Doug came and spoke to us this week about the importance and benefits of fasting.
Fasting should be normative for Christians. Note this verse:
16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
(Matthew 6:16)
“When” you fast, not “If” you fast. The same sentence structure is seen a few verses away:
5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
(Matthew 6:5)
2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
(Matthew 6:2)
“When you pray”. “When you give”. “When you fast”. All three of those should be normal in the Christian life.
You might think that fasting isn’t for you, but be careful, because Jesus said “the student is not above his teacher”, so be mindful when you disregard something Jesus teaches about.
Types of Fast
Fasting is supposed to boost or kick-start a person’s spiritual life.
Absolute fast - no food or water passes the lips.
Normal fast - water only (some people say distilled water only).
Partial fast - giving up certain things (Daniel gave up meat and sweet things, living off only water and vegetables; some of us today might give up our phone on social media, or something else we particularly value)
While fasting is supposed to be normative for Christians, some people shouldn’t fast. For example, particularly elderly people, or people with eating disorders or other health problems.
Whatever your preferred type of fast, the goal should be “Matthew 6:33” fasting, a fast that seeks first the Kingdom. The whole point of fasting is to pursue God; if a fast is just about going without something, then it’s no different to a diet or starvation. The purpose of a fast is always spiritual, with specific prayers about specific things.
How to Fast
For those new to fasting, it’s helpful to build into a fast, perhaps skipping lunch one day, then all the meals the next day. It’s not helpful to try and fill up like a camel, as that can leave a person feeling bloated and tired.
When you fast, you’ll notice food references more, you’ll notice other people eating more, and time will pass a lot slower! Water is your best friend during a fast.
Why Fast?
It’s super important to recognise that fasting doesn’t put us right in the eyes of God. Only faith in Christ grants us peace with God. Fasting is something for people who are already right with God. It is not a method for making ourselves right with God. In other words, fasting is not a replacement for the Gospel.
Fasting helps us with empathy for the hungry. Going to bed on an empty stomach after a day without food really aids understanding of what life is like for those living in poverty and hunger.
Fasting is powerful. It helps break addictions, and the yolk of spiritual dryness. It helps open doors that would otherwise be closed.
How Does Fasting affect Health?
It’s a good rest for the digestive system.
In conclusion, it would be great if you would consider fasting. We are now on day 8 of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, so even if the first 7 days have been based purely around prayer, now might be a good time to throw fasting into the mix.