Things To Avoid During Fasting And Prayer

Things To Avoid During Fasting And Prayer

Matthew 17:21

Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting. 

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Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

INTRODUCTION:

Fasting is a practice which involves abstaining from foods or some kind of foods and drinks for a particular period of time. Jesus was a perfect example for us because he fasted without food for forty days and forty nights. Fasting can be draining and challenging but it is a powerful spiritual exercise to put the flesh under and be connected to God more spiritually. Fasting is not abstaining from food for starvation nor to lose weight.

Fasting must not be done by force, it has to be a willing act, it must not be done grudgingly, it must be done to propel our Spiritual growth. Fasting is trading temporal for eternal, the physical for the eternal and visible for the invisible. Fasting is not for only the pastors, fasting is for everybody that has flesh. We read in the bible how Jacob gave up his meal to get Esau’s blessings (Genesis 25:34), we should never be like Esau, we must lay our flesh aside to connect to God.

As stated above that fasting is a Spiritual exercise every Christian must practice either weekly, monthly or as the spirit leads to be able to connect more to God to hear Him clearly without distraction, however, there are things not to do while fasting in other to make the fasting acceptable before God and really tune our hearts to God and not turn a hunger strike. 

Listed below are things not to do when fasting:

1. DO NOT ENGAGE IN AN UNGODLY CONVERSATION: As said earlier that fasting is denying oneself of food to gain more access to God that is subduing the flesh to gain the Spiritual, hence, for our fasting to be a successful one and hear from God, we must forsake every fleshy and ungodly acts. When we give up ungodly acts such as ungodly conversation, God hears and answers our prayers. Ephesians 4:29 says’ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Fasting is not a time to engage in ungodly conversation, it is a time to consecrate oneself and commune with God and Godly people, not ungodly conversation that does not bring down the glory of God or that is not edifying. God does not dwell in the midst of ungodly conversations.
2. PRIDE: God opposes the proud, but shows humble mercy, God is a jealous God, He cannot share His glory with anyone, pride must be taken out of your life if you want to fast and encounter the presence of God.  2 Chronicles 7:14a says’ If my people shall humble themselves and pray. When you humble yourself before the mighty hands of God, He will show up and hear you. Physical hunger subdues bad habits, when you are humble, God hears and answers prayers.   
3. FORNICATIONS: Fasting is a time for consecration. Fornication must not be heard of, from you when fasting and trying to consecrate yourself. God hates any form of sin; the bible says’ Sin is an abomination unto God. God detest every form of sin; therefore, you cannot say you are fasting and at the same time committing fornication either you are committing it in your heart or committing it physically, God will not hear the prayers of a fornicator.
4. UNGODLY GATHERING: Resist every form of ungodly gathering. A time of fasting is a time of consecration; it is not a time to visit unfriendly friends. The bible says’ in Psalms 1vs 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. Fasting should be meeting with godly minded people to share the words of God to be a time of refreshing in the Presence of God, not a time to go to any ungodly gathering whatsoever.
5. SLEEPING ALL THROUGH: We must be resilient in our minds during fasting, it is a time for Spiritual growth not a time to shut down Spiritual exercises such as reading the words of God, or praying, it is time to be intentional, read the word of God and meditate deeply not a time to feel weak and be sleeping all through. Fasting must not be a moody time, it must be a refreshing time communing with God.
6. ALCOHOL: Fasting is not a time to be drinking alcohol or time to feed the flesh, it is a time to put the fleshy acts under, not a time to get drunk and say Jesus turned wine to water to justify ourselves when drinking alcohol, it is a time to shun smoking cigarettes, alcohol or any form of ungodly intakes.
7. ANGER: We must subdue and put under our feet every negative emotion. The way we feel per time actually affects our daily activities, hence, we cannot be fasting and abhor anger in us, God will not hear an angry man, we must enter the Presence of God with thanksgiving not in anger. We have to train our mind to be stronger than our emotions so that we can enter the throne of grace and receive.
8. DO NOT FAST TO SHOW OFF: Fasting is not for show off, therefore, when fasting, we are not expected to start telling people that we are fasting or start showing a gloomy face to people around us so that they can know we are fasting. Fasting is not to boast of how spiritual we are or how strong we are at fasting. We must let it be between us and God, not people.