God’s Word contains commands about many things, from
expressions of worship and relationships with other people to frequency of
prayer (Deut. 6:5; John 13:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Surprisingly,
though, there is no place in the Scriptures where the believer is specifically
instructed to fast.
Yet the words “whenever you fast” (Matt. 6:16, emphasis
added) show Jesus’ expectation that His followers would practice this
discipline. And there are examples in the Bible of people who abstained from
certain activities in order to draw close to God.
Before we go further, it is important to dispel a popular
misunderstanding. Fasting doesn’t serve to change God’s mind, speed up His
answer, or manipulate His will. Instead, fasting helps us focus our attention
on God alone, so that we listen and worship wholeheartedly.
Denying ourselves in this way makes us better able to fix
our eyes on Christ and hear Him clearly. His Spirit often starts by bringing to
mind sin that needs to be confessed. In so doing, He sanctifies our
thoughts—then He can use this precious time to intensify our desire for God,
reveal His will, and grant understanding and peace. In essence, fasting binds
us to Him in a oneness that is otherwise difficult to cultivate in our busy
world.
Do you want to see God move in awesome ways? By removing
anything that hinders your focus, you can fix attention solely on the Creator
and cry out to Him regarding your needs. As you gain understanding about your
Father and yourself, you will grow closer to Him.
Thought for today:
Does my spiritual life include fasting in any way?
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