When you begin to feel the positive effects of cleansing, super nutrition, and regular exercise, you will feel greatly inspired to strengthen your walk with the Lord (such as praying more often in the Spirit, eagerly studying the Bible, and even sharing your testimony with others). Not that we promote cleansing, super nutrition, and exercise as pre-requisites to making efforts toward God, but we recognize their value in stimulating spiritual fruitfulness.
Part 5 of our Power Up course, titled “Walk in the Spirit and Thrive” takes you on a detailed journey to learn what a Spirit-led life is all about. We highly recommend that you pause at this point in your J.E.W.E.L. Fasting Journey and hop over to the Power Up course to study this material. Hopefully, it will inspire you to complete the other course units at some stage if you haven’t already.
enhancing your walk with the lord
The encouragement is to approach this material as a help rather than a formula. Everyone’s lives are different, and certain things will “ring home” more strongly to some than others. Each of us is on an overall journey with the Lord as we walk hand in hand with Him. Jesus is the Word of Life. He is our GPS. Walking in the Spirit is allowing the Holy Spirit to override “self” with the character of Jesus Christ – His light, love, and power. If you operate in this understanding that we’re all at different stages of growth, you will wisely turn to Scripture and prayer to receive directly from God versus using others’ lives as a barometer for your personal walk, and you will be able to show compassion and patience toward brethren as they learn and overcome.
Introducing Fasting…
As you move on to Step 4, let’s briefly introduce the subject of fasting, which is part of a Spirit-led life. According to the Bible, fasting at various times can help people strengthen their relationship with God – by deepening their desire for God's Word and humbling themselves before Him. More specifically, fasting can help people…
Strengthen their faith
Hear God's voice more clearly
Expose hidden areas of sin
Develop a more intimate relationship with Jesus
All these benefits are integral to “Walking in the Spirit,” so as you proceed with the J.E.W.E.L. Journey steps, remember that Step 3 never ends. Instead, as you rack up the mileage, you strengthen yourself! For now, let’s look at some scriptures that mention fasting to help you prepare for the next section:
John 6:48: Christ is the "bread of life."
John 6:51: Fasting deepens our desire for the "living bread."
Ezra 8:23: Fasting can strengthen prayer.
Judges 20:26: Fasting can help people seek God's guidance.
1 Samuel 31:13: Fasting can help people express grief.
2 Chronicles 20:3-4: Fasting can help people seek deliverance or protection.
1 Samuel 7:6: Fasting can help people express repentance and return to God.
Joel 2:12: Fasting can help people return to God with all their hearts.
Isaiah 58:6-9: Fasting can help people free the oppressed and supply the needy.
Matthew 6:16-18: Fasting should be done privately so that God can reward the person fasting.