Wednesday, November 25, 2009

"The Health Benefits of Fasting"

“Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20) God expects us to take care of our bodies in order that we may worship Him fully and live life more abundantly. To be healthy, fast regularly. Really, fasting is an internal cleansing to aid the body to heal and cleanse itself. Many people think it is hard to fast but will be surprised that hunger dissipates quickly while fasting. Once fasting becomes a regular regimen, there will be obvious results. The outcomes are so miraculous; it is mind-blowing.

Fasting relieves allergies, including asthma and hay fever. Imagine never having to suffer any more from these ailments. Fasting restores health through eliminating the body of toxins. When toxins are removed, the body is able to heal itself. Detoxifying the body through fasting is an immediate and harmless way of recovering health.

For those on high blood pressure medicine, fasting will correct high blood pressure without drugs. This is how it works: fasting will normalize blood pressure, and it will remain low after the fast. However, one must follow a healthy diet and lifestyle. It is not difficult to change eating habits. By being consistent and persistent one day at a time, the change will take place.

It is easy to conquer bad habits and addictions by regular fasting. Drug addicts, alcoholics, and cigarette smokers, do not despair. Begin fasting for only one day a week. Amazingly, there will be a transformation before your very eyes. The craving for nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and other drugs will suddenly vanish. What an awesome God we serve! He has given us such a powerful gift to use to overcome the attacks of the enemy.

Fasting is the ideal way to lose weight rapidly. During detoxification, the body crushes its fat reserves by eliminating stored toxins. After the toxins are removed, both digestion and elimination are revitalized. The body is wonderfully and fearfully made (Psa. 139:14), so by fasting the body does its work more capably.

In order to attain optimal health, do the following things: nourish the body with natural foods, end the toxins, and purify the body internally. If one could understand the power of fasting, how attentive and regular fasting would be utilized. Fasting is rarely given a chance because many people trust medications to give them a quick fix. Consequently, they are left with detrimental side effects with no cure.

Give fasting a chance to restore your health. This is just a brief list of the benefits; fasting is effective to ease any ailment. God’s wish for us is to “prosper and be in good health, even as our soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)
Remember, fasting is not beneficial without intense prayer and study of the Word.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

"Fasting with Prayer"

Do you desire a deeper intimacy with God and His miraculous provision and favor upon your life? I have discovered that fasting is disregarded by many people; however, it’s truly a gift from God to release the strongholds, generational curses, and acquire extraordinary provision. There is tremendous power in fasting with prayer. The main purpose of fasting is to bring us into a closer and a stronger relationship with God. Also, when you begin to notice the results from fasting, it is mind-boggling. From my own experiences with fasting, the results changed my entire perception. As Jesus stated, “All things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) Believe me, this is such a true statement.

In December of 2008, I had a strong urgency from God to fast for spiritual, physical, and financial needs. God knew my concerns, so He led me to fast and pray for a great breakthrough. With great anticipation, I obeyed and spent four days in intense fasting with prayer. His divine presence enclosed me as my soul immersed in His word. I can not describe the overwhelming manifestation that I encountered. As the Holy Spirit revived my soul, He strengthened my faith; and I kneeled to praise and worship His goodness. After the four days of fasting with prayer, I was not the same. I began to have dreams about God and His kingdom. His words of love constantly echoed in my mind. It is awesome to hear God speaking to you, even when you are sleeping.

Each weekend, I fasted from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. By the power of God, fasting has become a lifestyle for me. Fasting with prayer develops a passionate communion with God. First, I started with a Daniel’s fast (vegetables, fruits, and purified water only-- Daniel 1:8-17). This is a partial fast, but it is still powerful and effective. Also, since I don’t work on the weekends, I refrain from all secular activities. If we are not willing to seek Him in fasting with prayer, we will never know Him.

The Spirit reveals so much during fasting. When God has our undivided attention, His Spirit will “show us great and mighty things”. (Jeremiah 33:3)Wow, it’s unbelievable that this December 2009 will be a year that I have diligently fasted and prayed by the power of God. The Spirit has strengthened me so much that I fast only on water now. What an astounding experience it has been for me!

I know you are waiting for the results. Fasting is not just about the blessings; it’s about “seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. (Matt. 6:33) The right motive for fasting with prayer is to reconnect with God in order to recognize His presence and to ask for the Spirit to reveal God’s will to us.


One of the greatest advantages of fasting is becoming more knowledgeable of our own shortcomings and to depend totally on God’s power to transform us, so we may reflect the image of Christ. Fasting with prayer allows us to hear clearly God’s instructions and to submit to the guidance of the Spirit. As we earnestly seek God and pour our heart out to Him, He will give us wisdom to see the barriers that are preventing us from fully knowing Him. The more we fast, we begin to recognize our true identity—heirs of the kingdom. We should fast with prayer often to focus more on God and not the momentary things of this world.


Prayer is so different with fasting. Another advantage of fasting is the Spirit tells us who to pray about and what to pray about. It’s a humbling experience to be in intense prayer; words begin to flow from us that we did not think about uttering. God’s Spirit takes authority and prays with us “with groans that words cannot express”. (Romans 8:26) Our ultimate goal in prayer is to always seek God’s will for every aspect in our lives that He may be glorified. Only through fasting with prayer, we will become a mighty prayer warrior. Prayers are more beneficial when we combine prayer with fasting. Fasting with prayer bathes our souls and provides us with an awareness of serenity and encouragement that God is giving an optimistic response to our prayers.


Now, I know you have been impatiently waiting for my results. Hold on and don’t fall from your chair because what I am about to reveal will be life changing. The results are based on the following personal experiences:


February 2009--My kids’ college expenses were paid miraculously; I did not have to pay anything out of pocket.


February 2009--God regulated my menstrual cycle and healed me from abnormal hemorrhage. For two years I tolerated this disorder. Oh, what needless physical anguish we endure by not asking for God’s healing touch!


April 2009-- God healed my finger that was swollen and bent. I suffered months with this ailment. By fasting and praying, I sought God to heal me. Early one morning, I arose from my bed and noticed that my finger was completely healed.


June 2009-- My son was shopping around for a car. Due to my debt ratio, I did not think that I would qualify for another car loan. He found the ideal car, a 2007 Kia with only 20,000 miles. What a miracle! By faith, I applied for the car loan. God did not only bless me with a low interest rate but also a low car note. What a loving, faithful God, who supplies all our needs!


July 2009-- For four months with no success, I had submitted numerous email queries about my novel to literary agents. Literary agents’ goal is to represent writers and promote their novels to publishers. I began to fast and pray for God’s miraculous provision. Amazingly, during the month of July, there was an email from an agent requesting a synopsis of my novel. Praise the Lord! Even though it’s still in the process, I am expecting great news soon. It takes patience and perseverance to get a book published.

August 2009-- My kids return to college. Once again, they go in faith, remembering how God paid for their expenses during the early part of the year. Again, I paid no expenses. Both of their accounts were 100% cleared. Thank you, Jesus!!

September 2009-- A friend was concerned about her home being in foreclosure. At the time, there were no options to save her home. Together, we fasted and prayed to God for His divine provision. During the month of September, she received a notice that she can refinance her mortgage loan. God never fails us; He’s our Victory.

What do you think? Are you willing to drink water instead of sweetened, caffeinated drinks? Furthermore, are you willing to eat only fruits and vegetables to know God? To begin, I don’t expect you to go days nor even one day if you don’t want to do so. If you commit to just a half a day, you will see the presence of God more in your life and receive miraculous breakthroughs. It’s not about the length of the fast but about your sacrifice. God honors your sacrifice and rewards you for it. “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Don’t take my word for it; try it and see the goodness of God. Let me warn you: fasting with prayer can be addictive once you experience the presence of God and His incredible provisions. Fasting with prayer is a powerful weapon to achieve the impossible.