It was the Holiday Week in Malaysia in April 1979. And there was a Church Camp in Ipoh. Sister Sarah Ang invited 4 of her students (Form 4) to attend the Camp. They were from Buddhist background.
Here I was fasting for 41 hours. I started fasting, I think, at 12 midnight on Wednesday till Friday 5 pm when I broke fast. At the start on Thursday morning I felt a little hungry but as the time progressed I felt no hunger at all, to my surprise. These words came to me, “And when he had fasted forty days and forty night. He was afterward an hungred” (Matthew 4:2) Notice the phrase “He was afterward an hungred” So Chrict only felt hungry after the fasting was over – but during the process of fasting the hunger pang was subdued. How?
Actually, the energy that goes into the digestion of food in our stomach is redirected as energy of concentration in prayer and fasting.
And why fast? These are the reasons:
Is not this the fast I have chosen?
to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6)
So these are the secrets:
To lose the bands of wickedness (Satan bound sinners in darkness. Fasting can set them free.
Undo heavy burdens – heavy workloads are lightened by fasting.
Oppressed people can go free
and every yoke of bondage is broken”
Such is the power of prayer with the added power fasting.
What are the physical symptoms? The body feels weak & movement is slowed down. BUT THERE IS A CLARITY OF THE MIND & VISION. ABOVE ALL THERE IS A POWER RELEASED IN PRAYER. OH! THE LIBERTY IN PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT!
And coming back to the Camp. All 4 Buddhist students Sister Sarah Ang brought accepted Christ.
Among the first to raise her hand to accept Christ was Mary and the last one – the one who only accepted on the very last day of the Camp was Susan Tan. Susan Tan later changed her name to Sister Phoebe Tan. She also responded to the call of Full Time Consecration to serve God.
I will always remember this 41 hours fast & the 4 converts in this Camp. All Glory Be To God!