Can Fasting Bring Miracles in Your Life?
Jul 23, 2024Bible, Women & Bathrobes, Episode 31
Sermon on the Mount, part 16
Summary
Tamara and Wendi discuss Matthew 6:16-18 about how fasting is not just about abstaining from food and drink, but about humbling oneself and seeking spiritual growth. It should be done in secret and with a humble heart, with a specific purpose in mind. Both women share personal experiences of using fasting to seek God's strength and guidance during difficult times, emphasizing its transformative power in their spiritual journeys. They underscore the importance of understanding that fasting is not always immediate or straightforward, but it can bring about miracles in one's life.
Main Takeaways
- From Tamara, “It strengthens our spirit and our connection with God when we do fast. And that is what helps us move through things, even hard things with greater strength and maybe more of a godlike perspective. Maybe not initially, but eventually. So I'm thankful that we have this tool that the Savior teaches us about for good times for hard times.”
- From Wendi, “As I continue through a fast, then I get to that point where it doesn't bother me so much. I'm it's not so much about the hunger and the hunger pains. It's that I have a purpose. And that purpose often leads me to a higher connection with my higher power. And I overcome …the physical body almost, so that my …spirit has more power, she feels stronger. She feels a lot more aligned… with God's will, with what would he have for me or the person maybe that I'm fasting for?”
Today’s Podcast Hosts & Guests
Tamara K. Anderson
Tamara, founder of Women Warriors of Light, is a dynamic speaker, award winning author, and a podcaster. She is driven by her Christian faith to inspire faith in Jesus Christ. Alongside her husband, Justin, she navigates the joys and challenges of parenting four children with autism, ADHD, and mental health hurdles. You can find out more about Tamara on her website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/
Wendi Christensen, LCSW
Wendi is the co-founder of Women Warriors of Light. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 28 years of experience. Wendi is an intuitive counselor helping individuals release pain, renew hope, and restore light through forgiveness. You can find out more about Wendi on her website: https://wendichristensencounseling.com/
Transcript
Tamara Anderson 0:00
What did Jesus mean about fasting and rewarding us openly when he talked about it and the Sermon on the Mount? Today we're gonna dive into that so stay tuned.
Tamara Anderson 0:14
Welcome to Bible, Women and Bathrobes the podcast where faith meets comfort. Join us Tuesday and Thursday morning. As the gals from women warriors of flight and their guests, don bathrobes and dive into the inspiring stories of women in the Bible, and the teachings of Jesus Christ. From Esther's bravery to the Sermon on the Mount. We explore it all with warmth, laughter, sisterhood, and maybe even a few sleepy eyed moments. tune in live or at your leisure as we learn lessons from scripture which empower women today.
Tamara Anderson 0:55
Hello, and welcome to another episode of Bible, Women and Bathrobes. I'm your host Tamara K Anderson. And joining me today is my wonderful co founder of Women Warriors of Light, Wendi Christensen. Welcome, Wendi.
Wendi Christensen 1:08
Thank you for having me on. Tamara, I'm excited to be here with everyone.
Tamara Anderson 1:11
Oh, this is so fun. And we're going through the Sermon on the Mount, as you guys know, and today we are talking about Matthew chapter six, verses 16 through 18. And so this is after the Lord's Prayer. And he reminds us to forgive. And then we kind of hit these verses where he's talking about fasting.
Tamara Anderson 1:39
And I'm going to start with verse 16. And then we'll talk about it a little bit. He says, "Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites have a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward."
Tamara Anderson 2:01
And this was kind of a tradition back then that this is they would just make themselves look, you know, look disheveled that they would just look burdened. And it kind of reminds me of me being a young teenager and my parents saying it's time for you to start fasting and being like. I didn't want to fast you know, it's in part, it's a part of our religion. I'm like, why do people do this? This is so dumb. All I get as hungry, you know, I'm like.
Tamara Anderson 2:39
And so I think I think what he's diving into here, because I will tell you, I think they they had me start fasting back when I was 12. And sure I was old enough to do it. But I wasn't very happy about it. And and I know I complained and can we eat yet? and all that stuff. And I've been taught why why we're fasting, you know, it's kind of been around forever as as believers, this principle of fasting.
Tamara Anderson 3:14
I was reading a little bit about how they used to fast especially at certain days in in the Old Testament, like the Day of Atonement and stuff like that. And, of course, Jesus taught it here. But I think by this point, the traditions of the Jewish people had had come to where this this idea of making yourself look like you're fasting was what they were being taught by some of their leaders. This is how you fast you know, and and, and so I think he's, he's, he's saying here when you're fast, don't be a hypocrite. Because they're getting a reward from other people. Any thoughts on this Wendi?
Wendi Christensen 3:55
Yeah, I think no, you're absolutely right. I think that for them it was everybody knew it. Like oh, I'm fasting today like announcing an almost a beat by their countenance, what they, what they look like what they were doing. So just woe is me, I am fasting, you should know, this is what I'm doing. This is why I'm doing it. And I think the Lord is going to be, Christ is going to teach us to do it a different way here, right? That you shouldn't be doing that where you're disfiguring your face, that they appear into men too fast, like everyone can tell and see that they're fasting because they want to be seen as fasting. And he's going to teach us a different way to do that.
Wendi Christensen 4:40
But yeah, absolutely. Sometimes I wonder. I wonder how fasting is not my favorite thing. Like I have a sister in law who does intermittent fasting, right? That's become popular, really grown in popularity. And I think it's a little different than that type of fasting because I know that people do that for health benefits for Weight Loss and other things, but even that, I think it's different than what the Lord is going to teach us today about fasting. So what we're going to talk about today about fasting, that is very different.
Tamara Anderson 5:12
Yeah. Well, and, and it's getting beyond Tamara's, 12 year old mindset of ah! I don't want to!
Wendi Christensen 5:26
Yeah, my kids do the same thing. I know that. Is it over yet. Can I break my fast yet? I'm so hungry. I can't stand it anymore.
Tamara Anderson 5:35
Yeah, exactly, exactly. And so let's read these next two verses. And then we can kind of dive into what what fasting looks like why we fast and stuff like that today. Because I think this is an important principle. Verse 17, but thou when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash my face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy father, which is in secret, and thy father, which see it in secret shall reward the openly.
Tamara Anderson 6:13
And I love here that there is a purpose behind the fasting. And often we go to God fasting for something, there is a purpose, or at least there should be a purpose. And I think that's what he's teaching us here. If you want that reward, if you want that blessing, if you want that prayer answered. Then you should fast with this. This is humility. This humbleness of heart, not Oh, here I am, I'm fasting. It is it's coming unto God with that humility. And fasting in secret with those desires being between you and God.
Tamara Anderson 7:03
And perhaps I know, there's been times when I've had family fasts, or our congregation has fasted for certain purposes. And, and that's okay. You know, I'm not saying that you can't fast with other people. Because I think there's my power in prayer and fasting. Well, when people are doing it together. Any thoughts that are Wendi?
Wendi Christensen 7:31
Well, the thought that I had was, and I apologize, because I'm trying to remember exactly where in in the New Testament talks about it. But the apostles come to Christ, and he's casting out like an evil spirit or an unclean, I can't remember which one and, and the apostles say, How come they tried to do it? And they couldn't, they said, How come you could do it, but we couldn't. And he said that you that you can only cast them out with fasting and prayer.
Wendi Christensen 8:01
And that they had fasting basically, right was the gist of it, that they hadn't been fasting, that there's almost to me, it just reminds me that there's almost a strength to fasting like an added strength when we are fasting. And, and I felt that like I felt that where I've received that added strength, that there is a purpose behind that fasting that it does add a little extra something to what you're doing. And if you need that extra something to whatever you're asking for praying for wanting that as we fast, it almost brings this added power to whatever it is that you're asking for. It seems like Right?
Tamara Anderson 8:46
Yeah. I love that. I know. I was looking at some examples of fasting also and I love that reference. You know, this kind goes not out but by fasting and prayer. And I might have to look it up too. But but but, but it's interesting, I love first of all, the example of the Savior, that as he started his ministry, he went out into the wilderness fasting, I mean, he was able to do it for forty days, which don't Don't try that.
Tamara Anderson 9:19
You know, of course, there's Lent. I have a good friend who is Catholic and she is adorable. And and she told me this year she goes this year for Lent she was, giving up chocolate, because it's one of my favorite things and I'm staying away from it. And I just thought Look at her. She's amazing. Gosh, I don't know that I could give up chocolate for Lent.
Wendi Christensen 9:44
It really is a temptation.
Tamara Anderson 9:48
But I love her faith. I love her faith in and in and in giving that up. And so it's cool that different, facets of religions fast differently. And that's wonderful. You know, I'm not saying any one way is right or wrong, but I think fasting with a purpose he's teaching us here that if you're looking for some kind of reward that reward you opening openly. So fasting in the wilderness, I love that example of Jesus Christ.
Tamara Anderson 10:24
I was looking at Acts also and in Acts chapter 13. And let me see if I can just bring this up the example of the apostles about fasting. Maybe I didn't have it up on my scriptures on my phone like I was looking at and reading this yesterday I was preparing for this. But the apostles were looking to call people to be over the missionary service in in this one region of the country there. And they were trying to decide who they were going to put over the ministry in this area. And it says, "And they ministered to the Lord and fasted, and the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work were unto I have called them." So basically they were praying for an answer. And so they included fasting in that prayer. And it says "when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away" to do God's work.
Tamara Anderson 11:30
So sometimes we fast for for strength, like Jesus did as he started his ministry, sometimes we fast to get answers, because we need help. And this is God's work. So you know, we need his help to get through our things or to make a decision.
Tamara Anderson 11:54
I know I fasted to make decisions before I fasted for strength, I have fasted for healing for myself, for other people. There was an instance, oh gosh, over 20 some odd years ago, my husband and I were in a really, really bad car accident. And I was in the hospital for a week and a half. And we were in the middle of getting ready to move from California to Arkansas at the time. And we had two of our kids who were two little boys and and I remember we were in this really, really bad car accident. And this is in the days before social media. But I remember, obviously emails and, and stuff like that, and phone calls went out to family and friends.
Tamara Anderson 12:44
And we had you know, our congregation in California praying for us, the people in Arkansas heard we were coming. And we were actually on our way to the airport to go look for homes out there. And the congregations out there began praying for us. And, of course, where our families live both in Arizona and California, they were praying for us and they invited their congregations to pray for us as well. And there was a power, (and here I get all emotional again,) But there was a power to that fast.
Tamara Anderson 13:20
And I remember, we honestly first of all shouldn't have lived through that car accident. So I know it wasn't our time to go yet. But there was a power in that in there fasting that helped us and it wasn't an immediate healing. It took me several years, in fact, to heal from the effects of that car accident. But there were miracles in my body as I was healing and doctor saying, Well, I know this is what they saw that first day when the accident happened. But there's I can't even find that in your body right now. You know, and I just miracles happened.
Tamara Anderson 14:04
And I know sometimes we fast and pray for things and we don't get the desires of our heart. There's that part at the end of the Lord's prayer that we talked about last week where we say but Thine is the the power and the honor and the glory forever, you know. And so sometimes, it's always dependent on God's will. Right, but we can pray and fast for miracles to happen and they do. Yes, this isn't a thing that that just happened in the time of Christ that prayer and fasting when joined together can have miracles happen.
Tamara Anderson 14:44
Now I've I've I've participated in congregational fast for like we have a woman in our congregation who has struggled with health challenges for decades and we had a prayer and fasting for her and and it didn't feel like like we, we received what we hoped-- that she was healed or anything like that. But I have watched her through the years. And I think she's creeping back to health. You know, it's been it's been more of a slow, little, it's up almost little steps too tiny to even hardly notice. But perhaps that those prayers and fasting went and gave her strength to keep going in this illness that she's challenged with, you know what I mean? Any thoughts on reasons we fast and miracles from fasting and prayer, Wendi?
Wendi Christensen 15:44
Well, yeah, just as you're talking, when I'm realizing, and I, you know, I did grow up fasting as well, that was something that my family did. And, and, as you're talking, what I'm realizing is fasting is really an interesting thing. Because not only, you know, there's moments where we fast for other people, there have been times in my life where I've fasted for myself, too. And, and what I'm seeing is that fasting helps not only the person that you can be fasting for, like you were giving that example, that woman in your congregation, that you were able to probably draw closer as a congregation and fasting for her, and doing it to bless her. But also, what does it do for us as we fast, because I know in those moments, when I have fasted, I fast with a with a sincere heart when I'm praying, because I think it's important to pray for the cause, or what it is that you're wanting to fast forward that it does something inside of me. And it, I feel like it does bring an additional power from Heaven, to me, as well as to the ones that I'm fasting fo.
Wendi Christensen 16:56
Or if it's not for someone else, just to me alone, that gives me an added strength to be able to get through that I remember, one of my first times having a real fast and I and I was like I'm gonna do it for 24 hours. It was, you know, a time when I was probably 12. And I had never really fasted before. But I wanted to see the power of fasting, and what does that mean, and I had a brother who was going through a really difficult time, you know, he had been, he'd been caught up in drugs, and had been using some drugs and just kind of going in a direction that we as a family were, we were saddened about, we were sad about some of the choices that he had been making in his life. And I remember just as a 12 year old, being very close to him, and really wanting to help him. And so my little 12 year old heart was like, I'm gonna fast for 24 hours for him, and help him.
Wendi Christensen 17:52
And it's interesting, because that was really hard for my little 12 year old self to do. But as I continue progressing in the hours, you know, and so it was sleeping fasting. But as I continued doing it, I felt really strengthened. And I felt the Lord close to me, like he heard my prayers, and he, he could empathize with me and he felt what I was feeling and what I was going through. And that was such a such a strong, like aha moment for me to realize that I'm becoming strengthened because of this. And, and I felt like it did it. Like you said, sometimes you don't see that delivery, and that deliverance immediately. And it didn't do anything like that. But my brother knew that I loved him. Because I think my mom or somebody told them shared with him like what I had been doing. And that touched his heart that I had done that.
Wendi Christensen 18:47
So it drew us it did draw us closer together, even though it didn't bring immediate relief over the challenges that he was facing. And it was a faith, promoting experience for me to realize, fasting has something about it, it does give an additional power to whatever it is that I'm facing, or whatever trials struggle that I'm facing, or other people are facing. It does bring down this additional, you know, power to add fasting to our prayer, and be able to strengthen and uplift us inside. It does something to us, and I'm sure that's why, you know, fasting is even presented. Why do we even fast? Well, it's, I think to add that additional strength and power to whatever it is that we're praying for. Yeah.
Tamara Anderson 19:36
I find it interesting that back in the times of even the Old Testament and New Testament that fasting was often a natural way to show sorrow and kind of that sackcloth and ashes and refraining from washing and stuff like that. And I think Um, it, it almost reminds me of grieving, you know. And I know that in times of grief and sorrow, that fasting, then and now can give us strength, because I think when we're grieving, those are perhaps some of the hardest times we go through because often it's associated loss, the loss of a loved one, which is so hard. It is so hard to go through.
Tamara Anderson 20:36
And, at least from our earthly perspective, I'm sure from God's perspective, they're just coming in to his presence and all of that. But from our perspective, they're leaving us for a time and that's hard. That's hard when you love someone. And, and so I know that in times of sorrow, I have a, another lady who I met several years ago, who they're grieving the loss of their daughter right now. And before she passed, she'd been through many, many years of physical challenges. And her putting out a note on Facebook a couple months ago. Please pray that she'll be released from this because she'd been struggling with severe health challenges for a very, very long time. And I thought that was an interesting thing to pray and fast for, but obviously, my heart goes out to them, and both that God will, you know, at the time here, the pleadings of this family, or their dear child, who is on hospice, and but also that they would be strengthened to bear that, you know, that loss and that hardship of that separation.
Tamara Anderson 22:08
And until of course, we all get to the other side, and then it's, hopefully that glorious reunion with those loved ones that we've been parted from, but that it can be a strength to us in times of sorrow and grief, that fasting can be a boon to us and strengthen us through that. And I know you've probably counseled people going through that. So I will kind of open that to you at this point.
Wendi Christensen 22:38
Yeah, grieving is such a, wow, it's such a deep thing that can be complicated when we don't do it sometimes when we want to avoid it. Because it is holding at the depths of those heartstrings when we grieve a loss. And loss can come in so many different forms, it can come through death, it can come through a divorce, you know, that can be such a great loss in people's lives. Loss shows up in so many different forms. And I think all of us in some way somehow are touched by a loss of something in our lives. And to be able to to grieve through that is so important to fill those emotions. Our body is meant to feel those emotions, that's why they have the steps of grieving, which, you know, some people agree with, and some people don't like there's lots of controversy out there is that really, but I still believe in the steps of grieving because I've seen it where we go through this shock.
Wendi Christensen 23:34
Oh, did that really happen? Or is this really happening, the questioning, and finally moving through the anger and it's okay to be angry? You know, when we have a loss, it's many times I see people be angry at God, why are you taking this person for me? Why is this happening? And I think that's part of the process of humanity. Right? When we're so close to someone, you're going to ask why and it's okay to be angry.
Wendi Christensen 24:02
But it's just when we stay stuck in these in these spaces that it becomes a problem then it was becomes what we call complicated grief. But, but our body is meant to ebb and flow through these different stages, the sadness, the overwhelming depression, sometimes of missing that person and wishing they were there the bargaining which is could it have been be or maybe could they not have gone through that and something else instead, you know, or even the guilt sometimes, especially if it's somebody that we've watched, like your friend, you know, maybe watching them suffer for so long, and sometimes wishing they could go but then feeling guilty for wishing that there's the so many mixed emotions that go through that and sometimes guilt can play a big factor in loss and death and and wanting things or wishing things to be different and at some point We get to that acceptance where we finally realize, yeah, it's okay. It's okay that it's been there.
Wendi Christensen 25:06
And then we might move through all the things again, you know, we might go through all the stages again, really did that happen? Did I really go through? Did they go through that? That's all, that's good. That helps us to know, we're human, that we feel and we feel deeply. And sometimes the more connected you are to that person, the deeper though that loss you're going to experience. But the beautiful thing is that we can turn to our Savior through all of that. And what does that look like? Sometimes it looks like crying in the middle of the night and sobbing, and I don't know how I'm gonna get through this, in just relying upon his power, and His grace, and comfort, right that can come and sometimes that's what we fast for, when you know that yourself or others are going through something that seems so overwhelming and unbearable, and they don't know how they're gonna get through it, or I don't know how I'm gonna get through it, that fasting brings that added power and strength and ability to move through that, that loss, that difficulty that challenge that this is so much bigger than me, and I don't think I can handle it. It gives us strength and the power I think to get through all of that. Yeah.
Tamara Anderson 26:16
I was just thinking that what does fasting do and I think it enhances our connection with God. And as we tap into that power, that God like Power and Light, it brings that added light and strength into our heart and our soul. And perhaps those those prayers and fasting bring that added light and power for fasting for someone else to them as well. Again, it goes back to all with God's will, but sometimes it is that those prayers and fasting helped bring our will into sync with his.
Tamara Anderson 27:05
I know we talked about this a little bit last episode, but when my kids were diagnosed with autism give it took me a good year to kind of get through that anger and that getting through, okay, I'm okay that my son isn't going to be healed. And I'll do anything you know that bargaining you talked about? Oh, yeah, I went through that too. You know, that grief and sorrow and this can't be I know you can heal on to, I think my prayers and fasting back then helped me move through that grieving process. And it wasn't immediate it like I said, I really think it took me about a year.
Tamara Anderson 27:47
And it was about that year later, when we realized our next son was probably on the spectrum. And so I had it was like ripping the scab off and starting the process all over again. Like, what One wasn't enough. But through and believe me, prayers and fasting were being uttered for for me, I invited family and loved ones to fast as soon as I could even talk about it because I kind of lived in that grief and denial for a while I'm like this can't be happening. No, this is not my life.
Tamara Anderson 28:21
But that prayers and fasting helped me move through I didn't even know about the the cycles of grief back then, you know, those steps, those grieving steps, but God knew what I needed to process. And my prayers, even though they were prayers of healing for my children, that he blessed me that I would be able to process and come around to that healing to that acceptance. In the process of time. It wasn't like I said, it was not immediate, it took me a while.
Tamara Anderson 29:01
And so I'm thankful that prayer and fasting gives us that connection and enhances that connection with God because when we are connected to him, he helps us process and come through in a healthy way. Now, does it mean that all of our thoughts throughout that process are very healthy? At least they weren't for me at that point. But he helped bring me around to acceptance and toward greater faith and submission because I need I was a little prideful I thought that what Tamara wanted and thought was best back then. You know, but but I think that those prayers really did help me heal with his help.
Wendi Christensen 29:58
Yeah, amen.
Tamara Anderson 29:59
That fast did give me that added connection to him whether I was fasting for those kids. I don't think I was fasting for me as much as I was fasting for them at that point, you know if I really pause and think about it, but it did give me that added measure of help and strength. And like you said, it's a blessing both to the those who are fasting and to those who are they're fasting for. And it was kind of one of those size things that as I look back, I can see it now. But in the moment, I couldn't see it. You know what I mean?
Wendi Christensen 30:31
For sure, so it's easy to do that to look back and see the purpose and the meaning behind it. Right. Yeah, but I think it's, it's beautiful in these in these verses, for him to be able to say, don't just do it for the show, do it to draw closer because I know for me when I fast, because sometimes in the beginning, it's like yeah, this is really hard. I don't like it, I don't love it. In the beginning, I don't like feeling that hunger just vying inside my stomach, or my stomach growling and I'm sitting in my congregation, I feel like everyone around me can hear it because it's so loud. But But it's overcoming the body, the physical, it's overcoming those physical things, in order to put on a new spiritual layer.
Wendi Christensen 31:16
Because, you know, as I continue through a fast, then I get to that point where it doesn't bother me so much. I'm it's not so much about the hunger and the hunger pains. It's that I have a purpose. And that purpose often leads me to a higher connection with my higher power, and the higher power. And I overcome that physical stuff, I overcome the physical body almost, so that my spiritual body has more power, my spirit, I guess I should say, My Spirit has more power, she feels stronger. She feels a lot more aligned, like you were talking about earlier with God's will, with what would he have for me or the person maybe that I'm fasting for? What is what is His will and desire.
Wendi Christensen 32:03
And it's bringing my spirit almost strength and power to be more in alignment than maybe the body that wants carnal things are different thing. And it's just this beautiful power that comes through fasting that is so different than anything else. I think that we experience fasting and that's I think what he's trying to talk about is that the Father which seeth in secret shall reward the openly we're gonna be so much more rewarded through true meaning, the true meaning of fasting and a true fast, versus one that's just for show.
Tamara Anderson 32:39
Oh, wow, I love this. Wow, this has been awesome. Let's wrap it up. Any final thoughts or takeaways, Wendi?
Wendi Christensen 32:49
That kind of was my final thought.
Tamara Anderson 32:51
I know. I thought as you were saying, I'm like, this is her time final takeaway and wrap up so I'll just add mine then. as yours. Yep. I, I am thankful for the power of fasting in my life. And I love Jesus example here of teaching us that there are glorious rewards for fasting both for those who are fasting and the for those who are they are fasting for. And I'm thankful for the added power that comes into my life.
Tamara Anderson 33:26
I liked how you were saying it, how it's it strengthens our spirit and our connection with God when we do fast. And that is what helps us move through things, even hard things with greater strength and maybe more of a godlike perspective. Maybe not initially, but eventually. So I'm thankful that we have this tool that the Savior teaches us about for good times for hard times. I know there's been times I'm I'm I fasted with gratitude, you know, it's been more of a gratitude fast. And so I'm thankful to know that we have this tool in our arsenal in life because life is hard for us and for those we love and I'm thankful for the power of fasting. So I invite you if you're struggling or if you know someone who is to take some time to fast and feel more connected to God as you do. Whatever that fasting looks like for you. And I do sit promise as the as Jesus says here that he will reward you openly and those you fast for.
Tamara Anderson 34:48
Thanks for tuning in to Bible, Women and Bathrobes hosted by Women Warriors of Light. We've loved exploring the stories of remarkable women are the teachings of the Savior today with you Well, if today's episode brought someone special to mind, be sure to spread the word. And don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a moment of inspiration and sisterhood. Just a friendly reminder. All opinions we share are entirely personal as we are trying to decipher and apply Bible teachings, just like you are. Until next time, stay faithful. And may Your journey be blessed and illuminated by God's love.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai