“Will the fast I choose be like this: A day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the Lord?”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:5‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
http://bible.com/72/isa.58.5.hcsb

In the Bible, Isaiah chapter 58 has the heading “True Fasting”.

I never knew much about fasting growing up as a Baptist. When I spent years in the Methodist church I knew that some members fasted during lent. It seemed to be optional so I never did.

For years, I thought that fasting meant starving or going without food altogether. I then learned it meant just to give up a certain food like chocolate, for a certain time frame. That really wasn’t right either. Fasting simply means to deny yourself in order to humble yourself in prayer and spend more quality time with God.

God gave his one and only begotten son to die on the cross so that His blood could wash our sins away. Can you not go 21 days without something that you “love”? I used the term love loosely. But I use it the way we often do in society. We say we love chocolate. We love social media. We love certain movies or tv shows. So again, I ask can you go 7, 21, or even 40 days without something you love?

We know that God gave His son for us and so it’s easy to think “yeah but He’s God. He’s a lot stronger than I am”.  Well, what about Abraham? Gold told him to sacrifice his son Isaac. This is the son he had waited a hundred years to have, the son that God had given him and his wife in their old age. Abraham brought Isaac to the place where he was to sacrifice him.  He even tied him to the altar but before he actually sacrificed him, God stopped him and provided an animal for the sacrifice. God was testing Abraham’s faith. Abraham passed with flying colors. Could you?

As someone who “loves” chocolate, I read the story of Abraham and Isaac and think “wow and I have a hard time giving up a brownie!”

Isaiah 58 begins with the words “shout it out and do not hold back”. Call out to God when you are in need. If you really want to get serious about your prayer life and your relationship with God, give something up for Him. Make room or time in your life for more time with Him.

The beautiful thing about fasting and prayer is that you get back so much more than you give up.

I hope today that you can take time to read all of Isaiah 58. There are only 14 verses. It speaks of how to truly fast in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. It also speaks of the rich blessings we can receive from doing so.

I have fasted several times to pray in the trials I have been facing lately. I am currently in the 4th day of a 21 day fast. So I am speaking from experience when I tell you that God will help you resist temptation as you stay close to him in prayer during your fast. With God’s help you can do this and you will be so glad you did!

So today think of something you could deny yourself of, in order to humble yourself before God, and devote more time to talking to Him in prayer. Remember we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”!  Have a great day!