Fasting is About Sacrifice and Discipline

Sacrifice and discipline are two words that have very little appeal in the lives of many Christians these days, but for those who are willing to sacrifice food and drink and give up their comfortable routine in order to humble themselves before God, your reward will be great. You are prepared to discipline yourself with times of prayer and meditation in the Word to get closer to God. You are willing to deny your flesh the food it desires by placing it on the altar of sacrifice. And we do that for varied reasons–special prayer requests, spiritual growth, to gain a greater sensitivity to the heart and voice of God, health detox, etc. But the truth is that when we fast and pray we gain access to the power and grace that comes only in this way. The caveat is that God looks at the heart and His power is released only to those who will submit to His authority.   

Fasting and prayer could be our open door to the very desires of our hearts if our hearts are right! Our only motivation must be love–love for God and love for others.

 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Proverbs 16:2 NLT

In reading Isaiah 58 we see that the people fasted but their hearts were not right before God. He called them out for their selfishness! God made it plain that fasting, and the humility that it was designed to produce, were for the purpose of turning our hearts from ourselves to the needs of others. “Is this not the fast that I have chosen?”

• To lose the bonds of wickedness

• To undo the heavy burdens

• To let the oppressed go free

• And that you break every yoke?

 He wants to change our hearts from our own self-centered motives to compassion for His people. In return, His promise to us is deliverance, healing, protection, guidance, restoration, strength, and the ability to shine like the noon-day and be like a well-watered garden. And He promised so much more if our hearts are right!

What others are saying about prayer and fasting

Prayer and fasting is defined as voluntarily going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Prayer and fasting often go hand in hand, but this is not always the case. You can pray without fasting, and fast without prayer. It is when these two activities are combined and dedicated to God’s glory that they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision, and wisdom you need.

https://www.allaboutprayer.org/prayer-and-fasting.htm

“Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.” – Andrew Murray

“Fasting is important—more important, perhaps, than many of us have supposed, as I trust this book will reveal. For all that, it is not a major biblical doctrine, a foundation stone of the faith, or a panacea for every spiritual ill. Nevertheless, when exercised with a pure heart and a right motive, fasting may provide us with a key to unlock doors where other keys have failed; a window opening up new horizons in the unseen world; a spiritual weapon of God’s providing, “mighty, to the pulling down of strongholds.” May God use this book to awaken many of His people to all the spiritual possibilities latent in the fast that God has chosen.”

~ From God’s Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis

The power of prayer and fasting is in the sacrifice. Being willing to voluntarily deprive ourselves of something that is rightfully ours for the benefit of others is a gift that we can give to the world as ministers and God’s representatives in the earth. 

Let’s stir up this gift, motivated by love for God and others, as indicated in Scripture:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 

Romans 12:9-10 NIV

Prayer

Father, You have shown us that Your desire for us is to demonstrate Your Love to the people that are in need. As we fast and pray and humble ourselves before You, do a work in our hearts so that we will be Your Hand extended to those who need the gift that You have created us to be. Thank You for using us to bring glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.