Starting the Year Off In Prayer & Fasting | Have We Been Doing It Wrong?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Return From Break
• 5:20 The Power and Purpose of Fasting
• 17:51 The Purpose and Practice of Fasting
• 28:28 The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

And we are back. We're back, baby, this is probably like season three I guess you can call it Kind of season three and this time we're not nervous because y'all for those of you that have been tracking us for the last couple of years the last time we was back we took a real long break. We took a break this time.

Speaker 2: 0:13

We did, but it felt really good, really refreshing the holidays, spending time with family, like being intentional. It felt really good, but good.

Speaker 1: 0:20

But now I'm excited already and it was your birthday too. If you guys can probably see it you probably see it in my camera shot there's balloons right here behind me, um big 38 38. I'm excited.

Speaker 2: 0:31

38 and great 38 and great yeah but yeah, it was, it was a good birthday, it was good holidays, it was wonderful, yeah we had to take a break from recording episodes.

Speaker 1: 0:40

Um, really just putting together our priorities, what really matters. I think, man, the holidays come around and while you're still doing podcasts and you're trying to do all these things to help other people, how you realize like you get empty for a season and so we didn't give you guys warnings this time again. Uh, honestly, it's just a record, we're just gonna keep it going it's just.

Speaker 2: 1:00

It's just um what we do but I think it is now more accepted in culture to do this in a healthy way. And now, when people step away to take a health break or to take some time to rejuvenate- or to concentrate themselves to the Lord. It's like, oh okay, they just need a little break, all right, they'll be back. So that's what we did. We just took a little break.

Speaker 1: 1:21

We took a little break. It was a couple of weeks and so we're back, baby, um, we're starting off this year and we're trying to start it off right. You know, especially for us as christians like for us, it's important for us to start off really, um, determining our priorities and our relationship with god. Yeah, really praying I know all christians, everybody's going into you know praying and fasting and really what that talks about. So, um, I think we've fasted for so many years, but I'll be honest with you, babe, I think we've done it wrong for a little bit. I agree, I think we've done it wrong for a couple of years, and there were years that we're really fast, like we were frustrated with God because he wasn't doing the stuff we wanted him to do.

Speaker 1: 1:55

So I really want to talk about what does it look like to really prepare our hearts for the year praying and fasting, want to do that, talk about that. So, before we do that, let's tell them why we're here. We're here to help you guys grow a deeper relationship with God, others and yourself. If you're not subscribed to the channel, if you're new to the channel, I want to say welcome to let's Dig the podcast. What else we want to tell them?

Speaker 2: 2:16

They can hit the heart. Show us some love, some birthday love. That is fine too. It's still the same week, so you can send me that, but honestly, no, just jump in those comments, subscribe, and we want you to send this to someone who you know will help them along this journey. If they are in a fast and they are praying for the beginning of the year, like, share it with someone that you know that'll impact them.

Speaker 1: 2:36

Yeah, and also, if you've been rocking with us for the last couple of years, last couple of seasons, hit that like button and send this to somebody. If you feel like this conversation is actually going to bless you and you're looking forward to it, hit that like button too as well. You know, for us like we don't like doing lives by ourselves. We really do believe that the best thing that you can have on this earth, it's your relationship, your relationship with God right With Christ, your relationship with others and also your relationship with yourself. So we're going to dig.

Speaker 2: 3:04

Let's dig.

Speaker 1: 3:08

Let's dig.

Speaker 2: 3:08

Let's dig so fasting.

Speaker 1: 3:10

You know, I think about fasting. Growing up in church we were taught when you want to see God do something. If you want God to move you, fast, you fast and you go to God with this wishlist of all this stuff he going to move you. Fast, you fast and you go to God with this wishlist of all this stuff he going to do for you.

Speaker 2: 3:29

And you'd write it out. Actually had to write out your wishlist and I'm believing. To be fair, we're being facetious right now. Like yeah, it's not really a wishlist. Like right, like they're. Like your pastors are not standing in front of the church saying write out your wishlist and go to God. They're saying like vision. They're saying write your things that you're asking God for. But even in the same packaging it can be the same, like different packaging can still be the same thing.

Speaker 1: 3:55

Yeah well, I can't speak. I'm not trying to speak for pastors that done it right or wrong, Like I'm actually not even speaking for anyone. I'm speaking for myself what I thought it was.

Speaker 2: 4:05

Right, I guess what I'm just wanting to clarify is that, like for those who have not been raised in church their whole life, I don't want them to think that our pastors actually told us go write a wishlist. That's not how it was presented to us, but it is how it turned into and it is how it became.

Speaker 1: 4:20

Does that make sense? I get you what you're saying, but when I was saying all that, I was not saying it from the perspective of. That's what I was taught, gotcha.

Speaker 2: 4:28

It just sounded like that, yeah, that's what.

Speaker 1: 4:30

That's what I thought, right, that's just what I thought it was Right, and I think too, like the world that we're living in, the word fasting has become this hot thing to do.

Speaker 2: 4:41

Oh, for sure.

Speaker 1: 4:48

In fitness and in health, and I think, for us as Christians, we've taken on the worldview of fasting, and I'll be the first one to confess right now there are some times fasting was more of a physical journey than it was a spiritual journey, that's true, I've had my own challenges with fasting.

Speaker 2: 5:04

I always think about the time when we lived in St Louis and we were on a fast. There was two fast. We were only there for one year, but there was two fast in that year and they were very different. The first one we did, I almost gave up, I quit. I told you like I was really struggling because I could feel my heart towards God. I felt like a spoiled child or like a pouting toddler, like I felt like God, I'm not going to have this until you do that.

Speaker 1: 5:37

It was like you was like I'm going to starve myself, god.

Speaker 2: 5:40

I wasn't starving myself. You know I love food too much but I was sacrificing whatever I had decided. Starving myself, you know I love food too much but I was sacrificing whatever I had decided for fasting. But it was in like a pouting, like frustrated mad at God kind of way. And I remember telling you like, babe, this is not healthy, this is not I. I know I'm not in the right here, I should just quit fasting because my spirit is not right. And you kind of challenged me, You're like you could, you could quit. You were like, or you could like dig deeper. And I remember I wanted to talk about this resource.

Speaker 2: 6:13

I remember in that season I went back and I found a pastor Jensen Franklin's book, fasting, yeah, and I got it and I read it and his church that he leads as a lead pastor they do a fasting every beginning of the year, so he's always preaching sermons in that he's very well known in that topic and so I just started listening to all the sermons that he had on fasting, reading his book, and so I actually didn't give up on that fast. I went all the way through and God really changed my heart. The second fast while we were in St Louis was the one where I had my things, that I knew I was gonna fast and I heard the Holy Spirit challenge me with an extra thing to fast and I was like no, no, I'm good. But I knew it wasn't from me, it was from the Holy Spirit challenging me to something even harder. So those two fasts were very different. One, my spirit wasn't right, the other my spirit was actually being challenged. And that's where I've seen fasting really change for me.

Speaker 1: 7:14

Yeah. So let me ask you this why do you keep coming back Like, why do you make the choice to fast again?

Speaker 2: 7:28

It goes back to what you said of, because it is a spiritual growth and not a physical growth.

Speaker 1: 7:31

Yeah, it's a spiritual journey, not a physical journey.

Speaker 2: 7:33

It really does change your spiritual relationship with the Lord.

Speaker 2: 7:39

It really does bring you closer. There are a lot of times where and this is what we wanted to kind of share of how we got it wrong was are a lot of times where and this is what we wanted to kind of share of how we got it wrong was that a lot of times we would seek God's hand and we weren't seeking his face. But I can tell the vast difference of the fast that we did, where we actually sought his face instead, and because of that, I do believe his hand moved, but our heart posture was literally to seek him, and that's why I will do it again is that I do believe his hand moved, but our heart posture was literally to seek him, and that's why I will do it again. Is that because I feel like it takes my focus off of everything else. It takes my focus off of what I want and what I need, and actually all I need is God, all I need is the Holy Spirit, all I need is Jesus in my life.

Speaker 1: 8:21

What's the hardest fast you've ever done?

Speaker 2: 8:24

it was probably that one in St Louis. I, man that I had our three, like me, and you had picked, chosen three things. And, to be fair, you can probably break down like all the different fasts, but a lot of times we will choose things that are very challenging for us, and the things that are challenging for you are different than me. And so in that one it was social media bread. Any drinks, I could only drink water, yeah. And then that's where I got challenged and the holy spirit this is kind of embarrassing he told me cheese, yeah. And I, I like I don't want eggs if it doesn't have cheese in it, I don't want salad if it doesn't have cheese in it and I don't want a sandwich if it doesn't have cheese in it. And so I was like no, I'm good, I have my things. And then I knew like and that was a really hard one, I remember going to a super nice buffet and they had like this incredible mac and cheese.

Speaker 1: 9:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:17

And guess who was not trying that mac and cheese Right? So it was just that was a very, very challenging one.

Speaker 1: 9:23

So I'm about to challenge you right now. We lived in St Louis like 10 years ago.

Speaker 2: 9:30

Yeah, but that was really hard.

Speaker 1: 9:32

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:34

Because the thing is so there's also like the Daniel Fast right, the Daniel Fast y'all. The easiest place to do the Daniel Fast is in California.

Speaker 1: 9:43

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:43

Because there are so many vegan options.

Speaker 1: 9:47

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:47

Like it's not as challenging as it was when we were in Florida we were doing it.

Speaker 1: 9:51

I you know I'm going to really challenge you and challenge everybody. When it comes to fasting, you know to each his own, you know to say that one fast is easier than another. So, like for me to cut out drinks, I could say, oh, that's easy. Well, yeah for sure. So I just, I guess I really want to help people to understand, like, when it comes to really choosing a fast on your spiritual journey, like you have to really decide in your heart what is a true sacrifice? Absolutely, because to some people, daniel, fast is easy.

Speaker 2: 10:25

Right.

Speaker 1: 10:26

Right. But to others a Daniel fast can be really hard. And for those who don't know what a Daniel fast is, daniel was a character in the Bible, one of God's people. He was a Jew and a Hebrew young man, a teenager, 17. And they were taken captive by their enemies, the Babylonians, and they were forced to live a Babylonian life. They were forced to dress the way they did, they were forced to even speak the language. So in the book of Daniel you see that in the original text they actually go back and forth languages because Daniel actually learned their language. So in the original it's two different languages. It was like originally written in.

Speaker 1: 11:14

But anyways, they were forced to eat their food and Daniel said he will not defile his body, he will not go against the like, the Jewish customs on how they ate. And he dared, and basically dared, challenge the king. It was like yo feed me just salads, like vegetables and water, period, and watch me. My friends look better than your people, be stronger, healthier. And after the fast, like they realized, like even the king realized like how are you guys looking better, stronger, fit, like all that stuff? Because he was realizing it was we are spirit beings and our spirit is really what controls the body, really what it is, and it was a mind over matter situation and that's how they be, that's how it became the Daniel fast. So to some people, like someone like my mom, you know, rest in peace. The Daniel fast was easy for her.

Speaker 1: 12:04

That's true, Like you know what I mean so.

Speaker 2: 12:05

Cause Daniel fast is like no meat, no dairy.

Speaker 1: 12:08

It's literally fruits and vegetables, and water and back then they weren't like deep frying and saltain it and doing all these oils and doing all this stuff. So, like you say the Daniel Fast is easy in California. Well, it depends. Americanized Daniel Fast Right or like original actual Daniel Fast, sure Raw. You ain't using no coconut oil or corn oil to go ahead and like deep fry, just like oh, this was really good. Like you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2: 12:35

Yeah, I do know what you're saying, but I do. I mean there's some really bomb cauliflower, vegan, no dairy, no grain mac and cheese out in California that you cannot find in St Louis. That's all I was saying. Maybe Was that there's a lot of like we would explore more vegan restaurants when we were doing a Daniel fast out here than any other time. Yeah, so, but there's other options. Talk about some of the other options for fasting, like what are some other ways that people have fasted or that they can fast?

Speaker 1: 13:05

Well, I want to, actually I want to answer the question. They can fast, well I want to. Actually, I want to answer the question I guess I'm gonna ask myself this question why should people fast? Ask yourself your own question. Okay, I'm saying I think why should people fast? Okay, like you know what I mean, I think people get caught up on the, on all the types of fasts you know they get.

Speaker 2: 13:22

Okay, we're gonna do the jewish fast I just want you to like break down what those are for them yeah, yeah, and I think we should.

Speaker 1: 13:30

I'm saying is like I think people need to figure out why should they be fasting this year? Because I'm saying this world that we live in, they've gotten caught up on the fabs of fasting. Oh, what are you doing? I know one girl. She used to fast and she's like I've you know, I'm doing this, I'm doing this, but I'm going to do this because I don't want to lose my gains. I don't want to, like you know I do this for so I still want to keep my protein level up, so I still need some carbs, and so what I don't want to do is go down all you could do this fast, you could do this fast. You could do this fast and you could also miss God at the same time.

Speaker 1: 14:06

People go down this fasting rabbit trail of like all the cool ways to do it, and it becomes a physical journey and not a spiritual journey. I think everybody really needs to ask themselves like why am I going into this fast? I have been guilty of fasting just because I thought I can get God to do things that I wanted him to do, like he's a genie in the bottle, right, and so it's some spiritual journey, but it's still thinking that you're like you could outsmart God and manipulate him, like you know what I'm saying. And then there's been seasons where I went into a fast top of the year just because I wanted to just jumpstart my body and go down this physical pathway and tricking everybody. And they're making everyone think that, oh yeah, I'm praying, I'm really praying, but I'm really cool to see, like, oh man, look, wow, I can see my abs. There's that fifth pack kicking in.

Speaker 1: 14:54

Now you know what I'm saying and you're not fooling God, because God realized that you're still playing some type of games, playing some type of system. And then what happens is and it's happened to me at the end of the fast, I'm frustrated because God didn't do what I thought he was doing, because I made all these sacrifices. Did you really make sacrifices or were you really trying to get some physical gains? Are you really trying to drop down or you really couldn't wait to get into those holiday pants? Right, you know what I'm saying yeah.

Speaker 1: 15:21

And so I think people really really need to ask themselves like what am I hungry for? Am I hungry for God? Am I hungry for food? Am I willing to sacrifice the certain things that I do put in my body just because I want to grow spiritually?

Speaker 2: 15:37

Right, cause you have two men you have your, your flesh, and you have your spirit man, and whichever one you're feeding is the one that will grow. So are you feeding your flesh or are you feeding your spirit man?

Speaker 1: 15:54

Yeah, A question people should ask before they start fasting is is my spirit more hungry than my body?

Speaker 1: 16:04

Even for me, before I started, before I started fast, I'll start asking the Holy spirit, putting me a hunger for God make me thirsty for you, like when I start fasting, I can feel days leading up to it Like I feel like I need to start fasting. I feel like because I'm feeling myself become hungry for God, and those are indicators that you should fast. You start prepping yourself mentally for the things that you're that you should fast. You start prepping yourself mentally for the things that you're going to cut out. You start actually identifying certain times throughout the day that you know I should be reading my Bible. Right now, I should be feeding on God's word and not feeding on these chips. Or, if you find yourself thinking all day about God and not food, you should start planning a fast. That's good. Those are indicators that there's a fast that's coming. It's God trying to draw near to you. Yeah, and you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 16:58

I like the fact that it actually is healthy to prepare your mind for fasting, because I'll talk about it with my girls, especially because it always falls around my birthday. So I'm like, nope, I'm not jumping in, nope, I'm not. And it always takes me a while to kind of everybody knows what it's like to celebrate because of holidays, whatever. So for me, with my birthday, it always takes me a little bit to like turn off of the decision of like okay, I'm done celebrating, now it's time to move into this. And even the church will go before me, you know, like all the new year, at the top of the year, everybody's ready to go and I'm like, oh no, I'm January 5th over here, I'm going to still celebrate. But then I can always feel that pull of like okay, you're done, it's time to switch over, like switch your brain, switch your spirit, like it's time to stop celebrating and it's time to get disciplined and like seek the face of God.

Speaker 1: 17:48

Yeah, that's good man, that's good Fasting. It's a physical decision that takes spiritual discipline.

Speaker 2: 17:58

That's very true.

Speaker 1: 18:00

I just thought, I don't know.

Speaker 2: 18:01

Go ahead say it again. Can you say it again?

Speaker 1: 18:03

Yeah, I say it really slow because I just realized it right now. When you fast to seek God, it is a physical decision that takes spiritual discipline.

Speaker 2: 18:15

It's very true.

Speaker 1: 18:16

You have to make up in your heart and make a vow with the Lord that I want to seek you, that I'm going to take away something from my body, I'm going to deny my body something, just so that my spiritual senses can be heightened.

Speaker 2: 18:30

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 18:31

And I could see God's face and I can hear his voice. The goal after a fast is not to get things yeah. The goal after a fast is not even for doors to open and for opportunities to open. The goal after a fast is that someone can be closer to God, yeah, and that their spiritual senses can be stronger. That's why, when Jesus had to check his disciples, they were under spiritual attack. They were trying to cast out a demon out of a man.

Speaker 1: 18:58

And even Jesus said no, this type could only happen through praying and fasting, basically saying we're not fighting against flesh and blood, we're so focused on feeding our body. And Jesus is saying actually, the real war, it's a spiritual war and the only way to win this battle is through praying and fasting. So when you finish praying and fasting, you should walk away from it saying wow, I feel spiritually fit, I feel spiritually strong, my spiritual sense right, that extra sense is stronger now. So more discernment, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, those are indicators that a fast was successful. You feel sympathy, you feel more love, you feel more joy, you feel peace. All the fruits of the spirit is what you've been eating on.

Speaker 2: 19:53

It's really good.

Speaker 1: 19:54

Those are indicators. So there's been times I fasted poorly. I wanted God to do all these things. Yeah, not even realize God was saying no. I'm telling you to cut back on the physical food and start eating on the spiritual food.

Speaker 2: 20:06

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:07

And watch you never go hungry again. So true, and so I think people really need to determine before I go on a fast, start preparing your heart, really start processing, really start thinking about it. You should start being hungry for it and there's a phase where you start pushing it away and it starts leaning into actually grabbing it. I know the times where I'm like I'm pushing off a fast, like I'm pushing it, I'm pushing it, I don't want it, and then I start feeling this, this, this like tug of war, of like, why am I wanting it more? Why am I? Those indicators God is saying just draw near to me, get close to me, get close to me, I'm going to fill you with the spirit of God, the fruits of the spirit.

Speaker 2: 20:49

So we talked about why we would fast. Yeah, can you talk about what it looks like, all the ways that it can look like?

Speaker 1: 20:56

Yeah, I think there's so many different ways of fasting. One of the best ways I would suggest anybody to get into fasting is try it for one day and do like just a water fast. Like just water fast, or maybe a liquid fast. That would be a normal fast. Why? Because it shocks your body. And another reason is because all you could do is pray. That's true, lord Jesus. This stomach is growling. Lord Jesus, what's that sound in my body? What's going on? Right, but it forces you to pray. Yeah, because you could only do it with spiritual discipline. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Fasting, it's a physical decision that requires spiritual discipline.

Speaker 2: 21:37

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:38

So I think that's one of the first ways to do it. Another way to do it is using three days and doing maybe just liquids, like just liquids, so it could be smoothies, it could be juices, things like that. Right, again, it still takes spiritual discipline. You know, I like doing different types of Jewish fast, like where it's actually specific dedicated time to like sun up, sun down there's a window that you actually do it or skipping meals and times that you would actually eat physically. You eat spiritually and so, like you know that, you know me eat breakfast, or like last night, one of the reason why I came home last night is because I couldn't eat dinner, because I was in the middle of a fast right, I already ate, so I'm skipping dinner. So I stayed at the office, closed my laptop, opened up the bible and fed on god's word gotcha. So that's why I came late last night. Yeah, like when you asked me like I was like was this your plan?

Speaker 1: 22:30

no, I had to skip a meal. So instead of skipping meals, oh man, look in front of the.

Speaker 2: 22:33

We all get certain side effects, like when you're fasting, um, I can get really bad headaches or migraines or feel, you know, weak or whatever, and there's a very fine line right. Can you talk a little bit of like how do people who want to try fasting do it safely, but biblically, because there is a part of it that your flesh will hate it? There's a part of it you do have to push through. There's a part of it you are hungry, but then there's also like you can't go three days without water or you die. So, like what? How do you like, how do you encourage people who want to try it to be safe and healthy and do it in a way that's God honoring?

Speaker 1: 23:29

Yeah Well, first of all, I think about when Jesus, when he went into the wilderness to pray and fast, he was led by the spirit.

Speaker 2: 23:38

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 23:40

The Holy spirit should be leading us to a fast, yeah, and if you're led by the spirit, you'll have wisdom and you'll have discernment. It's true. You'll know what you're convicted about. You'll know what you should be sacrificing. You will know.

Speaker 2: 23:55

Which is why sometimes we wouldn't do just a Daniel fast or just this fast. We would literally say like, hey, these three things have a hold on me right now and this is what I need to fast.

Speaker 1: 24:04

Yeah, I personally can't do the Daniel fast, and the reason why I can't do a Daniel fast is I'll find all types of ways to like let me have a banana, let me have an apple, let me get some grapes, let me get a salad, let me get a salad. Why are you eating salads all day long? And so, like I'm still obsessed with food and I'm finding all these ways to still find physical fulfillment in food, Even if it's a.

Speaker 2: 24:25

Daniel fast and for me, social media is just one that I need to constantly like, re-evaluate, recheck, like, okay, I just need to be off of it and that's hard for me, like I'll have the what is it called? Like the reflex to just go and I'm like, oh, I'm not on social media right now, so that was something that I had to.

Speaker 1: 24:43

And those type of fasts right there that's become very common in the modern day church of like fasting things or entertainment stuff. That I'm not saying that's wrong, you know what I mean but that that that's not like really a biblical thing but. I could understand, because fasting, if you literally look up fasting, one definition says is to cover your hand like cover your hand I'm sorry to cover your mouth oh, okay, yeah to cover your mouth, refrain from eating, that's fasting.

Speaker 1: 25:10

So when say I? So when someone say I'm fasting? Social media, the definition of fasting is literally to refrain from eating, got it. It's to block your, that's the definition. So technical mixing, but I get it because maybe it may not be a physical fast, it's a mental fast, right, it's a social fast, right. So I get it and I have before and there like places for it. Yeah, because the part of fasting is, you know, for your body and your spirit, right. So some people might say, well, my body, I'm fine with not eating, but it's really my mind I can't stop looking at social media, right? So so then it's a mind thing, like, I get that.

Speaker 1: 25:45

But I think people that have that are concerned with the health and things like that, first of all know that why are you fasting? Is your pastor telling you to do it? It's just a thing that your church does, a thing that your mom do, or is it the spirit of God that is leading you into a fast, like Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to pray and fast. He went there to seek God. Now, he did an absolute fast. He did nothing, right 40 days.

Speaker 1: 26:10

Like you know, it's not recommended to go past three days because your body going to die, right, like you know what I'm saying. But I think for those that are dealing with you know medical situation where they actually have to eat, they have to. Like you know, I want to say right now, go go ask your doctor. You know, like literally, go ask your doctor and seek the Lord, because you may have to do something else and not just an actual eating thing. But I'm sure there might be some things that you could adjust in your food that you're like okay, I don't really need to eat this, I just love eating that because I'm limited, like you know what I'm saying. But I think, ultimately, I think people just really need to be led by the Holy Spirit to do it. You know, some people go fasting and they're just doing it because someone told them to do it. Like you know what I'm saying. And biblically, like there was always purpose, it there was purpose behind it.

Speaker 1: 26:49

I heard one guy say like make sure that before you start, like you know, have purpose, have a plan, have a strategy and make sure what you do. You make a vow with the Lord and you imprint all of it inside you. So start preparing your mind, start like make it become you to where you don't mess up. I think some people accidentally mess up oh, I ate that thing. Oh crap, I was fasting. Yeah, it wasn't imprinted on you. Yeah, like you get yourself to like already know you smell something? Nope, I can't eat that. It's happening before where I'm like, oh crap, you know what I'm gonna fast and I'm like, oops, oh crap, I forgot I was fasting. That thing did not even become inside you. Like you know, I'm saying what? Like it didn't?

Speaker 2: 27:34

oh, it wasn't imprinted yeah, I thought you're talking about the food, didn't? Come inside you and I was like wait what I'm talking about the imprint of the fast, like you know.

Speaker 1: 27:42

I'm saying the whole plan, you know. But I want to encourage people, man like, fast and seek god, not just the worldview of fasting, but like the biblical view of fasting. The world says fasting is just for you to look better physically, but the Bible says fasting is for you to draw closer to God. You draw closer to him, he'll draw closer to you. I encourage everybody really pray and ask God, like Lord, what should I be sacrificing right now for me to be able to see you more? I think a lot of us are distorted. We have distorted views because everything that's happening in the world and we can't see God. You want to see God? Pray and fast and I guarantee your spiritual eyes will be open. That's all I got to say.

Speaker 2: 28:23

That's it. That's what I said, so we hope that this has been a helpful conversation for you. If you have questions, guys, write in the comments. We are always in the comments writing back. So if you have questions, if you want to ask us or if you want to seek out counsel from your pastors or your leadership at your church, we truly, truly encourage that. But there is so many benefits that can happen spiritually from fasting, and so we wanted to have this conversation with you to tell you that this is how we're starting our year. This is super important to us and, honestly, we're really excited for what God has for let's Dig the podcast. This year, he's been really breathing some fresh inspiration and fresh ideas for some conversations we're going to have this year. So it's going to be a great year 2025, y'all, we love y'all. We'll see you next time.