The Amazing Power of Fasting

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THE POWER OF FASTING

According to the Bible

Isaiah 58: 5 Is such fasting I chose, that one should afflict his soul by day, and bow his head like a bulrush, and make a bed of sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a quick and pleasant day for Jehovah?

Isaiah 58: 6 Is it not rather the fast that I have chosen, to loosen the bands of wickedness, to loosen the burdens of oppression, and to deliver the broken, and to break every yoke?

The Word highlights a series of benefits of fasting:

Unleash Ligatures and bring liberation.

In our lives very difficult situations appear that seem to have us tied up, and that we have not been able to overcome or control with simple willpower or prayer.

These links can be: vices, bad habits, emotional or character problems; weakness against some spiritual sin or coldness.

These bonds are the result of Satan's work in our minds; Satan lies to us about the situation that controls us, making us believe that we can not overcome it; and although Philippians 4:13 tells us that: "we can do everything in Christ who strengthens us."

If all our attempts to overcome any of these situations that control us have failed, and even though we continue falling into the same situation, we can conclude that we have a binding problem that binds us and does not allow us to be free.

The apostle Paul reminds us that when we find ourselves in situations of this nature, God has already given us a way of escape, the Lord has provided us with a way out, offers us a solution and has designed a plan to combat any weakness (temptation) that they do not want to let it go and they still seem to be superhuman; Pablo said:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not human; but God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can resist, but He will also give temptation the way out, so that you can bear it. 1 Corinthians 10: 13

Fasting is the way out that God gives to the one who is being tempted; He promises to support the fast to free us from any difficult situation that is binding us. The Lord told his disciples after they tried everything, they had failed in their attempt to free a lunatic child who was out of control:

"It is that this genre does not come out except by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:21) What Christ said is that when some situation has not been overcome by any means, we must fast.

Many people can not leave some bad habit or weakness, and although they cry and even pray sincerely, seeking liberation, they continue in bondage. Fasting is faced with this type of slavery and breaks its bonds. When you fast, you are fighting for control of your life. By controlling what you eat, you determine that you will control your life for God's purpose.

When you make a promise to change and reinforce it with fasting, you strengthen that decision with the strength of God. When you make the decision to fast, you become stronger to face the force that has enslaved your mind and has bound your will.

With fasting you restrict your physical appetite to strengthen your spiritual appetite and soak up God's anointing. The anointing that fasting brings to our lives rots and breaks any yoke that could be binding us. It will happen at that time that his burden will be removed from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will rot because of the anointing. Isaiah 10: 26

Crucify the flesh and return the physical control.

We must be gentlemen and not slaves of our own stomach. Some people do not realize their slavery to food, or the fact that being a slave to our stomachs brings us a loss of spiritual power. The first sin committed by man in Eden was the result of a lack of control over the stomach. The temptation to eat something resulted in the fall of the entire human race. Big men like: Noah (Gen 9:20), Jacob (Gen 24:28), and Esau (Heb 12: 16), fell before the seduction of food.

The sin, the pain, the disease, and even the death that reign in the world today, came because "the first Adam" liked the forbidden fruit. However, when Christ, "the last Adam" comes to fix the chaos that the first man caused, he does so by refraining from eating. Where the first Adam failed, the second triumphed.

Paul, who claimed to have practiced "many fasts" (2 Corinthians 11:27), said:
Brethren, be imitators of me, and look at those who behave according to the example you have in us. Because there are many out there, of whom I told you many times ... whose god is the belly, and whose glory is his shame; that only think about the earthly. Philippians 3: 17-19

Fasting helps us subdue our womb, and free us from its subtle dominion. Paul exhorts the church by saying: Put to death, therefore, the earthly in you ... Colossians 3: 5

Fasting helps us maintain balance in our life; Well, how easily we allow nonessential things to take priority in us! How quickly we practice things that do not benefit to the point of enslaving us!

Peter said that he who is overcome by one is made a slave to the one who overcame him. (2 Pet 2:19)

That's why Paul said: all things are lawful for me, but I will not let myself be dominated by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Our human longings and desires are like a river that tends to overflow; however, fasting helps keep them in their own channel. Paul said: I punish my body and I force it to obey me, so as not to be disqualified myself ... (1 Corinthians 9:27 V.P.)

With Christ I am crucified together, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me ... Galatians 2: 20a
Physically purify.

Fasting, contrary to what many might think "It is healthy and recommended by doctors." Medical science has been discovering lately the powerful physical benefits that can be obtained through fasting. When we fast our digestive system rests, (which makes it quite necessary). The moment that the last bite of food is digested, our whole organism begins a process of purification. Through this process, the organism discards the toxins that accumulate due to poor nutrition or excess of it.

This is why when you have been a few hours without eating on your breath you notice a bad smell. What happens is that the body is discarding toxins and poisons through the tongue. If you have not eaten for a long time, it is possible to detect a pasty layer on the tongue, evidence of the waste that is being expelled.

Other symptoms of the expulsion of waste are: the darkening of urine, headaches in which they are accustomed to caffeine, bad smell of the skin, dizziness, tiredness, cramps, fever and occasionally vomiting. When we fast, according to doctors, our body rests, is purified, and even rejuvenates. So if you want to live a healthier life and enjoy a more youthful appearance, fast!

Purify spiritually.

Fasting is like a "tune up" both physical and spiritual. Fasting makes our life a vessel of honor, cleansing our spirit, purifying our soul, sanctifying our life, emptying our being of all that hinders the flow of spiritual essence in our lives. Through fasting the Christian gets rid of what does not help him in his spiritual life in the manner of a purge, leaving his being clean of everything that could block God's work in us.

Just as our organism becomes contaminated by inappropriate or low quality food, our spiritual life becomes contaminated with the different things that come to us. Conscious and unconsciously our soul is being bombarded daily with all kinds of dirt and filth that constantly circulates around us.
As the body is purified by fasting, our spirit is also purified by means of it. Fasting burns every impurity that contaminates our soul and hinders the flow of the spirit of God in our being. By fasting we voluntarily submit to renunciation while rejecting one of the greatest pleasures of life; food. Fasting is that oven in which we purify ourselves. His fire refines our faith; its flames separate and eliminate the impurities of our character; its heat brings purity to our hearts.
And the same God of peace sanctify you completely; and your whole being, spirit, soul and body, be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16
Sinners, clean your hands; and you double-minded, purify your hearts . James 4: 8-10.
Brings spiritual growth and spiritual strength
It may happen that in some hidden part of our life, we have felt the call to a deeper, fuller life. Maybe we feel tired of frivolous and superficial experiences. Only from time to time have we caught glimpses and indications that there is something deeper than what we have experienced up to the present.

"An abyss calls another to the voice of your cascades, all your waves and your waves have passed over me, but in the daytime the LORD will command his mercy, and at night his song will be with me, and my prayer to the God of my life" ( Ps. 42: 7)
Fasting introduces us and prepares us for a deeper spiritual life and communion with God. It clarifies and liberates our mind, putting it in tune with God's, transforming and renewing it. As a result we will feel the presence of the Lord more than ever before and we will see the fruit of His Holy Spirit manifesting itself alive and palpably in our daily life.
Fasting with a heart and pure motivation brings:

Personal revival. Fasting operates the inner work of the Holy Spirit in a powerful and uncommon way. It can even restore in one the loss of first love.

Increase our perception and spiritual reception. Fasting does not make God speak louder but refines and cleanses our being in such a way that we can hear better. The physical cleansing that fasting produces is only a sample of what is happening in our spiritual life. Fasting purifies the soul, body, and spirit. By fasting, we divest ourselves of ourselves and open ourselves at the same time to God so that he fills us with his presence and saturates every corner of our being.
It helps us to understand the Word of God better. As fasting cleanses and removes everything that hinders the flow of the spiritual in us, this produces that in us the Word of God has greater meaning, that comes alive and that it is more vital and practical. He who fasts regularly will not only experience greater understanding of the Scriptures, but will delight and feel pleasure in spending time reading it.
Transform our prayer life. Fasting transforms the time of prayer into a richer and more personal experience. By fasting we allow God to work more effectively. There are many times when we ask ourselves frustrated because our sentences become mechanical and boring, and many of them have no answer; however, this does not have to be the case.
As we already said, fasting cleanses our spiritual conduit; As we fast our spiritual sensitivity increases and we perceive

spiritual things more easily

Being more sensitive to the spiritual, our spiritual practices take on a new dimension in us, and we are able to develop in them more easily and freely. He who fasts not only prays more easily and freely, but he is able to deepen and enter prayer with more passion and vehemence. He enjoys it more and even delights in the time he spends praying; This comes as a result that your prayer life is much more effective.

The words are never lacking in the prayer of those who fast regularly, the time in prayer is rarely a problem for those who dedicate attention to the discipline of fasting. The boredom and heaviness that are sometimes characteristic of prayer for many will not be strong enemies in those who intend to fast constantly. The disappointment of not receiving a response to prayer can be eradicated from our lives if we only fast as God teaches us in the Bible. Faith develops and holds strong through prayer; and prayer in turn develops and strengthens through fasting.

Develop spiritual gifts. To develop and develop in the spiritual world is necessary a life of prayer accompanied by fasting. Fasting opens the soul and spirit to this spiritual world and brings to our lives a source of power and anointing that helps us to move successfully in the dimension of the spirit. Jesus revealed to his disciples the secret of success in the environment and the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus said: But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21.

Guide in decisions.

When there are very important or difficult decisions to make, when the decision we make has the potential to radically affect our lives, fasting can help us by giving us guidance in making those kinds of decisions.

It seems that Saul (Paul) after having an encounter with the Lord was fasting in search of direction. "Then Saul (Paul) rose from the ground, and opening his eyes, he saw no one, so, taking him by the hand , they put him in Damascus, where he stayed three days without seeing, and he did not eat or drink. " (Acts 9: 8,9)

Reflections:
Having already mentioned all this, we can say that fasting helps to purify the soul, helps to be calmer and calms the disturbances of anger or anger; but that is not the fasting that I am going to expose; the kind of fasting that Our Lord Jesus teaches us is for the preparation of your ministry, so that you declare yourself in Victoria, so that you rebuke demons, so that you may be free.
If you have fallen into prayer and fasting today is the time to get up start and move forward, asking for strength and help to God, as Matthew 21:22 says. Without God we are nothing, but with God we can and we have everything.

Regards.

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