Fasting simply means to abstain from something (food, drink, hobbies, attitudes, activities, etc.) in exchange for God's presence to take the place of that which you abstained from, as you seek His will for your life. There are many types of fasts for various reasons, but the fast that brings the presence of God is the one that focuses on Him (not us, our will, our desire). If our fast is for anything less than God's presence the outcome will reveal it.
Prayer during a fast is the catalyst between us and God. Fasting without prayer leads to nowhere. If you've ever been on a fast, simply for the practice of abstaining, then you know the outcome was pointless. When we pray and fast we not only experience a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit (God's presence) but we also begin to receive a more powerful intimacy with God (greater wisdom, understanding and knowledge) because we stepped out in our faith to follow God's will for our lives.
"And so, dear Christian friends, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?" Romans 12:1 NlT
The sacrifice that God desires from us isn't a religious mindset but a desire to be a "living and holy sacrifice" placing God's will above our will for our lives.
Thought to live by: Prayer connects our thoughts to God; fasting disciplines our body to follow.
"Who's your daddy; knowing God as Abba Father" is a daily devotional written by Pat Ferguson (c) 2011 All Rights Reserved.
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