Fasting

There are many reasons WHY a person would want to deny himself or herself from food and drink in this day and age.  It is a way to hit the reset button on your body and soul.  Fasting teaches us discipline, informs us of how weak our carnal powers of conviction can be — and on and on.  All good.

Foremost, fasting has real spiritual power, like prayer.  It goes back to the Garden.  Sin entered the World through WRONGFUL eating.  The first people started the Fall of Man and the Fall of Creation through the simple act of eating that one thing which was forbidden.  And the Rulership of the Creation was transferred from Adam to Satan.  The World is his now.  The World is both progressing toward a certain goal, yet also suffering toward a certain doom.

Original Sin: Wrongful Eating

Ultimately, fasting is our way to declare war on the Devil.  We say, demonstrably, that we will not only recant the Original Sin (that inclination to rebel against Perfection), but we will deny ourselves of even all those things which are permissible.  Had Adam and Eve heard Satan’s proposal and then said, “No. I prefer to fast for the next 40 days if only to demonstrate how opposed I am to your rebellion”, Satan would have been vanquished.

The power of the Evil One in your life and in my life can be vanquished through our act of Fasting.  It can be a total fast with only water for a certain amount of time.  Or only juice.  Or just veggies as with the heroes found in the Book of Daniel.  Maybe just protein drinks and vitamins.  The rule is this:  pick a plan and a time-frame and do not bend — at all — except for true medical reasons*.  The Devil is watching and his grip on your life will go limp if you stay resolute.  And do not rely on your carnal energy to deny your carnal energy.  Stay prayerful and ask the Lord to send the Holy Spirit to empower you in your commitment.

Rembrandt’s Temptation of Wrongful Eating

Jesus earned the attention of Satan while he fasted for 40 days in the desert wilderness.  Thus, as a man, He had already stripped Satan of his authority.  And Jesus warned His disciples who had failed to exorcise a demoniac that, “This kind only comes out by prayer and fasting.”

Satan Rebuffed by the Famished God-Man

As you fast, draw nearer to the Lord.  THEN wisely exercise the spiritual power that has been building against the spiritual vexations you have discovered in your own life and for those around you who desire deliverance.

Download a recent sermon regarding FASTING from Last Chance Chapel here in Helena, MT by Nick Lancette.

http://kiwi6.com/file/tw04zu0s8y — this is a GREAT sermon!

——————-

*Saul declared a fast during a time of war and the soldiers were in big trouble.  That’s a lousy time to starve yourself.  Break the fast if emergency physical output is a pressing requirement.   This and medical issues are both rare exceptions to your commitment to fast for a certain period.

Here is a link to all the occurrences of the term “fasti*” in the ESV Bible.