Happy New Year!
It’s 2021! A custom in many Churches is to have a New Year’s Fast during the month of January. What a way to start a new year! But, if you think the enemy is wishing you a, Happy New Year; you’re sadly mistaken, Sis. So, how do you handle the enemy attack against you getting this new year started off with a Holy-Ghost bang?
A good start is to look to Jesus, our example, in all things. In Matthew 4:1-11 is the encounter where Christ fasts. The Bible says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred”.
Let me ask you a personal question, Sis? Do you ever get hungry while fasting? Does your stomach grumble at about midday? If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, keep reading. Because stronghold-demolishing power is a by product of effective fasting and prayer.
Here are three practical bits of KNOWledge for successful fasting:
- KNOW that hunger pangs will occur during fasting: It is not the devil. It is a physical response created by a body that is conditioned to receiving food on a daily and in a timely manner. Even an infant knows when it’s feeding time without the ability to tell time. It’s a physical reaction. Would you rebuke an infant for crying when hungry? Hunger is a physical response and should be handled as such. Expect hunger pangs and bring the physical man under subjection to the Holy Spirit’s lead to fast.
- KNOW The “True Hunger” Threshold: What is “True Hunger?” Indeed, the human body does need food and water to survive. A human can go for more than three weeks without food. After that, the body enters a serious danger zone. Though the body can go 21 days without food; water is a different element. At least 60% of the adult body is made of water. Every living cell in the body needs water to keep functioning. Knowing The “True Hunger” Threshold will help us. How, you ask? Well, when your flesh is screaming, “I am famished! I am gonna’ die!” You call tell your flesh, “Self, you’ve only been fasting for an hour. You’ve got another 20 days and 23 hours to go before you enter into the danger zone.”
- KNOW Your Food Trigger(s): There are many food triggers. Which one(s) are you most susceptible to? There is the visual trigger; the sight of food in commercials, a cookie on the counter, or “free” donuts in the office break room send your tummy into a tail-spin. Or you may be more vulnerable to an aroma trigger; the smell of fried chicken or a whiff of McDonald’s French fries sends your hunger pangs through the roof. There are also emotional or stress triggers; the enemy sends a trial and there you are standing wide-eyed in the ice cream aisle at the local grocery store. Knowing your trigger(s) can help you be successful while fasting.
Why is it important that we understand the human or physical changes that occur in the body when we fast? Because, we need to spend less time focusing on hunger and spend more time rebuking the enemy while we are fasting. We need a clear view of what God wants us to combat during times of fasting. The Bible gives reasons for fasting … “to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6. Fasting isn’t for the hypocriting, half-stepping, lukewarm, weak, or nonchalant Christians. It’s for women who clearly see the need for a radical change within themselves and the world around them.
I certainly hope these three must-KNOW tips are helpful on your next fast.
Fast & Pray With Intention, Lady Melissa F. Fields.
Which tip was most helpful to you? Write it along with a note in the comments.
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All things blessed, beautiful, and happy in 2021, Lady Melissa F. Fields
PTL, good morning my sister, well this is a home run, thank you for this great insight. We are starting a 21 day fast and consecration on the 10th and what you sent is a blessing to put us on high alert! Everything is not the enemy, but our flesh, which must be kept under control, hence your teaching! Love you always my very dear sister!
All excellent words of encouragement! I absolutely loved the part about, “knowing your specific triggers.“ That’s most helpful during my fasts! Also, the fact of natural reactions that occur in the body during hunger pangs.(“It’s only been one hour”) I absolutely chucked on that note, so true. Thank you for these great tips!
I am excited about fasting and praying!!
Expecting a Breakthrough!!
I love all the above and totally agree with you, knowing your specific triggers applies to me .
This will definitely keep me on track during the fast.
Thank you for sharing this and being a Blessing to Us !!
Happy New Year Greetings! Yes, our church begins our 21-day fast on the 6th. I’m so excited, excited, excited! The enemy would have us be so focused on our hunger pangs and other physical reactions to fasting that we’re distracted from actively engaging in spiritual warefare against principalities and powers. I’m praying your time of fasting and prayer is revolutionary.
Praise God, I’m expecting strong holds to be broken and healings and deliverance to be manifested. I’m going into this with great confidence 1 John 5:14-15.
Greetings: I’m chuckling too! Appreciate the feedback. You are more than welcome. Fasting and prayer are tremendous spiritual weapons God has given us. We must use them wisely to demolish strongholds and the conspiracy of the enemy. I’m so grateful to Him. Even greater victory ahead!
Excited Greetings: I’m so excited too! It’s my joy to share. I’m happy to hear this was helpful to you. Appreciate your feedback! God is in on our side. He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the ending. He is the first and the last. He will be with us on the first day of the fast and He will be with us on the last day of the fast. Walking is through these 21-days of victory! He is with us. Hallelujah!
We are on one accord! My expectation is high. Testimonies pending …
Fasting is always a challenge and human nature doesn’t want or look forward too; Being vulnerable to God and his mighty works is necessary, knowing God is in control at all times one must trust and believe it. Human nature says the contrary so telling your human man NO is indeed necessary. Yes it’s only been one hour, you will be fine, you will NOT DIE BUT LIVE and you will be BETTER after this …keep fasting so you can keep living
Fasting is always a challenge and human nature doesn’t want or look forward too; Being vulnerable to God and his mighty works is necessary, knowing God is in control at all times one must trust and believe it. Human nature says the contrary so telling your human man NO is indeed necessary. Yes it’s only been one hour, you will be fine, you will NOT DIE BUT LIVE and you will be BETTER after this …keep fasting so you can keep living
Yes, Indeed! This flesh wants to take the focus off of Christ during our times of fasting and prayer. I agree, what we say to ourselves matters. Sacrifices precede growth! Thanks for your feedback. Very insightful.