Saturday, March 22 || FASTING AND PRAYING

Read : Isaiah 58:5-9

“When you fasted … was it really for me that you fasted?” - Zechariah 7: 5

There are three main forms of fasting mentioned in the Bible. The first and most common form was the normal fast. It meant abstaining from all food, solid, or liquid, but not from water. Jesus adopted this form of fasting for forty days. The second form of fasting was the absolute fast, that is abstaining from drinking as well as eating. Moses’ fasting was a supernatural one, in the sense that while he was in the presence of God in Mount Sinai he did not eat nor drink for forty days, not just on one occasion but twice. This was the longest fast in the Bible, eighty days without food or water. The third form of fasting was partial fast. In the book of Daniel we read of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who resolved not to defile themselves with the king’s rich food or the wine. Instead they ate vegetables and drank only water.

So dear friends, let us resolve to undertake any form of fasting. But, let us be careful that our fasting should not be for selfish motives, but to bring glory to God. Fasting should be set apart for God to minister to Him, to honor Him and to accomplish His will. Then, definitely God who sees in secret will be pleased and reward us openly.