Peace in Your WorldSample

Practice of Fasting

If you had only a year left to live, how would you use it? Pastor Don Wickstrum had to face this question when he received a terrifying diagnosis: colon cancer. But instead of shrinking back in fear and despair, Don chose to fulfill his childhood dream of speeding to the top of a mountain in a racecar. In the process, he discovered what’s most important in life, which he shares in an I Am Second documentary called Chasing Hope.

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In my journey of battling health issues and the enemy, I’ve found that many of us have lost sight of a very useful tool in hearing from the Holy Spirit and seeing him move in our lives—fasting. Often, when I go to the Father through the act of fasting, I see my attention to the Holy Spirit sharpened.

Here’s an example. Things began coming apart when I sold my business after being given a very grim cancer diagnosis. Not too long afterward, the pandemic hit. I found myself really wanting to press into God for answers to questions I had about my life, career, and ministry. I remember reading the Bible and seeing so many examples of people fasting in both the Old and New Testaments and how it increased their faith and gave them direction. While the world was in chaos, I chose to ground myself in the presence of the Father and pursue a new level of commitment and awareness through fasting.

For five days, I locked myself in my garage from sunup to sundown and pressed into God through fasting, prayer, and the Word. The first three days were so tough, but then I had a spiritual breakthrough, which completely propelled the Holy Spirit’s presence.

This experience left me grounded and more sure of the promises of Jesus Christ. I had revelation into areas of my life I hadn’t before, and I began to see new gifts of the Spirit working in my life.

To this day, I continue the discipline of fasting before I speak around the nation, race in a car, evangelize at an event, look for answers in my business or career, overcome a struggle, or preach the Word. It has been a turning point for me.

—Don Wickstrum, a motorsports legend, as told to Rapt Interviews