Breakthrough |Freedom | Dominion.
Have you ever fasted and prayed to God to intervene on your behalf but never received an answer from God? Did it ever cross your mind that perhaps you might have fasted the wrong way?
What does the Bible say about fasting? Is there a right way to fast and a wrong way to fast? Let’s look at what God says about fasting in Isaiah 58:3-12 KJV,
“Why have we fasted; they say; and You have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed? Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen, to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings”.
The Bible says that God is a God that changes not (Malachi 3:6). This means that God’s perception on fasting has not changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament and in this generation and generations to come. The principle of God remains the same because He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
The question is why was God so displeased with the way the people in Isaiah’s days fasted?
God was displeased with the way His people fasted because:
While they were fasting, they were quarreling and were in strife amongst each other.
During a time of fasting, it is vital to forgive anyone that you may have grudges with. Why? Because fasting is an internal (heart) connection with God and there shouldn’t be any bitterness in your heart towards anyone during your fast.
In Jeremiah 17:10, God says “I, the LORD, I search the heart and mind”.
When you are in fasting and you hold grudges or unforgiveness in your heart or mind against anyone, it gives the devil permission to access your heart where God should dwell. The devil cannot dwell in the same place as God just like darkness and light cannot co-exist.
Jesus said, “when we pray, we should forgive others their trespasses so that our Heavenly Father will also forgive our trespasses” (Mathew 6:12-14).
This means that you should forgive everyone who has wronged you while you are fasting. This includes family members, friends, co-workers or acquaintances so that your fasting and prayers may reach the throne of God without any hindrances from the kingdom of darkness.
During their fasting, they turn their back to the poor, the needy, and the hungry.
Have you ever fasted and while you were out saw someone who was in need, perhaps begging for money while holding a sign but you drove or walked right pass them?
Have you seen those commercials on your television with those poor children starving for food and thirsty for clean water, but you switched the channel immediately when a phone number showed up asking people to donate?
What about those homeless people in your neighborhood who were not as fortunate, stricken with all forms of addiction and have hit rock bottom and begging people for handouts?
God said when His people are fasting, they should take care of the poor and feed the hungry. This is God’s perception of how His people should conduct themselves during a time of fast.
The Bible records an interesting passage of scripture about a man named Cornelius. God said this about him, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms (money giving to the poor) has been noticed by God” (Acts 10:31).
When you stretch your hands to the poor in giving or caring for them (whether it is a friend, a family member or a stranger), God notices it. He remembers it and will reward you.
What are the results when God’s people fast the way He intended them to fast?
God says in Isaiah 58:8, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard”.
The light is Jesus Christ, the light of the world (John 8:12). The light is also the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of you (1 Corinthians 3:16).
God is saying that there are certain issues of the heart that prevents the light in you to shine, overshadowing the darkness (the issues or the problems) that surround you. Therefore, the kingdom of darkness (where Satan and his evil spirits dwell) are now at work fighting against your progress and success. Hence, you are now encountering difficulties in almost every area of your life.
Even when you fasted, breakthrough seems so far away, perhaps you’ve heard or read the entire chapter of Isaiah 58, but God is saying to look at that chapter again carefully and see what you have missed. As the Holy Spirit reveals these revelations to your heart and you begin to apply them to your life, you will start to see greater results in your spiritual walk with the Lord.
God says in Isaiah 58:9, “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say, Here I am, If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk”.
In other words, God is saying that while you are fasting, cease from blaming people for wrong doings (pointing of finger and malicious talk) even if they are at fault. Cease from fault finding in other people’s lives. Why? Because fasting is a moment of cleansing yourself from the filthiness that this world pours in the lives of believers every day.
Fasting is a moment when the believer who has been sanctified by the precious blood of Christ approaches a Holy God with their request in prayer. Therefore, there shouldn’t be strife, unforgiveness and animosity in our heart towards anyone but rather, it is a moment to pray and intercede on behalf of all men (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
Remember what the Lord said in Matthew 5:44, “love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully hate you”.
God cannot override His own words (the Bible). Therefore, when we do the opposite of His Word, we will begin to encounter difficulties in many areas of our life regardless of whether we’ve fasted or not. Breaching the word of God is an invitation for Satan and his demonic agents to enter a person’s life and cause havoc, confusion and losses.
The Bible says in Isaiah 58:11-12, “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings”.
In other words, God says that when you fast according to His Word, you will be fruitful in every area of your life. Generational curses in your family lineage will be broken. When you pray for your family members, God said He will hear and answer you, your family members will be blessed because you sought the Lord and fasted the right way.
Prayer
Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you and teach you to fast the right way through His Word.
Declaration
I declare, that I have dominion over my flesh. It will not rule over me to dictate how I should live, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, I will rule over the appetite of my flesh.
Author: Andrew A.
