What Is Fasting?

Fasting usually means abstaining from something, usually food, for a spiritual reason.  It is an often, overlooked spiritual discipline, but Jesus spoke about it in the Sermon on the Mount and made it equal with financial giving and prayer (Matthew 6).   Maybe it is something we should look into.

The Bible talks a lot about fasting because a lot of godly people fasted.  Here is a taste (pardon the pun) of some fasters: Moses (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 9:9,18), David (2 Samuel 12:16), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); Esther (Esther 4:16), Anna (Luke 2:37), Paul (Acts 14:23), Jesus (Matthew 4:1-2), and the early church (Acts 13:2). 

The purpose of fasting was usually to re-center the person’s heart and mind and devotion on God.  It wasn’t primarily a physical health thing but a spiritual health thing.  In an interesting psychological way, feeling deprived physically aids our desire to be satisfied spiritually.  God honors this practice. 

For me, it does at least three things. 

The first one is about time and priorities.  When I give something up as a fast, lunch or CSI Miami for example, it frees up time for me to connect with God.  I can use that time for spiritual gain.

The second thing it does is it makes me dependent on God.  Fasting from food is especially helpful for me because it is especially hurtful.  I like to eat food often.  To go without is difficult.  In the difficult time, I train myself to turn to God instead of the good feeling of food.  For example, I’m now not drinking Diet Cokes.  So, when I crave one, I crave one.  I cannot quench that craving with a Diet Coke, so I find myself talking to God about how I can discipline myself to not need to satisfy my physical longings.  It does great good and creates some tremendous prayer time. 

The final major thing fasting does for me is it helps me focus on other people.  When I fast from anything the purpose is usually determined ahead of time.  That purpose usually involves others.  So, now, before Easter, I’m fasting and praying for my non-Christian friends and for you to reach your non-Christian friends.  When my stomach is empty, my prayers are more real and gutsy.  It is worth the sacrifice to experience that with God.

Have you ever truly fasted?  Try it.  You can fast from something, or, a great way to start is to take a whole day and fast from food to feast on God.  Do it for 24 hours.   I dare you to try.

Comments

[Dean W. Parker]

Thanks for the encouraging word regarding fasting, Rodney. In the past I have fasted for spiritual reasons and it has helped greatly in the discipline of spiritual growth. I must admit I have strayed from that spiritual discipline and would like to fast again (from food in particular). Food is one of my vices and it needs to come under more of the "self control" aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit in my life.

I know we often speak of fasting in other ways (i.e. turning off the T.V. or from going to movies, etc.), but a spiritual fast from food does heighten our awareness of God and his grace in our lives. We are blessed to live in a country where the availability of food is not a problem. Diet is also one of my spiritual struggles, not to mention the physical benefits it can provide.

But, food is something we all need and the same is true with spiritual food. The lack of one (physical food) can prosper the other (physical food).

I am extremely humbled by the example of our Lord who was tempted by Satan in the wilderness during the start of his public ministry. It's bad enough to be tempted by Satan, but Jesus' first temptation had to do with food (Matthew 4:3). The verse that precedes it always humbles me when I look at trying to be disciplined in all areas of my life. Jesus fasted prior to this temptation for 40 days. It says he was "hungry", which in reality means he was at the point of exhaustion and needed physical food very quickly to sustain himself. It was at the zenith of his hunger that Satan came with this temptation.

I also had the privilege of meeting the Christian writer, John Stott while in school. Rodney has mentioned him many times on Sunday. A good friend of his spoke about him after he had addressed our student body. He mentioned Stott fasts every Tuesday for spiritual health. Ironically, he himself never mentioned that, because he felt it to be something between him and the Lord that only a few should know. However, he did then mention the benefits of fasting once that was made known to us.

Thanks for peeking my interest in this discipline again, Rodney, and for sharing how it has given you great spiritual growth and insights. Dean.

[Kila Widell]

I am definately considering fasting on Good Friday-yeah I need this much time to plan and prepare myself in advance!! I'm excited and also very nervous! I've NEVER fasted before (I have given up things for lent when I was Catholic however). It will be extremely hard for me because I work at a Cafe in a nursing home and we have this HUGE display case of sweets (my personal vice) Wish me luck! I'm sure I'll be praying a ton on that day but other prayers would help :) Also maybe someone can answer this, I usually work out early in the morning and go immediately home and eat a big healthy breakfast, do you think I should skip working out? Or is that cheating by not doing the normal routine?