“…and all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.” Exodus 19:16-17

Fasting…one of the greatest spiritual disciplines I have learned. Whenever I become nearsighted and my eyes become spiritually blind (2 Peter 1: 9), it is fasting that allows me the strength to keep going and I am gently wooed back into the presence of the Spirit of God.

But I haven’t always found such pleasure in this practice. It wasn’t until I learned from a professor about the spiritual implications and what indelible moments I could experience with the living God of my faith. It was then that this spiritual discipline became such an intricate part of my life. I have nurtured this discipline for over 40 years and it has changed, empowered, and opened my senses to the spiritual realm where the Lord’s presence is always to be found. He waits for the humble servant who seeks His face and desires to know more of Him. This is where faith and the supernatural exist harmoniously…like Elisha asking God to open up the eyes of his servant so he could see the miraculous might of God’s presence (2 Kings 6:15-17).

In Daniel 9:3-4, the prophet Daniel tells us, “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed.”

We read in Nehemiah 1:4, “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”

Matthew 4: 4 says, “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

There is a humbling fear that motivates me to seek His presence through prayer and fasting. It’s during these times of fasting that I am brought to a sense of knowing when I’ve entered into His very presence. It’s a conditioning fear, which causes me to desire to know Him more; unlike a fear that paralyzes and leaves me motionless and without distinct purpose. Only by entering into a fast can one experience the depth of His riches awaiting. It’s an experience hidden like the parables of Christ. Only those who deeply want to perceive the truth of the parables listen and follow with an open heart of discernment. The summit where God awaits the tired traveler on his journey can be found through fasting and prayer.

I can think of nothing greater than to put yourself in the position of transparency until it’s just you and God…no distractions, no phones, no facades, no idle chatter, no food, no other human…just you and the living God.

To be alone with God – here I find my solace in His presence and toward His presence I run.

How do we prepare to meet with the Almighty God?

The most important measure is that you are intentional as you enter your fast to meet the Lord.

I can’t imagine meeting God as the Israelites did. Exodus 19:1-25 tells us that the people spent three days sanctifying themselves as Moses told the people to prepare to meet God; making themselves clean in body and thought to the best of their ability so they could stand before Jehovah as he came down upon mount Sinai. Never had they witnessed such grandeur of the Lord; such heavenly splendor; such magnificent awe; this was too much for their senses – they could barely take it all in. Fear and trembling over-took their souls.

The Hebrew writer says it like this, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

James captures this concept of preparing oneself to meet God as he writes, “Wherefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness…” (James 1:21).

Peter the Apostle ascribes all glory to God as he casts a same like picture of meeting God and says that, “He who called us is holy therefore we too should be holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-17; Leviticus 11: 44-45). Holy: sanctified, separated from the world, showing yourself as belonging to God.

Maybe it sounds daunting and even unattainable, but simply put, fasting and prayer is to prepare yourself to meet the Lord your God.

Have you ever felt God’s presence while you’ve fervently prayed, or fasted, or awaited God’s response to your prayers and then He answers? There is no experience greater than this. You can trust in the Lord to remove the dross that plagues your life and that keeps you from praising Him daily, ridding all that prevents you from attaining a stronger and firmer relationship with Him.

Fasting centers our thoughts on the Lord to release us to do His will.

So, if you seek a higher calling in Christ, I put before you the spiritual discipline of fasting.

Many years ago, I was asked by a friend to provide them with a run-down of “what I do when I fast”. So, I wrote out my thoughts. I have included my own personal writing of what I do as I prepare to go on a fast. It includes Scripture passages, personal items to take, your purpose, and things to consider (click here to read about how I personally prepare for fasting).

You can begin with a shorter fast time such as giving up a meal and use that time to memorize and meditate on scripture. Or, you could consider a 24-hour fast as you seek a deeper relationship while applying fasting principles. And, for the more seasoned soul, a three day fast – fully consecrating yourself unto the living God as you meet Him on the summit for the deeper things of life. Andrew Murray describes fasting as, “… letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, and confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”

In 1977, I broke a 10 year promise I had made to myself, “to never talk to my dad” after I left home at 17 years old. It was one of those out-of-anger, earthly vows one says as a teenager who doesn’t know the Lord (read my previous post about this by clicking here: “Trail of Forgiveness“). Later at 21, as a young believer, I made a new vow: to pray and fast for my dad who was the last one to become a Christian. My mom joined me in this venture. The vow to God was that each year, we would dedicate a time to pray and fast for my dad until he accepted the Lord. Fast forward 23 years – my dad, on his 80th birthday, accepted Christ. Such victory and glory to God! Fasting, prayer, and patience in Christ has always brought about the supernatural work of God; as in this case, the amazing salvation of my dad. His heart was softened and he was moved to obey the Lord’s leading.

If you are in the midst of decision making, turmoil, seeking wisdom, desiring a deeper closeness to Christ, or needing strength from the Holy Spirit, whatever it may be, then I believe you are not reading this on accident. The Lord has a way of bringing things right to our door at just the right time. Whatever you choose to do, remember that God honors prayer and fasting that takes priority over our needs.“Fasting is more about longing for the power and presence of Jesus than restricting our appetites” (Gary Rohrmayer).

Consider fasting as your next step! I will say, your life will be forever changed more to His likeness (2 Chronicles 7:14; 1 Peter 2:21; Philippians 3:7-11).

I will leave you with a prayer from my heart as I have experienced the power of fasting:

Oh, yes, Lord, my eyes have seen the miraculous power that has transpired for those who fast and pray. My hope in you has delivered and rescued me from the dungeons of despair and futility. You, oh God, are the fount of my existence, the joy of my hope, the breath of my life.

Over the short span of my life I have witnessed your wonderful power and grace unto me and to those who call out your name. I’ve seen healings when only the saving act of God’s mercy was left to be displayed and nothing else could take away the glory of the mighty work of the Lord. I’ve seen salvation upon those who could do no other than to fall on their knees before you in full surrender. I’ve witnessed the hearts of the strong humbled by prayer; the proud brought down to their knees as the name of Jesus was magnified! I’ve seen the prayers of the saints change the impossible to the possible by your doings, Lord. I’ve heard the strong in the Lord sing praise to you in their last moments knowing they’d be at the feet of Jesus in a twinkling of an eye.

What hope, what glory do the saints ascribe to your holy Name, oh Lord. There can be no other God under heaven for all has been wonderfully created and majestically and superbly made by your hands through Christ your only Son (Colossians 1: 15-17). The glory is yours for there is no other name under heaven, even Jesus, whereby we can be saved (Acts 4:12). Amen.