Many
of us welcome the month of January to shed the many pounds that we
accumulated over thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of us join the local gym
and work out, and many will participate in various types of "Fasts"
depending on how quickly they want to shed those pounds.
Many
Christians individually or collectively with their churches also participate in
a Spiritual fast at the start of the New Year. For many of us it is the 21-day
Daniel Fast.
There are approximately
99 verses in the bible that refer to "Fasting" and hence it must be
of great importance. Although God commanded fasting by the
Israelites in the Old Testament, we do not see Him commanding fasting in the
New Testament or as a matter of fact forbidding it. Many early Christians did
however practice fasting and prayer as a part of their spiritual lives and so
should we. Having said this we should not participate in a Fast just to say we
did a fast, but we should do so with a purpose of gaining spiritual strength, a
deeper understanding of God and a closer relationship with Him. Sometimes
we need clarity from God concerning our next steps, sometimes we need a
breakthrough concerning situations in our lives (our health, issues with our
children, our marriages or our career).
When
we fast it is not about the length of time fasting but it is the effectiveness
of it. Although fasting is generally abstaining from food, you can also fast
from other things that will require some sacrifice such as watching
television. If you have never fasted before and want to try it, you
should start with a partial fast- such as abstaining for a few hours each
day and not an entire day at once.
In
His Service,
Vilma
