¶ Benefits of Fasting and Prayer
Hey , welcome to Doing Life with Ken and Tabitha . We are so pumped that you're tuning into this podcast . It has been designed for people just like you . We wanna do life with you , share our wins , our defeats , our ups and our downs , in hopes that you'll grow closer to God and to the people that you love in your life . Sit back and enjoy today's podcast .
What's up everybody ? Hey , everyone , man , we are so pumped to have you back with us . Guess what ? This is season number two everybody Whoa Of Doing Life with Ken and Tabitha , and we are so honored to have you guys join us .
Absolutely . We just wanna say thank you to everyone that has followed us for the last year and then welcome to everyone who's here for the very first time in season two . Listen , we have been traveling , I've been traveling and I heard so many great testimonies about how the podcast has really and the YouTube channel has been blessing your lives .
You know what I have to share a couple of them .
Okay , I'm gonna share two of my favorite .
Okay , the first one was from a single mom in her early 20s .
She said that she listens to our podcast basically every day before she's going to work and I was able to pray with her on the moment because she was just saying how she's getting tips for life and how to live a life as a believer and there was a lot of condemnation that she had been feeling about being a single mom because she knew that she wasn't married
and whatever guilt and condemnation that comes with that . And I was just able to breathe life into her situation and I am just so happy that people like that can tune in and just have grow closer with God . But here's like my favorite one .
Okay , it was a lady , she's married and she had been married for several years , maybe 15 years and she said Pastor Tab , pastor Tab . I don't have a lot to say , I just want you to know that we are watching the marriage podcast and or what did she say ? The marriage podcast .
And she said and I went out and got my massage table because she has been listening to us , talk about me doing Ken's nights and buying a massage table and just giving you a night . She said one night every month she breaks out her massage table and gives her husband a massage .
Now in all of our years of ministry .
How many years have we been doing this ?
We've been in ministry almost 17 years 17 years .
So in all of those years never has anyone come up to me and said I bought a massage table . Listen , you go , girl . I know your marriage is blessed .
I don't know why people don't take those cues . I'm so spongy in the spirit , like if I see somebody who has fruit in their life . If you do it , I'm gonna try to go out and redeuplicate it . Not that you wanna be a carbon copy , but there are principles . I double dog .
Dare you that , if you are a wife , go get yourself a massage table and start giving your husband a massage ? I'm telling you your marriage will go from here to here , and really that's what this is about . Of course , this is a marriage podcast , a relationship podcast , but it's not just that .
It's for married people and single people , old people , young people , people that are Christians , people that are non-Christians . We wanna bring a value to your relationship and to your life . This is what we know that when you grow , the relationships in your life grow . And so we pray all the time and we say God , send people to our podcast , to our show .
That just needs what we have . They just need it . And so we don't believe that you're here by an accident . We pray God , let people find us somehow , some way , and if this is adding a value to it , please reach out to us , leave a review , make sure that you subscribe right now and let us know , but I'm pumped about today Come on .
This is a new season . It's a new season and it's a new day .
I feel like I won't be on tune , so I'm not gonna join in with you . I wasn't feeling it . Whatever with that .
Okay , Today's episode is entitled Five Benefits to Fasting and Praying .
Yes .
And you know , sweetheart , it has been our tradition to most years I probably nine out of 10 years to start our year with 21 days of prayer and fasting , and there is no other subject that I felt like we needed to dive into to start off a new season and a new year , but to jump into 21 days of prayer and fasting .
Why do you think that is ? Why is this important ? I mean , it's so important . I think the Bible instructs us to lead a lifestyle of prayer and fasting . Jesus modeled prayer and fasting and so I mean , and for me , this is like a love language , for me , like I am all about prayer and fasting , I love it , I know , I know .
I don't know . I love the benefits of it , but when you ask me to put down food , I know there's this .
I'm never looking forward to that .
If I was honest , I'm like , oh , I wanna give up my chicken for some reason . That's just not what I , but the benefits far outweigh the sacrifice and that's why a lot of people don't fast . They don't fully understand the benefits , but I understand the benefits . So even though I don't wanna do it , I still do it .
But you , I've noticed you , you , you love , it seems like you love to fast .
I do .
Yeah , why is that ?
I think I've tapped into . There's a place that I get in my flesh when I am so far into a fast that it really breaks my flesh . It kind of breaks my own will or my own selfish desires .
It feels like , let's say , if I do a three day fast , about like at the end of the first day going into the second day , I feel like the things that really would get on my nerves the day before they don't anymore in traffic . You know how I get just a little bit anxious in traffic . I mean , I'm in traffic like God .
bless you Everything's great , so you need a fast one .
It's because it's just this spiritual walk and I love you know . The Bible says draw nigh unto me and I will draw nigh unto you . Draw close to me first . It's like that game of chess you move first , then God moves .
He's waiting for you to make a move and I think fasting is one of those ways that we can make a step toward God and he takes a step toward us .
Let's build a little bit of foundation . So we have three part makeup . Just like God , god's Father , son and Holy Spirit , we're a spirit , soul and body . We are a spirit . We have a soul , mind , will and emotions , and we live in a body , and so the body part of us is not saved . We'll never be saved .
So when we get to heaven , we get a glorified body or we get a new body to , you know , reign forever in the new Jerusalem , according to scripture . But this is what I think we don't realize is that our body is what the Bible calls our carnal nature , or our flesh , and that flesh ain't saved .
It's lazy , it does not wanna pray , it does not wanna turn the other cheek , it does not wanna give . It does not wanna do spiritual things . So there is a war going on on the inside of every human being , even when you get born again .
Your spirit is perfect with Jesus and you wanna do what's right , but evil is always present , and that's what the apostle Paul said in Romans , chapter seven I wanna do what's right , but why do I always still wanna do what's wrong ? It's because your flesh is stronger than your spirit .
So one of the benefits of fasting and here's the principle , and this is what you guys need to know for this year , if you wanna walk in greater exploits , with a greater anointing and more intimacy with God , here's the principle you gotta starve one and feed the other .
Say it with me Starve , one , feed the other .
That means you have to . Whatever one you want to be stronger , if you want your flesh stronger , feed it . If you want your spirit stronger , feed it . And so , whatever one you wanna be stronger , you gotta feed it and starve the other . So the principle of walking in the spirit is that you are starving your flesh , feeding your spirit .
Stay fast is an amount of time where you're saying I'm gonna discipline my flesh , I'm not gonna buffet it , I'm gonna buffet it , I'm going to starve my flesh and feed my spirit . And you come out with spiritual strength , you come out with a greater awareness of his voice you come out , being able to see what he wants to do , the clarity in your spirit .
The distractions are removed , burdens are destroyed . Yokes are destroyed , burdens are removed . Because of that you have been sowing to your spirit .
It's so good . I mean , we fasted throughout the years for different reasons . Sometimes it's just to grow closer to God , Sometimes it's because I'm having a health challenge and I just I want answers . Sometimes it's because I , you know I need to , I'm praying for my children and and so I'm just going to fast and pray so that I can seek answers , you know .
And so there's different reasons that you can fast and pray . I don't think it matters the reason , but I think it matters , like , the results , and I don't know it's just yeah .
I mean , we fasted all kinds of different things . I remember when we first started our first campus in Gainesville , every Monday I would fast for about a year and a half to two years from when I was called and I knew I was going to Gainesville , to where my pastor actually released me .
I fasted every Monday for almost two years , until we launched that church . And you know what happened . When we launched the Orlando campus and we moved from Gainesville to Orlando , I did it again for about a year .
Every Monday I would fast , okay , and then there's been certain times , even when you were overcoming cancer , you would actually go into chemotherapy fasted , and fasting has spiritual benefits . But it also has some natural health benefits . And so we've just seen it be a tool . And so for our church , we put it in our waters .
So we do a 21 days of prayer and fasting to begin every year , but sometimes that's all that we do and to me , we all should just be hearing from the Holy Spirit and fasting . And so fasting isn't something that we have to do . It's not a commandment Like if you don't fast , something is wrong .
But if you want to be closer to God , if you want to be strong spiritually , fasting and praying and I want to say fasting and praying has huge benefits , meaning that if you just fast , it's nothing but a diet , but if you fast and pray , that's when it has the spiritual benefits .
That's really important . I think that's important to know , because there's a lot of people who are dieting and but we're not praying and it becomes a fast whenever you pray with it and whenever you are doing it , for you know just godly reasons to draw closer to God and to get God results in your life .
And we need a prayer life . We need a prayer life . The things that's been going on , the wars that's been happening . We're in an election year now . The division that's in the land , our children are under crazy attacks from the enemy . Not like that . Those things haven't been there . We don't want to give . What is it ?
We don't want to give too much notice to the enemy but we do want to know the schemes of the enemy . We are not ignorant of his devices , and so we need prayer like never before .
I think it's what , is it Second Chronicles that says if my people , who are called by my name , shall humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways and seek my face something like that then I will hear from heaven and I will heal their land , and we need God to heal our nation . We need God to heal our world .
We need God to heal our marriages . We need God to heal our hearts . And I think that there's something that you get when you invest into prayer that you will never get just from hard work or doing things in the natural , absolutely .
You know , one of the most famous fasts I think people know are when Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness when he was tempted by the devil . And I feel like , especially for those of us who are called into ministry you might not even be five fold ministry but you know , if you're a wife , that's a ministry .
If you're a husband , that's a ministry , a dad , that's a ministry , and so a lot . We've all been called into a level of ministry as we walk with God . But in order for us to believe and see the miracle working power of God in our lives , we need to fast and pray . I think Jesus . So he fasted 40 days and 40 nights .
After he fasted 40 days and 40 nights and was tempted in the wilderness . Then he came out and started to do miracle signs and wonders , not until he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and then overcame temptation .
and then overcame temptation . Spirit of power Luke , chapter five probably is what I'm thinking . Wow , wow . How would you define fasting if you had to define it for someone ?
If I were to define it , I would say it's laying down food . I think fasting is a food thing , so it's denying yourself food to in , you know , for the purpose of seeking God and you know , with prayer combined with prayer .
What about the people who say I fast from social media ? Do you think that that's a fast ?
Um , I think that it , I think that , in my opinion , I don't think that's a technical fast , not a biblical fast , not a biblical fast , but it's a good something to do . But it's good .
Yeah , if I am going into a period of 21 days of prayer and fasting , like we do at the beginning of the year , I am going to lay down social media with that , because I know that this is a time that I need to be focused . I need to hear from God for my year . I need to . You know there's purpose in it , so I might add that
¶ The Power and Purpose of Fasting
to it .
And like we don't have a problem with saying they're doing a technology fast or social media fast , but a biblical fast requires some foods put down and some drink put down . Now there's different fasting and we're going to get into it today . So , y'all just stick with us . There is partial fast . There is sun up to sun down fast . There's full fast .
There's all kinds of different kinds of fasting there's the . Daniel fast and we can kind of chop those up . But to me when a person says I'm doing a social media or a TV fast , I think that's a great discipline .
Oh yeah .
And we need to do that . But when we're talking about fasting in a biblical context , we are really talking about putting down some food that you like and some drink that you like , and if you want to do a social media along with that , I think those things have benefit , just like anything else .
Like if you were going to do 21 days of prayer and fasting , I hope you would put down your cigarettes . I hope you would put down , maybe , the alcohol for 21 days . I hope you would put down pornography for 21 days . I hope that there will be other things you know . So if you say , well , I'm doing a cigarette fast , well , that's really not a fast .
You've just chosen not to give your flesh this for 21 days .
Absolutely .
But I think that when people start putting things down for 21 days , they actually see the power that they have in Jesus . For example , the first fast that we had at our church was about 16 , 17 years ago , and there was a guy named Neil and Neil had eaten a bowl of ice cream every night before he goes to bed . That was just his thing .
I'm gonna have a bowl of ice cream . So we started 21 days of prayer and fasting and as a beginner , his thing was like I'm gonna put down ice cream . Okay , Two days go by in the fast and he find himself eating a bowl of ice cream and he felt so bad about it . I mean , he just was hit with guilt .
And you don't have to feel guilt and condemnation to get back on the horse .
That's right ?
Oh man , I messed this up . I ate some ice cream and I said I wasn't gonna do it . I only went two days , but thankfully he just jumped right back on the horse . And then he ended up finishing the fast and he didn't mess up again .
But Neil was a smoker and by this time he's probably 45 , he had smoked off and on for the last 30 years of his life since he was about 15 years old . He had smoked cigarettes and he put down what is it ? Ice cream , but he smoked cigarettes through the whole fast . A few days after the 21 days of fast was open the Holy .
Spirit spoke to him and he said the same authority that I gave you to put down the ice cream is the same authority that I've given you to put down cigarettes . Wow , and with that revelation , Neil put down cigarettes and he's been smoke-free now for over 15 or 16 years .
It is amazing that God would kinda let you put down chicken , let you put down steak , let you put down macaroni and cheese , to teach you that you can put down pornography .
You can put down unforgiveness , absolutely , and you can put down fear . Oh , come on , this is the beginning of the year . Listen , I remember the first fast I ever did , and I don't know if we've ever discussed this before .
But we were going to a church in Arlington , virginia , right outside of the Pentagon back in 2000 , right before the whole Pentagon terrorist bombing and all of that stuff , 9-11 . We were going to a church right in that area and they had a fast and I was just , I was trying so hard At this time . I had been depressed for like 10 years .
I was trying so hard to overcome . Well , I was so excited about this fast . Remember , I started the fast and I didn't know a lot about it . I almost I think I started like a week early and I had been fasting for a whole week before and I got to church and realized I was the only one fasting .
So then I did it for another week and it was such a big deal to me but I felt like a little bad because I got it wrong and didn't really know what I was doing . But from that fast and going to a church , we ended up leaving that church because we found another church . But I tried to get involved in the church and God blessed the church .
I think if they knew better they would do better .
I couldn't get involved it was really hard of what was going on in that church or whatever , but that after that fast we got invited to go to another church which became our church home for seven years , which is the church where I was healed from depression , we got filled with the Holy Ghost , where our marriage became better . God blessed our .
I mean , it was amazing , and so I believe that that was the fruit of me just fasting and being innocent before God . I was so clumsy with it , I didn't know what I was doing , I'd made a mistake . I remember I went to work and I just started eating lunch like regular and I was like , oh my gosh , I'm supposed to be fasting .
So I had like one bite and then I threw the rest away because I forgot I was fasting .
Yeah , but those things are normal . Yeah , I think whenever you start anything new , give yourself tons of grace , give yourself tons of space to be able to say oh , that wasn't wrong , let me do it right , come on . But , and so for those of you all who are watching this and maybe you've never fasted before , we just encourage you .
Maybe now's a good time to give it a try , to jump in with us . Got a few scriptures here . I'm gonna read them . Tell me what you get out of them . Psalms 35 and 13 , it says . But as for me , when they were sick , my clothing was sack cloth . I humbled myself with fasting and my prayer would return to my own heart . What's your thoughts about Psalms 35 ?
Anything stick out ?
I humbled myself with fasting . I think humbling is a way I mean fasting is a way of humbling yourself . And then I love the that my prayer would return to my own heart , meaning that my prayers would be answered .
Like what .
I pray out to God . It's coming back to me , but manifested so very powerful .
Yeah , to me the humility part is real big . For right now I wanna start a humility movement because I see pride on the rise . People have so much pride . They have pride in their degree , pride in where they live , pride in their ethnicity , pride in their sexuality and pride if it's ungodly . Pride can bring you low .
It's what got Lucifer kicked out of heaven , and so I think we need a humble movement . Humbleness is just the low state of mind , and it's really a decision where you give God all the glory . It's not saying that you won't be successful . It's not saying that you won't be an influencer . It's not saying that you don't have swag .
What it's saying is that I could do nothing without Christ Jesus , but I can do all things through .
Him .
And so fast thing is a form . People don't fast because they feel like I don't need it . I got this . And when you humble yourself and you say I don't got this , god , I'm gonna seek your face . I think there's something powerful about it . You know Matthew 17, . I'll read this one . Tell me what you get out of this .
It says , lord , have mercy on my son , for he is an epileptic and he suffers a civilian . He often falls into the fire and often into the water . So I brought him to your disciples , but they couldn't cure him . Then Jesus said to him oh faithless and perverse generation , how long shall I be with you ? How long shall I bear with you ?
Bring them to me , and Jesus , he rebuked the demon and it came out of him and the child was cured from that very hour . And then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said why couldn't we cast it out ? Man , I love this , I'm just thinking about it .
Jesus said to him because of your unbelief , for surely I say to you , if you have faith as a mustard seed , you will say to this mountain , move from here to there , and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you .
And then verse 21 , which is not in every manuscript but , I need to explain it , because this is where a lot of people get hung at . It says , however , this kind does not go out except prayer and fasting . What sticks out to you from Matthew 17 ?
I love it so much about it . But what sticks out to me right now is the connection between they couldn't cast out the demon , he said because of your unbelief , and then he says this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting .
Okay , talk to me .
Is it because we can assume like okay , well , this demon only comes out by prayer and fasting . But could we also assume that he was talking about their unbelief , which only comes out by prayer and fasting ?
Okay , talk to me some more .
And so I like that . As a minister , as a person of God , right , who has cast out demons , I know that for me I'm not trying to go out and cast out devils without prayer and fasting , without a lifestyle , without the name and power of Jesus at first , but I don't know , it's just , it's a reason why I practice prayer and fasting as a lifestyle .
But I think that prayer and fasting I can equate that with power power over the enemy , power over anything that's in your life , any obstacle , power .
I think some people take verse 21 and they get it wrong and they feel like , well , if a demon didn't come out , I need to go fast and pray more , as if our fasting and praying is gonna move God . But our fasting does not move . God , it actually moves us . Let me say it again , Our fasting doesn't move God . It actually moves us .
And so what fasting does ? It actually makes you more spiritual , sensitive , so that you can believe the authority that he's actually giving you . It's not like you have to fast to cast out a devil . You know what I mean Every devil that show up . Okay , I can't pass that out right now . I gotta go fast . I'm not fasting right now .
That is not what it's saying . What it's saying is that when you fast , you are gonna move your spirit towards God . You are gonna build up your belief in God . You're gonna build up your faith in God and you're gonna walk in an authority to .
Whenever a demon shows up , you're gonna be in the position to deal with that demon because of the lifestyle that you've been living .
That's so good and .
I believe that was the main point of Matthew , chapter 17, . But we can go on and on about that . I'm sure people got all kinds of revelation of Matthew 17 , but I'll give you one more . When it comes to fasting , this is actually my favorite . It's Isaiah 58 , and here's some promises in this thing .
It says it's not this the fast that I've chosen , and I believe that God does choose a fast for us , you know , to loose the bonds of wickedness , to undo the heavy burdens , to let the oppressed go free , and that you break every yoke , not some yokes , but every yoke . Is it not to share your bread with the hungry ?
And that you bring your house the poor who were cast out . When you see the naked , that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh . Then your light shall spring forth like the morning and your healing shall spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you .
The glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard and you shall call and the Lord will answer . You shall cry and he'll say here I am . That to me is a promise from God of what we should expect when fasting . Talk to me . What jumps out to you by Isaiah ?
Ah , all of it . That is like my love language , like thank you , Jesus , All of it , that your light shall break forth like the morning . Your healing shall spring forth speedily like everything your righteousness , the glory of the Lord .
Okay , just break it down . All of that , Okay . So let's just do this . What you want sticks out to you .
I wanna talk about your . Healing shall spring forth .
Come on , talk about that .
Okay , so there was a time years ago after , I think , in between our first and second child and I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in lupus .
¶ Miraculous Healing Through Fasting and Prayer
I was having a lot of joints , pain , stiffness . I was just like it was hurt to walk . I couldn't even open up a bottle of water and I was having trouble breathing . It was really bad . So I was at the doctor . She said okay , you have lupus . I'm gonna diagnose you right now with fibromyalgia .
I'm not gonna write lupus down on your for insurance reasons yet , but I need you to take this blood test and come back , and next week I'll give you all the information . It was actually a 10 day process . I remember it like it was yesterday I was just like , oh my gosh . I remember I cried , I was upset , all of this stuff .
But I came home and I said , well , you know what , I'm not gonna receive this . I don't receive this .
I am going to pray Because sometimes you gotta send doctors reports back to hell , where they can go Exactly . And it's not that there's a problem with the doctors . We have a wonderful doctors and we need doctors but I'm talking about the doctors report . Exactly that contradicts the report of the Lord . I'm gonna do everything I can do in the natural .
I'm gonna listen to doctors , I'm gonna take medicine if I need to , but at the same time , I'm gonna stand flat footed on the word of God and I'm gonna believe God for what he's promised me , and healing is a promise from God for us . Sorry , go ahead .
Absolutely . I mean so , yeah , that's where I was . I was like , okay , I don't accept this , I don't want this , I don't agree with this . So I'm going to fast and pray . I went to the before I came home from the doctor . I had to stop , or they took blood test , they took blood work from me and I left the office .
I came home , I fasted and prayed for 10 days . Now we had a little girl . It was really hard for me . A couple of those days I didn't get out of the bed because it was so painful . I was having trouble breathing until the night before I woke up in the middle of the night gasping for breath because I've just , it was just hard to breathe .
I remember like it was yesterday and so that morning .
But I decided that morning that I was going to wake up and I was going to get dressed , I was going to do my hair and makeup and I was going to go to this doctor's office because , by faith , like I was just going to act , like I was healed , I didn't know what else to do , like that's what I was going to do .
And so I was sick , like I felt bad in my body , and then two , I got to the doctor's office and I didn't notice , but I was just feeling fine Like everything was okay . As the doctor came in cause I was like a little nervous and everything . And the doctor came in and she was looking at my blood work and she left the room . She said okay , hold on .
She left the room and the door was cracked and I heard her outside talking to a couple of other people , flipping through my charts , saying oh well , but how could this be ? And they were having these medical conversations . She came back in the office and she was like I am so sorry , she was apologizing to me .
She was like I'm so sorry , I told you you had fibromyalgia . I thought you know , I told you had lupus and I was saying all of these I'm so sorry , but your blood work , everything's fine , you know it's okay . So , anyway , when the because she took further blood work , I had blood work done previously .
10 days later , no lupus , no fibromyalgia , everything was good . I went back home healed . That was the power of fasting and praying . There was a difference , that turn around . So I would say in that moment the scripture came to pass . Your healing shall spring forth speedily .
Okay , okay , all right , all right , slow it down . For me , there's a lot to that story . So , when you did 10 days okay , so you couldn't even open a bottle of water you was waking up gasping for breath . I think there's somebody who's been dealing with the same thing . They're dealing with these things .
Okay , you fasted and you prayed and then you went back to the doctor . What kind of fast was it ? Was it a full fast that you did ?
I did . Ooh , I don't remember what the fast was For 10 days . I know I didn't . I know it wasn't just a water fast . It was probably just fruits and vegetables and water , something like that . I know that I ate food .
When you came back from the doctor after you got a clean report , was it completely clean , like did you ? I mean , did you have those ailments anymore ? No it was so the ailments completely went away .
Yeah it was completely gone .
So you went from you couldn't open a bottle of water to everything being back to normal . I just wanted to slow that down for a minute because our God is not dead and he's not done , and I think sometimes we take those things as coincidences .
But anybody out there who's listening that's had whether it's cancer , fibromyalgia , lupus , sick of sale I don't know what it's named but , it still has to bow to the name of Jesus . And I'm not saying that if you fast and pray , you're gonna get the exact same results .
I'm not saying it's gonna take 10 days , and what I'm saying is that our God is faithful and His name is Jehovah Rifi . He is the . God who heals and there are secrets in the kingdom and one of the secrets is in fasting and praying and the promise is that your health and this is what you were saying is gonna spring forth speedily . It's gonna .
That's a promise , meaning that you can take it to the bank Like God . You said that when I fast and pray and I seek your face , you would heal my land and that health will spring forth speedily .
And I've seen you practice that and we've had our own battles with that and then with other things in our lives and we fasted and prayed and , man , that's the power of fasting Anything else that you
¶ The Power and Purpose of Fasting
wanted to go . I just wanted to slow that down just a tad bit . Anything else that jumped out ?
No , I would just say it talks a lot about that . Your righteousness shall go before you , the glory of the Lord . Then you shall call the Lord and he will answer . You know , like , if you need answered prayer , I remember I would pray for people . I remember , years ago our pastor was sick and in the hospital .
The moment I heard he was sick I went into prayer for him . There are certain times where , just like you , just know , like this is more than just a prayer , I need to fast and pray because I need answers .
Why do you think people don't do it ? If it's so powerful I mean it's promises attached to it he's gonna lose the bonds of wickedness . Come on , man . He's gonna let the oppressed go free . We've heard of people getting healed , people getting set free from cigarettes . You get closer to God . It would seem like something we would always do , but we don't .
Yeah , well , I think it's the same as prayer . You know people would say you have not because you ask not , and so why don't we pray ? These are spiritual disciplines and it's just like why don't we exercise ? Why don't we drink enough water ?
They're disciplines . We know what to do , but we don't do what we know we should do . That's crazy .
Motivation . We have to be motivated . That's crazy and you know , love has to be your motivation for this , A hunger and a thirst for God .
Yeah , I think that some people view fasting as I'm trying to punish myself . They almost like I've seen people over the years . It's almost like they're fasting and they fast all the time .
Fall off on this religious kind of thing .
It's a religious angle of like punishment and ashes and sack cloth and hurting yourself . But to me , the foundation of every discipline is love and it's a love for God and it's also a love for the temple , and your body is a temple of God .
And because I love God and I want to seek His face , I love Him more than I love my food right now I want to know Him better that way . So it's not because I want to hurt myself or punish myself , it's just because I want to live in a way that I can be closer to Him as possible .
And so if there's a person listening that's never fasted before , what would be your advice to them ?
I would say Just start , you know you just do it . Yeah , just give it a try , just like with anything , and you know , start small .
Well , here's some different fast that you can do . You can do fruits and vegetables only , meaning that you'll take seven days , 14 days , 21 days . You can set the day you like to do . I've seen you like to do three day all water fast . Okay , I did it one time . It hurt like crazy .
But it was . Yeah , it's not easy , but it's probably one of my favorite fast . My favorite one is the three day .
I've seen people do 21 days all water and if you do that you need to get you know , maybe some healthcare professionals . You need to make sure you're still taking your vitamin stuff . You might add some broth and some different things in there to help you endure for 21 days . Jesus did 40 days . We know that the body is capable to do that .
But you want to be very wise . For me I wouldn't bite off too much too fast . You have to discipline your flesh . So maybe , if you've never done it before , maybe you should say I'm going to start with seven days or I'm going to start with 14 days .
If you're part of our church and want to follow us , you can start with 21 days and maybe just change it every week . So the first week maybe is fruits and vegetables . The second week , fruits and vegetables , maybe add chicken . This third week , fruits and vegetables maybe add fish .
You can do that . So that means , let's talk about what you don't eat . You don't eat dessert , you don't eat snacks in between , you don't eat . I mean , you could do what you want , but I'm just saying .
Yeah , we're just trying to give you some things that you can do . Now you gotta be led of God .
Some people have to eat five little a snack in between , but that means you're not eating candy bars or maybe carbs and bread and pasta .
I mean for me . Normally , when I do a 21 day fast , I normally cut out TV , social media , everything but water or hot tea , because sometimes your body temperature get crazy and I need some hot tea with no sugar . And so there are certain things like that , like junk food , snacks .
Those always go no matter what I do , and so sometimes I'll do one week fruits , vegetables . Sometimes I'll do . You can do like a six to six . You fast from six am to six pm . You can do a sun up to sundown , and many times when you read the Bible and they fasted in the Jewish culture , it was a sun up to sundown fast .
You can do a Daniel fast , which Daniel fast for 21 days , and he took basically things that was pleasant to the taste .
And so , with a Daniel , fast , like honey and , you know , breads , maybe cheese the condiments that make stuff so tasty .
Yeah , you're removing all of that and you basically have a very bland diet for 21 days . I think you can do a fast where you just get one meal . So if you don't want to do six to six , you could just say I'm gonna fast breakfast . But if you're that kind of person that always misses breakfast anyway .
I think a fast should be challenging for you , but it shouldn't be to hurt you . You know to wear and then , of course , you know water only . I think you know , and what ? I've seen , really , and when we do this , as people lose tons of weight , they strongholds are broken , curses are broken . It's just crazy .
Yeah , yeah , it is . It's really good though .
And so here are five benefits of fasting and prayer . Are you ready ?
Ready .
Number one . It helps put our flesh in check . Okay , wanna talk about that one at all .
Yeah , absolutely Like I said , whenever I fast , one of the greatest things I have is sort of a I don't know how to put words to it . It's kind of like a piece or like some of that fight , because I'm always like my personality , I'm always like on a number 10 , like I'm always like let's go , I'm ready , scrappy do .
Yes , I'm always like there , let me in the school . But I find that whenever I fast , it kind of brings me down to an eight a little bit , you know , and I'm more calm , I'm more ready to respond and not react . I'm ready to listen and not , you know , have so much to say .
So Okay , Number two . The second benefit of fasting and prayer is that it's a way to be more spiritually in tune . Anything on that one .
Yeah , I you know I'm not saying I like to use fasting as a tool to draw closer to God and to discern , and so typically , most Sundays , I will fast , because I'm here all Sunday morning , I'm ministering , I'm praying for people , I'm interceding , and I just just for me .
It's not something that you have to do , but I find that I just I like to minister in a fasted state .
No . Number three third benefit of fasting is that it helps us refocus on God , and many times we are so distracted by work the kids are , you know , we feel stressed , we feel pressure , but it helps us refocus on God .
Anything on that one , yeah , and it'll help you lay down your own will and find God's .
Number four . The fourth benefit of fasting and praying is that it provides clarity for the season ahead . Many times there's a decision that needs to be made or maybe there's an investment that you're trying to make in unique clarity . Anything on that one , it provides clarity for the season .
I feel like you do that really well . I'm kind of like an in the moment kind of girl , like just , it's okay , like when it comes , I like I always say this well , I'll cross that bridge when I get to it .
Not that I don't plan and prepare , but I kind of like in the moment , you , you , you're , I feel like you know , you're giving me some vibes right now . Giving you the vibes that thank God you're married to me is what I'm saying it is , but it's true , okay Cause you are definitely strong in that area , but I think you do that well .
What do you have to say about that ?
Nothing .
¶ Visionary Leadership and Fasting Benefits
But you so like when we were like in anything like , you know what we will be as far as the church goes and as far as our family goes . You know what's you have in your plan . Yeah , because .
I have to be as a visionary . As a visionary and I would really encourage husbands to be this is that I need to have goals and I need to see where God wants to take our family . So I want to have a plan for 20 years away and 15 years away and five years away , and I've give God the ability to change my plans with his .
But I need to be able to , as a leader , say this is the way we should go . So 2024 for our church is the year of multiplication and already know what 2025 will be , and so , because I'm so far ahead , I'm able to now come back and strategize the things that are necessary to go that direction .
But talk about how do you get there , how do you get to the vision ? So you do something that we call for years a plan in pray . How often do you do that ? What do you do in your plan and pray ?
Maybe that's a podcast for another day , but I'm two times a year I will go away and I will spend three days just with me and Jesus , a notepad and a Bible , and I will just connect with him . Number one .
but number two just allow him to download to me , specifically the next six months , because I do this every two years , and in things that are one year , three or five years away , I just say Holy Spirit , what's on your heart ? What do I need to adjust ? It's in my life . How can I better lead my church ? How can I better lead my family ?
How can I better lead my heart towards you ? And every single time , I come out with 10 to 15 pages of direction and clarity and wisdom , and so I would encourage any leader to . You got to have some time where you can kind of focus on the future , but I always fast and pray when I do that . I think that's your point . I forgot that .
So I'll go away for three days and I typically will start every day , even if it's just breakfast Maybe . I'll eat at 12 . I'll get up at 6 am , I'll walk the beach and kind of just hear from God . Then I'll get out my Bible study for a couple of hours and the first from 6 to 12 will just be God time .
Then I'll have lunch , then I'll go into the practical stuff . You know , and it just brings refreshing , but for the sake of time I'll give you one more and we'll be done . Number five is that it helps us live a more healthy life , and this one's huge , because people don't know that fasting has natural health benefits .
They say that it reduces your blood sugar , it reduces your cholesterol , it reduces the stress hormones in your life . There's tons of things that gives your organs the ability to rest . It gives your cells the ability to rejuvenate and recalculate . Can you just talk to me about the health benefits of fasting ?
Yeah , there's even there's more and more research being done on fasting and the health health benefits . So I know that the longer you go into a fast , the more healing properties are released in your body , and so I don't know what the exact . You know how it works exactly , but I'll give you an example .
So , like after you fast for 12 hours , it's like turning on a light switch switch , boom , now maybe your liver is being cleansed , and then after 13 hours you know your lungs are being cleansed , and after 14 hours , like it starts , bit by bit , working on all of the organs in your body .
And at 72 hours , if you only drink water for 72 hours , scientists and research says that you will reset your entire immune system , and so that's why another reason why one of my favorite is the three days , and I used to fast during chemotherapy and things like that , and of course , I'm not saying that everybody should do this , but I just felt like that's
what I should do . I used to fast because I needed to for my body , my immune system , to reset , to get out all of the junk it starts working away on . You know all of the toxins and things like that are in your body and exposing of those .
And so I just find it so amazing , and just like God , to tell us the fast to set within the bodies that he's created , that when we obey him on the spiritual matter , but that even in our natural bodies , that our natural bodies will be healed , you know , will be rejuvenated , renewed , like the Eagles . All of those things .
The tremendous health benefits . You can Google benefits of fasting and you will see people who do not even believe in God .
Article after article after article on the benefits of fasting .
How much more for the born again child of God most high . That doesn't just fast , but we also pray . Get ready for natural and spiritual breakthroughs . As we fast and pray , we would encourage you guys to join in with us . Man , if you've never fasted before , you can just follow us , jump on social media with us , jump over to our website .
There should be some information in the show notes as well . We want to help you get started , and so we love you guys . We're out of time for today . We hope you enjoyed the podcast today . Man , we are pumped for a whole nother season . If you enjoy our content , you got to let us know . Would you email us ?
If you just want to share your testimony or story , one of the best ways to do so is just to leave a review . Leave a review , let us know if this is blessing you , let us know if God is using this to restore you , to help you . I'm telling you now those , those reviews that are positive .
They encourage us , they let us know that we're reaching the right people
¶ Live Q&A Webinar Announcement
. And , of course , if this is your first time tuning into doing life with Ken and Tabitha , if you're on YouTube , hit the subscribe button right now . We want you to be the first to get the content as it is released . We'll make sure that you .
You know we drop a new content every Thursday , 3pm Eastern Standard Time and we got something coming up that I'm so excited about . We actually have a webinar , y'all . It's coming up on January the 25th , that is Thursday . Write this in your calendar January 25th , thursday , 6pm Eastern Standard Time .
We're going to do a live question and answer a live Ask Ken and Tabitha , and we're going to be fielding all of your marriage questions , sex questions , intimacy questions , financial questions , whatever you need to make sure that you have the relationship that God wants you to have with you from around the world .
Join us live on January the 25th for our first Ask Ken and Tabitha webinar . We hope to see you there . Okay , hey , just know that you're not alone , you're cherished and you're loved . Hey , we got some good things coming out . We actually have the Better Barrage Boot Camp . We're going to tell you more about that coming real soon .
We love you , guys and we'll see you real soon . Peace .