My Story of Fasting
It started in the Word
When I was a new believer, I had an insatiable appetite for the word of God. I was attending a number of great Bible studies, but other than that, I chose to read only the Bible. No commentaries, not even a study Bible. I just wanted the pure word of God and to let the Holy Spirit “lead me into all truth.”
Somehow in that process I picked up on this concept of fasting.
I simply decided it was something I oughta do when I was in need of an answer from God. No one encouraged me to do it. I didn’t seek counsel. It was simply there, so I did it.
My very first fast still makes me giggle a little.
I was at church and I told the young man who had led me in the prayer of salvation that I needed to eat, because I was going to break a fast. He was happy and impressed I was fasting, so he took me out to lunch after church, and let me order whatever I wanted, sharing some thoughts on what was best to eat after forgoing food for a season.
As I eagerly swallowed eggs, toast, and bacon he asked me how long I had been fasting.
“Since this morning.” I replied, quite seriously.
He threw up his arms and laughed.
I laugh now too, but a whole morning without food was a serious fast for me back then!
Continuing in Secret
The first fasts I remember taking on after that were a 2-day and a 4-day fast for my boyfriend who I believed was called into ministry. Even though I was working as an aerobics instructor I saw a complete, or water-only fast, as the one “acceptable” fast at that time. I was young and healthy enough to complete those fasts despite serious workouts! And I learned, for the first time, that God who sees in secret is true to His word to reward me openly. My boyfriend was invited to be on staff at our very large and growing church following that fast. I have always believed that many subsequent ministry events that occurred in his life stemmed from those days of fasting in secret.
Through the years I would continue to engage in secret fasts, taking the Lords word where He says in Matthew 6 “So when you fast, wash your face and make yourself look nice. Then no one will know you are fasting, except your Father, who is with you even in private. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.”
Tuning In
The answers to those fasts came in a variety of ways. Sometimes I was rebuked through Gods word my attitude in the fast. Sometimes I saw a direct, and even miraculous answer! Sometimes God’s word came alive and brought light to the situation. Sometimes God changed the direction of my prayer altogether.
But whatever the case, I always met with God during a fast! He made His presence known.
My pastor says that a fast “tunes us in” to the Holy Spirit. It causes the airwaves around us to be clear of the muddled voices and emotions and clarifies God’s will. I find this to be true! In times of fasting the Bible seems to come alive and resonate with deep truth. No matter how hungry I am, I usually get very weepy at the end of a fast because I will miss the nearness I felt with God during it.
I also find that when I am spiritually dull or dry, even one day of fasting seems to bring a fresh wind to my sagging spiritual sails.
The fight is on
As the years went by God seemed to “raise the ante “ a bit, I began to feel Him calling me from 3 to 7-day fasts. First: my pastor husband and I began fasting for 7 days from New Years day until January 7. We still kept the fast “in secret” as it were, but eventually the Lord showed us in Joel 2 that there is a time to call a corporate fast! “Blow the trumpet in Zion! Consecrate a fast. Call a sacred assembly.”
We invited the church to participate. We were a very small little country church, but almost everyone participated in one form or another. We began to lengthen the fasts. They went from 7 to 21 days. Due to health concerns we added juice, or even shakes at times.
And now I learned a new thing about fasting: The enemy hates it.
It actually became almost a joke: appliances break down when you fast. Cars won’t start. Basements flood. Sometimes people turned on me with lies and anger.
I mean, hello? Shouldn’t the world all turn into butterflies and roses when you are fasting?
But no. Warfare often increases to challenging levels. Recognizing it is warfare (which is easier because of the great reception your spiritual antenna has during a fast) enabled us to push against the storms Satan threw at us. We began to declare, often through gritted teeth and tears, “God will throw this back AT you! This pain is only more fuel for the answer to the fast that is coming!”
Ah, this brings me to another point.
Use the pain.
Any sacrifice brings pain.
Maybe you have chosen to skip dessert, but when you want it during a fast, you may find you REALLY want it! When your tummy growls you can say “Do you hear that Lord? I am hungry. Use that towards an answer to the fast.”
Or “Thank you for this pain because that shows this is a true sacrifice I know you will honor.”
Sometimes you can say something like: “If the enemy is breaking down our appliances I know you must be working on our behalf to bring forth deliverance!”
I suppose I should have been happy, then, when we jokingly called our basement the “appliance graveyard.” Not sure I was at the time, but looking back, it was probably something we could rejoice in. Each appliance was a symbol of a battle we had gone through and overcome.
I did not overcome every battle.
I did not always finish well.
In fact, once upon a time it had been a few years since my last fast. I was now divorced and on my own. Spiritually I was on life support. (At best) I was scratching and clawing to hold on to God.
During that dark time, I began thinking about the many fasts and the many answers to fasting we had had. I told the Lord I would fast for 7 days. It was an act of desperation, hoping to survive and find Him again after all my failures. Besides, I wasn’t sure I could even make it 7 days due to my lack of hope in the Lord and my long absence from prayer. Surprisingly, I heard God’s voice in my heart as I was driving that day “If you will fast 21 days you will see miracles.”
21 days? Oh boy. Could I do it? But the voice of God was unmistakable.
I told a new (and one of my only) friend and he joined me in the fast. Even though I wouldn’t see him during the fast, he Insisted, actually, that we not only fast 21 days but that it be a water-only fast. (Gulp)
Did I see miracles?
I didn’t hear angels sing or anything, but my life was rapidly restored following that fast. God stepped in and gave me a fresh start. I restored relationships with people I had hurt and found my way back to the Fathers own heart. Not that He ever let me go, but it was the beginning of becoming the on fire Jesus-girl once again. God also showed me grace through a New Church, called “New Life” who took in this broken soul and not only accepted me, but gave me opportunities to serve God again.
Today I am back involved in ministry, I married that friend, and we have led extended fasts at our new church for over ten years now. Appliances still may break down, but we also have seen and heard from God through those fasts!
Here I am today.
A week away from this years 21 day fast.
I feel a sense of destiny this time. There is something significant about this fast.
We see throughout scripture fasts are called in times of national emergencies. Look at 2 Chronicles 20:1-4
2 Chronicles 20:1-4
It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
This is us. Throughout the world we are troubled on all sides. People have died of Covid. Rules and regulations are surrounding us and holding people captive. Nothing is as it once was. Where will it all lead?
I only know that the Lord told me recently when I asked about 2022. “The waves are coming.”
I don’t know what that means. But when waves come we must be ready and be certain our houses are built on a rock so they don’t crash and get carried away. The best way I can think of to prepare is to do what Jehoshaphat did: Set ourselves to seek the Lord through fasting. To call for a fast!
Lets look back at Joel 2 once again: There is a promise here for those who will call on the Lord through a fast in a day of trouble:
Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.“But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
John 8:42
Hide away with the Lord
It may be that troubles continue, but if you will hide yourself with the Lord in a time of fasting and prayer, your house will be settled on the rock even if, sadly, others are broken. But who knows, you may be their rescue?
I cannot say what God will do in you, what answers He wants to bring to you, but I can assure you He is eager for us to come to Him as Joel says “With Fasting and weeping and mourning.”
I hope to share more about fasting in the month of January. I have a free resource you can download when you subscribe to my newsletter. I will link to below. It is a simple guide to help you prepare for a fast. You can work through your “Why’s and How’s?” Record it in writing to solidify your commitment. I also share some tips for success there. Click on the Linktree link and then click Preparing your heart for a fast”
It is actually part of a journal that should soon be available on Amazon. Just waiting for the process to go through! 21 days with Our Father: A guided prayer and fasting journal. The journal will take you verse by verse through the Lords Prayer during your fast.
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Let’s call for a fast that will cause the enemy to flee and disaster to be averted!
