I am continuing with 40 reason to fast from the bible. I am posting reasons number 11-20 today. Remember these are posted to help you understand biblical reasons on why we fast as Christians. This stuff is not talked about too often in the modern church. We don't fast and pray just for the fun of it. There are specific biblical reasons to fast and specific outcomes because of the fast. PrayforPensacola's "40 days" tends to focus on points 14-20 listed below. We pray and fast to change our community.
11. When others are sick. Psalm 35:1 - -When others are sick we can fast for them. David had a heart after God and he considered fasting for his friends a priority.
12. When overwhelmed with problems. Psalm 69:10 - -David was feeling very overwhelmed in this psalm. He is pouring out his hurts, shame and depression to God. Fasting was a part of his healing process. He fasted and wept before the Lord seeking His help. This is something that we should take to heart. When you feel overwhelmed with depression and sin, begin to fast and pour your heart out to God.
13. When feeling poor and needy. When your heart feels hurt and betrayed. Psalm 109:24 - - This is similiar to point 13. Fasting will help you manage hurts.
14. Loosen bonds of wickedness Isaiah 58:6 - -There are strongholds that hold people, cities, regions and countries in bondage. Fasting loosens the bonds that hold people captive. These bonds of wickedness could be religions (Islam), mindsets (liberal), worldview (atheism), addictions or emotions (depression).
15. Undo the heavy burden Isaiah 58:6 - -God considers us burdened when wickedness holds us down. People are held down with depression, heaviness, struggles, poverty, and incorrect worldviews, etc.
16. Set the captive free Isaiah 58:6 - -Fasting will set the captive free from these burdens.
17. Break the yoke Isaiah 58:6 - -A yoke is a piece of wood put on an ox to control his direction and use him for plowing the field. This is an analogy of slavery and a burden. No one wants to spend their life under the hand of a taskmaster controlling your life and making you go where they want you go. But yet many people are slaves to habits, addictions and sickness. God puts the ability and power in your hands to break the yoke over others when you fast.
18. To teach us to share with the hungry Isaiah 58:7 - -When we fast we have extra food that we can share. The money we would have spent for breakfast, lunch or dinner can be given to the poor and homeless. We start to pay attention to the poor more than ever before. We notice the guy on the corner asking for loose change. Even when you are done fasting you notice the homeless more and start to pray for them more.
19. To teach us to bring the poor into our house. Isaiah 58:7 - -Fasting opens our eyes to the needs of the city. We begin to think about inviting the poor to our house for a meal or friendship. The poor are not just homeless. Our city has poor in every neighborhood.
20. To cover the naked. Isaiah 58:7 - -We don’t notice that the poor are missing winter coats. We don’t notice that the poor don’t have clean socks or that they have shoes with holes in them.
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