Sitting down with Charisma magazine for an exclusive “Beyond the Article” interview, Pastor Jentezen Franklin shares how he became aware of the transformative power behind prayer and fasting.
Raised in a preacher’s home, Pastor Franklin shares his early experiences with fasting, witnessing his parents example through prayer and fasting. Reflecting on these memories, he emphasizes the importance of fasting in aligning oneself with God’s will, sharing personal encounters during a pivotal three-day fast in college.
“Fasting is about us coming in alignment with God’s will. It’s not about what I can get out of God; it’s about giving more of ourselves to Him,” Franklin says.
Recalling moments of deep prayer and sensitivity during fasting, Franklin draws parallels between physical discipline and spiritual discipline. He likens the process to losing one sense, allowing others to intensify, aligning with the biblical principle of becoming more attuned to God’s voice.
“When I knelt down the presence of God overwhelmed me. There’s something about fasting that just makes you sensitive, it makes you open, it makes you broken. It makes you anointed, [with] ears to hear your spiritual ears get bigger,” Franklin explains.
Moving beyond the physical benefits, Franklin discusses the spiritual impact of fasting on the spirit, soul and body. He emphasizes the biblical precedent of fasting, citing examples from Jesus, Elijah, Moses and Paul.
“Fasting hits all three aspects of our being: it fine-tunes our spirit, renews our mind and brings our flesh under control,” Franklin notes.
Reflecting on the recent revival at Free Chapel, Franklin attributes it to a 21-day fast where families were symbolically placed on the altar through submitted pictures. The focus on youth and backsliders brought forth a powerful move of the Holy Spirit, with many experiencing salvation and spiritual renewal.
“We could not get the people in the buildings. And the thing that touched me the most was it was centered around two things: We had fasted and we prayed for our young people, and that the backsliders would come home and that there would be an outpouring on the sons and the daughters of the Holy Spirit. Baptism, speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gave the utterance, and I’m telling you, we saw hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. I could not even count how many were saved and backsliders came back home,” Franklin shares.
Encouraging those unfamiliar with fasting, Franklin recommends education and preparation, suggesting resources and materials to understand its biblical significance. Stressing the communal aspect, he advises against fasting alone, suggesting a sunup-to-sundown approach.
“Fasting says to God, ‘I’m sincere. I mean business. I believe in You, and I’m turning with all of my heart to You.’ It’s a powerful way to show God that you’re serious,” Franklin asserts.
Pastor Franklin underscores that fasting isn’t about getting more from God but about giving more of oneself to Him. “You don’t get more of God; God gets more of you,” he declares, encouraging believers to embrace fasting as a sincere pursuit of God’s will and transformation in their lives. {eoa}
To read more about Pastor Jentezen Franklin’s insight into fasting, click here.
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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