Tristan Melton

1. For me, fasting has not been a clear subject, neither have I been interested in learning about it. This

week’s reading, however, suggest that every major biblical character fasted. Most importantly, according

to Thompson, “…fasting has been a significant spiritual practice in virtually every religion” pg. 69. Thus,

there must be significant benefits to the practice of fasting and praying. Since God has powers and

attributes we do not have, and He knows every aspect of our lives, and the end from the beginning, we

should surrender every major decision to God in faith and with fasting and prayer.

Besides having decision making strategies, the Saint Paul Fast suggests we should abstain from eating

and drinking for a period of time. “…for gaining insight and wisdom” pg. 118. It also suggests the

following ten principles:

1. Listening to Jesus’ voice. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), while praying and

fasting for a period of time or at intervals.

2. Questioning about ourselves. “Time invested in the presence of God will cause us to see

ourselves as we really are”.

3. Recognizing and accepting God’s direction. We must be willing to accept God’s guidance even

when we don’t understand the facts. We must recognize that Jesus knows the truth and that Jesus

is Lord.

4. Stopping all self-effort. Fasting is a time to yield to God, to surrender, connect with God and to

be quiet before Him.

5. Finding a quiet place. It is important to have privacy. A place where the believer has the freedom

to express and experience intimacy with God.

6. Connecting with the Spirit of God. “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with

all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)

 7. Trusting and obeying God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own

understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

8. Willing to be patient. God not always respond to our petitions immediately, in fact, He sometimes

testes our faith. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7).

9. Obtaining insights from others. When we can not find the answer ourselves, God speaks to us

through others.

10. Preparing to be misunderstood. During the Saint Paul fast, you stand alone before God in prayer.

Others may not understand you.

2. This week’s reading helped me understand that the discipline of fasting is biblical, is not something

done only by fanatics, but is a spiritual transforming experience that brings us into an intimate and

powerful relationship with God.