Many people ask why I fast and I don’t truly have a good answer except that it seems that fasting works for me.  God works more in my life during and after a fast, than if I don’t fast.  I don’t think everyone is called to the same level of fasting that I am.  But I would contend that you should have some seasons of the year where you demonstrate to God that He is more important than food, or entertainment, or comfort.  This fasting helps us break out of spiritual ruts and malaise.  It wins the victory over the darkness and oppression of the enemy.  Fasting and prayer just works.

I have fasted many times in the past and I prefer a Daniel type fast where you can eat anything except meat and “rich food”.  I interpret “rich food” to include pastries, cakes, pies and anything with excessive sugar.  I don’t know if you  know it or not but everything has sugar in these days so it is very difficult to be sugar free when you fast. This type of fast is just a dietary change in order to demonstrate that God is important to you.  This time because of the urgency of the Spirit I choose to do a total fast.  I am drinking various beverages right now all without sugar trying to find something that I can tolerate.  Right now it is lemonade.  I have never been a heavy drinker of lemonade but for some reason the tart flavor has a calming effect upon my digestive system.  I fill less hungry and less prone to search out food.  

There are many reasons to fast and pray. You may sense a spiritual hinderance that needs to be broken.  You may have a need in your life or in your family.   In Daniel chapter ten,   Daniel fasted as a result of some visions he had received yet failed to fully understand.  He needed answers.  He wanted to know what God was doing or was going to do.  While he was fasting an angel comes and enlightens him on the meaning of the vision. Essentially we fast because we need something from God.  This must not become an attempt to manipulate God.  He freely gives us all things in Christ.  The fast only confirms what is in our hearts—I desire God above all else.

I am expecting God to do something in the future because of this fast.   I know I am tired of the spiritually ordinary,  I want to have more of God and for him to have more of me. One reason I am confident that God is ready to work in my life -I did not simply decide to fast for 21 days.  God led me into this time.  As the Scriptures say, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…”  Matthew 4:1