Why You Need A Financial Fast
The Bible talks good-nigh fasting inwards both the New and Old Testaments.
We read almost Nehemiah fasting together with praying for the children of State of Israel because they were inward a time of problem.
Daniel fasted in summation to prayed for 3 weeks drawing nearer to God.
David fasted as good as prayed inwards a quaternary dimension of personal repentance.
Paul inward add-on to Barnabas fasted in plus to prayed earlier presenting leaders inwards the church building.
There’s a close relationship between fasting and praying because fasting is a time for you to draw nearer to God. Spending fourth dimension alongside God inward prayer allows us to listen from him as good as discern things that may endure troubling us.
Jesus spent twoscore days inward the desert fasting and praying before going into ministry building because he knew that it was of import.
How much to a greater extent should we follow his case as good as fast the things that demand as good too so much of our attending?
What’s a Financial Fast?
The Bible doesn’t boundary fasting only to food inward add-on to drinks. Anything that give expose be given upwards temporarily therefore that we tin focus our full tending on God give the sack hold out viewed every bit a fast.
Paul references how a married human together with married adult female mightiness abstain from beingness together for a fourth dimension (yes, sexually) too hence they tin devote themselves to prayer. So land the Bible doesn’t have got a section devoted to a ‘Financial Fast,’ I squall up the principles tin be applied to our finances.
There isn’t a lot of specific materials to guide Christians inward a financial fast, which is why I wanted to embrace it here. Financial fasting isn’t meant to alive slice of cake or unintentional – it involves denying yourself thus that you lot tin refocus your reliance on Christ.
How to Fast amongst Your Finances
In holding to the principles of fasting that we encounter inwards the Bible, I recollect we tin give the sack fast financially past times times practicing the next:
1. Identify necessities in add-on to luxuries.
If you already have a budget, this may be a little easier for you to do. Take some time to really focus your expenses on the things that you have to pay for – items like your house payment, term life insurance, nutrient, etc. If yous tin send away snuff it without it (hold out honest alongside yourself – eating out, iTunes music, going to the movies, etc) listing it every bit a luxury together with do your best to become without purchasing it during your financial fast.
The financial fast is non meant to move past times along you from enjoying the things you lot already take away hold. It’s a exercise inwards contentment as well as reliance on God to agree up our provider.
2. Resist the temptation to purchase luxuries.
This is the hard role of the fiscal fast. It’s inwards summation to too so tiresome to justify pocket-size (together with sometimes large) purchases for convenience sake or because nosotros experience that we deserve it. Yes, I’k talking almost the afternoon trip to the vending auto, the morning fourth dimension Starbucks, besides the $1 Redbox moving-paradigm demonstrate. The indicate of a financial fast is to help us to utilization our coin amongst usage inward add-on to to avoid irrational purchases that solely inflate our touchstone of living. It’s challenging together with yous volition abide by the sacrifices – which is the signal of the fiscal fast.
3. Focus on contentment, thankfulness, in add-on to giving.
While you’re making these financial sacrifices, take a moment to reflect on all that God has blessed yous with and learn to be content with what you have. Don’t be tempted to complain about what you can’t buy during the financial fast. Instead, hold upwards thankful for all the things y'all do have got.
You may start to see a few extra dollars because of the drop in your spending habits. This is a great thing and should be used as a way to cultivate a spirit of giving. Use the extra funds to bless a ministry in your church building building, aid a friend inwards require, supply for a seat unit of measurement of measure that needs support, or any means that you feel God leading you lot to give.
4. Grow in prayer.
Throughout your financial fast, prayer should motion at the cornerstone of all your decisions. Yes, every bit Christians we should engage amongst God as much every bit possible – but fasting should involve a focused time of prayer to seek God’s testament likewise His management inward your life.
If inwards that location was ane verse to guide your financial fast, I holler upwards it would hold out this:
Keep your lives free from the beloved of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV
Influenza A virus subtype Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 financial fast is your argument of liberty from money as good as acknowledgment of your dependence on God. Whether yous exercise a financial fast for iii days or 3 weeks, I squall back it tin give detect assist y'all grow spiritually inwards improver to further your wishing to give freely.
Have yous e'er considered a financial fast? Do you lot call upwardly it would alive on beneficial? Leave a comment!
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