I was blessed to be given an article on fasting by a respected brother in Australia…

I read it – or finished reading it – last night…

It really had an impact on me…

I didn’t agree with every single thing mentioned but I definitely agreed with the spirit of it…

It was written just after the second world war…

By a brother from America (I believe) – it was very powerful…

This is what I saw…

This is my interpretation and I’m adding to this what I’ve experienced in this to date also…

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB)

I really believe that the “humbling themselves” mentioned in this scripture is fasting – going without food…

The author believed that fasting is essential with water – especially the longer fasts which the Lord will cause us to complete for His Glory…

I agree with this and nature itself teaches us this lesson…

Ester fasted and went without water for three whole days – I’ve done this before and with around half a day to go I had to go to bed and sleep – I just couldn’t function any more…

What the author explained was that even Jesus when He went through the forty days in the wilderness didn’t go without water – he explained that when the scripture says, “after this He hungered” it means exactly that – but it didn’t say, “I thirst” (I’m adding things in here) as Jesus did later on the cross…

He (the author) believes that what Jesus went through for us in the wilderness was to leave us an example – something which we can go through also in the power of the Holy Spirit…

He (the author) believes that Moses went through something different – He was in the Presence of the Lord for forty days and forty nights and didn’t eat or drink – he did this twice “back to back” in the Presence of the Lord – this was supernatural – people can’t survive without water for this long (naturally) but the Lord sustained him (Moses) and his face glowed after the experience…

He (the author) also brought out that when the Lord took Moses home he was still in strength (like a young man) and there was nothing wrong with his eyesight…

He was 120 years old (Moses was) when the Lord took him home and this gives great comfort to us all (I’m excited about this)… 🙂

Fasting has been proven to regenerate life – to give “wings” to that passage in Isaiah about waiting on the Lord and rising on wings as eagles and running and not growing weary and walking and not fainting and having our youth restored like the eagle…

Very exciting…

🙂

Anyway, the point which stood out to me – which wasn’t “backed up” by the author – was that Jesus was “propelled” into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and He fasted…

The Lord showed me that He would call me into these sort of fasts – He told me when and gave me a peace – so I need to wait for this – I fast at present but it is very “easy”…

The way I fast is just to not eat when I don’t want to eat or when the Lord specifically tells me not to eat…

I find this easy as He gives me the desire to do it and I don’t think about food or drink during these times – usually it’s short fasts without food or drink – that’s been the pattern for me so far but it has had an effect on me – I can see that looking back after reading what the brother shared…

I’m not a believer in “self-will” or “determination” or “a strong will” or “trying hard” or “pulling yourself up by your bootlaces” or “gritting it out” or any other similar turn of phrase…

I want the Lord to do what He’s doing in my life and if the Spirit propelled Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and gave Him grace to fast and pray (I guess) during His temptation then this is good enough for me – it was “painless” for Jesus as the Spirit was leading it…

When later on in His ministry His disciples couldn’t cast out a demon Jesus told them, “this type comes out only by prayer and fasting” and I believe (as did the author) that Jesus’ fast (and I believe He prayed) had prepared the way for Him to be able to cast out that particular type of demon…

We are called to follow in His steps and we can through His Spirit who has been given to us…

Everybody has different types of metabolism…

Some people can fast for longer than forty days – the author mentioned fifty days – as long as they have regular water – the author mentioned that boiled (hot or warm) water is the best (I thought that was interesting)…

Whereas some “hunger” again after only twelve or twenty one days…

What he (the author) explained was that when scripture says “after this He hungered” this is a sign – a good appetite – that Jesus’ body was healthy – when the hunger returns (you lose the hunger after three or four days apparently) near the end of your fast – that is a sign that your system has been “cleaned out” and your “healthy appetite” is a sign that you are ready to complete your fast…

Jesus continued His because the Father hadn’t told Him to stop – another proof to me that the Holy Spirit initiated it and the Holy Spirit needed to “terminate” it also… 🙂

Jesus didn’t “grab” for Himself even when starvation had set in – the author explained that starvation is when the hunger returns and you keep on fasting – this eventually leads to death…

So Jesus laid His life down to death even in the wilderness – the cross was not the first time that Jesus laid His life down to death – interesting eh?

David also fasted – the Psalmist – he fasted so much and didn’t care what people thought of him – he got so skinny that one Psalm records that he was just “skin and bones” but he did it for the Lord and didn’t care what anyone thought of him – just like his “dancing before the Lord with all his might” exploits – he didn’t care what anyone thought of him – even his wife…

He was resolute…

The human body has been designed to fast – he (the author) gave some fascinating medical facts from people who have fasted and the thing which is burned (the majority of what is burned) is fat (97% I believe in the example given) the blood is basically “untouched” by the fast proving that the life of the body is in the blood as the scripture says (the brain was also basically “untouched” as was the nervous system)…

So fasting basically “cleans you out” and if this is true for the body – many “healings” (just natural healings) have occurred when people have fasted with skin diseases (and worse) – things which were incurable have “gone” during fasting – then how much more when you add prayer (as the author said) will things “go” in the spirit…

You can’t cure demons through fasting – demons need to be cast out…

I laughed when I read that part…

Although the author believed that some demons would leave just because the toxins, etc, in your body were being eliminated – he was insinuating that demons love “scum” and “rubbish” – I’m not sure I have a witness for this but it was an interesting thought (it might be true)…

I’m “all for it” if it works… 🙂

I had one experience of fasting (or surrendering to fast) when I heard a demon inside me say, “I’m out of here” – I can remember that…

It had obviously gotten “too hot” for it… 🙂

So there’s a joy in me to share this…

The Lord’s done something in me…

Once I saw that the Lord initiated it with Jesus everything changed – what the Lord initiates He motivates – that’s what I believe – and have experienced…

He “holds us on” to what He motivates and initiates…

So what am I saying?

A Holy Spirit initiated fast with prayer – as He leads in terms of both the fasting and the prayer – with water – I believe this to symbolise the word (the scripture) – is very powerful in the Hands of God…

I believe we should all (who are adults and fully grown) be seeking the Lord for when He would have us undertake such a fast – fasting through the initial “tough” three or four days, drinking lots of water (boiled water, maybe hot or warm) and getting to that place where we have no appetite, enjoying His Presence even if we’re at work (as long as we don’t have a very physically demanding job – people have done it – a testimony was shared) and then waiting for the hunger (a good, healthy appetite) to return symbolising that our system is restored and then after the fast and prayer we will start to see the results as the Lord releases them…

I believe in this as a lifestyle – I never thought I’d be saying this – but the Lord showed me last night that this would become a lifestyle for me and I have surrendered to it with joy – Praise His Holy Name…

Thank You Lord – and we will see the world saved in this state of humbling ourselves and praying and He will hear from heaven and He will forgive our sins and He will heal our lands…

Praise You Jesus – in unity – Your Church completing Your work on earth…

Praise You Jesus – You are our Example and greater things will we do because of Your submission to the Father on our behalf – Your “coming underneath” to serve us…

Praise You Lord…

Love You,

Andrew

(Ps. after the long fast fruit juice – orange, grapefruit or grape – is encouraged then natural or canned fruit then soup – with some milk – then vegetables and then finally back to your routine diet – the author suggested that the “warm down” period should be as long as the fast until you get back to your regular diet – interesting eh?)