Posted byLeon LeonardonApril 17, 2015

The greatest problem Christians face is sin. We know the basic biblical teaching about sin:

We in the Church of God understand that prayer, Bible study and meditation are essential elements in overcoming sin. But there is another critical tool that must be employed on a consistent basisand it is probably the most difficult of all the tools. That tool is fasting!

Fasting should be an integral part of our Christian lives. God created food for our nourishment and pleasure. He knows how much we enjoy it. When we willingly fast for a time, we show God how serious we are about following and obeying Him.

In Leviticus 23:26-32 God commands His people to fast on the Day of Atonement.

But we see many examples of Gods people fasting outside of the Day of Atonement. Here are some of them:

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Early in His ministry, Jesus faced a titanic battle with Satanin which Satan tried to tempt Him to sin. Jesus knew He had to take drastic steps to prepare for this battle with Satan, and He spent 40 days and nights fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). This was necessary for Christ because He was going to face temptation greater than any normal person would ever face. The devil approached Jesus when He was physically weak, but spiritually strong and ready for battle.

Luke 4:4-13 records how Jesus successfully resisted Satans temptations. Fasting afforded our Savior the spiritual power to back up His perfect character with action. If Jesus Christ had to fast to resist sin, how much more do we have to!

In our daily war against sin, it is imperative that we not neglect this most powerful tool. Though fasting can be physically taxing, it can accelerate our spiritual growth and strengthen us in overcoming sin (Isaiah 58:6, 8).

Gods people should be imitating Christ and other great men and women of the Bible by using the awesome tool of fasting!

To learn more about this powerful tool, read What Is Fasting?

Read the rest here:

The Power of Fasting - COGWA Members