40-Day Corporate Prayer and Fasting

Spiritual Fasting Cleanses the Mind, Body  & Soul from the Sinful Nature: The flesh wants to live for what pleases itself. The Spirit wants to live for and please God, therefore, there is unending war going on inside us, daily. The Holy Spirit that dwells inside believers wants to live for God, but for most of our lives we have trained ourselves to obey our natural “flesh,” which is against God and even hostile to God. By removing the physical preoccupation with food, the mind becomes more focused and receptive to spiritual insights, allowing for deeper contemplation and prayer. The discomfort of hunger can bring about a heightened awareness of one's emotions, prompting introspection and reflection on personal shortcomings and areas for improvement. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” Romans 8:5-7 (NKJV). 

The good news is that our flesh can be renewed and retrained to more naturally obey the Holy Spirit. And, this must be done by consistently putting the flesh or dying to the flesh daily. By “putting to death the deeds of the body.” The verb for “put to death” in Romans 8 is "thanatoo", which literally means “to kill, to mortify, to make dead." Fasting humiliates our tendency to rely on the natural world and forces us to live from the spiritual. Fasting brings spiritual clarity because it humiliates our tendency to rely on the natural world and forces us to live from the spiritual. As a result, God's voice becomes clearer. Fasting is a great way to gain clarity for an important decision. We can discern from God's voice and the devils, and even distinguish the difference from our own fleshly desires or urges. Fasting is a great way to gain clarity for an important decision. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out“Abba, Father” Romans 8:12-15 (NKJV).