Article Avenue - free articles and downloads - Are You Missing What It Takes To Resist Sin?

I don't care how much you go to church or read your
bible sometimes no matter how hard you try to resist
sinning you end up finding yourself giving in to it
anyway.

I know first hand because this has happen to me on
countless occasions. I've found myself getting
frustrated and even questioning my own salvation.

One time I even tried to give up, of course, the Lord
brought me back to repentance, but the point is I
didn't know what was missing from my life that could
help me stay on the right track for good.

Jesus said to His disciples.

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak."

But sometimes deep in your heart you feel the need to
do more than just pray. Perhaps because you feel that
your prayers are falling on deaf ears. You try to put
your finger on what's missing but just can't seem to
understand what it is.

Well I'm here to tell you that missing element in your
prayer life is fasting.

Yes, fasting in combination with prayer will help to
bring about the true repentance and a humbleness of
spirit that you need and seek.

By fasting, you are able to turn fully toward the Lord
in your hour of great need.

Do you have times that make you feel the need to seek
the face of the Lord in a stronger more, profound way?
In your darkest hour do you even know what your
greatest need is?

Fasting and praying brings the Lord's comfort and the
prayers you pray while fasting get surprisingly faster
answers.

There is absolutely no debate Jesus expects us to
fast.

Matthew 6:16 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the
hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure
their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward."

When one is crying out to the Lord with all of their
heart and soul, it can do no less than touch the heart
of the very Lord we pray to because fasting is the
truest form of prayer.

Which type of prayer do you think God desires to hear?
The gut wrenching, deeply sobbing passionate type that
comes from a real heart full of sincerity, or the off
handed casual prayer?

The self denial of physical needs, for a period of
spiritual fasting is the key to producing deep
spiritual growth because a person can get in touch
with their inner self when they sacrifice their bodies
physical need for food.

Serious prayer requires deep concentrated effort on
the part of an obedient servant and that's why when a
person concentrates their thoughts on the Lord rather
than on food God's will and desires become known to
them in a supernatural, profound way.

A person desiring to use the gifts of God with more
Holy Spirit power and authority should fast, pray and
get as deeply into the Word of God as possible. Eat
His Word instead of food. Spiritual Fasting can bring
great joy and blessings to your life.

Acts 13:2-3 "While they were worshiping the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called
them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed
their hands on them and sent them off."

Fasting also enables a person to resist the devil.
Sometimes temptations become overwhelming and the only
way to fight them is to go into a Spiritual Fast with
heavy prayer.

Especially if you tried regular praying and still find
yourself giving in to temptation.

What is the right reason to fast? Fasting should
always be for spiritual purposes. The early church
fasted, worshipped and prayed. That is the key to
fasting. It should be a voluntary, private, worshipful
and prayerful time between you and our Heavenly
Father.

What's a bad fast? When you fast for the wrong reason
or the wrong attitude in your heart. Whatever you plan
to do, the main thing is to keep your mind upon
spiritual growth.

I've personally experienced the greatest spiritual
growth in my life when I fasted.

My favorite fast is a 7am-3pm fast in which I pray and
read my bible for one hour during my regular lunch
time.

This fast has helped me to stay focused on God's word
and keep His commandments and not give in to the
temptations of the devil.

When I do this fast I usually go 40 days in honor of
Jesus' fast in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1-2 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he
had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungred.

It is interesting to note that 'The Heavenly Man'
(Christian Book of the Year for 2003) contains the
account of how Brother Yun in China endured a total
fast (i.e. no food, no water) for 75 days. This sounds
impossible but surely, with God, all things are
possible.

About the Author

David Hopkins is a "Christian Article Writer" who
specializes in helping people remember to glorify
God in everything that they do, so they don't miss
out on any of His wonderful blessings.
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