Fasting

TEXT:

‘Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer”’ – Ezra 8:21-23.

THOUGHT:

I enjoy having breakfast, starting the day with food. Break-fast is not really anything to do with fasting, more to do with awaking from sleep. Fasting is not a form of dieting but the denial of drinks and foods and other things, for a set period of time, in order to achieve a higher, more important goal. This can be for just one meal, a day or even weeks.

Reading the Book of Ezra recently, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to some fasting principles revealed in our text. Ezra ordered a fast but why and for what purpose?

• Fasting is a form of submission – ‘we might humble ourselves before our God’

We are really saying, “We do not have all the answers, we cannot make it without You, we need Your help!” ‘So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honour. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.’ – 1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT. Pride makes us self-reliant but fasting helps us to become more God-reliant!

• Fasting helps us to know what direction to go in – ‘To seek from Him the right way’

Proverbs warns, ‘Before every man there lies a wide and pleasant road that seems right but ends in death’ – 14:12 LB. Every day we face having to make “uncertain” choices because we cannot be absolutely sure of the outcome. We decide on the basis of feelings, experience and the advice from others. How much better to bring God into our decision-making and fasting helps to do just that!

• Fasting can help us protect what we have – ‘For us, our little ones and all our possessions’

Jesus warned, ‘The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy’ – John 10:10. Satan is in the takeaway business. When King Jehoshaphat faced a battle too great for his army, he proclaimed a fast to call on God. This resulted in an amazing victory. Read the whole account in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. Fasting helps God to place a divine protection around our loved ones and all that we have.

If you are ending the year having suffered loss, whether to do with business, family or health, seek God by fasting for He can help you recover from those losses and bring about restoration.

• Fasting enables us to make bold declarations of faith – ‘We had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him”’

The king had offered a military escort but Ezra declined it boldly declaring that their God would look after them. How often do we speak fear when life’s problems hit us, but fasting can help faith to spring up in our heart. We can say, “Lord you have said it in Your Word, we have told others about Your promises, now bring to pass what You have said”. Fasting can help us to come out of the prayer room saying “I have got it, the answer in on the way!”

• Fasting should end with a sense of expectation – ‘So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer’

Fasting believes that God’s hand is upon all those for good who seek Him. God can keep His people safe. ‘I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered from all my enemies’ – Psalm 34:4. Fasting is a positive action when faced with a negative situation, for God promises, ‘Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know’ – Jeremiah 33:3. Try it and see!

After all the over-eating of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, diets abound to try to get the body back into shape. Why not add fasting to get your life back into shape too? Even if you have been the architect of your own trouble do not let that stop you from calling on God, for His love and grace are ready to meet with you when you seek Him with prayer and fasting.

A blessed New Year to you!