Why Fast?

FASTING GUIDE – WHY FAST?

By Pastor Mike Prah

 

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.” Joel 2:15

 

WHAT IS FASTING?

Fasting is chastising your flesh by abstaining from natural pleasures for a selected period of time while focusing on a deeper relationship with God.

 

WHY FAST?

1. To get clear directions from God

2. For spiritual growth in your life

3. To break the curse of Satan and to defeat every opposition against your life and your generation

4. To obtain personal breakthroughs in your health, finances, emotions, job, relations and every area of your life

5. To see the supernatural hand of God released to experience uncommon miracles in your life and our church

6. To cover your children in the educational system & society

7. Marriage enrichment

8. To interceed for your family members & friends who need deliverance

9. For our Church leaders, work leaders and government leaders to be blessed by God and to do God’s will

The Book of Acts confirms that one of the keys to personal renewal, fruitful evangelism, and overall effectiveness in ministry is fasting with prayer. When they wanted to see souls saved and lives changed, the early church fasted. When they wanted to minister to the needs of people with supernatural power and effectiveness, they fasted. When they needed miraculous provision, they fasted. In fact, whenever they faced personal or corporate challenges that required God’s intervention, they fasted … and God answered! And today, almost 2,000 years later, fasting with prayer remains the key!

SCRIPTURAL BENEFITS FOR FASTING:

– Fasting enables us to humble ourselves before God. (Psalm 38:13, Psalm 69:10, 2 Chronicles 7:14)

– Fasting is a means by which a believer brings his/her body into submission to God’s will. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

– Fasting changes man, not God. God is omnipotent and unchanging. (Malachi 3:6)

– Fasting breaks down the barriers in man’s carnal nature that stand in the way of the Holy Spirit’s control over the believer’s life. (Ephesians 3:20)

– Fasting intensifies prayer and enables the believer to become more effective spiritually. (Daniel 9:2, 3; Daniel 10:1-14)

– Fasting empowers the believer to obtain deliverance, spiritual breakthroughs, answered prayers and victory. (Isaiah 58:6, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15, 2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

– Fasting prepares the believer to receive a fresh outpouring of the Spirit and the blessings of God. (Joel 2:12-29)

– Fasting has medical benefits and produces healing. (Isaiah 58:8)

– Fasting will bring peace to our land. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

 

PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

Heavenly Father, today I consecrate myself to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. I receive fresh oil from Your presence to empower me to be effective in these days of fasting and prayer.

I declare that I shall not be distracted by any device of the enemy but I shall come to a place of deliverance, breakthroughs and victory in every dimension of my life.

I receive supernatural strength from the Holy Spirit to rise above the cravings of my carnal nature. I declare that in the midst of this fast I would receive power and divine directions from the presence of God that would positively affect my destiny.

This is my season of breakthroughs and Double Portion anointing. I shall not be denied of any blessing or miracle that You have ordained for me, in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

 

FASTING HELPFUL HINTS

1. Focus on the Word of God and increase prayer devotions during a fast. Select from a list of several Daily Bible Reading and Devotional Plans from our Mobile App to guide your reading of God’s Word. Daily Prayers are also available on Mobile App.

2. Fasting will increase your faith and your relationship with God.

3. During a fast, prayers must be specific. It is wise to keep a journal of your prayers and how God answers them.

4. Avoid eating a large meal before you begin to fast. This will make you even hungrier when you start your fast. Continue to eat fruit and vegetables before for at least three days before you begin to fast.

5. Drink lots of water and fluids: bottled, distilled, or purified preferably at room temperature. Do not drink tap water.

6. The first few beginning few days will be the hardest days of the fast, afterwards each day actually gets easier as you pray and press your way into God.

7. Fasting strengthens your inner will. You will not starve to death by fasting. Fast until God has dealt with you or you feel a release.

8. Fasting will not impair your health; however, consult with your physician if you have any concerns. It is not recommended that a pregnant woman should fast.

9. Limit (or perhaps eliminate) your indulgence in one or more of your usual pleasure practices (i.e. TV, a favorite hobby or sport, etc.) during the 40 fasting period.

10. The victory often comes after the fast is over.

11. Wisdom should be used when breaking a fast. Do not eat food like meats that are hard to digest when breaking a fast. Eat fruits or vegetables and drink plenty of water before, during and after fasting.

 

PRAY FOR LIFE AND SALVATION CHURCH DURING YOUR FAST AS FOLLOWS:

1. Pray that the church would be built after God’s pattern. (Exodus 25:8-9, Mathew 16: 17-19, Ephesians 2:18-22)

2. Pray that the church would grow in all dimensions

Stronger through Worship

Deeper through Discipleship

Larger through Evangelism

Broader through Ministry

Warmer through Fellowship
(Ephesians 4: 7-16, Acts 2:41-47, Acts 4: 31-35)

3. Pray that God would destroy every satanic attack and calculation designed to hinder the growth, progress, advancement and establishment of the church. (Acts 12:1-10, 2 Corinthians 2:11)

4. Pray that God would destroy and arrest the operations of the spirits of strife, contentions, envy, jealousy, backbiting, criticism, undermining, sabotage and every form of carnality that hinders the work of God. (Galatians 5:13-26, James 3:10-18)

5. Pray that God release a spirit of unity and team work, in the lives of the people of God. (Nehemiah 4:15-21, Ephesians 4:16)

6. Pray that all members of church would discover their divine call and ministries and would be supernaturally set in the church according to the counsel of God and they would be fruitful in their ministries. (Romans 12:3-8, 1Corinthians 12: 4-31)

7. Pray and release every human, financial and material resource that heaven has ordained for the advancement of the Church. (Psalm 118:25)

8. Pray that God would supernaturally empower His church financially so that the church can meet all its financial obligations without struggle. (Psalm 34;10, 2 Corinthians 12:9)

9. Pray that every department of the church would be functional, efficient and effective and that all the needs of the people of God would be met. ( 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 4:19)

10. Pray for revival and the activation of every spiritual gift in the lives of the people of God. Pray that this revival would cause a massive in gathering of souls into the kingdom of God. (2 Timothy 1:6)

11. Pray that God would bless His church tremendously in all dimensions and that other churches would be established as a result of it.

 

HEALTH CONCERNS

If you have any health concerns or are pregnant, please consult with your physician for advice before starting any fast.