American Faith spoke with Pastor Tammy Hotsenpiller, author of the book, Fasting for a Change and discussed the importance of fasting not only as a spiritual discipline, but a move that touches the heart of God.
Fasting for a Change is a 21-day guided book to see a Spirit-filled change in one’s life. The book’s contents are paired with prayers and videos from Hotsenpiller’s website to encourage accountability.
The book coaches readers on how to ask God for a personal change in their lives, as walking into a purpose-filled life will drive the shifts needed in America.
Amid the ongoing cultural war and inner turmoil across the United States, God says, “America will not change unless Americans change,” Hotsenpiller noted.
Hotsenpiller said that it is the responsibility of the Church to pray for the nation, noting that 2 Chronicles says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”
Readers must first understand the meaning of fasting, as some may view fasting as a legalistic measure rather than an offering to God.
“When you really understand … that you’re learning to submit your flesh, and you can say no to your hunger, then you can say no to other temptations in your life,” Hotsenpiller said. “Come into fasting first of all with the understanding that it’s the gift of God, it’s a spiritual discipline, and that you’re offering it as a living sacrifice.”
“Some things only come by praying and fasting,” she emphasized.
There is a need to reimplement the importance of fasting within the American Church. To see a shift or revival in America, one must understand that they, first, need to change. “You’re coming with a mindset of ‘God, I’m giving this to You and I need to be more disciplined in this area or stronger in this area,'” Hotsenpiller said.
She expressed that she hopes readers will understand who they were created to be in the image of God.
“God really did create all of us with ability, destiny, identity, creativity, and purpose–so many of us are living a dormant lifestyle and don’t understand the power that God has given us.”
It is only after an individual has stepped into their God-given purpose that they may have the spiritual insight to see what needs to happen in America, living a “unified,” “Spirit-filled,” and “strategic” life as that of Queen Esther to inspire a radical change in high places.
The bedrock of all change, however, is faith.
“When you come to submission, and you’re submitting yourself not through ritual religion, legalism, but by a willing offering, you begin to encounter God,” Hotsenpiller said. “Just talk to God. There is freedom in fasting.”
Part of the spiritual problems and shift away from Christianity in the United States may be due to an apathetic spirit toward fasting, Hostenpiller described.
“I think our flesh got bigger than our faith and it just became something the Church didn’t do,” she said, adding, “I do think that’s played a part in some of the lack of power in America. If you look at Matthew 6 Jesus is teaching the disciples three things: When you give, when you pray, when you fast. Those three things are coupled with the three things that I believe Christians should be practicing every day in some way.”
“It wasn’t ‘should you do it,’ it was ‘when you do it,” she emphasized.
When fasting for America, Christians must come to God with a need for their nation. “We saw that with Daniel, we saw that with Nehemiah, we saw that with Esther–all of them, their nations were in crisis,” Hostenpiller stated.
You can purchase Fasting for a Change here or view Tammy Hotsenpiller’s website here.
Tammy Hotsenpiller is an Author, Speaker, Life Coach, and the founder of a national women’s movement, Women of Influence.
