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Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. —James 4:8a (NKJV)

¹ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁵ And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” —Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 (NIV)

FASTING: ABSTAINING FROM FOOD FOR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. —Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

3 Common Reasons People Fast:

1. Devotion

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” —Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

2. Direction

² 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.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. —Acts 13:2-3 (NIV)

3. Breakthrough

So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” —Mark 9:29 (NKJV)

SOMETIMES, WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET THE RESULTS WE NEED.