Over the past three days, I discussed some things you must do this year for it to be well with you, and they are: living righteously, praising God, and praying fervently. Today, I will look at fasting as another thing that you should do so as to enjoy all-round wellness.

Matthew 17:14-21 is an account of the failure of the disciples of Jesus Christ to cast out the demon that was responsible for a young man’s madness. However, when Jesus intervened, the young man was instantly healed. Surprisingly, some Bible translations have tried to downplay the importance of fasting and praying in the life of a Christian by deliberately omitting verse 21 from the 17th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The word of God is settled forever in heaven (Psalm 119:89). Our Lord Himself did not only pray; he also fasted a great deal (Luke 4:1-2).

Beloved, as you pass through this new year, add fasting to righteous living, prayers and praises to the Almighty God. You will experience His abundant goodness, and it shall be well with you. Experience has convinced me that fasting does not kill; it can only make you physically and, more importantly, spiritually stronger. My life is a testimony; I will be 82 years old in a couple of months by the grace of God, and I still fast regularly! I am stronger than many young people who eat three square meals with snacks in-between!

As a young Christian, I did not start with marathon fasting, so if you are not used to the spiritual exercise of fasting, you can start by skipping your breakfast and praying instead. You can then move to skipping both breakfast and lunch. Before long, you will graduate to fasting for 24 hours, and then you will graduate to engaging in marathon fasts for days like Jesus Christ, who fasted for forty days and forty nights.

Lastly, I should mention that when you are fasting, you are bound to be hungry. You will need a lot of self-discipline to ensure that you do not break your fasts prematurely. May God grant you the grace to fast and pray, and it shall indeed be well with you all through this year and beyond, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.