Vital Signs: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Fasting for Spiritual Clarity

“But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’’” — Matthew 4:4 (NLT)

There isn’t a better illustration of diligently seeking God than prayer and fasting. Reality is often elevated over spiritual dimensions, but God wants to refocus our life’s purpose toward an intimate relationship with Him. Prayer and fasting de-clutter our minds, refueling our spirit with what it truly needs.

There are different expressions of fasting. Some sacrifice distracting things like social media or indulgent sweets. But we need to begin our Closer season with God’s Word as our foundation. Holistically, Biblical fasting refers to the voluntary abstinence of food. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount addressed the three disciplines of giving, praying, and fasting. The 21st-century lifestyle is incredibly demanding, but our priority should be applying Biblical teaching to our current context. This doesn’t mean amending Scripture to fit our lifestyle, but laying down our lives and practicing His Word.

When Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God,” it applies to every generation. As it’s impossible to please God without faith, prayer and fasting are a timeless invitation to sharpen our spirits. We’re reminded of our seat with Christ in the heavenly places. So throughout the day, ask yourself, “How am I stopping to recognize that He is God?” When we bring a faith-filled spirit into prayer and fasting, we’re positioning ourselves for significant rewards and breakthroughs.

We access eternal rewards through temporal sacrifices. When Jesus talked about rewards from fasting, He emphasized having the right motives. Fasting is a personal act but can be corporately facilitated within the church. However, public breakthroughs are fueled by our private moments with God. Although we receive tangible benefits, our eyes should be set on spiritual rewards. Our greatest eternal fruits come from seeking God and His righteousness.

In this Closer season, the enemy may try to tempt you because he’s acutely aware of the individual and corporate power in prayer and fasting. Adam, Eve, and Esau were convinced to focus on their physical lack and missed God’s will for their lives. But God’s intention is that you’ll benefit eternally through spiritual growth. As your victory is in Christ, fasting becomes a practical tool to dethrone earthly priorities and access spiritual revelation. From the womb of prayer, His victory is birthed in our lives.