WalkwithGod.com

Most people don’t like to go without a meal for over four hours. Forty hours? That’s ridiculous. Four days is an eternity. How about forty days without food? Could you do it? Oh, and what if you were almost 80 years old?

March 28th, 2008 at midnight marked the end of a forty day water fast for John Thompson, Jr., a 79 year old Rossville, Georgia resident.

WalkwithGod.com recently interviewed Mr. Thompson to find out what motivated him to do this and how he survived. We are sharing the story here in the hopes that it will inspire people around the world to consider what God may be saying to them about their own practice of this spiritual discipline.

WWG: What led you to begin this fast?

JT: The condition of the world. According to Eze 22, it was a mess back then, and God was looking for a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap so the people would not be destroyed. He couldn’t find one then. He’s still looking for someone today.

I had a dream last night about intelligent people trying to figure things out. They thought they found the answer but really hadn’t found it.

The whole world’s in such a big, conglomerated mess. It’s just time for someone to seek God and get some answers.

WWG: Did you spend all your time in bed resting?

JT: No!

WWG: How did you spend your time?

JT: I did my regular work. I plowed my garden and worked in it and kept up most of my regular work.

WWG: How much did you pray during this time?

JT: I had received David Wilkerson’s book of favorite scriptures. I read it through sixteen times. I would stay up at night an hour or two praying and praising the Lord. I would also pray throughout the day.

WWG: Did you see any angels, hear any trumpets or see any visions?

JT: No.

WWG: This was a water fast only, right? Did you have any other types of food or nourishment at all?

JT: Yes, it was. Every couple of days or so, and if I was going to be around a group of people, my wife encouraged me to take a water-soluble vitamin pill.

WWG: Did you get sick during your fast?

JT: No.

WWG: Were you weak most of the time?

JT: Well, it varies. I noticed on my other forty day fast [around age 40], after about 15 days, I was as strong as ever. This time, it took about six days before I got over the initial weakness. The 39th day was one of the best days this time. I just depended on the Lord and kept praying for Him to be my strength. You just keep going.

WWG: What was it like to eat again after going without food for forty days?

JT: I started sipping potato soup, about three cups. It tasted great. Last time, I would be about back to normal eating within a day or so. This time, it took several days before my hunger and appetite really returned. I had to bring my stomach back to eating and get it to where it would desire food again. Last night, after almost two weeks, I had a desire for a late night snack again.

WWG: Were there any significant spiritual events which occurred during or shortly after your fast?

JT: Not really. I’ve heard other people talk about fasting three days and turning the world upside down. To me, it’s not that way. It’s just something that the Lord did, and I’m just following what He did. You learn self-control. You hear people talk about not being able to do without coffee. You learn to tell your body what to do instead of having it tell you what to do.

I did have an opportunity to pray with a backslider during that time period. The only way to describe it is that he was led to our house directly by God during that time period.

WWG: Thanks for your time.