A new Beyond Today program on the vital spiritual tool of fasting.
Transcript
[Gary Petty] We just finished a Beyond Today program on fasting and prayer. And the whole premise of the program is, we went back and looked at Jesus Christ and His example and how it says He often would draw into the wilderness to pray. And of course we have the example also where He went into the wilderness and fasted, and how He used these experiences of getting out and getting alone to get energy, spiritual energy, from His Father. So we talked about it in the program, how we need to follow that example and how all of us can have actual spiritual wilderness experiences.
[Darris McNeely] Yeah, all of us have to at times just withdraw from our busy life and step back and devote a period of time and prayer and even fasting to draw close to God in a relationship that gives us insight into something we may be struggling with, some problem with life, but just also to draw close to God. Christ’s example teaches us that we need to be doing that, as well.
[Gary Petty] It’s not easy, though.
[Steve Myers] No, it can be difficult, especially to take that time you’re going to go without food, water, you’ve got to plan that so that you’re planning ahead of time, but it gives you extra time. You don’t want to underestimate the value of fasting, because I think it changes your perspective. It can grow your relationship with God, draw you closer together, you recognize, I think, every time you fast that when you don’t eat food, you get hungry, and you know if you keep doing that, you’re going to die. And without a spiritual relationship with God, I think that’s the reminder – our relationship, our spiritual life is going to die as well. So we’ve got to continue to build and grow that relationship that God wants us to.
[Gary Petty] If you’re interested in fasting and learning how to use this spiritual tool, I would suggest you go online – beyondtoday.tv – and you find a program we did a number of years ago called “Jesus Fasted: Should You?” And then, in a few weeks from now, in a few weeks to come, we have the second program about fasting that can help you in your spiritual wilderness experience.
