LESSON 14
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH
FASTING Fasting means to voluntarily abstain from eating food, and sometimes from drink. Biblical fasting is not dieting; biblical fasting is for spiritual reasons, and it is accompanied by prayer. In Esther 4:16, Esther enlisted others to fast to express an earnest need for the Lord’s help. In Esther 9:31, the Jews fasted to plead with the Lord; in Ezra 8:21 and 23, Ezra fasted to express complete, humble dependence on the Lord; and in Ezra 9:3–5, Ezra fasted with deep grief over Israel’s sin. When fasting, our hunger and physical weakness increase our dependence on the Lord and can heighten the sense of God’s presence in our lives. Prayer during times of fasting is often for a specific reason leading to more earnest- ness and urgency in the prayer. Fasting increases self-discipline by refraining from food we enjoy in the moment so that we will be able to refrain from the temptation of sin in the future. Consistent fasting and prayer can bring about a spiritual power and strength that we would not have otherwise. Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, to sacrifice ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God. —Andrew Murray
5. Consider where God has divinely placed you. What action do you need to take in faith and obedience to God that may impact the deliverance of another?
Esther 3:1–4:17 | 151
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