September 17, 2009

chapter thirty-eight: to fast or not to fast?



It had not been easy for Jack as he tried to fast and pray. Often he found himself feeling hungry at the wrong time. As he intended to fast dinner (drinking water only), he tried to eat a proper meal during lunch. But his appetite refused to cooperate. By the time he finished eating all the vegetables and protein he was not hungry enough to eat the carbohydrate. He had to force himself to swallow at least a few spoons as he knew he needed the energy in the evening when he fasted and prayed. It was a battle between the will and the body.

By the time the evening came he felt quite weak and hungry. Prior to that, he had to carry out his usual chores that deprived him of energy. So he ended up taking a tea break just to replenish some energy.

Does tea break count as a meal? He wasn’t sure. Anyway he skipped the dinner and prayed.

He had discovered some more interesting and useful teachings on fasting and praying. He read testimonies of those who had fasted and prayed and encountered God. They were very encouraging. He himself had no other agenda except to follow the Bible’s teachings on this important aspect of kingdom life as a child of God.

Lately he saw some visions during praying or worship. For example he had been puzzling over an old man’s non-stop shouting despite having no medical indications of its causes. One night he prayed fervently for the Holy Spirit to guide him to pray for that poor man. After praying in the spirit (in tongues) and in understanding for sometime, he saw the poor man and also toad (or toads) appearing in that man’s mouth. He could not understand its implication. However he bound that thing (interpreting it as being linked to witchcraft) and cast it out of that man using the authority of the Lord Jesus’ name. The next day while driving, he suddenly realized that in some oriental culture people worshipped toad as they linked it to money.

Subsequently he asked a senior and his second interpretation was confirmed. Indeed the man’s problem was linked to possibly his undelivered greed for money (which was idolatry according to the Bible). He could not be healed completely as he was still worshipping the money idol and not Jesus Christ. Unless he was set free from the idol’s clutch on him, he could not receive the perfect healing from Jesus on the cross. Now the intercessors know what exactly to pray for him to be set free completely.

This was a breakthrough in intercession. An enquiry from the man’s relatives confirmed that the man now slept better and there was less shouting.

In the natural, no one understands any of such stuff. It takes time to learn and faith to believe. Faith and belief come together. In fact, fasting or not to fast takes faith and belief to accomplish.

During the times Jack managed to fast and pray, he found that his faith grew and words came out of his mouth without effort. The presence of the Holy Spirit could be perceived and faith grew.

Christians are encouraged to follow the Bible and take this challenge. You will be blessed!

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