Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. —Matthew 4:1–2
Fitness experts have long celebrated the value of a forty-day regimen to realign our habits. If this is how realignment works in a person’s body, it’s not hard to believe the same might be true for a person’s spirit.
The Bible doesn’t specify that every fast must last for forty days. Perhaps the significance of forty is less about the number and more about the commitment. A forty-day fast goes beyond the inconvenience of a hunger pang or two. A forty-day fast requires an all-in commitment of body and spirit.
Though always uncomfortable, fasting is a discipline God can use to help develop our spiritual muscles and prepare us for battles that lie ahead. Do you want to withstand the enemy’s attacks with faith and fortitude? Consider Jesus. Give Him your awe, but don’t stop there. Take time today to consider: Is there a pattern in His forty-day fast that bears repeating in your own life?
Make it Personal
Pray that God would stretch you in areas where you need to be developed and show you ways you can strengthen your spiritual muscles.