Jentezen Franklin - Fasting Journal: Your Personal 21-Day Guide to a Successful Fast

I am so glad you have chosen to make fasting a part of your life. Fasting has been an essential part of my life and my walk with God since I was a teenager. Even in those developmental years, learning to hear His voice and see His hand move in my life, I learned that this private spiritual discipline has public rewards. To this day, when I feel myself growing spiritually dry, when I dont sense that cutting-edge anointing, when I need a fresh encounter with God, fasting is the secret key that unlocks heavens door and slams shut the gates of hell.

The discipline of fasting releases the anointing, the favor, and the blessing of God in the life of a Christian. So if you are not content to go through this year the way you went through last year, now is the time to use the discipline of fasting to see breakthroughs. You know theres moretheres an assignment for your life, theres something God desires to release in your life, and there is a genuine desperation for those things gripping your heart. Keep these words of Jesus in mind throughout your fast:

Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

MATTHEW 6:1618, NASU

There are dimensions of our glorious Lord that will never be revealed to the casual, disinterested worshiper. There are walls of intercession that will never be scaled by dispassionate religious services. But when you take steps to break out of the ordinary and worship Him as He deserves, youll begin to see facets of His being you never knew existed. Hell begin to share secrets with you about Himself, His plans, and His desires for you. When you worship God as He deserves, He is magnified.

Your prayers take on a powerful edge when you fast. As you use this fasting and prayer devotional over the next twenty-one days, you will be amazed at the things God will show you as you press in to Him!

Congratulations! You have endured and finished the race, and you will never be the same.

Now, as you come out of your fast

Be careful and ease back into eating solid foods over the next few days to a week. You must give your body time to recover and get used to digesting food again. Even though cravings may be strong the first few days after the fast, pace yourself, and continue drinking plenty of fluids.

Remember the Faith

In the closing chapter of the Book of Hebrews, the writer tells us, Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7, NIV). As I asked before, if our Lord fasted, why would we think that we should not fast? There is no record of Jesus ever healing anyone until He returned from the forty days of fasting that launched His earthly ministry. Jesus said we would do even greater works than He had done, because He was returning to the Father. If Jesus did not begin to minister before fasting, how can we?

Throughout the history of the Christian church, God has raised up men and women who were willing to dedicate their lives to Him and diligently seek Him through fasting and prayer. Long seasons of fasting are credited for launching such revivals as seen by Evan Roberts, who fasted and prayed for thirteen months for Laos, his country. Healing evangelists like John Alexander Dowie, John G. Lake, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith Wigglesworth, and Kathryn Kuhlman all understood the tremendous power of faith through fasting in operation throughout their ministries.

There may be times when you are fasting, praying, and standing in faith, yet you still do not sense that anything is happening; theres no sprout showing through the dirt. Remember the faith of those before you. David said, I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother (Ps. 35:1314).

Do not let the enemy drag you down with discouragement. Remember, God gives you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sometimes you will not feel like praying when you are fasting, but pray anyway. You will be amazed how God will show up, and it will be like all of heaven has come down and glory has filled your soul.

In this same psalm, David had not yet received an answer to his prayer, yet he is able to wait in faith, proclaiming the praises of God: Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long (Ps. 35:2728). The Lord will reward your diligence; His delight is in the prosperitythe wholenessof His children.

Also, remember the faith of Abraham: The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). It was that faith that was credited to him as righteousnessbecause he believed God. Even though Abrahams body was dead as far as fathering children was concerned, he desired a child of his own. God desired it even more and gave him the promise of not only a son but also descendants more numerous than the stars of the sky (Gen. 15:46). When you believe Him for some thing, you are exercising faith, which pleases God.

Twelve Steps to Victory

Battles will rage long after you have completed your fast. Some things you lay hold of during the fast will require further diligence to see victory.

To help you stay the course in the days after your fastand throughout the yearremember these twelve points and apply them to your life to see the victory of the Lord come to pass in your circumstances.

1. Make it hard on God and easy on you. Take the pressure off yourself to make things happen, because thats Gods job (Matt. 11:28; John 5:40; 6:29).
2. Keep on swinging. Dont settle for partial victory (2 Tim. 4:78).
3. God says, When you approach a door that is very large, do not fear, because I will open it. When God opens the door, no man can shut it (Rev. 3:78).
4. Dont move in the dark. If you dont know Gods will, dont move (Ps. 46:10; Exod. 14:13; Ruth 3:18).
5. Be strong and very courageous. If you lack courage, pray (Phil. 4:67).
6. Dont do anything until you ask the Lord first. He will give you a clear word (Eph. 2:10).
7. Dont ask how much it costs; ask God if He wants it done. If so, Hell take care of the cost (2 Cor. 9:8; 3 John 2).
8. Be patient. God loves the last-minute save! Whoever believes will not act hastily (Isa. 28:16).
9. Dont stick to sensible methods. If the Lord tells you to do something, do it (Prov. 3:56; Isa. 25:34)!
10. Practice the John the Baptist factor: He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30; Phil. 1:21).
11. Look out! you havent seen anything yet when you mix faith with the Word of God (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 10:17).
12. P-U-S-H: Pray Until Something Happens or Praise Until Something Happens (Ps. 149; 2 Chron. 20:2122; Heb. 13:15).

What is fasting? Since there are so many misconceptions about it, I first want to clarify what fastingbiblical fastingis not. Fasting is not merely going without food for a period of time. That is starvingmaybe even dietingbut fasting it is not. Nor is fasting something done only by a bunch of fanatics. I really want to drive that point home. Fasting is not to be done only by religious monks alone in a cave somewhere. The practice of fasting is not limited to ministers or to special occasions.

Stated simply, biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose. Fasting has always been a normal part of a relationship with God. As expressed by the impassioned plea of David in Psalm 42, fasting brings one into a deeper, more intimate, and more powerful relationship with the Lord.