our certainty of fasting is a privilege, not a punishment. Turning down our plates while creating a carnal response in our flesh the spiritual reward is greater.

Let’s explore the purpose of fasting which is not advertised in a way that we all rush to line up for.

Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ says,

“My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

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One of the purposes of fasting is to weaken the flesh or the carnal nature. Our flesh or the carnal realm and nature of man is usually its driving force yet this ought now to be so and here’s why

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ says

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”

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Now, in this verse the word “mind” is the Greek word phronema G5427 and it means what one has in mind, the thoughts and purposes.

Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ says

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

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The word “flesh” in this verse is the Greek word sarx G4561 and it references the human nature, the soul (mind, will, and emotions).

Fasting has the power and potency to lessen the influence of our flesh or carnal nature.

Let’s look at the power of fasting…

Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ says

“However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

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Dependence upon God and self-denial is an impenetrable combination against the forces of darkness!

A few verses up, we see Jesus rebuking the disciples for their unbelief and their lack of faith, two crippling forces that greatly diminish the effectiveness of the Ecclesia.

Prayer does not always produce “SELF-DENIAL” but proper fasting does!

Prayer and fasting are not exclusive to the sons of God, Satan’s sons fast and pray also and what we have seen age long is their consistency and consistency is POWER!!

Fasting and prayer is a spiritual protocol that can be weaponized on ALL sides however the altar to which fasting and prayer are offered matters!

When dark altars have no opponent, by default they win, and much of their winnings come from the spiritual laziness on the part of God’s saints.

Spiritual governance and authority are displayed in the effectiveness of what is allowed or disallowed from both light and darkness. As light barriers, we are NOT ill-equipped! For many of us, a lack of teaching or emphasis on this spiritual discipline is the chief reason for its nonexistence in our lives.

As scripture has forth told, we live in an age where good is called evil and evil is called good and God has allowed this. This is a part of His eternal plan and we know that it’s in this very time that the elect can too be deceived.

Our strategy is FULL reliance on God in conjunction with a life of self-denial. This is bigger than moral goodness, it’s having the spiritual aptitude to not only discern good and evil but spirits as well.

When was the last time you fasted?

Until next read,

Waiting well

Apostle Natasha