[Acts 10:30-31 KJV] “And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.“
We want to understand the mystery of fasting. In the Bible, a devout soldier called Cornelius states that he was fasting; what exactly was he doing?
Fasting is making time to draw close to God or to seek His face with specific objectives.
Fasting involves abstaining from food, pleasures, and exertion to spend more time drawing closer to God.
Fasting involves making time to pray, read the scriptures and Christian literature, ministering to the Lord in worship, showing of compassion, and listening.
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.”
“Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.”
“Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?”
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:1-7 KJV)
When and how long you fast is not as important as the strength and commitment in drawing close to God. Examples of fasting in scriptures include;
- In many instances among devout Jews, many fast sun-up to sun-down daily and God answers them. This is 12-hour fast to humble the soul before God and to seek His face or to draw near to Him.
- Cornelius fasted and an angel appeared to him, gave him direction, and he continued for four days until Peter arrived. This is as seen in the text above. He was fasting and praying as part of his devotion to God.
- Israel stood with Esther for three days in fasting and God answered them. This was was to ask God for something specific. She needed favour before the king and she believed that asking God will work it out and it did. Israel fasted for three days and God answered.
- Daniel fasted and God answered him. This was to intercede for a nation. Daniel fasted and interceded for the nation Israel. He fasted and prayed and confessed his sins and that of his fathers, and God heard him (See Daniel 9). He again fasted and prayed in Daniel 10 for three full weeks.
- Nineveh fasted and cried out for three days and God saved a whole nation from going down in flames. We can equally pray and save our nation.
- In Acts 13, some apostles and prophets and teachers from the church in Antooch gathered to fast and pray and minister to the Lord. We must spend time to seek the face of God and to find direction for the next move.
From the 1st to the 21st of November, we want to spend time fasting and praying just to draw close to God. I am inviting you to join me and a team of intercessors to pray and intercede for the nations. We are trusting God that at the end of the time we shall find four (4) things;
- Forgiveness
- Renewal
- Direction for the next move
- The power to drive our pursuit
Find time and join us in this season of fasting and praying. Let us come before the Lord and seek His face, He will answer.
Stay blessed
