Fasting Refines Your Faith

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory, and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

(1 Peter 1:7 NLT)

Faith is not gauged by what you claim you believe. The Bible says trials prove if your faith is genuine. It's easy to say you believe when you're sitting in the lazy boy watching Sunday night football. What do you do when pressure is on you? Are you willing to believe and act in obedience when it costs you something? When it costs you 10% of your income, do you believe to the extent of being obedient? Or does the pressure and test reveal that you do not believe at all? When in public do you proudly share the gospel, or does the pressure of fear and rejection prove to be greater than your faith? Your faith is proven when pressure is applied and yet you still stand. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is self-inflicted pressure. Would you starve for a God that you don't believe in? No! This is why many Christians don’t give, pray, or fast. They say they believe until it costs them something. When you fast, pressure is being applied to your flesh. “Quit, give up, this doesn't work, you don't need to do this,” are all things your flesh will scream at you. When you push past that pressure and continue to worship God in faith with fasting all while expecting the full reward that comes from fasting, your faith is tested and proven! This is why you will see greater results and manifestations of faith in your life after fasting. You have stood in the midst of pressure and your faith is proven strong!