Restart your Bible Reading
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16
During this season of prayer and fasting you likely will have some more spare time due to habits, hobbies or meals that you are fasting from. The important thing is not what you have given up, but what you do with the time that that frees up for you.
If you fast from TV boxset bingeing, but then spend that time aimlessly scrolling through social media then that has not been a successful God-honouring fast. The purpose of fasting isn’t to prove how great our will-power is to resist things we enjoy. Biblical fasting is not about losing weight. The purpose of fasting is to intentionally and sincerely press deeper into our relationship with Jesus.
During this season of prayer and fasting we are focusing on resetting and refocusing our attention on God. This is an opportunity at the start of the year to draw deeper to God through prayer, to bring listen to His voice. And the most reliable way to hear from God during this season is by prioritising time spent in the Word, reading the Bible.
One of the best ways to use the additional time you have as you fast is by reading the Bible. It is God’s Word, a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path. It is sweeter than honey, as essential to our daily life as bread is. Through the words of the Bible God speaks to us today. He teaches us. He encourages us. He reminds us of His love for us. He corrects us when we go astray. He shows us the way He desires us to live. He uses it to train us in righteousness.
As we go through this season of prayer and fasting it is likely you want to hear from God. Maybe you have questions you want answered. Maybe you want some guidance and direction for the new year that is ahead of us. The best way to hear from God is to get into a habit of daily opening the pages of the Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you through it.
Prayer focus
Ask the Holy Spirit to use the words of the Bible to speak fresh insight into your soul today. Ask God for guidance, teaching, correction and training as you read His words.
