* a side note: i have found jentezen franklin's book on fasting especially inspiring if you're up for any extra curricular reading. but beware, it may just inspire you to fast!
2.02.2011
the chosen fast
although fasting has not always been the most popular discipline, it is a strong biblical one. one to which i feel i have neglected recently. in the past i have often felt led to fast in varying capacities. when i was a teen, i felt led to do a media fast for a year which opened my eyes and my mind in an incredible way. i loved it. i wish i had the courage to do it again. i have done the typical fast of not eating, just drinking water but only ever for a few days at a time. while i was pregnant with the twins & still nursing davith, i really felt led to make a habit out of fast one day of the week to just be able to prioritize my need for Christ & clarity of mind. i had a few issues in my own life that i desperately wanted to see breakthrough in and so dedicated myself to the daniel fast (only eating fruits & vegetables, no processed food, dairy or any liquid other than tea & water & i also added the caveat of no t.v.). it changed my life drastically. i have never learned more about discipline in my physical body as well as spiritual and mental discipline. i often long for the intimacy that i so enjoyed with the Lord during those days (not that i am not intimate with Him now, but there is such a unique, sweet intimacy while fasting). this week, i felt a strong leading to fast & pray over an issue here in the church. all of the other fasts i had partaken in had been totally selfish. I have never fasted on someone else's behalf before. it was so powerful. i have to admit that i don't really do well without food, and so steve & i decided that i would just fast dinner (please note, if you are fasting while breastfeeding you need to drink a load of water & also be sure to take a multivitamin - i personally would limit a no food fast to just a meal or two). i was sooo grumpy. after feeding the kids, bathing them & tucking them into bed, i was exhausted and just wanted a giant piece of cake. i could have made an easy out with a legitimate excuse, but i knew that God had stirred my heart to do this & i couldn't let the emotion of the day steal that away. so i pulled it together and gathered with some others to pray over this issue, and soon forgot any pangs of hunger. i channeled my grumpiness into a righteous anger over the enemies work in a family that we loved & cared for. it was an incredible time in the Holy Spirit. i felt so refreshed & renewed. i can only hope we shook heaven... no, i know we shook heaven. i cannot wait to see what happens next.
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