THE REASONS AND THE BENEFITS OF FASTING AS YOU WALK WITH THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

This moment in time, The LORD God Almighty, The LORD Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit is going to help us understand the reasons and the benefits of fasting and we will eventually also talk about the different types/forms of fasting. Fasting as we will find out shortly, should be an integral part of the walk with The LORD.

And you have to note that it is prayer and fasting; they go hand in hand. And it is important to note that fasting refers to self denial of food (or some type of food) so as to dedicate oneself to prayer and submission to The LORD and before The LORD.

It is also very important to note that fasting is not starvation; because during fasting one feeds on spiritual food (the anointing of The Holy Spirit) by humbling oneself before The LORD, which is not the case during starvation.

The first benefit/reason of fasting is to acquire the anointing of The Holy Spirit to a higher level so that one operates in a higher level of anointing of The LORD. This is because during fasting, the flesh is “killed” (emptied) and the “spirit person” is uplifted because the Holy Spirit empowers the “spirit person” during fasting to a higher level of anointing and power.

Galatians 5: 16-26 ‘“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”’

2^nd Corinthians 5:6-8 “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we live by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

The second benefit/reason of fasting is to receive deliverance from bondages and chains of the evil forces. There are some diseases and demon-possession that does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

Mathew 17:21 “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”

The third benefit/reason of fasting is to find favour before the LORD. And so fasting is very necessary as one humbles himself/herself before The LORD so as to find favour in the sight of the LORD; so that The LORD intervenes in a particular situation.

Esther 4:15-17 ‘“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.”’

The fourth benefit/reason of fasting is that fasting averts (prevents) the judgment (wrath) of the LORD. And this is so when a person (a people) humbles himself/herself (themselves) and Repent of their sins.

Jonah 3:1-10 ‘“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:  “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”’

The fifth benefit/reason of fasting is that fasting leads to cleansing of our body, soul, mind, heart and spirit.

Leviticus 16:29-34 ‘“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you— because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community. “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.”’

NOTE: This atonement for sins has now been fully paid by The LORD Jesus Christ by The LORD paying the ultimate sacrifice for sins at the cross of Calvary by shedding His blood for the salvation of those who believe in Him.

The sixth benefit/reason of fasting is to gain understanding. And this means to acquire a deeper meaning of mysteries, knowledge and revelation. 

Daniel 10:12-14 ‘“Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.  But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”’

Daniel 10:1-3  ‘“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.”’

The seventh benefit/reason of fasting is to present a petition before The LORD in humility so that there be a break-through.

Ezra 8:21-23 ‘“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”’

The eighth benefit/reason of fasting is to humble oneself before The LORD during trouble, disgrace and distress.

Nehemiah 1:1-4 ‘“The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”’

The ninth benefit/reason of fasting is to Repent before The LORD and Return to the LORD by rendering ones heart to The LORD.

Joel 2:12-17 ‘“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.  Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

The tenth benefit/reason of fasting is to enquire of The LORD and to seek Him.

2^nd Chronicles 20:1-4 ‘“After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.”’

TYPES OF FASTING:

1-Dry Fasting: This is the fasting whereby one does not take any food or drink i.e. no solid food or liquid food taken during the period of fasting. It is the type of fasting that Esther and the Jewish community living during Esther’s time took when Hamann schemed to finish them (Esther Fasting).

2-Water-Only Fasting: This is the fasting whereby only water is taken during the period of fasting. 

3- Juice-Only Fasting: This is fasting whereby only juice is taken during fasting.

4- Daniel Fasting: This is the fasting whereby only vegetables, fruits, Cereals, legumes and water are taken. 

No Animal product be it meat or milk is taken. No sugar or coffee or tea is taken. 

NOTE: -Fasting can take the form of half a day; one day; two days; three days; five days etc as led by The LORD for any of the above types of fasting.

-Remember that fasting is very important for your growth and development as you walk with The LORD God Almighty, The LORD Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit on the narrow road; The road of Repentance, Righteousness, Holiness, Truth and Complete surrender to The LORD Jesus Christ. And so I urge you to partake of it.

SHALOM!!!

PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD IN ABSOLUTE REPENTANCE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, TRUTH AND COMPLETE SURRENDER TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (YAHUSHUA HA MASHIACH). TIME IS ABSOLUTELY OVER; THE MESSIAH JESUS CHRIST IS IMMINENTLY COMING TO PICK HIS BRIDE!!!   

REPENTANCE PRAYER  

Precious Jesus, 

I acknowledge today that you are LORD and savior of all mankind, 

and today I have recognized my shortfall,

I repent and turn away from all sin. 

Please cover me with your precious blood, 

and establish your word in my life,

that I may be found in righteousness and holiness 

and write my name in your book of life 

and baptize me with the power of the Holy Spirit 

in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 

Amen.   

Shalom!!! Shalom!!! Shalom!!! 

Kevin Mirasi