Our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to save mankind from sin, and although he was and is God, he had to fast for 40 days and 40 nights before beginning his ministry. This he did because he took on the flesh of a man, and it is well stated in the Bible that the flesh profiteth nothing. So Jesus’ fasting enabled him to function at full capacity.
However over the years there have been individuals who have tried to do some of the tasks that Jesus did. The most commonly attempted of these tasks is fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. This article highlights two of such cases:
1 Khulu Reinfirst Manyukaleft;
This man was a 73 year old Christian from Zimbabwe. It is said that he left home and went into the mountains to carry out his fast but unfortunately for him, he couldn’t finish it, it was speculated that he died on the 30th day of his fast. His own relatives said during an interview that he was a very spiritual man, full of life, suffered no sicknesses whatsoever, and had faith strong enough to move mountains. Perhaps, this was what made him over-confident to think he could fast dry for 40 days and 40 nights, only for him to meet a sad demise.
2 Chweya:
This man from Bungola was also a staunch Christian who went on the 40 days and 40 nights adventure. Reports have it that, he went up to Mount Eglon to have a personal and uninterrupted time to fast and pray fervently. Sadly, he barely lasted up to 2 weeks, as reports of his death reached his family only 2 weeks after he left home. A close friend who knew him reported that he was overly prayerful, and actually shared his idea of 40 days fasting with his sister-in-law whom he lived with. This source further said that some of his family tried to cover up his cause of death, but his sister-in-law had already spread the news by that time.
His case was really sad, seeing he barely lasted 2 weeks before giving up the ghost.
3 Chidi Eke:
This man was a Nigerian Pastor who died while fasting in Imo state (Eziala Ngulu in Okpala council area, to be precise). The 46 year old man left his family in lagos, and left to Imo state claiming he had a call to open a church. He embarked on this fasting to seek favour from God. Before embarking on his journey, he warned sternly that nobody should come looking for him, and he left with only his Bible and his gown.
During the first and second week of his fast, people who went to farm could hear his voice singing and praying in the bush, but after the 3rd week, the voice ceased. This made one of his members worry and seek his ‘wilderness’ of fasting, only to meet his corpse on getting there. It was even reported that he had earlier concluded a 21 days fast before going ahead to do a 40 days fast.
The sad thing about Eke’s case is that he is the only son of his mother,and I and the poor family he abandoned for this mission will have to struggle without him. It was even speculated that the community would be the one to bear the expenses of the burial.
However sad these cases may be, they should serve as a lesson to all pastors and Religious leaders out there. Being spiritually powerful does not mean you don’t have limits. Jesus Christ, and the only 2 other men in the Bible who completed a 40 days and 40 nights fasting, did so by divine auction, and so they had the grace to successfully finish it. Whatever you do in this life, DON’T TEMPT GOD.
Do you think men like these who died while trying to contend with Christ will make heaven?
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