Why Do I Need to Fast?
When I was a junior in High School, my father was not in church and he was not on track with God. I began waking up an hour earlier every morning before school to pray, so I could grow spiritually and to bring my desire for my father’s salvation to God. I also strived to become a good example to my father and friends. I felt impressed by the Lord to start fasting every Monday. I decided to call it Fasting for Fathers. Seeing him saved was more important to me than anything else.
I prayed every morning before school and fasted every Monday for the whole first semester and my father had not so much as even stepped one foot in the door of the church. I trusted in God with all my heart and continued with prayer and fasting!
Denying the pleasures of the flesh to focus on God and what His will is, shows humility. When a person is truly concerned about the things of God, he will humble himself. There will be times when you will not eat to make you concentrate and focus on what is important to God.
I was in the second semester of my junior year of high school. Three weeks went by, after a whole semester of no results. Suddenly, my father was showing up at church! He was coming late and leaving early and sitting on the back row. I didn’t care that he was coming late and leaving early. I didn’t care that he was sitting on the back row. God made me a promise and I knew this was the first step!
God said, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart, I will be found by you." (Jeremiah 29:13 & 14). When someone is willing to set aside the desires of the flesh to concentrate on the work of praying, they are demonstrating that they mean business, that they are seeking God with there whole heart.
Even though at this point my father had been coming to church regularly, I still prayed every morning and fasted every Monday. I knew that there were still trials and tribulations that would come and try to steer my father off course.
I had my whole heart in it and I believe God knew that I meant business and He honored my sacrifices! After a few weeks of faithful attending, MY FATHER PRAYED THROUGH!!! That day was one of the most amazing days of my life! It helped me to realize that fasting is something God honors! And He doesn’t care how old you are! IT WORKS!!!
Fasting is an expression of wholeheartedness. This is clear in the book of Joel. There is a call to the nation of Israel: "Yet even now," says the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting. . ." (Joel 2:12).
Why should you fast? So you can demonstrate to God that you are seeking Him "with all Your heart." Fasting puts things into focus. It is a physical way of saying, "Food and the things of this life are not as important to me as having God’s will in my life."
The youth of the whole world needs to get a hold of God like we never have before and mean BUSINESS! We don’t have time to sit around and not grow spiritually. If you have a desire for revival in your city, unsaved family, a spirit of sickness, financial needs, or any kind of need that you can’t get answers to, I recommend that you fast as well as continue daily prayer. Jesus said some things can only be done through prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:21) If you have done everything you know to do physically and it hasn’t worked, a fast is probably were you should turn!
Vince Stegall
Director of Endtime Youth Corps
