Talks

On Sunday Helen continued our “Rooted” Series and inspired and challenged us to think about the spiritual practice of FASTING. Helen explained that biblical fasting is about creating space to spend more time with God, replacing a meal or meals with prayer and becoming more dependent on Him for strength and guidance.  Sometimes people abstain from other things – like social media, or TV which can be useful – but Biblical fasting is understood to be going without food.

She shared some of the examples in the Bible of when people fasted in different ways. Jesus said: “WHEN you fast…..” not “IF you fast….” He seemed to be expecting His disciples would make “Fasting” a part of their following God.

John Mark Comer says: “Fasting and prayer go together. You can pray without fasting and you can fast without praying but when you combine the two, there’s a noticeable amplification of our prayer before God. This comes as no surprise since fasting is a kind of praying with our body. When the request of our heart is coupled with the yearning of our body, our prayer is purified and presented like a precious metal before our father, for him to do as he will.”

Fasting can help people hear God’s voice more clearly, strengthen their prayers, and help us to be aware of our sin, and repent before God. Helen shared a second quote from John Mark Comer:  “More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. Very few practices have the capacity to humble us as does fasting. When you begin fasting, it’s common to feel sad, even anxious, or just plain hangry. With regular practice, these feelings (mostly) go away and are replaced by joy, contentment, a sense of intimacy with God, and spiritual power.”