By Godโs grace, Shinae and I finished this yearโs 21-day fastโour fourth in a row. Each time has brought blessings, but this year feels different.
In past years, we fasted hoping for breakthroughs that come after the โsacrificeโโthe prolonged period of humbling ourselves before God. Indeed, those years brought many answered prayers and victories post-fast. But this time, I realise the truth: the fast itself is the grace and the great reward. Iโm reminded of what God told Abram in Genesis 15:1, โI am your shield, your very great reward; be not afraid.โ
โMan does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORDโ (Deuteronomy 8:3)โthatโs what these 21 days are about. Daily, I fed on Scripture, Old and New Testaments via the McCheyne plan; morning and evening, while walking the dog, reciting memorised Psalms (27, 101, 118, 119, 139, 144, 145). Fasting from food, but feasting on Godโs WordโI felt satisfied, even full. โThe eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.โ (Psalm 145:15-16)
And the added joy: successfully committing the entire Psalm 34 to memory together with my sons during our school runs. โOh taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a contrite spirit.โ (Psalm 34:8, 18)
Yesterday, the last day, I even found myself thinking, โI could keep going a few more days.โ In previous years, the final stretch was filled with food cravings; now, the thought of resuming eating doesnโt excite me. Instead, Iโm pondering how to turn these 12 lost kilos of fat into muscle through recomposition. Iโm going to have to start lifting heavier weights.
Just as street evangelism brings unique joy and purpose only to those who do it, long-term fasting offers special grace only to those who endure. Iโm so grateful pastors Mark and Sam declared a church-wide 21-day fast for the first time this yearโa true blessing and hopefully a treasured church tradition. As Derek Prince says, prolonged corporate fasting is the churchโs thermonuclear-level spiritual weapon from God. In these end times, may churches everywhere use it to drive out demons, heal the sick, and dispel darkness, in Jesusโ name. Amen.
