Romina Rosamilia-Morton finds clarity in Christ through the practice of fasting and praying. She shares there are a variety of ways to fast that will help bring you closer to Christ.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
I grew up in a Christian home in Uruguay, a small country in South America but with Italian parents and culture. My father was a mechanic by trade, and my mom stayed at home with 8 kids! Everyday, my sisters and brothers and I, along with our parents, would have music lessons and rehearsals together. Eventually, we went out to various camps and tent meetings or other church services to play Christian music. Someone would preach, which became our family ministry. Our family became connected with The Salvation Army because of the good music and eventually led our family to the USA, where my parents became envoys and then SA officers. Much of my life has been spent at church, but it wasn’t until later in life that I discovered the spiritual discipline of fasting and praying.
WHAT IS YOUR SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE?
My spiritual discipline is fasting and praying. This means fasting from most foods and liquids other than water. It is not a diet, and it isn’t something done only in the Lenten season. Fasting can be done anytime, anywhere, for any length of time. It can be a full fast (no food) or a restricted fast such as only fruit and vegetables and water to drink. My first fast that I did along with my husband was 21 days of only fruit and water. In recent years I have added other foods like vegetables when doing an extended fast. As long as you set the restrictions beforehand and stick to them without adding new foods along the way, I think this is fine.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
My brother, Antonio, introduced me to extended fasting as a way to connect with the Lord on a much deeper level, and it was something that I really wanted to try. I wanted my prayer life and worship to be better than it was and really saw this as a way to kick-start other spiritual areas in my life. I wanted more and go to the next level with the Lord.
I wouldn’t recommend starting fasting the way I did. It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done by entering into a 21 day fast of only fruit and water for the first time trying it! However, both my husband and I completed the 21 days without breaking the fast! We used a book that walked us through each day and gave us specific prayer topics along with a journal if you wanted to write things down. The idea is really to be in a constant state of prayer, but at those times where you would typically go and have lunch or dinner, you just slip away quietly and spend that time in ultra-focused prayer. Although I don’t really consider giving up TV or Facebook fasting, it’s good to put those things aside throughout the duration of your fast so you can come to completely rely on the Lord where food and entertainment can’t satisfy you. The fast should be a sacrifice in all areas of your life. Maybe start by doing a 3 day fast and then work up to one week or even 10 days but be sure to commit to whatever you decide in your heart to do! Also, know that if the fast doesn’t mean anything to you, it won’t mean anything to the Lord.
HOW DO YOU PRESENTLY PRACTICE THIS DISCIPLINE?
Sometimes I will enter a fast with specific intentions and things to pray for. The Lord has revealed to me that I just need Him and my focus changes completely to worshipping Him
At times I feel led to fast for a specific reason. I suppose when I’m feeling dry, or there are times where life’s circumstances are overwhelming, and there is a need for my prayer life to go deeper, I will also fast. Sometimes I will enter a fast with specific intentions and things to pray for. The Lord has revealed to me that I just need Him and my focus changes completely to worshipping Him for the duration of the fast! However, 21 days, ultra-limited fasts are not so easy now with three small children as the energy levels needed to get through are used up quicker. I will often do 7 or 10-day fasts or a 2-3 day fast here and there.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PERSONAL BENEFIT TO THIS PRACTICE?
The ultimate purpose of fasting is to worship the Lord and pray in a much deeper and focused way and experience the Lord in a supernatural way. It’s like finding the “sweet spot” in your worship, and you can experience the Lord in a way you never have before. I wasn’t so concerned about what personal benefits I might receive from fasting. God’s word tells us “what is done in secret, the Lord will reward openly.” Matthew 6:4. There have certainly been special blessings of affirmation and broken chains, and even financial blessings each time I have fasted. However, the biggest blessing was being freed from deep-rooted bitterness in a particular area of my life. Praying for years did nothing, but being completely humbled through long, difficult fasting was powerful enough to break that chain. Even more blessings in that particular situation poured down in ways I never thought possible. That’s the power of fasting and praying!
Resources:
Fasting Journal – Jentezen Franklin
Fasting – Jentenzen Franklin
The Hidden Power of Prayer & Fasting – Mahesh Chavda
