Church Decorum Series: Fasting
Lesson Seven: Fasting
Lesson Six: The Dress Code | Lesson Five: Altar Ministry
Lesson Four: Presiding | Lesson Three: Prayer | Lesson Two: Learn To Be A Student | Lesson One: Be Observant
Let’s say you visit a church, find that you really like it, and are extended the right hand of fellowship. You meet with the Pastor and agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the church. But then you start asking yourself, “What rules am I supposed to keep?”
Have you ever found yourself in this predicament?
When I went to the first Church Of God In Christ International Holy Convocation held in St. Louis, I was impressed, but a little disheartened, by a book that our Presiding Bishop and Mother Blake wrote about how the saints should deport themselves. While the information was very useful, I was surprised that we needed to be told some very basic things.
Then I remembered when I first came to the holiness church. Can you believe I did not even own a dress! I did not know what to say or what to do. I felt so inadequate those first few times I visited.
For those of us who have been in the church for a long time, we tend to assume that everyone knows the basics of church decorum. But over time, I’ve come to realize that there are just some things we won’t know – unless we are taught.
Well have no fear, this year I am here to help! It’s 2013, a brand new year, and I will be focusing on church decorum – those things we wished someone told us so we wouldn’t have felt out in left field while everyone else was in right. I’ll be covering lots of topics, including presiding, speaking and teaching; praying for different occasions; dressing modestly; altar work and laying on of hands and more. I’ll also be taking topics from you! Simply email your suggestion to Blog@holinesstabernaclecogic.org and you just may find your idea as the focus of one of my monthly blog posts.
Before we begin, I would like to start with a disclaimer: RULES AND REGULATIONS DIFFER FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH. IT IS ALWAYS WISE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE PARTICULAR CHURCH YOU ATTEND.
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Praying is always good… but if you really want to “kick it up a notch,” why not add fasting to it. When you fast, you deny the flesh certain comforts for a period of time, such as food, water, technology, social media, etc.
You may be asking yourself, why would I want to fast? The Bible says that “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). This tells us that there are some things that come in our lives that will require the added effort of fasting in order to overcome. When you fast, you empty yourself out in order to get closer to God.
That’s why you can always pray without fasting but you should never fast without praying. Because you are emptying out, you need to replace and replenish your spirit-man with prayer. Not only does our flesh fight against fasting, but the enemy will sometimes try to attack us during these times. You don’t want anything ungodly getting in while you are in this vulnerable state, so it is very important that you incorporate prayer while you fast. Here are a few more things to keep in mind when you fast:
Benefits of Fasting
Fasting aids you in living a holy life; as you get closer to God, He will guide and direct you in your walk with Him. Other benefits of fasting include:
- Power to overcome difficulties in your life.
- Clearer understanding of the Word of God.
- Deliverance from certain situations or added strength to go through it.
- Increased belief in God and the building up your faith.
Fasting With a Prayer Partner
As body, the Church Of God In Christ fasts collectively on Tuesdays and Fridays. Sometimes, however, you may be led to go above and beyond our typical fast days.
When you go on an extended fast, it is wise to have someone praying with you. As you are fasting, sometimes you will experience periods of weakness because your body is fighting against the fast. This is quite natural – like I said, the flesh does not like to fast! This is when you can call the person you chose to pray for you that you might overcome your flesh.
What to Fast For
We tend to fast for things we want, but some time ago I came across a scripture that changed the focus of my fasting. In Isaiah 58:3-11, God condemns the people for their selfish fasting instead of fasting for the “bonds of wickedness to be broken.”
So if we’re not fasting for “things we want,” what should we fast for? Why not consider these:
- When an evil spirit has taken residence in someone, it will take the God-given anointing of someone who has been fasting and praying to help cast it out.
- Another thing we can fast for are illnesses. I have been healed from asthma and have seen others healed from other serious illnesses through fasting and prayer.
- You can fast and pray for strongholds to be broken in your life. I think of a stronghold as that weakness that you seem to always battle with. Just when you think you have conquered it, you find it knocking at your door again, wanting to come in and take up residence. There can also be strongholds on churches, organizations, families, institutions and even cities – and breaking free requires the power of fasting and prayer.
Sadly, many people and even churches have stopped stressing the importance of fasting, but as we see there is always a need to fast. The devil is always attacking us, our families and our homes. We need to fast and pray to combat him!