Starving the Senses: How John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In the face of today’s cost of living crisis and the limitations it imposes, many of us are feeling the weight of financial struggles and uncertainty. But what if the key to overcoming these challenges lies not in the physical world, but within our own imagination?

Neville Goddard often referred to the Bible passage where Jesus says,

John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he hath a devil

(Matthew 11:18, Luke 7:33). On the surface, this may seem strange—why would John reject food and drink? Neville explained that this wasn’t about physical deprivation, but about starving the senses. John didn’t feed on the world’s appearances or beliefs. He rejected the outer world’s limitations and focused on the inner truth.

The phrase, “they say he hath a devil,” refers to how others perceived John’s actions as foolish. But Neville taught that this rejection of the world’s limitations was the beginning of true power—not a devil, but the power of imagination. To the world, it seemed strange, but to those who understand the power of imagination, it’s the first step toward creating a new reality.

Starving the Senses in a Time of Limitation

Today, as we face physical limitations and struggles in the world, the power of imagination is more important than ever. Like John, we are called to “fast” from the outer world—not from food, but from the beliefs that keep us trapped in scarcity and lack. By rejecting the world’s narrative of limitation, we open ourselves up to the creative power of imagination.

Neville taught that imagination is the force that shapes our reality. It is the true power behind manifestation. When we stop feeding on the limitations of the world, we make space for imagination to transform our circumstances.

Imagination: The Path to Abundance

In the face of poverty or struggle, imagination offers a way out. Neville encouraged us to assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled—to live as though our desires have already been realised. This isn’t fantasy; it’s the real power that shapes our external world.

When John came “neither eating nor drinking,” he was rejecting the world’s limitations. He wasn’t accepting poverty or struggle as final. In the same way, we must stop feeding on the appearance of lack and instead focus on the imagination, where true abundance begins.

John’s Role in Preparing the Way for Imagination

John the Baptist’s role was to clear the path for something greater—imagination. He showed us that before something new can be born, we must first reject the world’s false story of lack. John’s rejection of the outer world made space for the creative power of imagination to flourish. In this way, imagination clears the way for abundance to manifest.

Conclusion: Starve the Old Self, Embrace Abundance

To “starve” oneself means to reject the senses and the world’s limitations. When we do this, we make room for the imagination to take over and create the life we desire. In times of physical limitation, when the world tells us there is not enough, imagination offers the key to unlock abundance and freedom.

By rejecting the outer world’s limitations and focusing on the power within, we prepare the way for transformation. Just as John’s fast cleared the path for the Christ to emerge, imagination clears the way for our desires to manifest.