It’s our Mid-Year Prayer and Fasting for all our Victory Churches starting today. Here are some of the things that you need to know as you start to fast. Hopefully, this will also encourage you to learn and embrace the discipline of fasting.

Fasting creates in you a fresh hunger for God. 

When you fast, it creates in you a spiritual discipline of wanting God and wanting everything about Him, more than your wanting for food. It is the discipline of reminding yourself that being hungry for God is far more important than being hungry for food. You are reminded that you don’t live by what this world offers you. I love how John Piper said it:

“There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast: ‘This much, O God, I want you.'”

Fasting reminds you of what can truly satisfy.

There’s nothing in this world that can truly satisfy your hunger, because our ultimate hunger and thirst is not for food, but of things that can satisfy our souls. You have an appetite that needs to be satisfied and it is your ultimate craving for acceptance, security, power and control. The world will try to trick you to give in to what it offers but in the end, it won’t deliver. If you’re full of what the world offers, when you fast, it lets you see what God can offer. You’ll see that God offers Himself, the one that will truly satisfy your longing.

Fasting helps you hear what God has to say. 

Fasting is also a kind of spiritual discipline where you focus on the voice of God as He speaks to you. Most of the time, it’s not a big loud audible voice that you will hear but a small still voice that speaks to you when you need it the most. Refraining from food can help you focus more, this time, to focus more on God’s voice rather than on your hungry stomach’s voice.

Fasting is a declaration that God is your greatest breakthrough. 

Fasting also can remind you that you have everything that you’ll ever need in God. You are complete in Him. As the Psalmist have said, you are not in lack. As you pray and seek God for breakthroughs in your life, He wants to remind you first that no other breakthrough will come your way that’s greater than having a relationship with Him. He is your greatest joy. He is your greatest source of fulfillment. He is the breakthrough that you’ll ever need for a victory in your life. As you embrace that first, it gives way for you to receive other breakthroughs that He wants for your life.

“The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:10