Many of us welcome the month of January to shed the many pounds that we accumulated over thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of us join the local gym and work out, and many will participate in various types of “Fasts” depending on how quickly they want to shed those pounds.

Many Christians individually or collectively with their churches also participate in a Spiritual fast at the start of the New Year. For many of us it is the 21-day Daniel Fast.  There are approximately 99 verses in the bible that refer to “Fasting” and hence I do believe that fasting is very important.  Although God commanded fasting of the Israelites in the Old Testament, we do not see Him commanding fasting in the New Testament nor do we see him forbidding it.

Many early Christians did practice fasting and prayer as a part of their spiritual lives and truly belief that we should also take some time out to participate in a time of fasting also. Having said  let me caution you not to participate in a Fast just to say you did a fast, but make sure that you Fast with the purpose of gaining spiritual strength, a deeper understanding of God and a closer relationship with Him. Sometimes we need clarity from God concerning what our next steps should be. Sometimes when we need a breakthrough concerning situations in our lives (our health, issues with our children, our marriages or our career) it is necessary to spend some time seeking God’s face.

When we fast it is not about the length of time, but rather it is about the effectiveness of your Fasting. Although fasting is generally abstaining from food, you can also abstain from other things that will require some sacrifice such as watching your favorite television show.  If you have never fasted before and want to try it, you should start with a partial fast- such as abstaining for a few hours at a time and not for an entire day. As you get more comfortable then you can adjust the length of time. If you have special dietary needs, make sure that you seek the advice of your health care provider and avoid complicating your health problems.

In His Service,

Vilma