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Biblical
Fasting
Feeling the Presence of God
Testimony
by
Randy Corbin
“I
was able to hear from God better than ever before because my mind wasn’t
cluttered with all the junk of a normal day.”
 On
Sunday my Pastor quoted Matthew 6:16 where Jesus said “When you fast,” with
the emphasis on the word when, not if. He went on to say that
biblical fasting has always been a part of Christianity just like prayer. So
privately I decided to attempt a fast. Very few people who I talked to had
ever fasted before. To be honest I was curious to see what would happen. I
could not have imagined the remarkable journey I was about to initiate.
It all
started with a six day fast. The first day wasn’t that bad and there were no
ill effects. But I could see no gain from it either. The second day was
harder, it sounded like there was a war going on in my stomach. I felt tired
and had a panicky emotion about me. Towards the end of the third day my
hunger pains were gone and that is when I started focusing on Christ and
spent 4 hours reading my bible. Also I noticed my energy level had picked up
and I really started feeling closer to Christ. On the fifth and sixth days I
could feel the presence of God in things that I had never experienced
before. I can remember sitting on a large rock out in a field and it was if
I could feel His presence even in the very rock. I ended my fast on the
seventh day. I was at work but found a place where I could be alone with
God. I served myself communion as my way of ending the fast. This first fast
was only six days but I learned how fasting builds a relationship with God.
This small
six day fast brought about questions. If I had gained so much from six days
what would happen if I went further? A few months later my pastor gave me
the chance to answer that question when he asked us to join him in a forty
day fast. I said yes. I knew what the first week was going to be like but in
the weeks that followed neither I nor anyone else in my church knew what to
expect.
First, here
are some of the physical changes that I experienced:
- When you
fast parts of your body get a chance to rest. The liver, pancreas,
intestines and other parts all but shut down. This allows them to not only
rest and detoxify but also healing. During my second long term fast I was
healed of diabetes. All the years of garbage that has been building up in my
body was gotten rid of from end to end, which resulted in a feeling of
better mental and phyical health.
- I lost an
average of 1/4 to 1 pound a day. I wanted to keep my fast a secret from most
people but I didn’t want to lie to them either. If you drop 35-40 pounds in
a little more than a month people are going to notice. I simple told them I
was watching what I ate.
- Somewhere
around the end of the second or third week my liver dumped its toxins and
was passed in my stool about once a week. It was a very unpleasant smell.
- As body
continued to purify itself there was a color change in my urine. This
process continued during the length of the fast.
- All of my
senses was multiplied. My sense of smell increased beyond belief. I can
remember being able to tell one tree from another by its smell. Also things
like perfume and deodorant actually became offensive as they were incredibly
overpowering.
- My desire
to eat went away.
- Noticed a
strange odor coming from my breath.
What I
gained spiritually was beyond description. You will feel closer to God than
you ever have felt in your life. The desire to be alone with God will
increase to an insatiable hunger. I was able to hear from God better than
ever before because my mind wasn’t cluttered with all the junk of a normal
day. I learned to know the presence of God in a way that becomes constant
and personal. You will also learn how out of balance your spiritual life can
become when it’s centered on the world.
Ending a
long term fast can be physically challenging. Because of the great spiritual
gain I actually found myself not wanting to eat again. If I learned anything
from the fast it was to get alone with God regularly. If you want to boil
biblical fasting down in a nutshell, it’s a time to draw near to God.
During
your fast you will have periods of great joy and battles of depression.
These will teach things about yourself. These battles aren’t brought about
because of your fasting but are made known to you through your fasting. When
you end your fast you will notice that these battles are still there but you
will have learned that your source of strength and hope comes from Christ
alone. There may be pleasure in a jelly filed donut but it often masks
something that is missing inside. If you get too many of these false thrills
out of life you can start to rely on them for your comfort instead of
Christ. Your spirit will grow during a fast but it is up to you to maintain
its growth after the fast has ended. Fasting teaches how much junk we have
in our lives that we don’t need.
Jesus
said “when you fast”.
Footnote
by
Ron Lagerquist
I have heard it said that we must live by faith and not feelings. Even
mature Christians will admit they do not always feel the presence of God.
Nonetheless, for those who have never experienced a deep sense of God’s
presence, there is a risk of developing an intellectualized faith that is
devoid of longing and passion. Biblical faith is full of longing and
passion, for how can someone pant after God while in the desert if they have
no memory of His refreshing presence? Both experiences are vital components
to a vibrant faith and vibrant relationship. Randy will never be the same.
He has tasted a better wine then what this world has to offer, and he will
forever crave more. Real biblical fasting is about developing a deeper
hunger for the presence of God.
Please send your testimony to
ron@freedomyou.com |
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