Living the Jesus Way by Fasting

Fasting is encouraged and practiced throughout the Bible, and it is one of the most powerful tools that we can utilise when praying for spiritual transformation and breakthrough. Despite this, in present times, it is one of the least understood and least used of the spiritual practices. It’s one of the key discipleship practices that Jesus Himself lived and taught, and it is an accepted part of Living the Jesus Way!

Over the next few days, we’ll be looking at biblical examples of individuals and people groups who responded to the call to fast when faced with personal or national challenges and crises—and how they saw great breakthroughs as a result.

Fasting has a number of benefits; it helps to create a hunger for God that can lead to a deeper pursuit of Him in prayer; it enables us to humble ourselves to bring our souls and bodies into greater submission to the work of the Holy Spirit; and it positions us to follow God’s leading and guidance in daily decisions and overall life direction.

If you’d like more information about the benefits of fasting and the practicalities of how to fast, see pages 25-27 of our Prayer Shield. (There may be medical reasons why you cannot fast from food, so think about what else you can fast from.)

I’m convinced that one of the key reasons for our own journey of blessing and growth over many years here at KingsGate has been the consistent rhythms of worship, prayer, and fasting. Here we are now, running with a vision to Think Bigger and Beyond, in which we’re believing the Lord for, ‘…immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us’ – Ephesians 3:20.

So, let me encourage us all to grow in this practice of fasting and let’s believe for miraculous breakthroughs like we’ve never seen or experienced before.

I’m looking forward to a powerful time together.

Dave Smith
Senior Pastor