2 Kings 7:3-5 3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
According to excerpts from ‘The New York Time Magazine’, researchers at Yale Medical School state that “Hunger makes you smarter!” The researchers announced that Nature Neuroscience stimulation of hunger, causes mice to take in information more quickly and to retain it better— basically, it makes them smarter. And that’s very likely to be true for humans as well. Dr Andrew MacAskill (UCL Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology) confirms “We found that a part of the brain that is crucial for decision-making is surprisingly sensitive to the levels of hunger hormones produced in our gut, which we believe is helping our brains to contextualize our choices.”
The Arameans had seized the capital of Israel. In ancient times, such captures could have lasted for months or even years. As Samaria was surrounded by a large army, they could not receive any supplies and famine was so dreadfully devastating that people killed their own children to satisfy their hunger. However, the smart decision of four hungry lepers turned the famine into feasting. They boldly ventured into the enemy’s camp only to find that the Arameans had abandoned their tents, leaving behind their provision and had fled for their lives. For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army (2 Kings 7:6). The leapers saved the city from dying of starvation. Hunger hormones in the gut helped their brain to contextualize their choices.
The lepers were forced to fast however, when we choose to fast and pray the hunger hormones will make us sharp, sober and supersonic.
Fasting and Praying makes us astute and discerning:
1. Sharp: Fighting hunger pangs can make us angry but fasting and praying will turn the hunger spasms into shrewdness. We hear the voice of the Lord more clearly while we are fasting. When our stomach is full, blood is pumped into the gut to fuel digestion. Hence there is a drop in the blood flow to the brain causing sleepiness. On the contrary, the brain is more alert when we are fasting.
2. Sober: Taking a break from the normal routine of feeding our belly gives a chance to the digestive system to clean the gut. Gut health influences mood, cognition and mental health. Fasting makes you sober and level-headed.
3. Supersonic: Fasting and praying accelerates supernatural miracles and breakthroughs. If you feel sluggish or spiritually distanced then, it is time to fast and pray. Fasting and praying turns the sluggard into supersonic.
Fasting and praying turns the hunger spasms into supernatural supersonic smartness and strength.
2 Kings 7:8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank.
Prayer: Father God, when my belly rumbles in hunger help me to remember that fasting accelerates supernatural breakthroughs. Amen.
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