If there ever was a time to fast and pray, it would be now. And if you are a mom of teens like me, the intensity of the need to pray and fast for our children has become far greater.
I’ve been sensing the nudge of the Holy Spirit to fast long before the pandemic began and while I’ve fasted for 24 hours here and there, I could not get myself to focus and do an extended fast. I would become irritable and hurtful towards my loved ones and I would just abandon it.
Like many Christians, I do the Daniel fast at the start of the year and maybe you do too. But fasting beyond the traditional 21-day fast, has been difficult. So when I ran across a 40-day summer sugar fast online, I knew it was something I had to do. I’ve never done a 40-day sugar fast, and so I knew I would need lots of help in keeping my commitment.
If this had been a complete (water/liquid only) fast, I would not have signed up; but giving up sugar in all its form, seemed viable even for me.
At this writing, I’m on day 27 of the fast and while it wasn’t incredibly hard physically, it’s been a serious spiritual battle. And I’ve been tempted not so much as to eat sweets as to give up the fasting altogether.
What happens when you fast?
In the last 27 days, I’ve lost my job as a teacher; the two family members whom I’ve specifically prayed for seem to be doing worse which includes my beloved teen. Then, just yesterday we received an unexpected medical bill for over $10,000.
Had it not been the daily encouragement of the online fasting community and the book I’ve been reading, The 40-day Sugar Fast {affiliate link} by Wendy Speake, I might have given up. But knowing that others are doing the same hard thing and walking through similar valleys has encouraged me to stay at.
The other motivator has been my desperate need for break-through. There’s been a lot of unraveling of hidden mindsets, unbelief and sin such as pride that I wasn’t even aware of. My heart has been wounded and crushed during this fast unlike no other time but I’ve found such incredible peace.
I’m no longer running to sweets and other foods to medicate my pain. Instead, I’m learning to face my struggles and give them to God and He is healing me. I’ve keenly aware that while I’ve meditated on key scripture verses daily, I haven’t consistently feasted on God’s Word. And that’s my prayer and goal for the remaining days of this fast.
Fasting is a serious spiritual discipline and not something to be taken lightly or done at a whim. At this point in my fasting journey it may seem that my life has gotten worse but I certain that God is at work. I may not see the answers I’m praying for, even when this fast is over and that’s okay.
Doing the fast has drawn me closer to God and I can feel His presence in my life in a deeper way. I’m more fully aware that what I’ve embarked on is a serious spiritual battle and the enemy of our souls wants nothing more than to discourage and dissuade from fasting.
But with each day, my heart is filled with the knowledge that I’m loved by my Heavenly Father; that He holds me and my loved ones in the palm of His hands. And while I do not fully understand what happens in the spiritual realm, I know God responds when we fast and pray.
Why should we fast?
How about you, friend? Do you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to fast? Maybe you have a desire to draw nearer to God? Or you have a loved one — a beloved teen who is hurting and spiraling out of control and you need God to intervene? Why not begin by praying and asking God to help you fast.
If fasting is new to you, begin with a one day or 24-hour fast. To help you keep your commitment to fast, I’ve created this Fasting Commitment printable which will help you map out your fasting plan.
In the coming weeks, I plan to share more of my fasting journey and to answer common questions about fasting as a Christian spiritual discipline. The world offers its own form of fasting as a health benefit which is not bad but I want to explore what the Bible has to say about fasting.
God’s Word says let wise be wise and understand the signs of the times. I want to understand and I want to be used by God in such a time as this to battle with Him to advance the Kingdom of God. I hope and pray you will join me.
Click here to download the free simple {printable} guide to help you get started.
Awesome!!!!
Excellent. When there’s a spiritual work that is important happening in our lives, I can count on spiritual attack, and “things going wrong”! It’s a sign to me that I’m on the RIGHT track, and that God is doing something extremely important in me and my loved ones!!! That is obvious in this post–keep on for victory and God’s complete work to happen!!! Very exciting to hear about all He did through this fast:)
Blessings,
Wendy