Fasting

Fasting as a Spiritual Discipline has always been one of those disciplines that I only did at Lent.  I would give up chocolate or cokes or something along those lines and inevitably I wold have chocolate or drink a coke before the 40 days of Lent were over.  The Bible has a lot to say about fasting. Number 1 is that it is something Jesus talked about, Queen Ester fasted and saved her people from complete destruction.
There are several Scriptures about fasting.  I will not recite all of them here, but will give you a list of Scriptures that you can reference when you decide to have a Spiritual fast.  Fasting has become so intertwined with the world of dieting, going without food to cleanse your body, detox treatments and such. A Spiritual fast is a two sided event.  You give up something earthly (food, something you enjoy doing, etc.) and you replace that time spent in those activities with drawing closer to Christ.  Instead of having lunch, you would get in a quiet place and commune with Christ, either in a Bible study or a time of prayer. Spiritual fasting is NOT just going without something and complaining about your sacrifice.  Matthew 6: 16-18 gives directions on fasting:

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Notice this Scripture does not say "IF" you fast- it says "WHEN" you fast.  

My prayer for you is that you will draw closer to Christ and spend some time each day fasting as you give up a worldly time for a Spiritual time.

Other Scriptures regarding fasting include:

Leviticus 23:27

Psalm 35:13

Psalm 69:10

Daniel 10:3

Zechariah 7:5

Blessings,

Carrie