Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.
(Matthew 4:1-2 NLT)
“What’s the significance of the number forty in the Bible?” someone once asked me, as they began to recount its various occurrences in the Bible. “Israel wandered in the desert for forty days, the spies explored the land of Canaan for forty days, Moses spent forty days on the mountain,” and they went on to list other examples. Their good question aroused my own curiosity. I began to search for an explanation, and while there were many, the one that struck me the most was that the number forty stands for a time of probation or trial. So I decided to do what Jesus and many others had done–fast for forty days and watch what would happen. I noticed God’s mighty hand at work as once seemingly closed doors began to open. It was truly a remarkable forty–day challenge. I’m grateful for that person’s question, which prompted me to dig deeper into God’s Word and go through my own forty-day journey.
A forty-day fast can be a life-changing experience.
Rising with the Son 