Might be stoned for this... but fasting is probably one of the most misunderstood spiritual disciplines in the kingdom.
I started fasting when I came to Christ in 2006 but I only began a serious lifestyle of fasting in 2009. Yet I fasted with all kinds of wrong motives, until God revealed the New Covenant truth to me on fasting.
Wrong motives on fasting:
1) God will answer my prayers
2) God will move as I fast and pray
3) God will give me greater breakthroughs in my life
4) God will give the nation I'm fasting for greater breakthroughs
5) God will cause a revival in the ministry and the nation
6) God will speak to me clearer
7) God will grant me supernatural increase
At one point, I was fasting for an extended period that I was thinking, "Man, I can actually go on even longer. I don't feel hungry at all. That will be way longer than my regular fast."
To God, that's a zero. The entire motive to do longer destroys the whole purpose of fasting. You can have a 100-day fast with zero result, or a 1 day-fast with amazing result. The difference lies in the motive.
If you fast with a wrong motive, it's a zero. It is a waste of energy and effort. It's self-affliction without any power and purpose. It's plain dieting. It is no wonder people can fast and see no life transformation because there is no revelation on fasting.
The more I fast and pray, the more I realise that many reasons for fasting are sacred cows (religion & traditions) to be ruthlessly killed. As far as I know, they are not mentioned in the New Covenant. Regardless of what other men or women of God say, I'm more concerned with what the Word says.
Fasting is not bending God's will to do ours. It is bending ours to do His. It doesn't bend His hand to do something. It bends ours to surrender to Him.
Fasting doesn't bring any increase in power, breakthrough or answered prayers. It doesn't even move God. Let me repeat. Fasting does not move God. It is meant to move us out of the way of hindering Him.
Fasting serves to bring us to a place of intimacy so that we become conscious of His presence and power which we ALREADY have in Christ that we can walk in. You don't need fasting for intimacy. But the only one reason for fasting is intimacy.
Do you have to fast? The answer is no. Mark 2:18-20 is clear.
"As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast." Jesus was WITH them, so they didn't need to fast. But Jesus would go to the Cross, and the disciples would have to fast (mourn). After Jesus resurrected, He gave His disciples the Holy Spirit. This is the promise of God, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Where is the Bridegroom now? He is IN us and WITH us.
This destroys the religious sacred cow of the obligation to fast. Whether you fast or not, it is the fruit that counts. It is all about life transformation. It is about becoming Him who is love.
I have been living a lifestyle of fasting until I learnt what it means to live a fasted life. A fasted life can be summarised in Galatians 2:20.
Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
P.S: It's better to live a fasted life, than a life with fasting.
Disclaimer: This post is not to stop anyone from fasting. I still do. But only for one reason - intimacy. Other reasons are pure sacred cows. #killsacredcows
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