Today’s Devotional: “God’s Secret Weapon”

As a spiritual discipline, fasting has fallen out of favor within the church.

We hear little about it from the pulpit, and we see it practiced even less. It’s accepted as doctrine, but it’s not applied. Why is it so important? Because the human heart hasn’t changed; it’s still as deceitful and wicked as it’s ever been (Jeremiah 17:9).

The time has come, however, for us to wake up to the sin that is present in our lives, in the church, and in society. We need to start fasting, praying, and turning from our wicked ways, and then God will heal what we have so badly damaged (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Prayer and fasting, along with obedience to God’s word, are the strongest spiritual weapons in a Christian’s arsenal, which is why Satan has done everything he can to stop them.

Unfortunately, when we think of fasting, most of us picture a Mahatma Gandhi-type individual. Instead, we should picture Jesus, who not only fasted regularly but also taught the need to fast.

As a Christian and pastor, I’ve found that if Jesus needed to do something for His well-being and spiritual life, it’s a good bet we need to do the same.

While a valuable discipline, fasting is feared and misunderstood because we have the wrong concept of it. But the real reason is that there exists a famine for God’s word.

“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.’” (Amos 8:11)

Because the church has abandoned this powerful spiritual weapon, it’s bereft of the Holy Spirit’s power. Rightly did the Apostle Paul prophesy that in these last days many would have the form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:1–5).