What’s the Deal with Fasting?

I’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving because I really love food! Just take a look at the picture below and that should settle all doubts.

My love for food has also caused me to think about the discipline of fasting recently. I noticed that it’s not uncommon for churches in Ukraine to announce an all church fast for a day or two or three!  Honestly, I don’t ever recall church fasts in any of the churches that I’ve been involved with in the US.

I have to tell you that sometimes I find fasting more difficult than I expected, although I’m not sure it would serve the same purpose if it didn’t make me to feel some discomfort and teach me to discipline myself.

First let’s get a few things straight, this is what fasting is not.

• It’s not commanded in the New Testament
• It’s not a biblical method for weight loss
• It doesn’t make you closer to God
• It doesn’t guarantee that God will answer your prayer

So, what is fasting then?

Biblical fasting is the temporary complete abstinence of food (and sometimes water too) for spiritual purposes.

I’ve often heard people say that you can fast from anything like choosing to go without TV or deserts or something else that you enjoy. However, in the Bible fasting was always a complete abstinence from food. There is something else in the Bible called a Nazarite vow which involved abstinence from other things like alcohol.

A few things Biblical fasting is.

• It is always associated with prayer Ezra 8:23
• It often is in response to hardship or grief 1 Samuel 31:13
• It can be done as a group or individually Acts 13:2/Matthew 4:2
• It should have a spiritual purpose and never be done for show Matthew 6:16-18
• It was done before making an important decision Acts 14:23

Finally, a few benefits from fasting.

• Physical hunger helps us see our greater spiritual need
• It reminds us of our complete dependence upon God in both the physical and spiritual realm
• It provides a simplicity in our daily routine that allows us to focus on prayer and meditation
• It helps us to see how self centered we often are without even thinking about it
• It teaches us not to be enslaved by our appetite
• It reminds us of how Jesus suffered willing for our sake

Don’t forget that Jesus fasted and he taught on fasting. The important thing to notice is that Jesus didn’t say “if you fast” but he said “when you fast.” Jesus assumed that his followers would practice the discipline of fasting.

Questions: Do you fast? If so how do you find that it helps you?

For a better treatment of the subject of fasting and other spiritual disciplines I highly recommend Donald Whitney’s classic book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life