Paul even said that he “beat his body into submission” (1 Cor. 9:27). We must tell our bodies what to do, and we can exercise physical actions and disciplines to train ourselves in godliness! Fasting starves our appetites, and our hunger pains signal us to draw near to God. Most importantly, it is a time to limit distractions, address addictions and those things we rely on to comfort us, and make God our deeper source. The distractions in our truly blessed country are often a main hindrance to our walk with God. We are starving for intimacy with God and others, and though we have every tool at our disposal, we struggle to engage God deeply. Fasting helps get our focus back.
The key is cultivating a lifestyle of prayer and fasting in which we have regular seasons set apart to draw nearer to God. A deeper dimension of fasting is that it creates in us a dependency and a trust in the Lord like that of a young child. This expectant attitude enables God to move in power and allows that power to flow through us in joyful exuberance. When this truly happens, God’s kingdom is unstoppable.
