Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts (15 page)

Look closer at each step in the process of developing character. This belief-system cycle is the basis for character development in our lives demonstrating how to make and break habits.

Changed Thinking Leads to Changed Beliefs

Character and habit development begin with thinking. Think differently about your habit and you will develop a deep belief about what to do. Scripture reveals that belief is not just a decision, nor is it a desire—it is a commitment. To say, “I believe God will help me break a habit” is saying “I know God can break my habit.”

Belief, therefore, may be defined as the conviction that something is true. Scripture uses various words to describe aspects of belief that, when examined together, outline the usual steps to developing biblical faith.

First, the word “hope” describes the desires we may have. We may say, “I hope to break this negative emotional habit.”

On the basis of hope, we make plans that reflect what we anticipate. We may say, “I plan to break this habit.” As we are persuaded in our faith, we express our confidence. “I am confident I can break this habit.”

The fullest expression of our confidence is the statement, “I know I can break this habit.” When we come to that point in the growth of our faith, we have moved into the realm of biblical conviction.

Faith is produced by the Scriptures, which are called “the word of faith” (Rom. 10:8). “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (v. 17,
KJV
). This means that those who want to develop faith in God must begin by learning the basic facts of Scripture. Knowledge of Scripture must then become the basis upon which they live their Christian lives.

Changed Beliefs Lead to Changed Expectations

The second step in the process of character formation involves changing beliefs to effect a change in expectations. Your expectations or vision must come from God’s Word. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Prov. 29:18,
KJV
). Some people never break a bad emotional habit because their belief in God does not create new expectations from God.

There are at least six different responses people may have about vision. First, some never see what God wants them to see. They have mechanical problems. Others see it, but don’t understand it. They have mental problems. Still others see it, but never pursue it. They have will problems. A fourth group see it, but never feel it. They have emotional problems. Then there are those who see it, and through obedience achieve it. Finally there are some who see and share it, demonstrating their capacities for leadership.

Biblical expectation will motivate you to overcome bad thought patterns and habits and to develop new biblically based behaviors. God’s vision for your life can be grasped as you take these four steps: First, look
within
yourself to determine how God has enabled and gifted you. Second, look
back
to see how God has used past events to shape you and prepare you for something greater. Third, look
around
yourself to identify others you admire. (I often tell people, “Tell me who your hero is and I’ll tell you where you’ll be in 10 years.”) Fourth, look
ahead
to determine what kind of life you want to live for God in the future.

Changed Expectations Lead to Changed Attitudes

A good attitude is not enough to break a habit, and you can’t break a habit with a bad attitude. Where does a good attitude originate from? From changed expectations.

Your attitude is the predisposition of your life’s focus. It may be defined as the habit of your attention. When you are a victim of a bad habit, you are on a downward cycle that results in “hardening of the attitudes.” In contrast, creating positive emotional habits puts you on an upward cycle.

As you consistently apply attitudes, you develop habits that form your character. When you tire of always being late, you may decide to start being on time. As that attitude becomes more prominent in your thinking and is more consistently applied, you will begin to develop the habit of punctuality. This new habit helps shape your new character.

Usually four steps are involved in developing new attitudes. First,
identify the problem you wish to address
. In the illustration used previously, the problem was chronic lateness. Second,
identify the right thinking that will lead to changing an emotional habit
. Decide you want to be on time. The third step involves
relating to positive people
. You become like those with whom you associate. If you want to become punctual, you should begin associating with punctual people. Finally,
develop a plan that will encourage positive attitudes
and help develop a new habit. Begin by being on time for your next meeting, then the next one and so on. Being on time for one meeting at a time will eventually develop the habit of being on time, and you will become known as a punctual person.

Changed Attitudes Lead to Changed Actions

The dictionary defines an action as “anything done or performed.” Actions may be wrong, ignorant, positive, lucky, planned or unplanned.

Your actions earn your reputation and communicate to others the kind of person you are. “Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right” (Prov. 20:11). Jesus emphasized this principle by referring to the common practice of identifying a tree by the fruit it produces. “Every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush” (Luke 6:44). Our actions are the fruit by which others determine the kind of people we are.

Changed Actions Lead to Changed Habits

Actions are the things you do. When you do them repeatedly they become habits. An action or an accomplishment is the complete satisfactory outcome of an action. We often use the word “accomplishment” in a positive sense—for instance, when we say a person is “an accomplished musician.” Actually, the word means “the final outcome regardless of its value, whether it is good or bad.” The Scriptures use the word in the sense of completing something. The goal of the Scriptures is “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped [or “accomplished”] for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17, paraphrase mine).

Changed Habits Lead to Character Formation

Your character is not indicative of one isolated event in your life. It is a result of the pattern of your activities. When you follow good habits, you
develop good character. Conversely, when you develop bad habits, you develop detrimental character.

Conclusion: Character Is a Process

Life is a process throughout which we develop character. First, we think about it. Then we know it. After that we dream it. Next we begin to focus on it. Then we act on it. Our action leads to accomplishing it. Ultimately, we become it.

When you know what forms good habits, you know how to break bad habits. Study the material explaining character formation.

Focus on the biblical principles of strength developed by withdrawing to “a desert place,” as Elijah did, during fasting and prayer
. When you go to the quiet place to fast and pray, you gain inner strength from God. When you enter the Elijah Fast, separate yourself from external forces that reinforce your problem—television, newspapers and the usual influences of your life. You will gain strength in quietness before God. As mentioned in previous chapters, this is not just quiet meditation.

Bring your Bible and other study tools
. Also, take material to read about breaking compulsive habits or bondages.

Fast and pray for God to give you a positive self-image mirroring biblical character
. You want to be a good testimony for God. Character is constantly doing the right thing with the right attitude for the right purpose because you know what is right.

Fast and pray for the positive actions God would have you do
. As you begin the Elijah Fast, make a list of those things. Some of these disciplines are spiritual, others involve the natural world. Remember, there is more than one solution to a problem; likewise, there is more than one way to break a habit. Perhaps you have tried in the past and failed. You did not try every means because there
is
a “way of escape” (1 Cor. 10:13).

Develop a list of prayer requests for times of fasting
. As you continually pray through the requests, you will begin to see some of God’s answers. Other requests may not realize an immediate answer. By keeping a written account of what God is doing, you can see objectively His working in your life. This insight gives you strength to break your habit. Watch your confidence grow as you seek His answers to your prayers.

Determine how long you should fast
. An Elijah Fast is most effective when it is practiced an ongoing length of time in God’s presence and/or practiced several times to break especially engrained mental habits. The more deeply rooted your habit, the more intense your fasting and prayer must be. The longer you’ve had the habit, the more times you will need to fast. Remember the words of Jesus: “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21,
KJV
).

A M
EXICAN PASTOR IN
C
HIAPAS
, M
EXICO, RAN OUT OF
B
IBLES WHILE
distributing them door to door. The people were hungry for the Word of God, so they immediately began to read their Bibles and learn God’s message to them.

The pastor spent his salary and deprived himself of food to provide more Bibles. Three days later, some of the people realized that he was not buying food. Although this pastor did not enter a formal fast in the traditional sense, he followed the prescription for the Elijah Fast. Within his own admirable value system, it was a forced fast. As we shall see, those who joined the Widow’s Fast shared a common situation with this pastor in which going without food seemed better than its alternative.

Zarephath was just another hot, dry village in Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). A widow traveled to the outskirts of town to collect dry sticks falling from dehydrated bushes. Zarephath had been suffering a drought. The bright, blue cloudless skies dashed any hopes for rain. Even if it did rain, it was probably too late for the widow and her son.

The village had not experienced the rainy season for the past two years. No one previously enjoyed the prolonged dampness that penetrated the bones during weeks of constant rain each spring; however, it would now be welcomed. The field grasses had turned brown, and trees prematurely shed their leaves. The local priest was summoned to do what was necessary to appease the village god so that the rains would
once again bring life back to the earth. Several rituals had been performed, but still the gods of Phoenicia had withheld the life-giving showers from their village.