Biblical Fasting

1. Biblical Fasting –20thJuly 2016
“Yet when they were ill,I put onsackcloth andhumbledmyselfwith fasting.Whenmy prayers
returned to me unanswered…”(Psalm35:13).
Biblical Fasting isreferred to fasting done by some people in Christian churches.
Biblical fastingisa spiritual disciplinewhich was encouraged by Jesus, Himself,while He was on earth. When
questioned as to why the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptistfasted while Jesus disciples did not, Jesus
answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the
bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).
Jesuswasindicatingthatfastingwouldbecome anecessitywhen, Jesus–referred asthe bridegroom-
was takenaway.While Jesus,whowasGodmanifestedinhumanform, wasstill onearth,Hisfollowers
enjoyedaclose fellowshipandfriendshipwithHim.Jesusbestowedpowerandauthorityonthemtothe
extentthattheyhadlimitedpowertopreach,heal the sick,andcast out devils.Similarly,whenJesus
sentthemout to ministertothe populace,He instructedthemtotake few provisions. “ThenJesus
asked them, ‘WhenI sent you withoutpurse, bagor sandals,didyoulack anything?’‘Nothing,’they
answered. He saidto them, ‘But now ifyou have a purse, take it, andalso a bag;and ifyou don'thave
a sword, sell your cloakand buy one’” (Luke 22:35-36).
Here Jesuswasteachingthat afterHisdeparture,the entire dynamic thattheywere usedto would
change and the discipleswouldneedadifferenttype of preparationandprovision. Similarlyfastingwas
to be a vital partof thisnewpreparation.The new covenantisbasedonthe truththat we will receive
everythinginChrist, aswe canread from Ephesians1:3,“Praise be to the GodandFather of our Lord
Jesus Christ,whohas blessedus in the heavenly realmswith every spiritual blessinginChrist”.
Nevertheless,we cooperatewiththe Spiritinthe workingoutof oursalvationwithmuchprayer,
meditation,andthe studyof God’sWord.In additiontoall these spiritual practices,Christiansshould
alsoemploythe humblingdiscipline of fasting.
Biblical fasting,unlikefastingformedical orhealthreasons,mustbe done withanattitude of
seriousnessandsincerity.Whenwe fast,we willinglydeprivethe bodyof nourishmentandthe
pleasurable taste of food.The bodyrequiresfoodforsustenance;therefore ourheartsandmindsmust
be totallyfocusedanddirectedtowardsGodsothat He may be the full source of our strengthduringour
periodof fasting. We can learnfromthe bible where we are toldthatfastingmustalsobe done inan
attitude of humility.Itisnotnecessaryforotherstoknow we are fasting because itissomething
betweenyouandGod. We can findthisstatedin Matthew 6:16-18 “ “Whenyoufast,do not look
somber as the hypocritesdo, for they disfiguretheir facesto showothers they are fasting.TrulyI tell
you,they have received their reward in full. 17
But when youfast, put oil on your headand washyour
face, 18
sothat it will not be obviousto others that you are fasting,but onlyto your Father, whois
unseen; andyour Father, who sees what is donein secret, will reward you.”
In additiontoourattitudes whenfasting, ourmotivesmustalsobe correct.We shouldfastinorderto
furtherthe buildingupof God’skingdombyseekingtoministertoothers. We can receive agreat
understandingbylearningfromwhatthe prophetIsaiahreceivedfromthe Lordthe acceptable motives
for our fasts:“Isnot thisthe kindof fastingI have chosen:to loosethe chainsof injusticeanduntie the
cords ofthe yoke, to set the oppressedfree andbreak every yoke? 7
Is it not to share your foodwith
the hungry andto provide the poor wanderer with shelter—whenyousee the naked, to clothe them,

2. and notto turn awayfrom your own fleshandblood?”(Isaiah58:6-7). Whensomeone fastsmaylast
for varyinglengthsof time -- one day,three days,sevendays,andmore.We shouldprayerfullyseekthe
Lord aboutthe lengthof ourfast. Fastingshouldhave anobjectinmind;we shouldhave aclear ideaof
the needandpurpose.One of the most pressingreasonsforChristianfastingmaybe revival.
Our humantendencyistoseeka ultimate “benefitforme”inalmostanythingwe doinlife.Similarly
manymay want to know the benefitswe mayderivefromChristianfasting.This bringsusintoacloser
unionwithGod.While ourbodiesare beingdeprivedforthe purpose of drawingneartoGod, He has
promisedinreturntodraw nearto us. Thisis a spiritual certainty.Aswe decrease inmental strength,
the Spiritincreases andasindividualswe are strengthenedandrenewed. We canlearnthisfrom 2
Corinthians4:16, “Therefore we do not loseheart. Though outwardlywe are wastingaway, yet
inwardlywe are beingrenewed dayby day”.
While the above verse appliestooureternal destiny,the principle appliestoourdaily sojourn;aswe
humble anddeprive ourbodiesthroughfasting,ourspiritual manismade strongerandoursensesmore
acute.Thisprinciple servedthe apostleswell duringthe earlychurchdays.Theirdecisionsweremade
throughfastingandprayer; God gave theminstructionsanddirections. We canlearnthisfrom Acts
13:2-3, “Whilethey were worshiping theLord and fasting,the HolySpirit said,“Set apartfor me
Barnabasand Saul for the work to whichI have calledthem.” 3
Soafter they hadfasted and prayed,
they placed their handson them andsent them off”.
As Christianswe learnfromthe bible thatJesusalsofastedand prayedasrecordedin Hisearthly
ministry.We can readof an instance whenJesuswas fastingfor40 days,he was approachedbysatang
and He hadenduredthis temptation. We can learnthisfrom Matthew 4:1-3, “ThenJesus was led by
the Spirit intothe wildernessto be tempted[a]
by the devil.2
After fastingfortydays and fortynights,
he was hungry.3
The tempter came to himand said,“Ifyouare the Son of God,tell these stonesto
become bread.”
While we awaitthe returnof the bridegroom, ourLordJesusChrist,fastingexemplifiesourattitude of
spiritual hunger…butthe promiseisthatwe will be satisfiedaswe learnfrom Matthew5:6, “Blessed
are those who hunger andthirst for righteousness,for they will be filled”.